Episode 001
Episode 001 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Hey friends, welcome to Ashes to Wings. This is our pilot episode and I am so excited for what we already have planned for you! Our title, Ashes to Wings, is referencing the legend of the mythical Phoenix. The Phoenix is a bird that dies spectacularly in flames, burning completely to ashes. But just when you think its life is over, it regenerates itself, born anew from the ashes. It's become a powerful metaphor for those who want to transform their lives, and that's what I hope to accomplish together with you. We'll have a few different focus points in this podcast. In our guest episodes, I'll either be interviewing someone who has an inspiring story of transformation, or I'll be interviewing someone who is an expert in a field like meditation, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, therapy, and more. The goal is to inspire you, and to give you tips for feeling more connected with yourself and others.
In our teaching episodes, I'll give you practical methods that you can try at home for breathwork, mindfulness, meditation, and more. As a certified Somatic Coach, I am all about helping you make the connection between your body, mind, and emotions. And in Somatics, we use the body to sort of shortcut our connection to our emotions. So using these methods, you'll find yourself feeling more in-tune with your body as a whole.
Now I know a lot of our listeners are busy folks and don't always have the time to sit down and listen to a long episode. So we'll also have Minute Tips, which are short episodes - about a minute long - with embodiment and mindfulness tips for those busy days where you just need a quick time out.
To give you a little bit of my backstory, I'm a certified Life Coach and Embodiment Coach. I'm an author and a speaker. I'm also the proud owner of Studio Phoenix, a women's aerial studio in the Chicago suburbs, which is primarily known for pole dance. Yes you heard right, I said pole dance. I've been a pole dancer since 2010, and even competed and medaled in pole competitions... which sounds even crazier when you hear the other side of my story. I live with constant pain and fatigue due to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. But, like the Phoenix, I refuse to let it get me down for long. Sometimes I'm rolling in my wheelchair, and sometimes I'm flying through the air on a pole, but I am always moving forward. For almost a decade I've helped thousands of women build their confidence and reconnect with their bodies. Because I spent a large part of my life seeing my body as the enemy, I know the importance of shifting the way you view yourself; and helping others change that viewpoint and learn to respect and feel connected with their bodies has become my life's mission. I believe that we rise by lifting others.
Well I want to keep this pilot episode short and sweet, so I'll close this out by asking you for a favor. Would you subscribe, rate, and review Ashes to Wings? Your support helps new podcasts like ours grow and become more visible. In fact, if you really like it, I'd love it if you shared it with your friends. Let's help make this world a better place together. See you next time!
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 002
Episode 002 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Hey friends, welcome to Ashes to Wings. Today we're going to talk about sensuality.A lot of people confuse sensuality with sexuality, but sensuality is all about tapping into the senses. So your sight, your hearing, your smell, your taste, your touch.
When you're in an anxiety situation or in a trauma situation, you tend to feel numb or like you're floating. What you may not realize is, this is a self defense mechanism. When your brain catalogues something as a deeply negative experience, it's programmed to shut down your senses to help protect you from remembering too many traumatic details. This is why abuse survivors often don't remember details, unless they're brought to light in therapy. The memories are locked away in a vault in the brain. And while this is a fantastic design for protecting you from traumatic situations, once the brain goes into this mode, it doesn't know how to filter the good senses from the bad.
So when you're living in a state of constant stress, as many of us are, it's really easy to lose all of those good sensations you actually enjoy. When you tap into the senses you're grounding into your body, which helps you feel calmer. So find ways to delight your senses. Maybe cook a new food so you're tasting new things and smelling new things. Maybe take a nice warm bubble bath with oils that smell delicious. Or wear a nice fuzzy sweater that feels good against your skin.
Another way we can help our body focus on our sense of touch is with what I call love pats. This is an exercise I have my coaching clients do when they feel numb and out of touch with their bodies. As humans, we crave physical contact. Touch is very important to our nervous system and can help regulate us when we're feeling imbalanced. Think of the calming effect a hug from a loved one can bring. With cupped hands and fingers together, gently and lovingly pat your body. Start out at your feet, and move up your legs to your hips. Then come out to your hands, and work up your arms to your shoulders. Then start at the top of your head and pat down your body. You can also try stroking your skin in a soothing way, or whatever feels nourishing in the moment. I recommend finishing by wrapping your arms around yourself in a hug.
Now I know this may sound like a strange activity, and it's not something I recommend doing in public... haha! But you may find yourself surprised at the comfort it brings. Especially in this last year where we've had much less physical contact than we're used to, loving touch can be very healing. So spend time sending love to your body. Find ways to delight your senses. These will help you feel calmer and more pampered. Let me know how it goes, and what these activities unlocked for you. I hope you have a great week. See you next time!
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 003
Episode 003 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Hey friends, welcome to Quick Minute Tips. This is a quick tip for how to relax when we're holding tension in our bodies. So I'd like you to start by sitting up nice and tall, and roll out your neck. Nice and slow, side to side, letting that tension release from your neck. Then bringing it back to center, and lengthening through your spine, bringing your ears away from your shoulders. Roll those shoulders back... unclench your jaw... release your tongue from the roof of your mouth... relax your forehead... and breathe from your belly, slowly and deeply. I hope you feel a little bit more relaxed as you go about your day.
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 004
Guest: Danielle Zack
Click the button to be taken to Danielle's guest page. Guest pages have audio and video links, special deals, and guest contact information.
Episode 005
Episode 003 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Hi friends! Welcome to Quick Minute Tips. This is a great relaxation session for you. So what we're going to do is sit or lie down nice and comfortably. Move your body around until you're feeling nice and comfortable. You're welcome to close your eyes or let them rest on something that you find relaxing. Take a nice, natural breath first. And then we're going to inhale through the nose, nice and deep, feeling that belly rise. Hold your breath, and I want you to squeeze every muscle in your body: your face, neck, shoulders back, chest, tummy, booty, legs, feet, arms, hands... everything squeezing and holding. And then as you exhale, release. Let all of that tension melt into the floor. I hope you feel a little more relaxed.
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 006
Episode 006 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Hey friends, welcome to Ashes to Wings. Let's talk about pure compliments. You can pay a compliment (to others or to yourself) without insulting others. We sometimes struggle to say nice things about ourselves. For some, there may be childhood or cultural messaging on pride to overcome. For others, it may be unrealistic expectations set for what the "ideal person" is. Receiving compliments and saying kind things to or about ourselves might seem awkward or even painful. So as we travel this road of growing comfortable with ourselves in a new light, many of us move to humor or comparison... "this not that"... in effort to ease some of the awkwardness. But there are often self-deprecating remarks couched in our compliments to others, or to ourselves. "You're so smart, I'm terrible at math.""Can't cook, but I'm a great kisser!"
This can also be directed outwards, comparing your new ideal to an old ideal. The problem is, we're now tearing down others to lift ourselves up. Instead of adding to what creates an "ideal person," we've just changed the definition and insulted a completely different group of people. For example: "Strong is the new skinny." "You don't need makeup or hair dye to look pretty." "Real men work with their hands." "I don't have to show my body to be sexy." "Brains not brawn." "Real Women Have Curves." And for my pole industry people I'm including the hashtag #notastripper in this.
We don't need to draw a comparison that shames someone else for their body, gifts, lifestyle, or choices. There's just as much power... I'd argue even more... in making a pure compliment. For example: "My body is beautiful and strong." "Your hair color is so pretty, and your skin glows!" "I love working with my hands." "I feel so sexy in this outfit!" "You are so smart." "Loving my curves!"
Because you should be celebrated for the things that make you feel good about yourself, without the limitations of a humblebrag or a dig at yourself or others. And we should be able to compliment others in a way that uplifts without tearing down. So practice this today. Give yourself a pure compliment and give one to someone else. See how different it feels, and know that you're taking steps to making this world a more uplifting place.
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 007
Episode 007 Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the Ashes to Wings podcast, where we tell stories of overcomers, and give you tips and tricks to living a fuller, more embodied life, here's your host, Jenni O'Connor.
Jenni:Hi friends! Welcome to Quick Minute Tips. This minute tip is about square breathing. Square breathing can help bring a state of peace and calm to an anxious mind, or if you're having trouble sleeping, it can help relax you so that you can gently fall asleep. The rhythm of this breath helps lull your mind into a peaceful state. So all square breathing is, is taking the same amount of time to breathe in, hold your breath, exhale, and hold your breath. So we're going to do this together.
Inhale for 1...2...3...4... Hold... 2... 3... 4...Exhale... 2... 3... 4... And hold... 2... 3... 4.... Repeat this pattern to relax and allow your mind to enter a peaceful state.
Outro: Thanks for listening. The best way to learn is to teach someone else. So take one thing you learned today and share it with a friend. Find Jenni on Instagram at the_Jenni_O'Connor and online at JenniOConnor.com. Subscribe for new episodes. Until next time, rise above!
Episode 008
Guest: Nathan Blair
Click the button to be taken to Nathan's guest page. Guest pages have audio and video links, special deals, and guest contact information.