Using the Lunar Eclipse to Reset Your Mindset

A lunar eclipse can feel like a spotlight in the sky, but what happens when you use that same spotlight on your own patterns, stress, and choices? Michelle sits down with Anabel Salimian to talk about the kind of change you can feel in your body before you can explain it in words, and why so many of us wait for an external sign before we finally let go.

We get honest about spirituality and “energy shifts,” then bring it back to something you can do today: taking ten intentional minutes to reflect inward, even when life is loud and the school year is ramping up. Anabel shares how a personal change that looked simple on the outside, cutting her hair and embracing her natural curls, marked a deeper shift in identity, self-alignment, and the courage to release what no longer fits.

From there, we break down how to tell the difference between fleeting stress and a real inner message. If a thought or feeling keeps coming back, that pattern may be your gut trying to protect your growth. Michelle connects that idea to the body’s signals and how physical symptoms can flare when we are carrying too much. We close with Anabel's ROOTS approach, blending positive psychology and behavioral activation with practical wellness planning so you can spot patterns, build sustainable habits, and move through change without shame.

If you’re a parent, educator, or anyone craving a mental reset, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more people can find WhozYourMama.

Transcript

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Welcome And Brain As Muscle

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Who's Your Mama, a podcast focusing on tomorrow's future, which are our kids, educators, teachers, parents, all-encompassing with the goal of understanding that our brain is a muscle that we can exercise to control the speed in the direction that we want. Let's go, y'all. The time is now. Annabelle Solomon and also of Roots, welcome back to Who's Your Mama?

SPEAKER_00 0:26

So excited to be here again. Thanks, Michelle.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Yes, we're always excited to have you. And it seems as though uh we're in our own day by day, week by week, month by month routine of having you on here. And so it's always a pleasure. So I wanted to for some people that are just you know tuning in to Who's Your Mama Now, and and uh also uh before we're done, just maybe you could give a recap again uh with school going back for people whether of any age and just that foundational setting your roots. So at the at the end, if you could just uh touch on that.

Spiritual Shifts And The Eclipse

SPEAKER_01 1:03

But as far as today goes, one of the things I was thinking about was that you know, I don't talk a lot about it on Who's Your Mama, not because I'm opposed to, it's just kind of the way things have flowed, but you never know because we cover all sorts of things. But I am both spiritual and and religious, so I believe in God, the Lord, and the angels and the universe, and there's a lot shifting, regardless of what people's backgrounds are and their beliefs. I think that most people will agree that there are shifts happening all around us, energetically speaking. And so I thought it would be nice to talk about uh you and I were talking before off camera about the moon and the eclipse. I know I went to a huge group of us uh outside of Austin a couple years ago for the eclipse, and I took my daughter, and what came out of that connections, uh enlightenment of things that I didn't even know necessarily were there for both she and I, creativity. And so I would like to start off on that because I know you've had a lot of shifts, you know, only about is it was a year ago that you you left California, moved to Colorado to get your PhD in psychology. Again, congratulations. Um, you are seeing patients as well. And you also have recently moved um within where you're living to another place, and you cut your hair, and it's just somebody who is not that you can tell right now, my hair's not as curly as yours, but we know, especially as curly-haired women, it's an extra big jump because the curls jump and just I think you know, a lot of people can when you when you make big changes like that, like how much are we holding on to? What are we letting go? So I will just stop right there and and let you take it from here.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Yeah, thanks, Michelle. And you know, what's interesting is we were reading about kind of like what the um solar or lunar eclipse last night meant and what it represented. And it was a lot of this like letting go of past behaviors, past things that no longer serve you, and kind of like entering this new era. Um, and I think that kind of ties into a lot of things with like it's August now, we're entering September, it's back into the fall, back into the school year, getting in the swing of things and adapting to a lot of those changes as well. And I I kind of want to touch on one thing you mentioned too about the energy shift and the power that you feel through these like solar or lunar events. And I think what's interesting too is something to take it like another step is allowing yourself that time intentionally to like reflect inwards. I think it's so interesting that a lot of times people associate, you know, these individual changes or feelings or energy shifts within ourselves with these external events, right? Like the lunar eclipse, other um solar events, XYZ. But a lot of times what I think is really fascinating just allowing humans the chance to sit down with themselves

Making Space For Inner Reflection

SPEAKER_00 4:10

and think internally and reflect and kind of having this like external object be a medium for which folks are like, okay, I'm observing this lunar eclipse. I have 10 minutes of time to reflect internally. And thinking like, how can we allow folks more often to spend that time to take those 10 minutes to reflect internally, even if it's not like an earthly event, right? That's something that I kind of think about too, is like I also found myself like almost forgetting that the eclipse was happening. I was like, oh my God, I was so excited, I want to go see it. Jumped outside, and it was like so powerful just to be able to be like, okay, I'm gonna sit down for 10 minutes and just observe this phenomenon and like think and reflect. And I just wonder, like, how can we incorporate that more often into our days, into our routines, so that it's not just once in a blue moon, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:01

It's like we're intentionally no, no pun intended, or they call it blood moon, which is interesting. But I just I think it's yeah, blue because there is a little bit of an aura of blue around and vibrations in that, and it's it's beautiful. And I agree with you, and I think that ties into what we talk so much uh on who's your mama, and you and I've discussed uh separately as well is energy hygiene tuning into ourselves, and and that is brain health is life health, you know, it's all intertwined. And and one of the things that, you know, I I think I've shared this, I know I've shared it with you, but uh those that are close to me know I had an unexpected injury that forever changed the course of my life. It was one of those sliding doors moments, and I was out of work. I had to ask for help in ways I've never had to before. I couldn't drive. I, you know, it was this whole domino effect. But what was conscious within myself was this is happening regardless. What am I gonna do with this time? And I mentioned all that because through the last few years, I have started to become more and more in tune with myself. And that's one of the things that sparked who's your mama. So thank you, said person that accidentally stepped on my foot because we wouldn't be here right now. And it really did change the course of things. And one of them was being in tune with feeling different vibrations and centering within myself and this past week, because like you, I had forgotten about the eclipse, and and then when I remembered, and then life was happening until I a friend of mine sent me a picture and it gave me cause to pause because I saw that right as I got home late last night from a meeting, and I thought what a gift that was to receive that from her to come back outside, and the picture that I took, which I will post, it's just for anyone questioning it, it was one shot, unfiltered, in front of my house between the two trees, and I felt these vibrations, and I kid you not, I because I it's been so hot, I sleep with the windows open. I heard almost like a sound bath noise that I I've lived in this particular place for over nine years. Never have I heard that. Wow, and that was before I went to bed. So it it it's something within me that helps me know that I'm on the right path, and especially when there's things that are outside my control, and how much do I let go of fear and things like that. So, could you expand on you've had so many changes and and what are some ways to continue to tune in and have the confidence and strength within ourselves to let those thoughts be mindful with intention, but not with holding and allowing fear to take

Permission To Change Without Fear

SPEAKER_01 8:01

over.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

Yeah, I love that, Michelle. And I think a lot about like two different components that kind of come up from me and in our discussion is like these external forces, right, that might cue us in or remind us that change is okay, or like let's be more accepting and willing for change. Like, for example, with the with the solar lunar eclipse, like the whole notion, the meaning around it was for letting go of the past, being okay for change, XYZ. And I think that that's really interesting, right? Where sometimes we are so inclined to look for an external factor that will allow us to let go or allow us to be okay with change.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Is it really like we're waiting for somebody to give us permission versus giving ourselves permission? And that goes to the internal gut and yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Yes, exactly. Um, and there's a lot of power in that, right? Like that's okay. That's like how we operate because humans naturally are more likely to be afraid of change, more likely to be afraid of new situations, new things, and for letting go. Um, so that's a really interesting phenomenon that I love how we tied it into like the perfect timing and thinking about those external factors. But a lot of times as well, like you'll feel within yourself when something is maybe wrong, when you feel like you're approaching a time where a change needs to be made or when something needs to be let go. So, like for me, for example, recently with my haircut uh was a pretty big deal for me because I used to, well, this is my natural hair, it's very curly. Um, and for the past like 13 years, I would permanently straighten my hair. So I was growing it out now that I moved to Colorado, trying something new. Um, but my hair was like half curly, half straight for the whole past year. And just a couple weeks ago, I thought to myself, you know, I'm feeling like I'm approaching this big change moment. I'm feeling internally like something needs to go. I gotta let go of the past, I gotta change something. And here it's gonna be. I'm gonna embrace my full natural self. I'm gonna cut my hair and explore this new chapter and this new journey of having my curly hair, right? And that's just like one example that seems like something so mundane, something so small, right? Just like a haircut, but it represents something bigger. And I think a lot of us have those experiences as well, where something so small in our lives we feel like, okay, we're ready to let this go and move on to something new is actually much bigger than we originally think it is. So kind of having that time to reflect internally and be like, wow, I just made this change. Wow, I just let go of something that was important to me, right? Those are all really powerful moments that I think we should give ourselves more credit for than sometimes we do.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

I completely agree. And that actually sparked my mind as something that I think both men and women of you know multiple generations can relate to that you said was about giving, you know, giving yourselves permission. And it doesn't have to be something catastrophic that's happened. I think, you know, a lot of times it will be said, say, um a man or a woman, because women do go through midlife crises too, or or shifts in their life, as I would like to call it, you know, where big things a lot of times happen around certain ages is the flow of life. So let's just say, you know, a guy shaves his head or grows his hair longer, you know, never had facial hair, now all of a sudden has a has a goatee or a beard or things like that. And we're like, oh, I hope, you know, he's okay. You know, a woman cuts her hair short. Well, maybe it's had her long, you know, her entire life until, you know, she's in her whatever age. And it's like, oh, what's going with you? Is everything okay? Well, actually, it is because I made a conscious choice to do that. And and I think releasing some of those labels or assumptions about knowing what somebody else is going to, and also releasing that within ourselves. So, when you were saying before about some of the things that you would feel when you're really trying to be in tune and also making a choice not to dismiss those, like, oh, that could just be I'm stressed right now. You know, like what would you say some for for some people that are like, well, how do I know if I'm being in tune or I could say it's stress, or it could be, you know, a lot of things. What would you say would be a few tips you could share for people to know, like, okay, you know, is it certain things? Are they patterns for me when things happen a few times and that and I I can hear it that especially when I talk out loud to myself, I know, and I'm like, oh, okay, I guess I wasn't getting the memo until actually I was starting to talk to myself. Yeah. What what advice could you give in that way that from a personal perspective?

Gut Feelings And Recurring Patterns

SPEAKER_00 12:54

For sure. Yeah. And there's two things that come to mind for me. For one, is that you know, your gut feeling is always right. At least I believe so. And that's been in my experience, where that ties into the second thing that I think is how to notice this within ourselves, is if this thought or this feeling is recurring, right? Like this is something that's coming up for me, a thought that I keep having all the time. Like, I'll push it away one week, next week I'm having this thought or this feeling again. Then I start to pick up and notice, like, okay, this is not just like a fleeting one-time thought or feeling. Like, this seems to be something that's like hindering my alignment with myself. And there's something that keeps sparking this back into my mind and trying to tell me, hey, like this is something that we want to change, this is something we want to let go of. This is gonna enter us into our new stage of alignment. Um, so I'm also very spiritual as well. And I believe really strongly in like this sense of self-alignment and how when something is out of place or out of shift, like your body internally will try to send you some sort of notions, some sort of remarks to let you know, like, hey, this is what's uncomfortable, this is what's a little wrong, like we want to change this and let go of this and move forward. Um, so I think for me, what I've experienced is that those thoughts and those feelings, those patterns, like you mentioned, will keep coming up until you make that change. And I've learned that both personally and myself and also observing others, that these thoughts will genuinely keep coming up for years. If you push them aside, they will keep coming up because that is out of place with your alignment. And that's your body trying to tell you, hey, we want to make this change and push ourselves towards this growth.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

I couldn't agree

When The Body Signals A Release

SPEAKER_01 14:41

more. And again, ironically, this week, so mine again, a gift of the injury is be was being even more in tune to my body and seeing patterns of how things would manifest. I've had a lot of sports injuries and then things like that. The majority is on my left side. Unfortunately, the most recent one was my driving foot, but but but it over my the left side overcompensated, and that was the one that had taken the biggest toll. And I started noticing over the last few years when I am carrying things, whether it's personally, professionally, or bow, sometimes that are quite heavy, my left knee behind my kneecap will start to swell. And I drive a lot for work and I'm on my feet, and you know, as a mama and stuff. I haven't had problems with my lower back in quite some time and all week to the point where I called my chiropractor, which will still be a gift. But and then there's a pinch nerve right on my right side. And I woke up this morning, I'm still gonna see him tomorrow, but his prevention is the best form of treatment, and but it I was blown away because I clearly had released some things that I had been praying and meditating about, and I'll be darned if I mean I can still feel a little bit not in my back and not in my knee.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

And so um on that note, and uh of course I think we're this is uh at least till the end of the year, we will be getting back together. So I hope everyone continues to tune in monthly with uh Annabelle and myself. So that ties into Roots. And can you just for somebody who doesn't hasn't heard us before and and what you're doing at Roots, because I think this is all rooted into what we're talking about right now.

Roots Tools For Daily Alignment

SPEAKER_00 16:35

Definitely, definitely, yeah. And so for me, so I started Roots a couple years ago now, um, which is kind of like a wellness brand initiative that really focuses on building these intentional patterns, systems, and groundwork for us to be able to grow and flourish. So I like to sustain a lot of my practices. I pull from positive psychology principles as well as behavioral activation therapy, um, and kind of incorporate a lot of those tips and tricks that I learned through my education and through therapy practice into different sustainable tools for us. So, my first one is a day-by-day wellness planner, um, which I've talked a bit about as well in the past, but really incorporating like internal reflection, um, organization as a mental health tool and just kind of like planning, goal setting, how to incorporate all those things into our daily habits and patterns so that we can grow and flourish from there.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

And I think that one thing to for anyone listening is if is a reminder that this isn't about um shaming yourself, like, oh, I didn't get this done, or make creating extra work. It is to help you see certain patterns. So it could be anything you want it to be, but you have you can reflect back on it and go, oh, okay, you know, this is kind of how I was feeling this day, or this is what I noticed in my body, or you you make it your own. It really is personalized medicine for you. So it's kind of that all-encompassing. So um, well, as always, thank you for coming

Closing Mantra And What’s Next

SPEAKER_01 18:08

on. And you know, as we always sign off here, let's let's go, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 18:12

Let's go, y'all. The time is now.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

Thank you for tuning into Who's Your Mama? And I look forward to collaborating from a community standpoint for the next episodes.