EP 91: Tough Conversations - How to Prepare and Stay Calm

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When was the last time you faced a difficult discussion with a co-worker?
Or found yourself in the middle of a complex conversation at home --
or simply deciding whose turn it is to clean the kitchen?

You can navigate these tough talks with calm and clarity. 

I'm excited to introduce you to Nicole Dupuis, a seasoned Productivity + Leadership Coach.  For years she's been helping people find clarity in communication. 

In this week's podcast episode, I sat down with Nicole, to uncover the secrets to master difficult conversations. Here's a sneak peek of what we covered:

🔍 Getting clear on what's really going on during a tough talk.
💆‍♂️ Techniques to keep your stress levels low when faced with unexpected confrontations.
🌱 Recognizing if the conversation was actually constructive.

Your ability to handle these moments doesn't just affect your mood now; it shapes your relationships and your stress levels in the long run.

EP 90: Stress Less Lifestyle - Your Next Step to Inner Calm

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Whether you are facing major life stressors or just the day to day grind, you will stress less when you ask yourself the question you'll hear in this episode. Putting together the gratitude, movement, and microbiome (gut health) habits from the last episodes is easy - ok easier - when you ask yourself this question. Then, all working together, you will lower your stress.

EP 89: The Resilient Diet - Eat to Beat Stress

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Ever walked into a meeting feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? I get it. But what if I told you that what you eat could change the game?

Imagine this: You're facing a challenging client issue, tensions are high, and your team's counting on you to lead the way. It's make-or-break time.

My question to you is not about what you should say to your team.

My question is "Are you eating in a way consistently that supports your brain to be calm and positive no matter what?"

In this episode:

  • The Power Foods: Discover the delicious ingredients that fuel your brain for calm, focus, and creativity.

  • Avoid the Gut Bombs: Say goodbye to the culprits sabotaging your gut-brain harmony.

  • Spice It Up: Get savvy with spices that lower inflammation so your gut can heal.

Here are the additional resources I mention:

Fat Facts for Optimal Nutrition

How to love drinking water to energize you

These are the nutrients you need when you are stressed

How to Stop Craving Sugar

EP 88: Taming the Tension - How Your Good Bugs Battle Stress

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In this episode, jump into the fascinating world of your stress-gut-brain connection. Discover how stress impacts your gut and your brain ... and visa versa. Explore ground-breaking research on optimizing your gut microbiome. Learn 5 simple pleasures you can do right now that create a profound shift in your feel-good hormones and relaxation hormones.

EP 87: The Power of Gratitude to Lower Your Stress

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A couple of nights ago I was having trouble falling asleep. Just as I started worrying "Oh, no. What if I lay here awake for hours?", I remembered a suggestion from my physician.

It's literally a life-changing strategy that helps your sleep, PLUS your relationships, lowers your stress, increases your joy and work satisfaction, and improves your brain health.

You ready for it?
It's gratitude.

In this episode learn the exciting research on how gratitude benefits your body and your brain. And, most important, discover 10 unique gratitude practices that you can test for yourself.

You want to practice gratitude, and the reason you may have struggled to do so is that you have not yet found a version that resonates with you. Look no further. You will discover it in this episode.

EP 82: Your Great Sleep Formula with Bijoy John, MD

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Cool things you'll learn about - Dr Bijoy John's formula for great sleep, nidra yoga, how sleep loss impacts your weight, the functions of the brain hurt that sleep deprivation, and women's hormones and sleep. It's a packed episode!

To find Dr. Bijoy John - head to Instagram dr.sleepfix and to your favorite bookseller for his new book Nobody's Sleeping.

EP 78: The Connection Cure - How Relationships Help Your Health

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Picture this: You go out with a couple of friends over the weekend and have a ton of fun.

Then on Monday you're at your doc's office. You get a great report and your doc says "Whatever you're doing, keep it up."

Believe it or not, the two are related. In this episode you'll learn the research about how relationships impact your wellness and three creative tools I've found to help you grow and deepen your friendships. The goal may be fun ... the bonus is a healthy body.

Here are the resources I mention in the podcast -
https://www.werenotreallystrangers.com/

https://harveymackay.com/books/

https://www.letsroam.com/adventure_book/scratch_off_family_book

EP 77: Get Your Best Sleep - 3 Pro Tips

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If you've been struggling to catch your zzz's, you're not alone.  About 60 million people, just in the U.S., don't get enough sleep.  Either because they stay up late, trying to cram in more activity -- or they go to bed, only to toss and turn.

I used to be one of them, too.

In this episode here's what you will discover ...
- Three easy tips to improve the quantity and quality of your sleep
- Why one bad night's sleep can lead to a streak of sleep-deprived days
- A simple microcommitment you can start TONIGHT for an instant sleep upgrade.

EP 55: Your Stress Stopping Toolkit: 3 Essential Planning Techniques

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You've corralled the daily chaos, but you're still feeling overwhelmed.

You think, "It sounded do-able at the time," but now you're "over-committed".

Or you know you have several projects and people depending on you -- and you don't know where to focus first. Everything feels like it needs to be done right now.

Learn three easy essential planning techniques to get you free from stress.

EP 54: Three Mistakes People Make Trying to Get Out of Chaos

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Discover how stress impacts your health and Intuitive Eating. Learn the 3 mistakes people make when trying to get out of a stress-filled survival mode. Find your 3 ways to slave the chaos that's causing your stress.

The resources I mentioned:

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/2/9/ep-24-move-from-chaos-to-calm-by-mastering-your-stress

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/6/7/ep-41-is-short-meditation-better-the-results-are-in

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/8/2/ep-49-honor-your-hunger-to-feed-your-soul

EP 42: Sweet Escape - The Links between Stress-Diets-and-Food

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How does stress and cortisol impact your craving for pasta, cookies, and other comfort food?

What does science say about whether dieting increases your cortisol?

Do certain foods help you handle stress?

Ultimately - What can you do in your life and food to lower your stress and enjoy your life?

http://www.thevireolife.com/blog/2018/4/18/5-herbs-for-stress-management

http://www.thevireolife.com/blog/2017/1/23/a-new-kind-of-stress-eatingthat-is-actually-beneficial

The DASH Diet to lower blood pressure

EP 41: Is Short Meditation Better? The Results Are In.

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Is it better to mediate daily, but short - or to meditate periodically, but long? After research and my own 6 month experiment, I'm ready to share the answers.

Here are the resources I mentioned:

Guided Meditation for Mindful Eating

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/2/2/ep-23-two-powerful-mental-habits-to-feel-great

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2022/12/30/ep-18-should-you-set-realistic-or-big-resolutions-to-succeed

EP 36: From Burnout to Breakthrough - Learn How Your Wellness Boosts Your Career

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When you feel like something is holding back your career and you are not sure what it is ... it may be your wellness.

  • Eight questions to reveal how you can improve your work by improving your wellness

  • The research on the connection between your healthy habits and your success

  • Examples you can use today to move from burnout to breakthrough

Eight questions to ask yourself:

1. How is my health and fitness helping me be successful?

2. How is my health and fitness preventing next level success?

(Either because not feeling my best OR because I’m trying to optimize my fitness and I’ve lost balance – listen to http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/4/27/ep-35-surprising-signs-you-may-be-maximizing-wellness-to-your-hurt )

3. Do I wake up and within an hour I’m energized and looking forward to what I’ll get done?

4. When do I mentally check out?  When do I go through motions? When do I feel tension and thoughts spin? (All the time? Certain days? Certain situations? After a big project? With certain people?

5. When do I feel exhausted and unmotivated?

6. What things can I do during day to stay mentally calm alert/engaged? 

7. What snack or lunch is both easy and fit in a Powerful Plate?

8. When do I most need to take breaks? What types of breaks recharge me the most?

Wondering how sitting and standing differ in your ability to succeed?

Check out these two resources to learn even more -

http://www.thevireolife.com/blog/2022/4/6/move-more-and-sit-less-with-dr-stefan-zavalin

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/2/23/ep-26-the-best-workouts-to-help-you-feel-great

EP 31: Energize with Simple Shifts in What You See and Hear

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Discover how clutter and noise impact your energy. And how clutter and noise are relative terms -- what is clutter to you may be cozy to someone else. Your brain is unique. In this episode find out about a resource for productivity, that is designed for your unique brain. It’s linked here -

Focus at Will for productivity music

Also, check out Mridu Parikh’s podcast Life is Organized for organizing your work and life.

EP 25: How to Sleep Better to Feel Better

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Imagine a day in your life with extraordinary energy. The foundation of that day? Good sleep. In this episode discover tips for temperature and gadgets, what sleep music helps or hurts, what to do if you have insomnia, when to meditate for sleep, what sounds are good while you sleep, herbs for sleep, and how exercise and other activities during the day impact your sleep.
Here’s the video on herbs to help with sleep - https://youtu.be/VA-z7xJ9VwA


Email me at sheri@thevireolife.com to get your free Sleep Sheet.

EP 13: What a Real Gratitude Practice Looks Like and Why

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Discover how a gratitude practice can be ineffective - or even dangerous. And how to use a gratitude practice to your benefit. Learn the physical wellness results of being thankful. And, of course, find out the five easy ways to add a gratitude practice into your life. I share my stories of gratitude-gone-wrong, as well as how I've found what works in being thankful.

The five gratitude apps I mention

  • Gratitude

  • Presently: A gratitude journal

  • Delightful: A gratitude journal + 3 good things

  • Grateful: A gratitude journal

  • 365 Gratitude Journal - Self care App


EP 12: Five Ways to Destress and Enjoy the Holidays

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You really can have less stress and greater fulfillment during the holiday season. Learn five unique ways to prepare for, enjoy, and handle the holidays.

Plus, I tell a couple of funny stories on myself ... times I goofed the holidays and discovered the lessons I'm sharing with you. Give yourself the gift of a new perspective on stress management this holiday season.