Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Kevin Geary. Kevin is the founder of RebootedBody.com and a leading authority on the psychology of eating. He and his team have helped men and women in over 30 countries around the world get a body and life they love through the Rebooted Body Online Academy and have helped countless more through the RebootedBody.com platform and the Rebooted Body Podcast.

Today we also have Lee Milteer on the show. Lee Milteer is an Internationally known and celebrated Entrepreneur, Visionary, Best Selling Author, Award winning Professional Speaker, TV Personality, and Intuitive Business Mentor. Lee provides business and success advice and resources to nearly 250,000 people around the world. She is the founder of the Millionaire Smarts® Coaching program which supplies coaching for other coaches and businesses.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. - Dory from Finding Nemo

Our guest this week on Small Changes Big Shifts, Joni Wickham, is all about grit, grace, and getting things done.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Joni and her indisputable southern accent arrived in Kansas City almost 10 years ago after leading initiatives within state and federal government as well as advocacy organizations. In her eight years with the mayor’s office—the majority of them spent as Chief of Staff—Joni has proven herself as an accomplished political strategist, communications expert, and organizational leader.

Prior to her time at city hall, Joni worked with the American Federation of Teachers, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and in the office of Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. She is also the author of the new book The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch: Taking Action, Driving Change, Getting Results.

Joni has authored a LinkedIn series: Navigating Conflict While Female series addressing the unique workplace challenges women face surrounding conflict.

Join Dr. Michelle and Joni as they talk about: 

• Her career and experience with witnessing workplace challenges for women.
• The moment that inspired her to write the book, The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch, about communication and leadership differences between men and women.
• Unpacking how men and women can use their different styles of leadership and communication more constructively and effectively.
• What she misses the most and what she doesn’t miss about working in local government.
• Exploring politics and what she wishes people would know more about it.
• How we can be better active listeners including doing less talking over one another.

Learn new tools for better communication in your life including:

• Why you don’t have to be best friends with someone to build good teamwork.
• Focus on whatever result or drive you’re going for and figure out how to use the interpersonal relationship in a way that accomplishes it.
• Why sometimes we have to put aside the emotions and constructs that hold us back from getting work done.
• What steps we can take to have more conversations about the issues around gender bias.
• Why self-awareness is key to help resolve gender bias in organizations.

The "You Matter" Manifesto

You are enough. You have influence.

You are a genius. You have a contribution to make.

You have a gift that others need. Your actions define your impact.

You are the change. You Matter.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Joni Wickham
• The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch: Taking Action, Driving Change, Getting Results by Joni Wickham
• LinkedIn Series: Navigating Conflict While Female
• Joni Wickham on A Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch
• Small Changes Big Shifts ep. 210 - Wendy Basch

Connect

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter

“This is something that connected our region like never before.’”  
- Eileen Weir  

There’s a famous saying that goes, “It only takes one tree to start a forest, one smile to begin a friendship... one thought to change the world” and that’s exactly what happened in the Kansas City community through the Parade of Hearts that began from one drawing on a napkin. During its last auction in 2022, it raised more than $2 million for Kansas City charities. During today’s episode, Dr. Michelle invites Jenn Nussbeck and Eileen Weir to share how this project began, the doors that it opened in our community, and the opportunity it provided to build connections with people in different neighborhoods across the metro. They also explain why public art has become a crucial piece to our community’s well-being and why it evoked certain senses for the people who live here. Jenn will also tell a moving story about two people who met at one of the hearts and how that location formed their new friendship. At the end of the episode, they will give listeners an exclusive update about what’s next for the Parade of Hearts in Kansas City, which means you will be the first to hear it on this episode! 

About Today’s Guests: 

Jenn Nussbeck is the Parade of Hearts Executive Director. She has served on numerous public charity boards as well as dedicated the last 15 years supporting organizations throughout communities in Kansas City. Assisting those navigating the philanthropy and civic channels is not only her work, but her passion. Jenn was born in San Diego but raised in Kansas City. She comes from a large Irish family. Her great uncle (Pat O’Neill Sr.) started the Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade with Mike Murphy. 

Eileen Weir was elected Mayor of the City of Independence, Missouri, in 2014. Prior to her election, she served on the Independence City Council representing the city’s 4^th District from 2012 to 2014. She began her career in communications and public relations with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1992, acting as the team’s Manager of Public Information and Media Services. She served as the Chiefs Charity Game Coordinator from 2009 to 2013 for the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. Eileen and her husband Tom live in southwestern Independence with their twins, John and Nora. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Parade of Hearts website 
• Parade of Hearts mobile app 
• Parade of Hearts on Facebook 
• Parade of Hearts on Instagram 
• Parade of Hearts on Twitter 
• The story about the heart at Your Wellness Connection 

Are you ready to make the world a kinder place? In this inspiring episode, Dr. Michelle Robin and Bayleigh Petty dive into the power of kindness, sharing how small, simple acts can transform lives and build stronger communities. They highlight their annual kindness campaign, aiming to touch a million hearts through everyday acts of generosity and empathy. Whether it’s holding a door open or offering a smile, kindness is a gift we all can give, and its ripple effect is profound. Join the movement, and let’s spread kindness together—because small changes lead to big shifts!

Connect with Dr. Michelle and Bayleigh at:
https://smallchangesbigshifts.com

hello@smallchangesbigshifts.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallchangesbigshifts

https://www.facebook.com/SmallChangesBigShifts

https://www.instagram.com/smallchangesbigshiftsco

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On Small Changes Big Shifts I am speaking with my birthday buddy Stephanie Maj. Today, we are both coming together to talk wellness and celebrate our 50th birthday. Dr. Steph is a chiropractor, author, podcast host of Women Seeking Wellness, international speaker and has been in practice for over 20 years. Dr. Steph lives in Chicago where she helps women and families with their pediatric, pregnancy, and wellness care. 

“Anything that goes from the heart up creates a vibration that actually has a very positive effect on humans. It will jumpstart other human hearts.” - Sonia Choquette

Sonia remembers her mother being a central figure when it came to including kindness as a core value in life. Through all the adversity she faced, Sonia’s mother focused on raising her children to believe that kindness creates the family you need, no matter what the circumstances. In today’s episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites one of her longtime friends to talk about how kindness can raise your vibration – which is the energy that connects you to everything and everyone in the universe. Sonia, who is a world-renowned intuitive, also will share what happens when we intentionally commit to kindness and dives into exactly how powerful your vibration as a human being is to an entire room of people. She ends the episode with some helpful tips about you can begin to show yourself more self-love to raise your vibration.

About Today’s Guest:

Global author and speaker, Sonia Choquette, is the most highly regarded expert in the field of intuition. Over the course of 40 years, she has become a world-renowned intuitive guide and spiritual teacher. Author of 27 New York Times and International best sellers, her books have been published in 37 languages and 40 countries and has been read by over one million people. Sonia experienced some very difficult times at one point in her life. Within six weeks, her brother died, her father died, her marriage imploded, and her life as she knew it fell apart. Even after being a leader who taught hundreds of thousands of people around the world, she found herself shattered by so much loss happening so fast. She was guided to undertake a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago across Spain to help heal herself and find a way forward. Along the journey, she encountered all her “old stuff” - the pieces of her life that helped her discover the most profound level of wholeness she’s ever experienced. Today, she continues to help people all over the world by teaching them to use their senses.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• 31 Days of Kindness – Sign up for the free email series
• Sonia’s Website
• Trust Your Vibes by Sonia Choquette – new book just released in June 2022
• Be Good to People Foundation
• Be Good to People Online Store

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. - Jim Rohn

On Small Changes Big Shifts this week, Dr. Amy Novotny joins Dr. Michelle Robin to discuss how we can learn how to live life pain free. She is the Founder of the PABR Institute and co-author an Amazon #1 Best-Selling book Don’t Quit: Stories of Persistence, Courage and Faith, which shares her journey on how and why she developed the PABR® Method.

Dr. Amy founded the PABR® Institute (Pain Awareness Breathing Relief) with the mission to provide pain, stress and anxiety relief to those who seek a naturalistic form of treatment when other treatment methods have fallen short. Her unique approach comes from her experience treating in a variety of settings and with a wide range of patient populations over the past 10 years.

Her background in orthopedics, sports, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries, and most recently, chronic pain; and influences from coursework at the Postural Restoration Institute gave her the foundation to develop this treatment method to address a wide variety of painful and restrictive conditions. She customizes all treatment plans to the individual to help them achieve their goals, whether it is to pick up a child, get through a work day pain free or play a sport.

Join Dr. Michelle and Dr. Amy as they talk about:

• What new findings she discovered while working as a physical therapist within the first years of her career including how the breath can help us heal.
• How we can calm down the nervous system by focusing on two things: our breath and the position of our body.
• The positive impact that breathwork and better posture had on her long-distance running besides releasing stress and tension.
• Why she has moved on from a career as a physical therapist which focuses more on the external body to how she can help people heal internally with PABR.
• Her struggles with imposter syndrome and pushback at work as she left physical therapy to teach people how to heal internally with breathwork and improved body position.

Discover how you can heal internally as Dr. Amy: 

• Breaks down the enteric, sympathetic, and parasympathetic nervous systems.
• Shares the importance of letting go of bracing the body in a focused, tight stance to allow it to “hang out”.
• Explains how she helps people shift out of “fight or flight mode” to relieve stress and tension by adjusting their body’s position specifically the ribcage.
• Unpacks what spinal hygiene is and why it’s so important for our health.
• How to stop holding your breath in a tense, guarded pose but let go and breathe freely.
• What steps she walks people through to help relieve their COVID-19 symptoms.

Learn new tools to add to your wellness toolbox including: 

• Why she wants people to focus on getting their spine in as much of a neutral position as possible.
• How we can investigate what everyday activities are contributing to our back muscles being overworked and dominate in all of our movements.
• Breathing exercises you can do at any moment to help you release tension in the back.
• How to tap into a better sleep posture and why sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees will help you breathe better.
• Where to look for the best seeds to plant in your home’s garden.

You are loved. Don't give up. - Josh Groban

Mentioned In This Episode

• Amy Novotny
• PABR® Institute
• Don’t Quit: Stories of Persistence, Courage and Faith
• PABR® Method
• Kyle Wilson
• Jim Rohn
• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
• SCBS Episode 265 – Paul Long
• Sproutman
• SCBS Ep. 210 – Wendy Basch
• Wellness on a Shoestring by Dr. Michelle Robin

Connect

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

*** This recording is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be viewed as personalized financial advice and is not a substitute for consultation with your financial representative. Any reference to third-party websites are provided for information purposes only and are not endorsed by CommunityAmerica. Please visit CommunityAmerica.com to learn more about how we can assist you in achieving your Financial Peace of Mind.*** 

*** Securities and advisory services offered through Copper Financial Network, LLC (“CuFi“), Member FINRA/SIPC. CuFi is a SEC registered investment adviser. Products offered through CuFi:  are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal. CuFi is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For important disclosures from CuFi, including our Form CRS, please visit here. *** 

About Alex Borgardts

Alex is a Wealth Advisor with Wealth Management by Community America.

He helps his clients understand the 'WHY' behind their goals and aspirations. 

His goal is to make the financial planning process seamless so that the path to a meaningful life full of freedom, comfort, and peace is clearer and more attainable.

Alex is also an Officer in the Army Reserve and is proud to serve our country.

In his spare time, Alex enjoys going to the lake and barbecuing with his spouse.

About Amber Ogle

Amber Ogle lives in Olympia, Washington, and is a wife and mom to seven kids. She is the founder of the ELGO – Everyday Love Giving with the Ogle’s Facebook page. Amber is passionate about teaching her seven children how to give back to the community. She believes in creating a ripple effect by being a go-giver and hopes to impart that quality to her children and others in the community.

Memorable Quotes:

• “A penny saved is a penny earned.” - Benjamin Franklin
• “First and foremost, I think an important part of financial planning is making sure that you have the groundwork played and you've got some security.”
• “I think the last item that I'd point to is investing in yourself. So, if you have all those financial planning goals, both short and near term in place, you might consider ways that you can add a return on investment in your career or your life in other ways.”
• “And I think hope is a vitamin in our life that we need to just keep moving forward.”
• “Plant seeds inside your soul that you want more of. It's better than any high you can ever get. I believe it's a high of giving.”
• “My mom always said to me when I was young to plant trees that you'll never sit under, do for others without expecting anything in return, because that's just who you are. And that stuck with me as a child.”

What You’ll Learn:

What to do with a large sum of money and how to integrate your long and short-term financial goals. And learn how to teach your children to give back to their community with a heart full of compassion. 

This Episode Includes:

• The first step to financial planning is making sure you have security with an emergency fund.
• The next thing Alex suggests you do is pay off any high-interested debt.
• A few ways to use a large sum of money, like a tax return, include: investing in your child’s future, investing in your business, or investing in your career.
• When setting up an emergency fund you want to have enough funds for rent or mortgages, auto payments, utilities, fuel, food, and daycare expenses.
• Alex shares ideas on where to house your money whether it be for short-term use or long-term investment.
• It’s important to talk to an advisor when deciding on long-term care and life insurance options.
• It helps to visualize your goals when deciding where and how to spend your money.
• Wealth advisors want to have long-term relationships with their clients.
• When looking for a wealth advisor it’s important to find someone who understands your life stage and objectives.
• Amber shares a story about how her family and neighborhood raised $2,500 for people suffering in Ukraine.
• Amber learned how to be a go-giver as a child when one person stepped in to help her family make it through a hard time.
• Hope is an essential nutrient that Amber believes everyone needs in their life.
• In fourth grade, Amber helped one little girl who was teased for her dirty hair and clothes. Supporting that little girl stuck with Amber throughout the rest of her life.
• Each of Amber’s children has their own little charities that they create and support each year like the Ogle’s Birthday Closet or Sweat Dreams Blankets.
• As a family, the Ogle’s create and disperse Thanksgiving in a Basket to those in need in their community.
• Teaching your child how to give back to the community starts by getting them involved and showing them the impact that they can have.

Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Set up an emergency fund with three months' worth of expenses.
2. Consider working with a financial advisor to help set long and short-term financial goals.
3. Watch your child to see what they are passionate about.
4. Ask your children how they would like to give back to the community and make their idea come to life.
5. Consider how you can be a go-giver in your community.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Community America Credit Union
• 30 Years in 30 Days Big Shifts Foundation
• Big Shifts Foundation
• Tess Masters
• ELGO Facebook Page
• Be Good to People

“The process is the result.”- Rob Dionne

So many times, we think of weight loss as a long term goal. Something that will happen down the road and will take months and months of work to achieve but Rob Dionne of Open Sky Fitnessis teaching us a new way of thinking. 

Rob has his own personal story of weight loss and self discovery that he uses to help others find true happiness and self acceptance. He teaches people that short term goals are the way to make big changes in your life and on the scale.

By focusing on actually transitioning your life, being in the present moment and not stressing over yesterday or worrying about tomorrow; you can lose all the weight in the world yet gain so much more at the same time.

"How you start your day is how you live your life." - Louise Hay

Have your hormones been hijacked?

Suffering from migraines for 15 years, Author, Functional and Women's Hormone Practioner, and Essential Oil Expert, Dr. Mariza Snyder, was simply told that she would have to live with the chronic pain until she realized that we do have control over our health and we can make powerful changes.

On this episode of the Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast, Dr. Mariza is teaching us an important lesson - that we need to focus on ourselves and our own health first before giving to others.

Dr. Mariza learned this on her own when she realized that she wasn’t showing up as her best self to really give her patients the attention and energy they needed from her. Pushing through the fatigue every day, she came to the conclusion that it was time to heal her body and balance her hormones. Using an integrative approach through essential oils, nutrition, supplementation, and shifting her mindset of what health meant to her, she began to heal herself.

Listen and find out how you can become the CEO of your own health by stepping up and taking more responsibility for your own health rather than relying on other people such as conventional doctors because many of our symptoms or complaints can be dismissed or misdiagnosed.

Dr. Mariza also dives into how we can be more mindful of our environment and the products we use every day on our skin and in our homes.

Rather than relying on these highly chemical-packed products, learn how you can begin to utilize essential oils to create a non-toxic home, change your mood, boost your health, support your emotions, and reduce your stress levels.

SPECIAL BONUS! In this episode, Dr. Mariza shares her favorite essential oil recipes for hand soap, body butter, face wash, and hair growth along with her Super Woman blend which helps to balance your hormones, support emotional wellbeing, reduce cramps, and help hot flashes.

Find out what you should look for in an essential oil product including the price, whether or not they disclose where their oils come from, who is growing them, and what type of purification practices they follow.
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew me down and away from myself. At first, I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”. - Charlie Chaplin

"It feels good to be grateful. Gratitude opens your heart and unleashes a power of love.” - Mark Hulet 

As we head more into the holidays, this season helps us become more aware of the level of gratitude in our lives. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Mark Hulet from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City to share some lessons and insights he’s learned over the course of this year. He’ll speak about what it means to reflect and forgive, and why sometimes we can get stuck in a place with relationships by thinking about what should be next – when really it’s important to first pause and find gratitude in those relationships. As he prepares to start his 24^th year at the YMCA, he’ll also explain the impact their nonprofit has had on families’ lives in Kansas City this year – and why they couldn’t do what they do in the community without their volunteers. 

About Today’s Guest: 

In July 2023, Mark Hulet became the 11^th chief executive officer to lead the YMCA of Greater Kansas City since it was founded in 1860. Hulet has served as interim president and CEO from January 1, 2023. Hulet’s background includes all aspects of YMCA leadership, philanthropy, operations, and support. He began his YMCA of Greater Kansas City career in 2000 as an executive director of a Y membership center, and has held various positions including chief operating officer, senior vice president of capital assets and risk, and vice president of membership. As interim president and CEO, Hulet successfully launched the current strategic plan to address organizational culture, operational excellence and sustainability as the Y recovers from the pandemic. During the pandemic, Hulet led the reopening of Y centers and programs as chief operating officer, including mobilization of resources and programs to provide childcare for essential workers, combat social isolation for older adults and support vaccine distribution throughout greater Kansas City. Over the years, Hulet has provided operations and philanthropic leadership and established innovative partnerships. Projects have included partnerships for the Y to operate community centers in Platte County and North Kansas City and bringing the University Health primary care clinic to the Linwood YMCA/James B. Nutter, Sr. Community Center. In addition, he led capital projects including the construction of the new Kirk Family YMCA in downtown Kansas City, MO, and the renovations of the Linwood and Atchison Y’s as part of the largest capital campaign in the Y’s history. A longtime Kansas City resident, Mark has two sons, Keagan and Killian, and three grandchildren, Gracelynn, Raiden, and Ruari. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• YMCA of Greater Kansas City 
• YMCA – find a location around the U.S. 
• Your Wellness Connection 
• Volunteer at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City 

Dr. Michelle Robin interviews internationally renowned speaker John O'Leary about his incredibly inspiring story surviving a house fire at age 9 that burned 100% of his body.
Michelle and John also discuss his upcoming book "ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life" coming March 2016.

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts I am speaking with Dr. Patrick K. Porter. For 25 years, Dr. Porter has been investigating and researching cutting edge brainwave technology and how it can help us undo those patterns and habits that are holding us back. Today, we also have LaShonda Brown on the show talking about BodyTalk. BodyTalk is an astonishingly simple and effective form of therapy that allows the body’s energy systems to be resynchronized so they can operate as nature intended. 

Today, I have a special guest on Small Changes Big Shifts. Paul Young is a father of six, husband, grandfather and the author of the bestseller, The Shack. Paul’s life has been anything but normal.

Ann Gaffigan has over 15 years of experience in business, non-profits, sports and technology. Currently she is the Director of Technology Operations at Dimensional Innovations, a design-build-tech firm based in Overland Park, KS.

Ann serves on the boards for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and USA Bobsled and Skeleton. She will also be joining the WIN for KC board in January 2021.

She believes strongly in giving back to the community and is a big supporter of WIN for KC, KC Women in Tech, Women Leaders in College Sports and Girls Inc. She lives in Olathe with her husband and MMA fighter Jason High and 11 year old daughter Jaelyn.

I never saw a wild thing feel sorry for itself. – G.I. Jane

Join Dr. Michelle and Ann as they talk about:

• Her background in sports and how she became passionate about it.
• How stress can manifest itself in the body if you don’t take good care of it.
• The amazing accomplishments she has achieved especially in Track & Field by practicing wellness with a well-rounded approach.
• What people get wrong about being healthy and the process that comes with it.
• How she was able to trust what her body was telling her and step up her health by making a shift to her daily routine.
• What it actually means to eat healthy and why variety is so important.
• About the upcoming Small Changes Big Shifts Sleep Series we have planned for 2021.
• Wow parents can encourage and motivate their children to live healthier lives.
• Why parenting is a marathon, not a sprint.

Mentioned In This Episode 

• Enough As She Is by Rachel Simmons
• How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results by Esther Wojcicki
• 5 Minute App

Connect

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

“We don’t want stress to go away – we want some stress, we want some challenge, we have a need to grow, but the key is joy. I find it’s less about getting rid of stress, but seeking joy.” - Dr. Heidi Hanna 

Studies show that nearly half of adults in the United States (46.4%) will experience a mental illness during their lifetime. * Other research has also shown that when stress becomes chronic, the risks for mental health problems and other medical problems increase. * Stress levels are beginning to return to pre-pandemic days. However, there is a rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which happens when someone has an impact and they aren’t able to get back to where they were before the event. PTSD can contribute to sleep problems, weight problems, brain fog, dementia, and/or anger. In today’s episode, Dr. Heidi Hanna shares what led her down the path to studying brain health and why stress is something we can actually control in our brain. Dr. Hanna reveals her own struggle with anxiety and panic over the years, and what she learned are the five key factors for improving brain health. 

Later in the show, Dr. Michelle Robin welcomes Caleb Brown from CommunityAmerica Credit Union to share why our financial health is just as important as our physical and mental well-being. Because many people experience stress due to debt, Caleb shares options available that can help someone get in control their debt, which can lead to long-lasting happiness, joy, freedom, peace of mind, and many other facets of life. He provides helpful tips to dive into your debt and why that experience will be different for each person. 

*Sources: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2019/02/5-surprising-mental-health-statistics/; https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/stress  

About Today’s Guests: 

Dr. Heidi Hanna is the Chief Energy Officer of Synergy Brain Fitness, a company providing brain-based health and performance programs to individuals and organizations. She is a New York Times bestselling author of several books, including The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic, and Recharge. As an experienced speaker, Dr. Heidi Hanna has been featured at many national and global conferences, including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Women’s Leadership Summit, and Million Dollar Round Table. 

Caleb Brown is a Financial Relationship Consultant at CommunityAmerica Credit Union. In 2020, Caleb made a big career change, switching his focus from helping people with their physical health to assisting with their financial well-being. He specializes in helping members achieve financial peace of mind by listening, educating, and consulting, to determine the right options to fit their financial needs. He has also led multiple finance-themed seminars, sharing tips on budgeting and credit consultation. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Debt Consolidation Calculator
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• Kansas City Pig Rescue
• Living in Vitality event in AdventHealth – September 30, 2022
• Wellness on a Shoestring book
• Heidi Hanna books

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Dr. Lindsey Berkson. Dr. Berkson is a thought leader and scholar in functional hormones, nutrition and digestive health. Berkson’s career spans almost four decades of research, clinical practice, authorship, teaching, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical investigation, and her own experience as a patient.

Over the years, there have been many different approaches to improve our personal wellness from work-life balance, self-care, mindfulness, to work-life integration. One of these wellness practices that we can begin to incorporate into our lives is resiliency and focusing on how we show up in the world. Especially for healthcare workers, building resiliency can be vital for their mental, physical, and emotional health.

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, former ER nurse, speaker, author, and life coach, Diane Sieg, shares what resiliency means to her and how we can build our own resilience and sense of wellbeing through practicing grace, being mindful, and creating engagement skills.

Discover why resiliency means so much more than being “tough” and able to handle difficult situations. Listen and learn what quick and simple small changes you can make today to make big shifts s in your everyday life to help you slow down, take time for yourself, and destress.

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Dr. Terry Wahls. Terry is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College, in addition to an avid clinical researcher with over 60 peer-reviewed scientific abstracts, posters, and papers to her name. She is also the author of “Minding My Mitochondria,” “The Wahls Protocol,” and her new book “The Wahls Protocol Cooking For Life.”

It's not too late to get the physical health and emotional well-being you desire.

Owner of Rise and Shine Wellness, Wendy Basch, joins Dr. Michelle Robin to share her mission to provide a safe place of belonging and support in which individuals gain the courage, clarity, and purpose needed to achieve their best physical health and emotional well-being. 

As you listen, you’ll learn all about: 

• Her start to the health and wellness world.
• The importance of educating and coaching people on how to live life well.
• Why she loves wellness programming and working with people one-on-one.
• How she launched her own pilates business, Rise and Shine Wellness
• About the foundation, Jill’s Hope, that she started with her friend to help those with cancer.

Listen and find out about Dr. Michelle and Wendy’s new movement, The SHIFT Experience with Win for KC will help you create a tight wellness tribe, learn more about and apply the Four Quadrants of Wellbeing to your life, and connect with health professionals in the local Kansas City community.

Click here to attend the SHIFT events: https://www.facebook.com/events/380233285842659/

When you’re aware, you’re halfway there.

In this special April 1st BONUS episode, Dr. Michelle Robin is joined by her good friend and retired KCTV-5 News Anchor, Barbie Hill, to discuss how COVID 19 is impacting their lives, what self-care practices they are focusing on to stay well at home, and the power of staying present.

Join Dr. Michelle Robin and Barbie Hill as they talk about:

• COVID 19 and the fear people might be feeling during this time.
• Difficult moments Barbie and her family have endured and how they have worked together to heal.
• Why she and her husband did the 12 steps besides their son as he was recovering from his addiction and how it transformed their lives.
• What gifts COVID 19 could give us when we look back at it in the future.
• Michelle’s own experience growing up with a father who was an alcoholic.

Discover how to continue to stay well and positive at home as they share:

• How they’re staying healthing while practicing self-isolation at home.
• Self-care practices to help you stay in the present moment and let go of anxious or negative thoughts.
• Easy hacks to help you stay fit and strong at home.
• How Dr. Michelle came to create all of these quote decks that have inspired her over the years.
• What you can do during this time to spread kindness, gratitude, and love in your home and community.
• How you can help local, small businesses through this difficult time now.

Life is amazing. And then it's awful. And then it's amazing again. And in between the amazing and awful it's ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That's just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life. And it's breathtakingly beautiful. - L.R. Knost

Mentioned In This Episode

• Dr. Michelle's Inspiring Quotes Card Decks
• Down Dog app
• Your Wellness Connection
• Wellness on a Shoestring®
• 21-Days of Kindness
• Small Changes Big Shifts – Put The Odds In Your Favor!
• 21-Days to Align Your Posture
• 20,000 Days and Counting by Robert D. Smith
• Happy Food Co.
• blue bird bistro
• The Belfry
• Enjoy Restaurant

Let food be thy medicine; let medicine be thy food. - Hippocrates

In the second Small Changes Big Shifts podcast episode with Author of The Paleo Cardiologist and Host of The Healthy Heart Show, Dr. Jack Wolfson, he shares his own personal health journey, how he decided he needed to change his focus both in life and career for better wellness, and what steps we can take to begin to honor and celebrate our own physical bodies, mind, and wellbeing by clearing out all the “noise”.

Specifically in this interview, Dr. Michelle and Dr. Jack, discussed how mental health is highly linked to cardiovascular risk if you are facing situations of isolation, depression, stress, or anxiety. Listen and find out how heal and feel better by meeting with a professional health coach, social worker, or psychologist and doing activities such as meditation or yoga to break the cycle.

Discover how being outside, eating a Paleo-based diet, and getting enough sunshine can boost your emotions, decrease your stress, and help improve your overall wellbeing.

Life is really simple but we insist on making it so complicated. - Confucious

If I replace ‘I’ with ‘We,’ even ‘Illness’ becomes ‘Wellness.’ - Malcolm X

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we have the Executive Director of Pathway to Hope, Kiersten Adkins, joining us to share how the organization is helping parents better understand their children’s mental illness diagnosis, treatments, and recovery plans in a supportive community that understands what they’re experiencing.

Specifically, Kiersten and Dr. Michelle discuss Pathway to Hope’s E3 Education Program -Encourage, Empower, Educate which teaches the organization's members about self-care, healthy boundaries, advocacy, and how to use that information to communicate better with their loved ones.

As you’ll hear in this episode, Dr. Michelle and Kiersten also discuss:

• Why we’re seeing spirituality become an even bigger part of an overall healthy recovery plan for mental illness compared to 20 years ago.
• How we can avoid disconnecting and connecting through superficial means such as Facebook or texting in order to truly build strong relationships.
• What signs of mental illness parents should look out for in their children.
• The importance of speaking to our children about healthy relationships, emotions, and mental wellbeing. 

You have permission to rest. You are not responsible for fixing everything that is broken. You do not have to try and make everyone happy. For now, take time for you. - Unknown

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Jennifer Dodd. Jennifer is a seasoned multi-site executive with operations DNA, franchising expertise and a passion for developing people, brands and organizations. She has led businesses and held organizational responsibility for extensive operations and development for more than 2,000 locations in 10 countries.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain. - Vivian Greene

How can you heal and boost your wellbeing with intuition?

Brooke Seiz is a functional medicine nutrition practitioner, and helps people improve their energy, digestion, detox capacity, sleep, hormone balance and overall health. She is also a distributor for Organo, providing Reishi infused coffee and tea to 'put health in the habit!'.

Brooke is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition through the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, and Certified in Functional Medicine through Mindfulness Medicine Certification Program. She's also a Master's in Counseling Psych. Candidate.

Brooke is experienced in teaching corporate nutrition classes and trainings, so feel free to reach out to her for your Corporate Wellness needs. Currently Brooke sees patients at Premier Integrative Health, and clients in her own online practice – Wired and Tired Women.

Join Dr. Michelle and Brooke as they talk about:

• What foods create a negative impact on digestion issues.
• Struggles people face about food around the holidays.
• Why gluten is such a sneaky ingredient that can possibly lead to leaky gut syndrome.
• Breaking down exactly what leaky gut is and why it’s more common than you might think it is.
• How you can support your body to be well via foods like vegetables, meat, and healthy fats.
• Her stance on cooked vs raw vegetables for the gut.
• The psychology of food and how stress impacts the gut.
• Her top three non-negotiables for living a healthy life.
• Favorite tips for a good night’s sleep to help you get geared up for our SCBS Sleep Campaign.

Everything happens when it needs to happen Everything happens when it needs to happen; everyone is always where they need to be. You will never miss out on what is meant for you, even if it has to come to you in a roundabout way. - Iyanla Vanzant

Mentioned In This Episode

• Brooke Seiz
• Wired and Tired Women
• Premier Integrative Health
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• AdventHealth
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign

Connect

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook

Chelsea Laub is an Enneagram Coach with a passion for empowering people to see the possibility in their lives. 

Using the Enneagram, she works with individuals, couples, and teams to discover what's working and what's not by bringing awareness of self and others. 

An expert in self-awareness, leadership, education, marketing, and connection, Chelsea will keep you engaged and excited about what is possible, while giving you practical and useful tips that you can start using today. 

Chelsea serves as the Treasurer for the Big Shifts Foundation, where she is dedicated to making generational lifestyle changes by providing young people with safe places and resources to enable their whole health.

Chelsea is a community contributor, a mom, a wife, a friend, and she believes wholeheartedly in whole-person health

Memorable Quotes:

• “The first thing I think is when we draw awareness to ourselves and to our patterns, it makes us more aware of how we're parenting our kids as well.”
• “Learning about all the different personality types I've grown this compassion and this understanding that I just didn't have access to before, this level of empathy.”
• “When we're born, we're born with this core motivation, which is our Enneagram type, our personality style. And as we're growing, we try out different strategies to satisfy that core motivation, and those become our behaviors.”

What You’ll Learn:

The Enneagram can help you cultivate compassion by helping you understand the behavioral motivations of yourself and those around you.

This Episode Includes:

• The enneagram is a personality assessment that tells you why you do what you do.
• It helps you draw awareness to yourself and to your patterns. It makes you more aware of how you’re parenting your kids as well.
• Chelsea gives a few examples of how the enneagram has helped her and her husband better understand their children.
• In the enneagram there are three different levels of energy that you can fall under.
• Chelsea started out as a financial advisor until her husband went through some mental health challenges and she discovered the enneagram.
• The enneagram has been a game-changer for Chelsea and taught her how to have more compassion for the people around her.
• One example Chelsea shares is how the enneagram helped one of her clients learn how to set more boundaries for herself.
• There are nine different personality types with the enneagram.
• Your core motivation is different based on which of those types you are, and your path to growth is different depending on what your type is.
• The enneagram also provides you guidance on how to access your growth zone.

Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Consider taking the enneagram and working with an enneagram coach to learn more about yourself and how you interact with others.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Mindset by Carol Dweck
• What Happened to You by Oprah
• The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut
• The Road back to You by Ian Morgan Cron
• Chelsea Laub
• The Big Shifts Foundation

Kindness is more than just an act; it’s a way of connecting deeply with the world around us. 

Don Carter shares his inspiring journey of embracing kindness, connection, and self-acceptance as transformative forces in life. From his work supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs to his personal experiences as a new father, Don emphasizes the power of showing up authentically and being open to life's simple, beautiful moments. He highlights the importance of self-acceptance and how embracing who we are allows us to connect more deeply with others. Through heartfelt stories and practical wisdom, Don reminds us that kindness can be the bridge that turns strangers into friends and transforms ordinary days into extraordinary ones.

About the Guest:
Don Carter has spent a lifetime in pursuit of service and protection, previously during a decade in law enforcement and now through working with emerging leaders in business. His relentless journey has led him from healing hearts to radical new starts for black executives and entrepreneurs breaking through to their next levels of growth and success. Don Carter is an author, speaker, business shaman and transformational executive coach who brings a vibe that generates life-shifting insights for his clients’ work and for themselves as human beings. Using principle-driven purpose, he helps high-performing individuals shift the focus from what seems wrong on the outside to everything that is right on the inside. And by embracing transition and change as a necessary experience, helps others grow into deeply authentic, fulfilled and successful business leaders. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/doncarterkc/

https://theselfsabotagesolution.com/ 

Connect with Dr. Michelle and Bayleigh at:
https://smallchangesbigshifts.com

hello@smallchangesbigshifts.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallchangesbigshifts

https://www.facebook.com/SmallChangesBigShifts

https://www.instagram.com/smallchangesbigshiftsco

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Michelle interviews Dr. Amit Sood, Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative, Director of research and practice at Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, and author of several books, including the most recent, The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness.

Today on Small Change Big Shifts I am speaking with NY Times bestselling author, Lyn-Genet Recitas and Steve Spangler of Simple Science Juices.

Lyn-Genet Recitas is the NY Times and International Bestselling author of The Plan, a groundbreaking anti-inflammatory nutritional protocol which has been published in over 15 countries. She’s been featured on Dr. Oz, Huffington Post, CBS, NBC, Fox News, Women’s Running, Fitness and More Magazine.

The founder of Simple Science Juices, Steve Spangler, was inspired by his personal experience health. While Steve had a professional soccer career, he was on a host of medication to relieve symptoms of acid reflux, chronic sinusitis, chronic fatigue, allergies, ADHD, and asthma. Conventional medications were only treating his symptoms. These medications were not addressing the root cause. Through lifestyle changes and incorporating fresh cold-pressed juice, Steve was able to eliminate all medications, increase his physical energy, mental clarity, and overall vitality.

About Alana Muller

Founder and CEO of Coffee Lunch Coffee, Alana Muller is a Networking speaker, workshop facilitator, business relationship coach in Kansas City. She is also author of the book, Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking.

She travels the world to share her expertise in the areas of Networking, Coaching, Strategic Planning and Business Consulting.

About Johnny Waller

Johnny Waller is the owner of JLW Group LLC and S.C.O.P.E. He earned both of his Masters and Bachelor degrees from Rockhurst University and his associate’s degree from Johnson County Community College. He is a former business owner, non-profit business executive and mentor to a great number of adults and youth in the Greater Kansas City area.

He continues to have the pleasure and honor to speak on behalf of the population that he represents and looks forward to continuing these efforts through meaningful dialogue and mutual understanding among my fellow community stakeholders.

Join Dr. Michelle, Johnny, and Alana as they talk about:

• The power of networking especially post COVID-19.
• How Johnny and Alana met when he was a student in her class.
• What steps we can all take to begin to heal as a community.
• How Johnny has transformed his life and has gotten to where he is today.
• Johnny’s childhood and how his father breaking his back impacted his life.
• Why it’s critical we address all forms of violence in our community; not just homicide but also suicide and domestic.
• The fact that many of the perpetrators of violence are white, Christian men and that is not being addressed by the media.
• Harmful labels we place on people based on their race and how we can change the narrative.
• The fact that we’re not giving everyone access to all they need to grow and thrive as well as what we can do together to change that.
• How you can build connections that will last a lifetime.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Coffee Lunch Coffee
• Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide For Master Networking by Alana Muller
• Johnny Waller
• JLW Group LLC
• S.C.O.P.E.
• Building Meaningful Connections… Even At Work with Alana Muller
• Alana’s FREE GIFT: Coffee Lunch Coffee: Tips For Success At Networking Events
• Cheeseburgers with Warren Buffett | Alana Muller
• 230 – Alana Muller
• Transforming 2020
• Building Meaningful Connections...Even at Work
• 241 - Mindy Corporon
• Healing A Shattered Soul by Mindy Corporon
• Wellness On A Shoestring by Dr. Michelle Robin
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign
• Big Shifts Foundation
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• AdventHealth

Connect with Alana Muller via:

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with Johnny Waller via:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

If you want this to be your year, don’t sit on the couch and wait for it. Go out, make a change, smile more, be excited, do new things, throw away clutter, unfollow negative people on social media, go to bed early. Wake up early, don’t gossip, show more gratitude, do things that challenge you, and be brave. - Dr. Michelle Robin

Founder and CEO of Coffee Lunch Coffee, Business Relationship Coach, and Author ofCoffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide For Master Networking, joins Dr. Michelle Robin in this special January 1st episode to reflect back on 2019 and share what they are looking forward to the most in 2020.

Click here to get Alana’s FREE GIFT:
Coffee Lunch Coffee: Tips For Success At Networking Events

 As you tune in, Dr. Michelle and Alana discuss:

• The Four Quadrants of Wellbeing and how they impacted Alana’s and Dr. Michelle’s 2019.
• The importance of being our most authentic selves at home, at work, and with our loved ones.
• How Dr. Michelle is working on using feng shui both at home and the office to help shift her environment.
• Why Alana launched her company, Coffee Lunch Coffee, and which Ted Talkspecifically inspired her.
• What made Dr. Michelle begin to think of Small Changes Big Shifts as a concept

If you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, and endeavors to live the life which you have imagined, you will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. - Henry David Thoreau

Join Dr. Michelle and Alana as they share what they’re geared up about the most in 2020 for themselves, their brands, and the Kansas City community:

• What they’re looking forward to the most in 2020.
• Some new tools they’ve put on their wellness belt in 2019 and how they plan to use them in 2020.
• Big plans that Alana and Dr. Michelle Robin are focusing on for 2020 and how they want to help people.
• Michelle Robin’s goal for what the Big Shifts Foundation can accomplish in 2020.
• The words that Dr. Michelle and Alana are focusing on for 2020: soil and access.

Advice From A Tree:

Stand up tall and proud.
Sink your roots into the earth.
Be content with your natural beauty.
Go out on a limb.
Drink plenty of water.
Remember your roots.
Enjoy the view!

-Ilan Shamir

"Eating habits are going to play a bigger role in the disease process than we’ve been led to believe.” - Dr. Denise Scott 

Did you know that 70 to 80 percent of our immune cells live in our gut? Why is that important? Because what goes on in the gut communicates whether our body thrives or attacks itself. Ultimately, our gut is responsible for how our immune system responds and functions – and more importantly, it's responsible for how well we are. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Dr. Denise Scott to talk more about this fascinating connection between the gut and disease prevention. She’ll share what led her down this journey of wanting to work with kids and parents, and what missed opportunities and conversations parents should be having with their kid’s pediatrician. She will also provide wisdom behind what our gut needs so that the rest of our body functions well – and why the first few years of a child’s life are crucial to setting the stage for their future health.

About Today’s Guest: 

Dr. Denise Scott is a pediatrician, pediatric endocrinologist, and culinary medicine specialist who is passionate about improving children’s health with nutrition by educating parents. She has spent the last three decades taking care of children and wants to continue to improve their health with food as prevention. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• AdventHealth Living in Vitality event 
• FeedFutureHealth.com - Dr. Denise Scott’s blog 
• Book by Dr. Denise Scott – Feed Your Child’s Future Health 

Dr. Michelle Robin checks in with "real" guest Sudy on her wellness journey, and interviews NYT Bestselling author, spiritual teacher and six-sensory consultant, Sonia Choquette.

“I want my kids to grow up knowing who I am in real life, not just in their head. I cry in front of them, I'm peculiar, I’m a little weird. I want to show them all facets of myself so they can embrace it for themselves.”  
- Brandon McAnderson 

Brandon McAnderson is a former All-Big 12 Running Back at the University of Kansas, and today is a sideline reporter and pre-game host for KU football games. He is also an active member in the Kansas City community who brings men together to grow spiritually and address commonly held (and harmful) male stigmas present in today’s world. 

In today’s show, Brandon shares why Father’s Day is a good time for men to check in on their mental health. That means pausing and reflecting on all you have done as a father this year, and more importantly celebrating the big and small moments that you bring to your kids’ lives – spiritually, mentally, and even a vulnerable side to let them see the real you, and not an idea of who you are. Brandon shares stories about his father, and the gratitude that has grown in his heart over the years for his dad, so much that his fatherhood has impacted the way he sees and loves his own two boys today. Brandon also opens up about his own bout of depression, and his inspirational journey toward healing and how it led to helping more men in our community. 

Later, Dr. Robin chats with Sabrah Parsons, who is an Aquatics Director at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. When she finished swimming lessons at age 15, little did she know that when her mother signed her up to be a lifeguard, that would be where she found her passion for swim safety. Sabrah shares that drowning is the number two leading accidental death for ages 0-8 – and it’s completely preventable with drowning prevention classes. Sabrah describes what parents can look for in flotation devices for kids, and how to know if a swim class will teach their kids the proper techniques to self-rescue if there comes a time. 

Three Takeaways:  

1. How depression can show up in subtle ways and hide behind failure in our lives. 
2. Relying on other people to make us happy isn’t realistic – we need to search for the right mental health tools that work for us and have them ready in our pocket before a crisis happens. 
3. Why swim lessons can prevent drownings up to 80% - plus three important moves the YMCA aquatic program teaches kids to promote self-rescue. 

Mentioned In the Episode: 

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz 
• Big Shifts Foundation 
• YMCA of Greater Kansas City 
• Drowning prevention classes at the YMCA 
• Puddle Jumper flotation devices for kids

Connect:  

• Facebook 
• Instagram 
• LinkedIn 
• Twitter 
• YouTube 

What really is that gut feeling we call intuition? And where does that inner voice come from? Bill Bennett had a life changing experience eighteen years ago when his intuition saved his life. Now he is sharing his own journey of being a skeptic when it came to intuition and guidance, to living his life fear free due to his own trust in his intuition.

How can we use our intuition to make better decisions? By trusting ourselves. We are all born with intuition and there are three different types: survival, cognitive, and divine. Bill is helping people think of intuition as something real and learn to receive these messages with open arms. 

An extraordinary experience turned Bill’s life upside down and he is now on the path of sharing hope and healing with others by teaching that it all starts with oneself and their intuition.

"People are beginning to get comfortable with the idea that it requires just as much planning to transition out of this world as it does to give birth and bring a new soul into this world.” - Dr. Tamara MacIntyre 

According to a recent study, nearly half of participants (47 percent) admitted they were afraid of death. Some of those factors include fear of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of non-existence, fear of eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of our loved ones. In today’s episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Dr. Tamara MacIntyre to share why there are ways a person can begin to get comfortable with the idea of dying with the help of an end-of-life doula. Dr. Tamara will also share her story of becoming this type of doula for people, and some of the greatest lessons she has learned about living through those facing death soon. She will also unpack why it’s just as important to have an end-of-life doula as it is to have a birth doula. “People don’t even know they can die with a level of love and peace that is outside the conventional approach,” she shares during the conversation.

About Today’s Guest:

Dr. Tamara MacIntyre, certified End of Life Doula, is also a chiropractor, doctor of functional medicine and recovering high ed administrator. Tamara is the co-founder of The PRANA Foundation (www.PranaFound.org) where she offers education, mentorship, and retreat to others serving in health and healing professions. She is passionate about assisting, fostering agency and empowerment while educating and supporting others in choosing a death that aligns with the core values that have defined the way they have chosen to live their lives. Her vision is to facilitate a space where people are more curious than afraid; acknowledging that this beautiful life is finite. Tamara offers end of life education, individualized and small group care planning and client advocacy. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Dr. Tamara’s website 
• The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware 
• The Essential Questions When Planning a Good Death 

One of my favorite guests is back for another episode - Dr. Norm Shealy of Shealy Wellness. Dr. Shealy knew from age 4 that he wanted to be a physician and by age 16 knew he wanted to be a neurosurgeon so it is no surprise he is still changing the world of holistic medicine at 85.

His lifelong quest to find ways to successfully manage chronic pain has led to numerous breakthroughs in the medical field and more often than not have nothing to do with medication or the conventional way of treating chronic pain in the US.

Dr. Shealy believes the one purpose in being alive is helping people and that is what drives him each and every day.

Downloads

• You can download our free ebook Small Changes Big Shifts - Putting the Odds In Your Favor here: https://smallchangesbigshifts.com/download/2690/

About Dr. Jeff Mincher

Jeff Mincher, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician at AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Shawnee Mission. With experience in family medicine, obstetrics and integrative medicine, Dr. Mincher provides care for patients with a wide range of health needs, from chronic disease management to women’s care to routine preventive or acute care.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Dr. Mincher earned dual bachelor’s degrees at the University of Kansas before undertaking a two-year assignment with Jesuit Volunteer Corps at a health clinic in Wisconsin. Fueled by a newfound respect for the value of preventive health care, he returned to KU to attend the School of Medicine.

After earning his medical degree, he went on to complete his family medicine residency, including service as chief resident, at Research Medical Center in Kansas City and a fellowship in primary care leadership at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Mincher joined AdventHealth Medical Group in 2020 after working as a family physician in Lawrence, Kan.

About Dr. Roger Hall

Author of Staying Happy, Being Productive: The Big 10 Things Successful , Dr. Roger Hallhelps people learn to monitor and manage their thinking. For over 25 years, he has consulted with leaders from all types of companies, judges in federal courts, university faculty, social workers, teachers, nurses, construction workers, landscapers, and box-makers. He helps his clients become better versions of themselves so they can improve their own lives and the lives of those they serve.

Join Dr. Michelle and Dr. Jeff as they discuss:  

• What he is grateful for the most from COVID-19.
• The gifts and experiences he has been given this past year.
• Why men have struggled more than women with COVID-19.
• The importance of seeking healthcare check-ups for preventative care with a doctor you can rely on.
• What types of test men should do during their health check up.
• The importance of keeping your health under control to avoid cardiovascular disease.
• His favorite tips for living a healthy life especially focused on things that you enjoy.

Join Dr. Michelle and Dr. Roger Hall as they talk about:

• How he helps people monitor and manage their thinking.
• Unpacking his book, Staying Happy, Being Productive: The Big 10 Things Successful.
• Some of his favorite takeaways from his book which include getting more sleep.
• What are some of the tools and assignments he gives people to help manage their thoughts.
• The benefits of checking in with your thoughts every hour to help you monitor them and notice common themes.
• How you can break the cycle in negative thought loops and emotions.
• What steps you can do to replace false, negative thoughts with accurate, true counter thoughts.
• The importance of loving relationships for wellbeing.
• How the lack of human interaction and connection has impacted our mental health in 2020 and now in 2021.
• What advice he would give to leaders who are struggling to help their employees with motivation and staying focused.
• What happiness actually looks like and it doesn’t mean having money.
• How to re-energize your brain by being physically active and be a bit more conscious about your food choices.

"Everything changed when I could hear the voice of my own heart slightly louder than the voice of others." - Dr. Neha Sangwan

What do you need to heal in your life now to ward off any physical ailments in the future?

How can communication with yourself and others be affecting your physical and mental wellbeing?

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, CEO and founder of Intuitive Intelligence as well as internal medicine physician, international speaker, corporate communication expert, and author of the book, TalkRx, Dr. Neha Sangwan, is sharing the answers to those questions and her mission is to improve the way we communicate with each other to avoid breakdowns later on in life.

Not only does she share how healthcare providers can inspire and engage their patients to create meaningful and lasting change in their health, accountability, and personal lives but also how her own burnout helped her focus on her own health as much as she was focusing on her patients’.

Discover how to prep for your next doctor’s appointment by listening to what your body is telling you, coming up with questions you need answers to, not staying silent about your health, and making sure something your provider says actually makes sense and resonates with you.

Learn what small changes you can make today to begin healing from burnout and become a better communicator with yourself and others.

“I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” - Oprah Winfrey

Today, on Small Changes Big Shifts Chris is sharing how you can take a few small steps today, that will help you retire with dignity and ease. For more than a decade, Chris has served at Ramsey Solutions, spreading a message of hope and financial peace to audiences across the country as a financial coach.

Kindness has a big effect on the lives of people. Not only on the people who directly receive our compassion but even more so on the people who witness our acts of goodness from afar.

That’s the bigger picture when we do something good for another person. 

When you go out of your way to help another person, you probably have no idea how impactful that is on the people who witness you doing it. Even opening the door for another person can greatly move and inspire others.

Today, on Small Changes Big Shifts we have father, motivational speaker, hospice volunteer, author of 5-Ways to Teach Students Dignity & Respect and board member of K.I.D.S. Plus Inc., David Flood, sharing with us what kind of effect spreading kindness can have on the world, why your life is not about you but about all the people around you, and why parents should listen more to their children and talk less. 

David, whose own son, Justin, has autism, was so inspired when an opposing hockey team allowed Justin to score a goal during a game that he shared that story with the world. Today, that story has reached and impacted countless people. 

It is proof that when we help someone, it can move others to be more mindful and kind as well.

As you listen, David explains why the greatest medication for anyone who is depressed or lonely is to have someone reach out and help them. But sometimes, especially if you’re lonely, you might have to take a little step so that someone else can take a big step towards you. 

Listen and discover how simply having good thoughts about other people can manifest into bigger changes in how we treat one another.

Be grateful. Have faith. Live Oola.

Those are the words of wisdom that the OolaGuys and Authors of Oolaand Oola for Women, Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl,of OolaLifeare spreading to the USA: That we must always be grateful; even be grateful for our past, have faith in the future, and live in the present.

You will be able to learn more about their message and meet them in person at Your Wellness Connection is coming Thursday, April 11th from 6:00pm-7:30 pm for a book signing and sticker stop as part of their OolaLife Dream Tour!

As you listen to Dr. Michelle’s interview with them, you will learn what the 7 F’s  | 7 Blockers | 7 Accelerators of the OolaLife are, what sparked them to do the OolaLife Dream Tour, how they’ve incorporated the OolaLife into their own lives, and what big shifts you can make with their 21 Day OolaLife Challenge.

Turn small changes into big shifts with their 3 core steps to living an OolaLife by thinking about:

1. Where you are today
2. Where you want to go
3. How you’re going to get there

If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time.- Zig Zaglar

About OolaLife

What is OolaLife all about? The OolaLife isn’t just a book series but a process of life. It allows you to take a day or two every day to step outside of your life and look at it give yourself an honest assessment with where you are with your life, career, family, friendships, and yourself. Once you have assessed that, you can think about where you want to go with your life and how you’re going to get there. 

Listen and discover the deep truth that where you are now is simply just that and it doesn’t define who you are. 

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? - Mary Oliver

Give thanks in all circumstances for that is the will of God. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV

At what age did you learn to appreciate people's advice - and who's advice has been the most impactful?

We are excited and blessed to welcome Tracy Lockton to our 40 Days of Gratitude series today.

She is the incoming President for the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) in 2021, but she's already become such a strong woman in Dr. Michelle’s life who she has loved getting to know over the years. We hope you enjoy their conversation today about gratitude, and some of the lessons she's learned along the way.

Join Dr. Michelle and Tracy as they talk about:

• What the word, ‘gratitude,’ means to Tracy and why it’s like a feeling and state of mind in the present moment.
• How gratitude has changed for her in 2020 and it’s been a great reminder for what she does have in her life.
• Her role at HEMP and how they are helping people and businesses grow in the Kansas City area.
• What it means to be a mentor and why it’s such an important role.
• The mentor that has impacted her the most, her father.
• Why emotion is just as important as logic when it comes to making an important decision.
• Exploring the word, ‘grace,’ and what meaning it has brought into her life especially when it comes to reflecting on challenges.
• What she would tell her 15-year old self including it’s okay to cry and explore your emotions because it’s the only way to heal.
• HEMP’s plans for 2021 and what she is excited about the most.

Be the type of person that no matter where you go or where you are, you always add value to the lives of others around you. - Anonymous

Mentioned In This Episode

• Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP)
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• AdventHealth
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign

Connect

• LinkedIn

On this special edition of Small Changes Big Shifts, I am taking a second to thank those who have been on this journey and show gratitude for where I have been, where I am at and where I will be.

November is my favorite month because it is the time of the year when we start to feel grateful, see how truly fortunate we are and bless others. I have a couple pieces of wisdom for you to help make this holiday season the best one yet.

Life really is about making small changes that lead to big changes in our lives and often times that starts with taking the next best step.

Shoot for the moon and you will land among the stars. 

What comes to mind when you hear the words, ‘chiropractic medicine’?

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we are joined by Chiropractor, Dr. Ann-Marie Barter of Alternative Family Medicine & Chiropractic, who was very skeptical about her now profession until she experienced the treatment first hand. It was like magic to her; she felt new and light...like a better version of herself.

So, she immersed herself in school at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon, learning not only the art and science of chiropractic modalities but also functional blood chemistry analysis, nutrition, applied kinesiology, and natural remedies.

She now specializes in difficult functional medicine cases, helping people with issues concerning their thyroid, blood sugar, gut health, and hormone dysfunction as well as other metabolic conditions.

Tune in as Dr. Robin and Dr. Barter discuss: 

• Her various health problems from acne and bloating to her feet and neck and how a first-time visit to a chiropractor changed her life completely.
• Why physical pain can sometimes be connected to other parts of the body such as our gut health.
• How you can look at your standard blood work in a new light through functional medicine.
• Why babies and young children can benefit from chiropractic care too.
• The gut-brain connection and why some people may be feeling depressed or hopeless if it’s off.

Discover why Dr. Barter suggests that all of the patients she sees: 

1. Take part in a short-term elimination diet.
2. Review how much exercise they’re doing and whether or not it’s too much or too little.
3. End their use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

Listen and discover how chiropractic medicine is a whole-body approach to the Four Quadrants of Wellbeing.

I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday. -  Eleanor Roosevelt

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Dr. Michael Roizen. Dr. Roizen is a Sharecare Editorial Advisory member, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Williams College, Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, and is board certified in both Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine. In 2007 Dr. Roizen was named the Chief Wellness Officer (the first such position in a major healthcare institution in the United States) for Cleveland Clinic, and Chair of its Wellness Institute.

"If there’s one thing you can do today, be kind.” - Bayleigh Petty 

We’re celebrating another amazing year of the 31 Days of Kindness annual series, which began on October 14 and ended on World Kindness Day (November 13). Dr. Michelle Robin invites the Big Shifts Foundation Program Director, Bayleigh Petty, to share why this year was special to her while running it. She’ll also share why she continues to learn something new about herself every year she participates. Both Dr. Robin and Bayleigh will read some stories that were submitted to our team during the 31 days – which all truly reflect the power kindness has in our lives. At the end of the show, she’ll also explain how the series impacted kids in schools this year, and why the younger generation has an opportunity to change the world by carrying kindness forward. 

About Today’s Guest: 

Bayleigh Petty’s passion for health and wellness began when she first started playing sports. She studied Human Performance with an emphasis in Sports and Exercise Therapy. She graduated from Fort Hays and began working with Dr. Michelle Robin at her chiropractic practice. In 2021, she joined Small Changes Big Shifts because she believes in approaching health from a whole-person perspective and loves educating the younger generation about connecting their mind, body, and spirit. In 2022, she transitioned to the Big Shifts Foundation team as the Program Director. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• 31 Days of Kindness – sign up here 
• 7 Days of Kindness for kids 
• Read all kindness stories submitted 
• Submit your kindness story 
• Big Shifts Foundation 

Daneen West is a Cisco Customer Success Executive, mother of three, and Brain Health Coach.

For the past 21 years, Daneen has worked for Cisco Systems, designing, and leading industry award-winning talent development programs 

After years of being on the verge of burnout, she is professionally more resilient, energized, and mentally sharp than decades earlier because of discovering brain health, where all the power is to up-level your life.

Certified through the NeuroLeadership Institute and Amen Clinics, Brain Health has transformed every area of Daneen’s life, and she is compelled to provide the opportunity for others to ease anxiety, boost focus and finally work on their sleep struggles.

Daneen’s Brain-Boosting checklist is a great resource to discover practical tips to heal, protect and grow the brain (See below).

Memorable Quotes:

• “So as parents, if we have that intuition like that, something's wrong, check it out. And if the first doctor may not, if you don't resonate there, you're not being heard. Keep pursuing it.”
• “It's not a badge of honor to stay up all night. Right. Our culture sometimes will make you feel that way or sleep when you're dead. But there's so much that we've learned now around sleep. That’s because it is the only way that our brain detoxes every night.”
• “As you're walking through this journey, you're going to come across ideas, thoughts, music, books, people and they're going to feel right or they're not. I'm going to encourage you to trust yourself. Just because it works for me doesn't mean it works for you.”
• “What makes the brain work is what you put in your mind, what you put on your body, what you put in your mouth.”

What You’ll Learn:

Why brain health is important and how to pursue a healthy brain through small lifestyle changes.

This Episode Includes:

• Daneen first started looking into brain health when three different doctors diagnosed her son with three different issues: sensory processing, ADD, and Asperger's.
• After a long journey of searching, Daneen finally came to the realization that brain health was at the root cause of her son’s health situation.
• Daneen found the Brain Balance Program which revolutionized the way she viewed brain health for herself and her children.
• She believes her health journey is a forever resource which she now shares with others through her coaching program.
• Robin reminds the audience that health is layered and that there are many factors that can influence brain health.
• Daneen shares that the first step to supporting brain health is getting good quality sleep.
• Getting sleep is how the brain detoxifies itself from neurotoxins incurred throughout the day.
• Daneen shares a few more steps to supporting brain health in children like eating enough healthy fats and getting energy out early in the morning through jumping ropes or jumping jacks.
• Sleep is one of Dr. Robin’s three non-negotiables for a well life.
• Daneen encourages parents to model the health behavior the would like to see in their children.
• Daneen and Dr. Robin both agree that small steps are the key to success when pursuing a healthy brain.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Practice getting good quality sleep each night this week.
2. Add enough healthy fats to your diet to support your energy levels and brain health.
3. Do 50 jumping jacks with your kids before they head off to school in the morning to help them release energy and feel encouraged through exercising together.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Community America Credit Union
• Advent Health
• Brain Balencing Program
• Mark Nepo
• Unleash the Power of the Female Brain by Dr. Aman
• Bruse on Small Changes Big Shifts
• Brain Boosting Checklist

Finding joy is probably tantamount to finding yourself and being comfortable in your own skin.- Morgan Freeman

An expert on the technique for sensory emotional regulation, Emotional Resolution Process (EmRes), and Founder of the Emotional Health Institute, Cedric Bertelli, is on a mission to help others further better understand our emotional functioning.

On this episode of Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast with your host, Dr. Michelle Robin, he shares how he began studying emotional functioning in 2009 and how through his years of working with clients, therapists, parents, educators, and physicians, he has developed complete mastery of the physiologic capacity for emotional resolution.

Tune in with Dr. Michelle Robin and Cedric Bertelli as they discuss:

• The struggles with negative emotions that he experienced from a young age and how he became comfortable in his own skin.
• Various techniques that he tried including psychotherapy before discovering Tipi and the sensory emotional regulation, The Emotional Resolution Process (EmRes).
• How he came to learn about and be trained in the Tipi Program in France that claims we can resolve any emotional difficulty in 30 minutes.
• Why Tipi is more than a technique but an understanding of how the brain constructs emotions and can deconstruct or resolve emotions.
• The CDC's Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACE Study) uncovered a stunning link between childhood trauma and the chronic diseases people develop.
• What steps we can take to erase the fear that exist in ourselves. 

How to apply The Emotional Resolution Process (EmRes) to your life if you’re trying to heal from trauma or are struggling daily:

1. Go to a safe space, close your eyes, and observe your emotions and tune into your five senses.
2. Pay attention to what physical sensations you are feeling such as a tight throat, fast heart rate, shortened breath, or weak legs.
3. Just focus on two of those physical sensations at once, process them, and do not focus on the thoughts in your head to help you let go of those negative emotions.

Man has no Body distinct from his soul; for that called Body is a portion of Soul discerned by the five senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age. - William Blake

Join Dr. Michelle and Gigi as they talk about:

• How Dr. Michelle Robin introduced her friend, Gigi, to acupuncture when she was diagnosed with cancer.
• Why acupuncture isn’t just for pain but is beneficial to do on a regular basis.
• Her educational background in acupuncture and her decision to go to school for it at the age of 59.
• The transition she went through from working in corporate America to helping people heal.
• Her work teaching meditation and why she especially enjoys working with veterans.
• How natural medicine has helped her daughter with her MS and be off of medication for it for years.
• Why it’s not easy to make your passion your priority but it is possible and you will receive so much from it.
• How you will come into alignment when you find your purpose and what makes you happy in life.
• Signs your body will give you when you are aligned with your calling.
• Her son’s similar interest in natural medicine and acupuncture.
• The importance of having a supportive wellness tribe and keeping them close to you. 

Mentioned In This Episode 

• Wellness On A Shoestring by Dr. Michelle Robin
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign
• Big Shifts Foundation
• AdventHealth
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union

“You get to make a choice that’s bigger than this moment.” - Rachel Freiman  

Did you know Americans spend a whopping $33 billion (yes, BILLION!) on diet products every year? Yet most diet programs and products are designed to go against our human nature (to avoid pain and seek pleasure). During today’s show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Rachel Freiman to share her profound journey of going from a successful jazz musician in New York City to a major influencer in the nutrition and fitness industry. Her story tells what happened when she started exploring the health industry, finding that diet culture is all about living in an uncomfortable and self-sabotaging state, which isn’t how we were designed to live. It’s also why people so often fail along this path. She’ll also explain what T.F.A.R. means and how it can help us navigate and break down those major life overhauls that so many people are chasing. Grab a pen to jot down some notes – this episode is packed with truth, guidance, and a high vibration of good energy!

About Today’s Guest: 

Rachel Freiman is the CEO of MindStrong Fitness, a lover of lifting heavy things up and down, and a coach passionate about helping others unleash their strongest, most empowered selves through education and mindset training. She has more than 15 years of classroom instruction, and certifications in personal training, sports nutrition, and behavior modification. She has studied the Neuroscience of Nutrition under the renowned Dr. Nicole Avena, visiting professor of Neuroscience at Princeton University. Rachel is the author of the bestselling book Becoming MindStrong: The Truth About Health, Fitness, and the Bullsh*t That’s Holding You Back. She developed MindStrong Fitness with an inside-out approach, to focus on both physical and mental attributes in building healthy, sustainable habits. When she’s not in the gym, Rachel enjoys exploring the world, snuggling with her puppy, Charlie, eating, and thinking about the next time she’ll be eating. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Becoming MindStrong book by Rachel Freiman 
• MindStrong Fitness website 
• Power vs. Force book by Dr. David Hawkins 
• Quadrants of Well-Being 

Linda Cohen is known as the Kindness Catalyst. She has been a nationally recognized kindness expert and professional speaker for over a decade. Linda works with a wide variety of businesses and associations on the ROI of Kindness.

She is the author of two books. Her first book is called, “1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and Change Your Life.”  

Her new book is called, “The Economy of Kindness: How Kindness Transforms Your Bottom Line,” and will be published in October 2021.

She lives in Oregon with her husband of 28 years. They have two spirited young adult children and two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Ginger and Remy. She loves practicing yoga and meditation and will never pass up a good cup of Earl Grey tea!

Memorable Quotes:

• "If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that God has left for you to complete. But if you only see what is wrong and what is ugly in the world, then it is you yourself that needs repair." - Rabbi Menachem Schneerson
• “When you’re full you can give from your overflow and you’re not continually depleting yourself.”
• “Let’s get back to putting our arms around each other, no matter who we are.”

What You’ll Learn:

How to create a culture of kindness in your organization and methods to give and receive kindness in your own life.

This Episode Includes:

• Kindness is happening every day, everywhere.
• People were reaching out and supporting each other during the first part of the pandemic. Let’s get back to that.
• Focusing on kindness has amazing benefits physically.
• When an organization can focus on kindness, they are helping their employees in more ways than one.
• When a company has a culture of kindness it affects the reputation of the company.
• Keeping and retaining good employees is another measure of a culture of kindness.
• Managers are the leaders who can help create that culture of kindness.
• Kindness is an inside and outside job. There are ways you can be kind to yourself, which then helps you be kind to others.
• If you want to see more kindness in the world, make sure your media diet is limited.
• The size of the kindness isn’t that important, it could be small.
• There is a ripple effect when one person is kind to another.
• Giving and receiving kindness are both important. Be open to receiving kindness and allow others to be the giver.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Add a gratitude practice by taking a moment to think about what you are grateful for each day and add it to your morning or evening routine.
2. There’s a lot we can’t control, but we can always control how we react.
3. You don’t have to have a certain job title to be a kindness catalyst.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Advent Health
• Community America Credit Union
• City Wide Maintenance
• Kindness Campaign
• Finding Your Tribe
• Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield
• Simple Abundance
• Pocketful of Miracles
• The Economy of Kindness: How Kindness Transforms Your Bottom Line
  • Virtual Book Event Today Wednesday, October 20th at 3pm PST on Zoom Meeting ID: 704 838 6202 Passcode: MITZVAH

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

Our lives are ours to shape. Evan Demarco thought he had life mapped out with being a professional athlete then entering wall street but quickly realized that the life he was living wasn’t the life he was meant to live. 

He returned to school and learned everything he possibly could after discovering the gap existing between sports development and sports lifestyle and nutrition. Evan found his passion in bridging that gap through science and supplements and a healthy lifestyle.

Now he is helping people understand that one size never fits all, especially; when it comes to health and wellness. Evan is shaping his own life by working with people and showing them the beauty in their own journey to a healthy and happy life.

A real giver is a generous receiver, those are two sides of the same coin. - Edith Varley

Join us as we gather to reset our new daily rhythm and build resilience during this time of change.

Today, I’m excited to have Edith Varley. Edith is a speaker, advisor, educator and the founder of The Varley Group where she drives an outcome-based mission to transform human potential into constructive contribution. In her practice, she uses systems thinking initiatives to identify needs and establish outcome-based objectives.

Prior to founding The Varley Group in 2000, she served for 25 years in the business of chemical manufacturing where she started in sales and ultimately led the company as CEO and owner. During her tenure, Edie helped people find the meaning in their work and the value in their contribution and as CEO led the company to double-digit net operating profit.

I’m happy to have Edith share how they’re finding Rhythm and Resilience right now, and how we can do the same. I invite you to tune in using the login information below, as we unite as a community.

Looking forward to spending time together for some R & R.

I believe the most valuable, renewable resource in the world is the Human Spirit. - Edith Varley

Join Dr. Michelle and Edith as they talk about:

• How to take advantage of this time to pause, refresh, and also remember that change is constant.
• The moment she realized she was running on fear and how she developed emotional intelligence to regain her power.
• Why short term stress will make you ‘awake and alarmed’ but constant stress will ‘eat you alive.’
• How the practice of being present will help you keep your stress levels at bay.

Learn how you can continue growing during this time as Edith shares:

• What exactly emotional intelligence is and how to apply it to your life.
• How to stay loyal to the honor code that we have with ourselves and others.
• Why taking time for yourself for self-care is making you ‘self-full,’ not selfish.
• Fun activities you can do with your family at home.
• Why emotional intelligence is a never ending journey we can continue to enjoy and learn from each day.  

Mentioned In This Episode

• Living Up to the Fullness of Your Promise | Edith Varley | TEDxGatewayArchSalon
• Emotional Intelligence Is Essential
• Eckhart Tolle
• Live Inspired Podcast: S4 | Ep. 35 John’s Coach – Edie Varley
• Boundaries: When to say yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
• The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I here for? by Rick Warren
• The Economics of Higher Purpose by Robert E Quinn & Anjan V Thakor

Connect

• LinkedIn

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Melissa Hartwig Urban. Melissa is a Certified Sports Nutritionist who specializes in helping people change their relationship with food and create life-long, healthy habits. She is the co-creator of the original Whole30 program, the New York Times bestselling author of The Whole30 and It Starts With Food, and has been featured by Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, the Wall Street Journal, Details, Shape, Outside, and SELF.

Melissa has presented more than 150 health and nutrition seminars worldwide, and provides support to more than 1.5 million people a month through the Whole30 website. Melissa enjoys kettlebell training, traveling, hiking, winter sports, yoga, and riding her motorcycle, and is on the advisory board for Paleo Magazine. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT.

Dr. Mao Shing Ni is a licensed acupuncturist, Diplomate of Chinese Herbology and a Diplomate in Anti-Aging. His family has had roots in acupuncture going back 37 generations and Dr. Mao fell into the practice at a young age. When he was six, he fell from a three story roof and was in a coma for one month. He suffered from brain damage and a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed and was told he would never walk again.

After the help from his father, acupuncture, herbs, tai chi and various other specialties, he was up and walking again in two years and even became a competitive athlete. Dr. Mao decided then it would be his life’s work as “Chinese medicine gave me back my life again”.

Dr. Mao looks at energy as a tool for healing as we are always surrounded by it and have the ability to harness it for our advantage. He explores various ways of healing that allows for one to truly take a whole person approach to their health. 

Dr. William Davis is a cardiologist and New York Times #1 bestselling author of the Wheat Belly book series, Undoctored, and of the new book Super Gut.

Dr. Davis believes that given the right information and tools, magnificent health is achievable without prescription drugs and without medical procedures.

Instead, what you need are the basic principles of nutrition. With those, you can address common nutrient deficiencies and a disrupted gut microbiome.

Dr. Davis is the Medical Director and founder of the Undoctored program including the Undoctored Inner Circle.

He is also a podcast host of the Defiant Health Radio podcast where he talks about the gut microbiome and other health topics.

Memorable Quotes:

• “In other words, we're exposed almost daily to things that disrupt the microbiome. And there's two major consequences. One is we've lost important species. We've lost some unimportant species, too. So that doesn't make a big difference, but we've lost very important species that are crucial for human health.”
• “But I think you and I, your listeners, have the power to achieve astounding endpoints and health by putting the microbiome to work in ways that are unfolding now.”
• “If you want this to be your year, don't sit on the couch and wait for it. Go out. Make a change. Smile more. Be excited. Do new things like grow some probiotics. Throw away clutter, unfollow negative people on social media. Go to bed early. Wake up early. Don't gossip. Show more gratitude. Do things that challenge you and be brave.”

What You’ll Learn:

The gut microbiome is critical to reversing chronic health problems and optimizing your overall health.

This Episode Includes:

• Robin shares how Dr. Davis healed her gallbladder issue nearly a decade ago.
• Davis reflects on his inspiration for his new book “Super Gut.”
• According to Dr. Davis, people who followed his Wheat Belly program were healed most of the way, but not all the way.
• Super Gut is his response to lead people to optimal health.
• The gut microbiome is key to health but modern-day living has diminished many necessary microbes.
• Antibiotics, environmental toxins, and even unhealthy food cause a disruption in the gut microbiome.
• Fermented food has the ability to add beneficial microbes back into the gut.
• Davis talks about how most doctors will ignore SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth), even though it is treatable.
• Most modern chronic diseases have a root cause in the gut microbiome.
• Davis shares his opinion on formula versus breastmilk and encourages women to feed their baby breastmilk.
• Robin emphasizes the importance of optimizing your health one step at a time.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Get the new book “Super Gut” by Dr. William Davis.
2. Join Dr. Michelle Robin on her journey to a healthy gut by following the program laid out by Dr. Davis in Super Gut.
3. Add more fermented food to your diet like kimchi, sauerkraut, or kefir.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Thryve
• Gutzoomer
• Super Gut
• Advent Health
• Community America Credit Union

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

“Counseling helped me befriend my nervous system.” - Brooke Seiz

Did you know we only need one teaspoon of sugar in our body at a time? During today’s episode, Dr. Robin invites Brooke Seiz to unpack why sugar can oftentimes be a culprit for anxiety. Brooke shares what inspired her to become a counselor and functional medicine practitioner for others, including her own bout with anxiety, an eating disorder, and other mental health challenges. She goes on to describe why there can often be many root causes of anxiety, but when our blood sugar levels are too high or low, our cortisol levels (stress response) get activated and we easily enter that fight or flight mode. Brooke also covers how sugar is often disguised on labels, and how fast our bodies can experience inflammation (even pain) after we consume too much sugar. By the end of the episode, she’ll provide some ways you can test if sugar may be causing problems. She’ll also provide what foods can help aid in regulating sugar levels. Grab a pen and paper – this episode is packed with helpful tips!

About Today’s Guest: 

Brooke Seiz with Evolve Wellness & Counseling helps individuals as well as couples find a better quality of life, fulfillment in their relationships, and comfort in their body through counseling and functional nutrition. She is a licensed counselor and helps individuals as well as couples in therapy to befriend their nervous systems using Somatic Experiencing and in turn improve trauma, PTSD, anxiety, as well as binge and emotional eating. She also provides sex therapy to individuals and couples, in addition to couples' therapy. For those interested in functional nutrition, she takes a deep dive into gut, hormonal. health and more to address the root cause for their symptoms with nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Brooke is a mom of three awesome young people, and also enjoys going out to sing at local music venues with her spouse. She’s grateful to be involved with the Small Changes Big Shifts team and mission! 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Connect with Brooke Seiz on LinkedIn 
• Evolve Wellness & Counseling 
• Signos CGM technology – glucose monitor 
• Glucose Goddess on Instagram 
• Resistance Starch
  

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? - Mary Oliver

Be grateful. Have faith. Live Oola.

Those are the words of wisdom that the OolaGuys and Authors of Oola and Oola for Women, Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl, of OolaLife are spreading to the USA: That we must always be grateful; even be grateful for our past, have faith in the future, and live in the present.

As you listen to Dr. Michelle’s interview with them, you will learn what the 7 F’s  | 7 Blockers | 7 Accelerators of the OolaLife are, what sparked them to do the OolaLife Dream Tour, how they’ve incorporated the OolaLife into their own lives, and what big shifts you can make with their 21 Day OolaLife Challenge.

Turn small changes into big shifts with their 3 core steps to living an OolaLife by thinking about:

1. Where you are today
2. Where you want to go
3. How you’re going to get there

If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time.- Zig Zaglar

About OolaLife

What is OolaLife all about? The OolaLife isn’t just a book series but a process of life. It allows you to take a day or two every day to step outside of your life and look at it give yourself an honest assessment with where you are with your life, career, family, friendships, and yourself. Once you have assessed that, you can think about where you want to go with your life and how you’re going to get there. 

Listen and discover the deep truth that where you are now is simply just that and it doesn’t define who you are. 

Jeff’s Story

Self-taught as an artist, Jeff Hanson first began painting watercolor notecards while undergoing chemotherapy at age 12. What was initially a pastime and distraction from his treatments, Jeff’s painting soon evolved into a curbside business, Jeff’s Bistro. Proceeds benefited the Children’s Tumor Foundation to fund optic tumor research.

Jeff’s original notecards gradually transitioned to acrylics-on-canvas, both for sale and gifts to charity live auctions across the nation. At age 15, the “accidental artist” in a business built on a philanthropy-first model, became Jeffrey Owen Hanson LLC.

About Hal and Julie Hanson

Hal Hanson, MD, is a practicing emergency physician and motivational speaker from Kansas City. Raised in Iowa, Dr. Hanson attended the University of Iowa and completed a Family Medicine residency in Michigan.

Dr. Hanson now resides in Overland Park, Kansas, with his wife Julie. Hanson's hobbies include writing, photography, and travel. Lessons From CLOD is Dr. Hanson's only published work to date. 

Join Dr. Michelle and both Hal and Julie Hanson as they talk about:

• The dreams most parents have for their child and how those can shift over time.
• How parents can encourage and support their child’s unique gifts.
• The moment they discovered Jeff’s natural gift for art and how they helped him cultivate and use that gift to help the world.
• Why it’s important not to focus on what society says your children should be interested in or be good at.
• How they focused on raising Jeff to be happy, independent, and give back to the world.
• The power in approaching everyone you meet with unconditional positive regard.
• Jeff’s philanthropic work and how he gave back to the community by donating to several organizations.
• What CLOD taught Hal and Julie about what’s important in life and their biggest takeaways from Jeff’s life.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Jeff Hanson
• Lessons From CLOD by Hal O. Hanson and Julie A. Hanson
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• [Gratitude] Day 25 - Sally Smith
• 241 – Mindy Corporon
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• Big Shifts Foundation
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• AdventHealth
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign

Connect:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

There is nothing to fear but fear itself. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Neuroscientist, Entrepreneur, Podcast Host of Untangle, and Co-Founder of Muse: the brain sensing headband, Ariel Garten, joins Dr. Michelle Robin this week on the Small Changes Big Shifts podcast.

About Ariel Garten

Ariel Garten’s driving purpose is to empower and help others overcome mental obstacles in order to live healthy, happy lives and reach their maximum potential.

Garten is Co-Founder of InteraXon, the makers of Muse: the brain sensing headband. Muse is the award-winning wearable technology that assists and trains meditation and mindfulness. Before founding InteraXon, Ariel was not only trained as a neuroscientist and psychotherapist but also started her own international clothing line while she worked in labs researching Parkinson’s disease and hippocampal neurogenesis.

Join Dr. Michelle and Ariel as they talk about:

• What meditation means to her and why she sees it as a form of training.
• How to use Muse while you focus on breath meditation.
• The various benefits of Muse for both beginner and long-term meditation fans.
• Common problems that happen when people first start meditation and how Muse corrects them.
• Why some people find meditation easier than others.
• What to do with thoughts that arise while you're meditating.
• Self-care practices you can start today to help you let go of feelings of stress, uncertainty, and anxiety.

People crave connection, not perfection. - Rev. Patricia T. Bass

Guest

• Ariel Garten
• Co-Founder of Muse
• Neuroscientist
• Entrepreneur
• Podcast Host

Connect with Ariel Garten via

• CLICK HERE to connect on Facebook
• CLICK HERE to connect on Twitter
• CLICK HERE to connect on Instagram

Connect with Muse via

• CLICK HERE to connect on Facebook
• CLICK HERE to connect on Twitter
• CLICK HERE to connect on Instagram
• CLICK HERE to connect on YouTube

Mentioned In This Episode

• Ariel Garten
• Muse: the brain sensing headband
• Untangle - The Meditation Podcast
• Rhythm & Resilience with Dr. Michelle Robin

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, I will be speaking therapist Brooke Wesley. Brooke has worked as a therapist with adolescents and adults who struggle with eating disorders for years. She is the co-founder of Thalia House, a supportive living facility for women with eating disorders. Brooke has also just published her first book, Hungry to be Whole; A therapist Tale of Healing from Anorexia. On the podcast, she will share ways we can heal so we can truly be comfortable in our own skin.

“We all have gifts. I think it is my responsibility to use mine to build into as many lives as possible in my life, beyond my reach, and beyond my life. I don’t know how to build bridges, I don’t have a whiz bang invention, but I do know how to influence others and change their thinking. Their changed thinking changes their lives. That is my job – by speaking, writing, or coaching.” - Dr. Roger Hall 

Author of Staying Happy, Being Productive: The Big 10 Things Successful, Dr. Roger Hall helps people learn to monitor and manage their thinking. For over 25 years, he has consulted with leaders from all types of companies, judges in federal courts, university faculty, social workers, teachers, nurses, construction workers, landscapers, and box-makers. He helps his clients become better versions of themselves so they can improve their own lives and the lives of those they serve.

About Dr. Roger Hall

Roger does his best as a speaker to keep people like him engaged in what he's talking about. He has had the good fortune to work with entrepreneurs, tech companies, big Fortune 20 companies, and professionals like lawyers, financial planners, and other high relationship sales people. Roger wants to influence our culture, so he likes working with companies that distribute information, create technology, and create entertainment.

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• How he helps people monitor and manage their thinking.
• Unpacking his book, Staying Happy, Being Productive: The Big 10 Things Successful.
• Some of his favorite takeaways from his book which include getting more sleep.
• What are some of the tools and assignments he gives people to help manage their thoughts.
• The benefits of checking in with your thoughts every hour to help you monitor them and notice common themes.
• How you can break the cycle in negative thought loops and emotions.
• What steps you can do to replace false, negative thoughts with accurate, true counter thoughts.
• The importance of loving relationships for wellbeing.
• How the lack of human interaction and connection has impacted our mental health in 2020 and now in 2021.
• What advice he would give to leader

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts I am speaking with Dr. Carol Phillips. Carol is an internationally renowned lecturer and workshop instructor who has taught more than 8,000 hours of postgraduate training in craniosacral therapy and myofascial unwinding to chiropractors and body workers throughout the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Belgium, New Zealand and Mexico over the last 20 years.  Focusing on 'Balance in the Body' and 'Harmony in the Family', she is devoted to the prevention and treatment of physical, emotional and spiritual trauma that may occur at any time from conception to delivery and beyond.

Between the opioid epidemic and her own life story, Cindy Perlin set out on a journey to help people see a different side of the story behind chronic pain. In today’s episode, Cindy shares how she became suicidal after battling severe chronic back pain for three years, beginning at age 25 – without doctors being able to help her. The change happened when a friend recommended a book about the mind/body connection that changed her life forever. She began healing herself using many of these techniques, leading her to write a book called The Truth About Chronic Pain Treatmentsso that others could follow in her footsteps.

About Today’s Guests:

Cindy Perlin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and certified biofeedback practitioner. She’s been helping people achieve their health and wellness goals for over 25 years. Her practice is located in Delmar, New York, near Albany. She is passionate about the power of biofeedback to heal because of her own journey and became increasingly passionate about helping people when she noticed a rise in opioid overdoses for those trying to manage their pain. She is the author of The Truth About Chronic Pain Treatments: The Best and Worst Strategies for Becoming Pain Free and the creator of the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Alternative Pain Treatment Directory
• Cindy Perlin’s website
• The Truth About Chronic Pain Treatments by Cindy Perlin

In order to be successful, you should sleep better. - Dr. Abid Bhat

It might be surprising to find out that millions of Americans are actually suffering from sleeping disorders which are linked to other health problems such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

In this episode of Small Changes Big Shifts, Sleep Medicine Specialist and Founder of Sweet Sleep Studio, Dr. Abid Bhat, shares why sleep is quintessential for our overall physical and mental health, how he was called to become a sleep doctor, and why sleep apnea actually isn’t the most common sleep issue. 

Listen and learn how bright lights, long work hours, and the go-go-go mentality are affecting our energy levels and quality of sleep at night plus the strong relationships that poor sleep has with depression, anxiety, irritability, and weight gain for people of all ages but especially for adolescents.

In this episode you will also learn Dr. Bhat’s top three tips to help you make small changes into big shifts. 

You shouldn’t go to sleep; sleep should come to you. - Dr. Abid Bhat

Millennial Expert, Master Coach for Primal Health Coach Institute, Author of Expectation Hangover, and Host of the Over It & On With It Podcast, Christine Hassler, joins Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast Host, Dr. Michelle Robin to share her own wellness journey, how we can discover our true passion, and how we can let go in order to put our trust in the universe.

As you listen, Dr. Michelle and Christine discuss:

• Why Christine was unconsciously chasing a career in Hollywood because she was trying to compensate for her own insecurity.
• How she let go of the need to plan her life and future to just trust the Universe.
• Why our true passion usually comes from some sort of suffering.
• The fact that so many of us are stuck in the mundane or “rinse and repeat” life because we’re more comfortable doing that than facing our fears and insecurities.

Dig deep and grow even more today by learning that:

• To know joy, passion, and feeling into what we love means we also have to feel into anger, hurt, shame, and guilt that we haven’t dealt with yet.
• A coach and a counselor are two different professionals that can help you on your wellness journey.
• The importance of working with a coach or counselor that challenges you, points out connections, or ask you questions to make you think.
• There are steps you can take to find the right coach for you.
• There is something you can do if you’re going to therapy but haven’t made any significant progress yet. 

Find out how parents can help their Millennial children thrive through life as Christine shares:

• Why it isn’t your child’s job to make you happy.
• The fact that it’s essential that younger Millennials learn soft skills like emotional intelligence, accountability, and face-to-face interaction.
• How both you and them can stay true to your wellness journey.

In order to live a full life and reach our potential, we have to learn how to be in those moments of uncertainty. - Christine Hassler

Imagine you are an athlete at the top of your game, living life to the fullest and your health is the last thing on your mind and then you have a fall and land in the hospital. You end up being cleared from your fall but walk out of the hospital with a cancer diagnosis. Now imagine this all happening and only being 21 years old.

This is what happened to Josh Perry, competitive BMX rider and athlete. He was told he had a brain tumor after being treated from a fall on his bike. Josh took his diagnosis and decided to fight back and give his tumor a run for its money.

During this journey, Josh had to change his ways and turned to health and wellness by adjusting his diet, practicing mindfulness and sharing his story. Josh is currently living with four brain tumors but is still actively riding, acting as a source of inspiration for others and changing the way people approach cancer.

“Pausing and intention are key to self-fulfillment.” - Kim Newton 

Did you know 36% of women aren’t following their dreams? Kim Newton was one of them several years ago, and it took some monumental people (and moments) to help her realize there was so much more to life. In today’s episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Kim to unfold what was going on inside her heart when she began to sense a change was needed. Her story is both inspiring and action-oriented, meaning it wasn’t the inspiration that took her forward but the people around her that made her take steps toward a life full of happiness, abundance, and fulfillment. The decision to “disrupt her life” and take time to pause was exactly what she needed to quiet her head talk, and tune into her heart. Kim will help you think about what your truest “joy” is inside your own heart. She will ask some emotionally-charged questions for you to reflect on, but also share how her passion was something that had actually been part of her for a majority of life already – but it took some rekindling to find it. This episode is sure to linger in your heart long after it’s over. 

About Today’s Guest: 

Kim Newton is passionate about leadership and innovation. She’s an exceptional developer of people and has advised hundreds of leaders personally and professionally. She has a unique right-brain/left-brain approach to helping people and companies meet their fullest potential. Kim is a seasoned global marketing executive, board director, advisor, artist, and entrepreneur. During her two decades at Hallmark, she directly influenced global corporate strategy and led transformation across a $4B diversified portfolio of top brands. She has been recognized multiple times as a top African America in corporate America. Kim has always left a space for creation of her own heart, a modern approach to quilting. Kim’s quilts have been called “unique and inspiring contemporary fiber art that tells a story and ignites the spirit.” In 2019, after leaving corporate America, Kim sold her first piece that now hangs on the wall of Oprah Winfrey. Since that time, she has embraced and loves nurturing her artist self. As the founder of Alexis Enterprises, LLC, Kim brings to life all of her passions, including an art studio focused on her one-of-a-kind quilts. She also created and designed the Intentional Pause Project, which helps others embrace the journey she went on herself. The workbook helps people discover the powerful reason pausing can help them move forward to achieve their dreams. 

 Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Kim Alexis Newton’s quilt website
• Kim’s Intentional Pause workbook by Kim
• Kim’s Intentional Pause Project

How do we celebrate uncertainty?

Join us as we gather to reset our new daily rhythm and build resilience during this time of change.

The Blender Girl and her healthy fast food have been featured in the L.A Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Real Simple, Prevention, Family Circle, Vegetarian Times, Living Without, Allergic Living, Thrive, Today.com, Prevention.com, Shape.com, Glamour.com, FoodNetwork.com, Yahoo.com, Parents.com, Chow.com, among other publications around the world. Tess has also made numerous media appearances including the Today show, Home & Family, Fox, WGN, Reluctantly Healthy, and many others. In high demand as a spokesperson, presenter, and recipe developer, Tess collaborates with leading food and lifestyle brands. She is the global spokesperson for KitchenAid blenders, ambassador for Massel bouillon and broth, ambassador for Temple Turmeric. Away from the blender, Tess also enjoys a diverse performance career. She has toured internationally with acclaimed theater productions, worked in film and TV, and lent her voice to commercial campaigns, audiobooks, and popular videogame characters. ​​​​​​​

I’m happy to have Tess share how they’re finding Rhythm and Resilience right now, and how we can do the same. I invite you to tune in as we unite as a community.

Looking forward to spending time together for some R & R.

Join Dr. Michelle and Tess as they talk about:

• Celebration! How Tess inspired Dr. Robin with the word “celebrate”.
• How Tess discovered inspiration comes from unexpected places.
• Putting a positive spin on the unknown.
• Viewing COVID-19 as a gift, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.
• Tess’ food evolution from serious to fun.
• Opening up the spirit and the heart.
• Tess’ health philosophy on good, better, best.
• Making data-based decisions while remaining fluid.
• Meeting people where they are.
• The idea that there is only one story we’re all living, the story of redemption.
• Human connection, how social media influences bonding
• Failures are the most valuable steps.
• Tess’ medicine she has to offer the world.

The journey is a cha-cha, sometimes you take a step backwards to take a step forward. - Tess Masters

Mentioned In This Episode

• Blender Girl
• Tess’s Detox Programs
• Live Cooking Classes with Tess
• 5 Minute Journal App
• Steven Acuff - Macrobiotics
• Scott Brick

Connect

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Youtube

"Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated." - Confucius

In this episode of the Small Changes Big Shifts podcast, we are joined by board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist and yoga teacher, Dr. Ellen Vora who has also authored the chapter on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Psychiatry in the textbook Mount Sinai Expert Guides: Psychiatry.

Dr. Vora takes a functional medicine approach to mental health, considering the whole person and addressing the problem at the root, rather than reflexively prescribing medication to suppress symptoms.

She also takes the whole person into consideration, focusing on everything from physical health, sleep, nutrition, digestion, thought patterns, relationships and community to our connection with nature and creativity, and the ways we find meaning in life.

Ash she sits down with Dr. Michelle, we learn what drew Dr. Vora to learn more about holistic approach and other trainings to heal the human body such as Chinese medicine, movement, nutrition, and acupuncture.

Listen and discover:

• The fact that most commonly medications and antidepressants such as for anxiety, depression, and OCD don’t have great solid evidence that they actually work.
• Her advice on trying out a couple of holistic approaches before taking prescribed medicine.
• Our current mental health epidemic throughout the world with the number of cases increasing
• The difference between an episodic depression and chronic depression
• Why feeling out alignment with your work and daily life is actually a good call to action for you to change something.
• The vital importance of building a community in a comfortable environment with lower standards and avoiding isolation.

Specifically for expecting and young mothers, Dr. Vora explains:

• How to get your body ready for and after a baby with a good diet or nutritious, whole foods.
• Combating postpartum depression by focusing first on nutrition.
• Her top parenting tip: None of us is perfect, just show up the best you can for them as an authentic human.

"In fact, it's not an exaggeration to say that the history of science has been the history of most people being wrong about most things most of the time. The willingness to challenge even our most deeply-held assumptions and the humility to admit when we've been wrong are essential to good science." - Chris Kresser

Tune in and find out what small changes you can make today for big shifts tomorrow with your wellbeing, community, and family.

With so many different diets, regimens, fads and trends out there in the world of health and wellness, how do we know what works for us? Dr. Mark Hyman is helping people take a step backwards to look at themselves from a whole person perspective in order to move forward with their health. 

The connection between how you feel and how you eat is so telling to the human body but so often overlooked. Instead of focusing on restrictive diets and what your body can’t break down, Dr. Mark focuses on why your body is reacting that way to certain foods. 

Dr. Mark is changing the way we look at and eat food when it comes to our health and wellbeing. He is using functional medicine to approach food and illnesses with a new perspective that is transforming the way we treat any and all conditions in the human body. 

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Do you find yourself consuming more entertaining than nourishing foods?

What does healthy living truly look like and how can you get started today?

Author of Habit That!: How You Can Health Up in Just 5 Minutes a Day, Dr. Jaime Hope, joins us to share how we can be the creators of healthier lives with small changes today that will lead to big shifts tomorrow. One of the many important shifts that she and Dr. Michelle Robin will discuss is how we can create healthier habits around nourishing vs. entertaining foods. 

More About Dr. Hope

Dr. Hope is a dual board-certified physician working outside of Detroit, Michigan, in one of the busiest emergency departments in the country. 

In over twelve years on the job, she has learned that no matter what brought her patients to the ER, they all want the same thing: to live happier, healthier lives. 

Whether she's helping patients, teaching future doctors, or engaging the local community, Dr. Hope is showing others how to create better habits and make healthy living fun, practical, and accessible.

Turn your health around today by focusing on Dr. Hope’s top four wellness factors:

• Exercise
• Restorative Sleep
• Nutrition
• Meaningful Connection

Join us as our Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast host, Dr. Michelle Robin, discusses in depth with Dr. Hope about:

• Her passion for encouraging others to take care of their health now.
• Why it doesn’t cost a lot of money to live a healthy lifestyle.
• How she is helping physicians teach their patients how to change their habits and behaviors.
• Why we should focus on changing our mindsets first before our diets.
• What a healthy person looks like and how to mirror that in your own life.
• Understanding the difference between the two types of foods: nourishing and entertaining.
• How to uncover the best kinds of exercises that you will love and be eager to do. 
• he power of getting in enough restorative sleep each night to release stress. 

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. - Desmond Tutu

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts Haley Prophet joins Dr. Michelle Robin.

Show notes coming soon...

Today on this part 2 episode on Small Changes Big Shifts, Dr. Robynne innovative solutions backed by science that can help you improve your digestive wellness today! Have you ever wondered if you need to take a probiotic? Are you one of the hundreds of thousands who has eaten well and still struggle with your weight? Do you wonder if you should take the antibiotic just in case? What about hand sanitizer?

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts we have Dr. Gabrielle Pelicci. In 2006, Gabrielle, a former international fashion model, became “Dr. Gabby” when she completed her Ph.D. and started changing lives with her transformational courses and coaching. 

We have all tried different diets and weight loss programs and more often than not no weight is lost, or in some cases weight is gained. What went wrong? Normally is it because we aren’t treating ourselves from an inside out approach.

Dr. Deb Butler is here to help people lose weight through brain science, nutrition, physiology and life coaching and lessons. She uses her own personal journey of weight loss and weight gain and created a program to help you think correctly for losing weight and learn the ways to balance your body.

There is no magic pill when it comes to weight loss but Dr. Deb is helping others find the magic in themselves to ultimately achieve the weight loss they aspire to have.

Dr. Bowen White is an “organizational physician” who is interested in the “people piece” when it comes to the workplace and life in general. He encourages people to take responsibility for their own health and life because at the end of the day we have to start with ourselves in order to help others. 

He likes to be known as a “perspirational speaker” instead of a motivational speaker because he motivates himself and makes others sweat. How so? He talks about how we are our own biggest problem but we are also our own greatest strength and how it all starts and ends with us. 

Dr. White travels the world speaking to different organizations, teams, companies, schools and more on the human nature and relationships. He believes in the power of helping others and that in order to see change happen then we must be willing to change ourselves.

City Wide is the largest management company in the building maintenance industry, facilitating janitorial and more than 20 additional maintenance services for every client.

They do more than just manage maintenance services for commercial facilities, they pride themselves on being a partner that helps you save time and solve problems!

We spoke with three members of the City Wide Team:

Jeff Oddo, the CEO and owner of City Wide Facility Solutions and City Wide Franchise.

Lisa Greco, the director of People and Culture at City Wide Facility Solutions.

Tom Bridgeforth, a present owner of a City Wide Facility Solutions franchise in central New Jersey.

Memorable Quotes:

• “And for me, Michelle, the ripple is all about kindness, treating others like they matter. It's like treating people like someone else's precious child, someone that deserves respect, and is worthy of love and kindness.” - Jeff Oddo
• “Whether that's walking the halls, whether that's bringing in new talent, whether that's enriching the lives of the employees that I work with each and every day, I would hope that each and all of those little small interactions and actions really add up at the end of the day to something meaningful for each and every employee that works at City Wide.” - Lisa Greco
• “There's a kindness to yourself. Self-care. It's hard to give to others when your bucket is empty.” - Dr. Michelle Robin
• “We've got to make time for our families and to spend more time together, because again, the pandemic made that point to us.” - Tom Bridgeforth

What You’ll Learn:

Personal stories on kindness and how to create the ripple effect from one small act of kindness. 

This Episode Includes:

• The legacy left by Jeff’s father on City Wide employees from his one small act of kindness each day.
• How the people in Jeff’s life have cultivated a desire in him to spread kindness.
• Strategies for creating small acts of kindness within one’s own family.
• The importance of making time for yourself and your family.
• Three individual’s different reasons and motivations behind kindness.
• Motivation and inspiration to start implementing small acts of kindness in your own community.
• Tom Bridgeforth’s moving story about his daughter’s brain tumor and how his community stepped in to care for his family.
• Real life examples of how we can all be kinder to each other.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Kindness creates a ripple effect so try and do one small act of kindness for someone else today.
2. Practice thinking of other people as human beings, as if they were part of your family, rather than as a means to an end.
3. Don’t be scared to receive kindness from others.

Mentioned In The Episode:

Many of you know we have a serious mental health crisis happening this year because of the pandemic and creating a ripple of kindness has the power to change that. 

Small Changes Big Shifts and City Wide Facilities Solutions  are launching a 31-day Kindness Campaign on October 14th, so we’re inviting all of our listeners to go sign-up for free so we can all take part in this movement.

Visit https://www.smallchangesbigshifts.com/kindness/ to join us!

Connect:

• Facebook
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• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

Dr. Michelle Robin shares her "why" behind Small Changes Big Shifts

"One of our graduates is impacting a massive amount of people every day – she's making giant change after going through our program.” - Natasha Herdman

When Natasha Herdman was growing up, she took care of the marketing and bookkeeping for her mom’s grooming business in Iowa. Fast forward to 2011, she began working with homeless families in Kansas City, where she was seeing some big barriers between employment and getting out of poverty. Little did she know a vision would come to her in 2012 where these two worlds would collide into one: Pawsperity (formerly known as The Grooming Project). Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Natasha to share her behind-the-scenes story about how this vision came to life one day, and why it took a village of people – some complete strangers – to lift her up and make it a reality. She’ll share some incredibly inspiring stories about some people who have graduated from Pawsperity’s grooming school and what they are doing to give back to our community today from that experience. At the end of the show, she’ll also give an inside look at why the human-animal bond can be a powerful healer for so many who have gone through severe trauma in their lives. 

About Today’s Guest: 

As founding CEO of Pawsperity, formerly known as The Grooming Project, Natasha Herdman believes in a two-generation approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. Basic needs for food and shelter must be met before a parent can focus on guiding children through school and out of poverty, so a living-wage, family-flexible career for the parent is key. Natasha’s innovative approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and proven success has received several awards and the attention of a national catalyst foundation. Natasha has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa and an Executive Master's degree in public administration from the UMKC Bloch School. She is passionate about working with mothers and fathers with multiple barriers to entering the workforce, such as low reading skills, severe trauma, or past incarceration and brings experience in both staff and volunteer roles for Healing House, Reach Out and Read, Community LINC and Stop Child Trafficking Now to the EPC project. Natasha enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids ages 19 and 15. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Pawsperity website 
• 31 Days of Kindness – sign up for the free emails 
• Big Shifts Foundation 
• Newhouse 

Always on the go with lots of energy, Jennifer Robinson worked hard at balancing her family’s life while also organizing and executing plans as a Director of Events. However, one day she noticed her energy beginning to shift and didn’t feel like she was herself anymore. She also began to gradually notice signs of fatigue, pain, thirst, dimming vision, muscle weakness, constant headache and loss of body mass. Not even Benadryl, M&Ms, or coffee could mask or help the symptoms and she knew it was time to seek help.

Seeking an answer, she discovered that even though the tick never left a mark, she had chronic Lyme Disease and so began her wellness journey. Today, she is sharing how to live a life full of gratitude through her book, Joy Warrior, as well as teaching mindfulness and meditation at a local middle school as a paraeducator.

On Small Changes Big Shifts, Jennifer is sharing her message about Chronic Lyme Disease including what people should know about it and why we should never underestimate it. 

Listen and learn what ‘joy’ means to her as well as how you can tap into your own happiness whenever you are.

Our childhood experiences can often have an impact of what we want to do with our lives and how we will inspire the rest of the world. For author, educator, and owner of Authentic Life, Dr. Georgia Nab, it was the television series, Trapper John M.D., which moved her to have a career in the world of health care. However, after she began to study medicine, she realized it wasn’t the right path for her. So, she switched over to become a chiropractic and has never looked back since.

Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, Dr. Nab is sharing how we can begin to heal by being present and making necessary changes when possible through functional medicine. Dr. Nab herself has gone on a wellness journey of exploring her health which began at a very young age. When she was 6 years old, she began to experience severe eczema which she realized was linked to the allergic reactions she was having with various soaps and cleaners at home. 

As you’ll learn as you listen, sometimes our pain isn’t from a physical but an emotional source, an outside factor, or even our own inherited genetics that are affecting our wellbeing. Like Dr. Nab says, “We live through the nervous system.” Tune in and find out what small changes we can make on a daily basis to make big shifts towards become more balanced in our lives.

Three easy changes you can start today to be healthy:

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Find a good Omega 3 supplements (especially one with Vitamins A or D)
3. Eat whole foods

Rather than focusing on making 12 changes all at once this January, there is no better method to transforming your life in 2019 than by focusing on making gradual, small changes over the course of the year. 

Each month, we are helping you turn small changes into big shifts by interviewing top experts from their respected industries. Together, we are here to help you focus on just one area of your life, one step at a time. Whether it’s sleep, nutrition, mindfulness, or movement this month, our mission is to help you transform your life by 2020.

To kick off 2019, we have our Social Media and Digital Strategist, Christina Hager, interviewing our host, Dr. Michelle Robin, on what is happening in her own wellness journey, the future of Small Changes Big Shifts, and how you can become involved in SCBS as either an individual seeking answers, an employer looking to aide your employees, or a healthcare professional wanting to help both yourself and your patients lead a life full of wellness. 

Specifically as you tune in, we’ll also cover: 

• How SCBS originated, what our mission is, and how we can help you live a healthier life through the four Quadrants of Wellbeing: Mechanical, Energetic, Chemical, and Psychospiritual for whole-person wellness.
• About our Small Changes Big Shifts membership program to help practitioners engage in a healthy lifestyle journey.
• Our various 21-day programs focusing on sleep, freeing up your space, and kindness.
• The importance of being good role models for children by focusing on our own health.
• Easy, real small changes that can help us kick off 2019 and create big shifts by 2020. 

You either invest in your health or your body sends you a big bill later. -Dr. Michelle Robin

We’ve had a great month celebrating kindness thanks to this year’s sponsor, City Wide Facility Solutions. Today, Dr. Michelle Robin welcomes Andrea Allison-Putman and Lori Bennett on the show to share their experience participating in the 31-Day Kindness Campaign. Join us to hear about the power of kindness and what they have learned kindness really looks likes in our everyday lives. Sometimes kindness can be as simple as listening with an open heart.

Memorable Quotes: 

• “You are not listening to what the answer is. You are listening for what’s really going on in their lives.”
• “Moments matter. Memories matter.”
• “It’s much easier to be kind when you feel good.”
• “Everybody is fighting a battle. Either you are throwing gasoline on their situation, or you are throwing water on their situation.”
• “Listen. Look people in the eye. Those things go a thousand miles. So many problems in our world could be solved if people step back and listen.”
• “A simple smile goes a really long way.”

What You’ll Learn:

How the 31-Day Kindness Campaign makes it easier to learn about our community, what leaders should know about kindness and culture, and how self-care makes a difference in our ability to be kind to others.

This Episode Includes: 

• How the Kindness Campaign helps companies and organizations bring \ their culture together.
• The importance of pausing and being present in our life.
• What leaders should know about kindness and culture.
• What future generations should know about kindness.
• How we can be better in corporate America – and what validation looks like for teams.
• How listening to the non-verbal things people say is different than what people are really saying with their words.
• Why connecting with yourself matters.

Three Takeaways from Today’s Episode: 

1. Everything in our world roots back to how we give and receive kindness.
2. We experience life better – the good and the tough – when we realize we are part of a bigger story going on behind the scenes.
3. A simple smile goes a long way.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• 31-Day Kindness Campaign
• 100 Rad Virtues by Lori Bennett
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow song by Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole
• Let It Go song by Idina Menzel
• Just Fine by Mary J. Blige
• Magic of Surrender book by Kute Blackson
• The Servant book by James C. Hunter
• Power vs. Force book by Dr. David R. Hawkins
• Maya Angelou quote
• Small Changes Big Shifts
• City Wide Facility Solutions

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

Building Rhythm & Resilience With Dr. Michelle Robin

As we move forward during COVID19, the Small Changes Big Shifts podcast is doing it with you. We are excited to share our new project launch: Wisdom Wednesdays.

Over the past month we have loved bringing you inspiring messages during your wellness journey through the Rhythm & Resilience Series.

Join us in this special solo episode and find out how Dr. Michelle came up with the Rhythm & Resilience Series idea, what this past month has taught her, and how we can all be a beacon of love, wellness, and momentum by taking care of our own health first.

The live interviews for the Wisdom Wednesday series will be from 12:30 - 1:30 pm CST but is subject to change to a different time. You can also listen to them the following week right here on the Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast.

Stay tuned for updates on the Small Changes Big Shifts Facebook page.

Tune in as Dr. Michelle Robin shares:

• How to get through this time with some Rhythm & Resilience
• What to expect from Wisdom Wednesdays including how we are making it a collaboration with you, the listener.
• How Dr. Michelle has become more aware of her role as a bridge between the traditional and non-traditional fields of health during this time
• Her favorite wellness hacks to stay healthy for life.
• How to build a wellness tribe and health practices to support you during this time.

Start building a health rhythm for life by:

• Creating a Rhythm for your daily health practices.
• Scheduling an A Day, B Day, and C Day to stay organized.
• Making sure you get plenty of sleep to keep your immune system healthy.
• Following our 21-Days to Rejuvenating Sleep FREE until July 31st 2020.
• Pausing and being grateful with the 5 Minute Journal app Michelle uses or whatever helps you.

Create your own health resilience practice by:

• Staying hydrated with consistent water drinking.
• Understanding your unique body’s need for Vitamin D and which kinds work best for you.
• Eating enough natural, non-processed foods especially fruits and vegetables.
• Being intentional of who and what you let into your life.
• Feeding your soul by staying in faith.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Rhythm & Resilience with Dr. Michelle Robin
• 21-Days to Rejuvenating Sleep FREE until July 31st 2020
• Wellness On A Shoestring by Dr. Michelle Robin

Liz Murray’s story is sure to move your heart about overcoming adversity in life. Formerly homeless, Liz transformed her life of despair into an inspiring journey of determination, hope, and hard-won success.

The subject of Lifetime Television’s Emmy-nominated original film, Homeless to Harvard, Murray graduated from Harvard in 2009, and went on to receive her Masters in the Psychology of Education at Columbia University. Today, as co-founder and Executive Director of The Arthur Project, Murray is a passionate advocate for under-served youth, working to end generational poverty through relationship-based learning.

Learn how you can help people heal from addiction in our Kansas City community with the organization In the Name of GRACE.

Join Dr. Michelle and Liz as they talk about:

• The mentors, teacher, and non-profit that supported her and helped her see that there was another way to live.
• Her backstory growing up in the Bronx with drug addicted parents.
• Why addiction can be a family illness that impacts the entire household.
• The dreams her mother had while she was growing up that she shared with Liz.
• Unpacking the good and the bad that can happen side by side and the gray area that existed in her family’s situation.
• How it was difficult for her to decide how to approach and communicate her thoughts and feelings about her parents’ drug addiction with them.
• About her book, Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard, and what lessons she has learned from her past to help her navigate COVID-19.
• The power of kinship and embodying community and our relationships with others.

Learn more about Liz’s background and life experience as she shares:

• How she has raised her biracial children and helped them navigate the world.
• The work that she is doing to help make the world a better place for all people.
• Her visit to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee with her family.
• About the current book she is working on writing, The Weight of Two Worlds.
• Her words of advice for parents when their children come to them and ask them to help make sense of the world.
• What lessons her children have taught her about human rights and celebrating freedom in the USA.

Mentioned In This Episode

• Homeless to Harvard
• Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray
• The Arthur Project
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• The Hoffman Process
• Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle
• Homeboy Industries
• Episode 276 – Frank Ferrante
• National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis
• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Proven Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mindby Dr. Daniel J. Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
• In the Name of GRACE
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• Big Shifts Foundation
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• AdventHealth
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

“When people come in and talk about stress, I find that it’s actually anxiety they are facing.’”  
- Subrena Hicks

Did you know that anxiety is the most common mental health issue in the world? Moreover, other studies say that 1 in 5 adults don’t receive therapy services to address their mental health. In today’s episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites licensed therapist Subrena Hicks to share her mission on breaking the stigmas around mental health. She’ll share insights about what she’s been noticing with stress and anxiety today – and why there are repercussions in the body when we aren’t able to understand which one we’re experiencing. She’ll also explain why many adults struggle with anxiety and why therapy can help them develop the right coping skills to lessen the buildup of anxiety in the body. Subrena ends the show with some tips around kids and mental health, providing some guidance on when parents should consider therapy for them. She’ll discuss why we need to be teaching the younger generations that it’s okay to start talking about what’s going on, labeling their feelings, and finding someone outside of the family who can model these tools for them. 

About Today’s Guest: 

Subrena Hicks is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Kansas. She strives to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment while showing compassion to help identify current life stresses, and create new, healthier patterns. She believes in helping people overcome life’s struggles by focusing on each person’s individual needs, and meeting people where they are at. She received her bachelor's in business administration and management from Friends University and completed her Master of Arts in Counseling at MidAmerica Nazarene University in 2016. She is currently a Nationally Certified Counselor and works with a variety of clients such as individuals, couples, families, and adolescents. Her treatment approach to therapy is Experiential and attachment based. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• Love in Gray Counseling website 
• Love in Gray Counseling Therapy Toolbox 
• Love in Gray Facebook page 
• Loving What Is by Byron Katie 
• Big Shifts Foundation 
• Counseling at Your Wellness Connection 
• Quadrants of Well-Being 
• Hoffman Process 
• Feelings and Emotion Chart for Kids 
• PsychologyToday.com to find a therapist in your area 
• Therapy for Black Girls 

“There’s something about these kids just getting on the field or court because it’s their turn to try.”  
- Raegan Shurr

Research shows that early intervention for kids with autism spectrum disorder can significantly improve their quality of life as they grow older. In today’s episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Raegan Schurr to share how the YMCA of Greater Kansas City has built something called the Challenger Program that helps these kids fulfill some of those critical early intervention needs through sports and teamwork. Raegan explains why they have cultivated an environment that helps parents let their guard down and watch their kids explore and grow by learning about patience, why it’s important to show up on time, how to be a good teammate, and so much more. With over 300 volunteers across Kansas City who are giving their time to impact these kids’ lives, the Challenger Program has multiple benefits for early intervention learning opportunities. At the end of the show, Raegan shares a heartfelt story about a boy who was in the Challenger Program many years ago, and why he decided to return when he was older to pay that kindness forward. 

About Today’s Guest and Co-Host: 

Raegan Schurr is the Senior Director of Adaptive Programs for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. Having been with the YMCA movement for 29 years, her greatest love has been working with individuals with disabilities and the many volunteers through the Challenger Program. She also holds certification for faculty trainer for YUSA 's Strengthening Inclusion: Engaging Communities of Diverse Abilities and is a founding member of the Access and Ability Network. When not on the field or court with Challenger, you will find her on a golf course or enjoying music by her firepit with friends. 

Desiree Cole is the Content Director and Brand Manager at Small Changes Big Shifts. She creates, writes, and manages the voice and content for the brand. She has loved all things wellness since she was introduced to the lifestyle in college, where she learned to cook more plant-based food and care for the whole body in holistic ways. She began her journalism career in Chicago and New York City, where she worked in Manhattan as an editor for news agencies, magazines, and book publishing. She’s part of the Small Changes Big Shifts team because she believes words are powerful messengers to the spirit, heart, and mind. Desiree was born and raised in Kansas City and believes there’s no place like it. Her husband (Zach), son (Ollie), and two golden retrievers (Linus and Lucy) live in a loud and happy house with its eight paws and a very joyful little boy who loves them. 

Mentioned in the Episode: 

• The Challenger Program at the YMCA 
• YMCA Challenger on Facebook 
• Fred and Shirley Pryor YMCA Sports Complex 
• YMCA Greater Kansas City 
• YMCA around the country

• How she came up with the podcast, You Turn, to help people redirect their lives and come home to themselves.
• Her 11-step road map and how it will help you determine which career is best for you.
• How we make career decisions for ourselves without even really considering them first.
• Ashley’s own career path and why she pursued a career working in national security for the government to help protect people.
• Common myths as well as truths about careers and the world of job hunting.
• How to give yourself radical permission to pursue what you truly align with a path that’s right for you.
• The disconnect between our interests and what natural skills we have that we can apply to our careers.
• Why it’s hard to understand our own skills but we can reach out to other people to help us realize what they are.
• The power of focusing on who you are becoming and growing into rather than who you were years before.
• What career advice she has for wherever you are at right now.

Mentioned In This Episode 

• You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, Design Your Dream Career
• Three Questions to unlock your authentic career: Ashley Stahl at TEDxBerkeley
• How to figure out what you really want | Ashley Stahl | TEDxLeidenUniversity
• You Turn Podcast
• Ashley's Quiz: What Career Path Is Actually Right For You?
• Wellness On A Shoestring by Dr. Michelle Robin
• SCBS Sleep Campaign
• Your Wellness Connection
• SCBS 40 Days of Gratitude
• SCBS 31-Day Kindness Campaign
• Big Shifts Foundation
• AdventHealth
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest

Dr. Sheila Robinson is the owner and publisher of Diversity Women Media. She is a keynote speaker on leadership, entrepreneurship, and diversity and inclusion.

She’s written two books “Lead by Example: An Insider’s Look at How to Successfully Lead in Corporate America and Entrepreneurship” and “Your Toolkit for Success: The Professional Woman’s Guide for Advancing to the C-Suite.”

Dr. Robinson mentors women in business and trains companies on how to transform their culture around equity and belonging. She is no stranger to adversity and has overcome many career challenges.

As a result of her journey, she found her passion to help other business leaders achieve leadership success in their careers. She’s turned her personal achievements into a means of giving back to the community.

Memorable Quotes:

• “What people say or do is a reflection of who they are and what I say and do is a reflection of who I am.”
• “Freedom is when your mind, body, and spirit don’t get in the way.”
• “We are only as great as the least among us.”
• “Always choose people that are better than you. Always choose people that challenge you and are smarter than you. Always be the student.” - Sandra Bullock

What You’ll Learn:

How to manage relationships with others in the workplace and community and how to build a more diverse tribe.  

This Episode Includes:

• Robinson teaches that mindset helps you overcome adversities.
• Building intentional relationships involves finding like-minded people who will lift you up and amplify you where you are.
• Setting boundaries around relationships that are not mutually beneficial is important for personal growth and health.
• Managing relationships is a part of life.
• Empathy for others helps you communicate and respond in any situation.
• Define what success means for you and make sure it doesn’t include your job title.
• Everyone is diverse.
• Incorporating the principles of inclusiveness allows everyone to reach their full potential helps us all.
• An authentic way to build a more diverse tribe is to make sure you do it where you feel comfortable.
• There may be a time where you can not control loneliness, like the pandemic, and you must learn how to be okay being alone.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Invite one person to lunch this week and get to know them on a personal level.
2. Consider joining an organization, club, or association that includes a diverse range of people.
3. If you are lonely, find a trusted confidant or healthcare provider who can help you learn how to not feel alone when you are by yourself.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Wheel of Support
• Redefining your DIET: Transform how you look, feel, and perform (Sheila’s new book)
• Different by Micah Tyler
• Your Wellness Connection

Connect:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

Jodie Benveniste, a Registered Psychologist and creator of the Intuitive Parenting App, is helping parents get out of our heads and use other parts of ourselves to raise our children. She focuses on using our hearts, souls and intuition to better our relationships with our kids and ourselves.

Your body is always talking; are you listening? - Dr. Terry Wahls

Have you gotten to the point where you don’t believe your health can get any better?

Well, our Small Changes Big Shifts 3-time guest today is Author of the The Wahls Protocol series , Dr. Terry Wahls, is here to share her own story of leading a healthier life since her secondary progressive multiple sclerosis diagnosis via a holistic approach with tools such as diet and exercise.

Plus learn all about The Revised and Expanded The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles

Tune in as Dr. Michelle and Dr. Terry discuss:

• How we can prevent and heal autoimmune conditions by optimizing our environment to the best of our ability.
• Wahls’ experience as a traditionally-trained internal medicine physician and why she was first skeptical of healing through a holistic approach.
• Her initial approach to healing her MS without success compared to what happened when she started to change her diet and began eating meat again but reduced grains, legumes, and dairy.
• How the work of Loren Cordain inspired her to begin making lifestyle choices to heal her body.
• Natural signals that her body shares with her when it needs attention and how she’s teaching patients to also pay attention to their biosensors.
• What you will learn in The Revised and Expanded The Wahls Protocol

As you listen to this special episode, Dr. Terry not only shares her own wellness journey but advises:

• How you can put the odds in your favor from Day 1.
• What you can do to help family members start focusing on their health.
• The huge importance of knowing your ‘why’ to really motivate your goals.
• Why we have to “put today’s pleasures on hold for tomorrow’s benefit.”
• The win-win outcome of supporting your family by focusing on your own health.
• How to put together a diet for yourself that is going to help you rebuild your health.

Join us March 19th as Dr. Terry Wahls will be In Conversation with Dr. Michelle Robin at 7pm at Your Wellness Connection

You can pick up a one page summary of The Wahls Protocol
dietary plan at www.terrywahls.com/diet 

Guest

• Terry Wahls
• Author
• Speaker
• Clinical Professor at University of Iowa

Connect

• CLICK HERE to connect on Facebook
• CLICK HERE to connect on Instagram
• CLICK HERE to connect on Twitter
• CLICK HERE to connect on YouTube
• CLICK HERE to connect on Pinterest

Mentioned In This Episode

• Dr. Terry Wahls
• Dr. Terry Wahls will be In Conversation with Dr. Michelle Robin at 7pm on March 19th at Your Wellness Connection
• Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast Ep. 76: Terry Wahls, M.D.
• Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast Ep. 30: Terry Wahls, M.D.
• The Wahls Protocol dietary plan
  
• The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine
• The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
• The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions
• From Surviving to Thriving with Multiple Sclerosis—The Wahls Protocol
• Dr. Loren Cordain
• The Institute For Functional Medicine
• Small Changes Big Shifts Podcast Ep. 233: Laurie Gerber
• Handel Group® Life Coaching
• The Game Changers | Official Trailer

1 in 9 people in the world do not have access to safe water. That means that more people have access to a cell phone than safe water. Water.org is a not for profit organization that is helping to bring safe water and sanitation to the world through small and affordable loans.

Water.org has been helping give the poor a seat at the table and making sure local financial markets work for the poor as much as they do for the affluent for over 25 years.

Nicole Wickenhauser is Director of Strategic Alliances at Water.org and is helping to empower those all over the world to make a difference by providing safe, clean and affordable water to every single person.

To watch the live video recording of this episode, head on over to www.DrMichelleRobin.com.

Britt Frank is a clinician, educator, and trauma specialist.  She does aerial hoop for fun and her name is not short for Brittany.  One of her favorite books of all time is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. 

Her shih tzu Oscar is the cutest dog on the planet (She says she may be a bit biased)

Britt was an award-winning adjunct professor at KU. She is an alumnus of both Duke University and KU.  Britt wrote The Science of Stuck because it was the book that didn’t exist when she started her healing journey

Jennifer Bulcock, MD, is a Board-certified family physician with AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Spring Hill. Dr. Bulcock provides care for patients of all ages with a wide range of health needs.

After earning a bachelor of science in biology and health service administration from Washburn University, she earned her medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, 

She worked as a family physician in Garnett, Kansas, and then Dr. Bulcock joined AdventHealth Medical Group in 2022.  

When she’s not at the office, she enjoys quality time with her husband and two young daughters and spending time outdoors, especially when she is on the golf course or in her garden. 

Memorable Quotes:

• “We are experts at shaming ourselves and beating ourselves up, and nothing will render us inert faster than shame. Not all behaviors are excusable, but everything makes sense in context. And if shaming ourselves worked, it would have worked by now. So, if we can get accurate information and dump the shame, we can all get moving.”
• “Motion is lotion, stuck turns into unstuck the second you take a step in any direction.”
• “It's very easy to feel overwhelmed. That's the kind of obvious thing. But really, folks can feel overwhelmed for various reasons. It doesn't have to be something as big as a pandemic to drive people to feel overwhelmed.”

What You’ll Learn:

The simplest of steps can help you feel unstuck and take back control of the feeling of overwhelm in your life. 

This Episode Includes:

• Most people don’t need a deep dive into behavioral health they just need to scratch the surface and that’s what the Science of Stuck does.
• One reason people get stuck is because they don’t have the right information.
• Mental health has very little to do with your mind and a lot to do with your body.
• A central nervous system that's stuck in a variety of responses is going to present with symptoms of anxiety or depression.
• The best way to support children who are feeling stuck is to make them feel as safe and loved as possible.
• Nothing will get you out of a negative thought loop faster than asking this question, how true is this?
• When evaluating mental wellness Dr. Bulcock looks at each person's sense of worth, each person's sense of purpose, and each person's sense of peace. And that looks very different for everybody.
• Overwhelmed feelings originate from a sense of lack of control.
• Some people can manage their feelings of overwhelm while others need outside help and direction to manage those feelings.
• Clutter brings in external stimuli and one of the best ways to reduce feelings of overwhelm is to declutter.
• You are in the driver’s seat of your life and only you get to determine if you drive or if fear drives.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Ask yourself this question next time you have negative thoughts, how true is this?
2. Make your home a safe and loving space for your children to help support their mental health.
3. Take ten minutes to declutter one section of your home every day to help reduce feelings of overwhelm.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• The Science of Stuck
• Advent Health
• YMCA

Good health starts in your mouth and don’t let it end there. - Trina Felber

Is that favorite skincare product of yours disrupting your body’s hormones?

Today we are joined by the International best-selling author of Beauty’s Dirty Secret and CEO of the Primal Life Organics Skincare Company, Trina Felber.

A nurse with over 25 years of experience, Trina has developed over 100-food-based skincare solutions to feed the skin thus making her THENatural Skincare Expert and Skincare Biohacker. She is improving the way we feed our skin by helping others realize the dangers of everyday cosmetics and skin care while spreading awareness for the importance of using plant-based products.

As the creator and CEO of Primal Life Organics, her entrepreneurial skills and business-savvy mindset are an inspiration to women everywhere as she puts her nursing knowledge and care into every product she creates.

As our body’s largest organ, our skin plays a big part in our overall health and the importance of paying attention to how we feed it with the skin products we use. Not only that but the foods we eat and the products we use to clean our teeth can either aid or harm our health.

Listen and discover why some of the most common skincare conditions are a result of our natural, healthy microbiome being destroyed by what we’re putting on our skin, what we eat, or another problem with our digestive system.

Find out why natural clay, CBD, and oil-based products are actually what our body needs compared to drug-store products with harsh chemicals in them.

Amy Myers, MD is a renowned leader in Functional Medicine and New York Times Bestselling author of The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection. She received her Doctorate in Medicine from LSU Health Sciences Center and spent 5 years working in emergency medicine before training with the Institute of Functional Medicine. She has helped thousands around the world recover from chronic illness through her dietary-based program, The Myers Way®, and she has created multiple programs, tools, and free resources to guide readers through her revolutionary approach to health. Her blog and website serve as a beacon of hope to the many sufferers of chronic disease and autoimmune conditions.

“We can only treat others with the same level of kindness that we give ourselves.” - Gail Straub, Author of The Rhythm of Compassion: Caring for Self, Connecting with Society

No matter who you are, there are many wonderful benefits to writing. Whether you’re making a gratitude list, journaling thoughts, or trying to work through all the noise in your head, writing can help fill your cup, gain clarity, prevent burnout, and come home to yourself through greater self-awareness.

Today, Creative Writing Wellness Coach, Speaker, and Author of several books includingWriting Alone Together, Inspiration For A Woman's Soul: Choosing Happiness, and Life Source Writing, Lynda Monk, joins us to share how creative writing for wellness became a part of her life, aided her career as a social worker, and how it has continued to be a critical part of her own self-care, self-love, and gratitude practices.

As you listen, Lynda shares her top tricks and tips on how to get started with your own creative writing or journaling, how to incorporate it into any moment of your day, and from where you can gather the inspiration to write. Even if you’re exhausted at the end of the day, you can easily participate in this daily practice through various ways that will benefit both your mental and physical health.

Find out how writing can help you have greater gratitude and intention, become more conscious and curious about yourself, and improve your attitude and stress levels.

1 in 5 women are affected by PCOS. That means that 20% of women worldwide are dealing with a syndrome that looks differently on and for everyone so how do they find the help they need? Amy Medling is here to help.

Amy was diagnosed over 15 years ago with PCOS after years and years of unanswered questions, confusing conversations and painful symptoms. She has now taken her own experience and is using it to help women take back their power when it comes to their health and PCOS.

A PCOS Diva is not only a woman who has hope and strength but is a woman who is taking charge of her health and life by listening and putting herself first. Amy has found a way to shine a light on a confusing and painful syndrome and bring women together at the same time.

Daneen West is a Cisco Customer Success Executive, mother of three, and Brain Health Coach.

For the past 21 years, Daneen has worked for Cisco Systems, designing, and leading industry award-winning talent development programs 

After years of being on the verge of burnout, she is professionally more resilient, energized, and mentally sharp than decades earlier because of discovering brain health, where all the power is to up-level your life.

Certified through the NeuroLeadership Institute and Amen Clinics, Brain Health has transformed every area of Daneen’s life, and she is compelled to provide the opportunity for others to ease anxiety, boost focus and finally work on their sleep struggles.

Daneen’s Brain-Boosting checklist is a great resource to discover practical tips to heal, protect and grow the brain (See below).

Memorable Quotes:

• “So as parents, if we have that intuition like that, something's wrong, check it out. And if the first doctor may not, if you don't resonate there, you're not being heard. Keep pursuing it.”
• “It's not a badge of honor to stay up all night. Right. Our culture sometimes will make you feel that way or sleep when you're dead. But there's so much that we've learned now around sleep. That’s because it is the only way that our brain detoxes every night.”
• “As you're walking through this journey, you're going to come across ideas, thoughts, music, books, people and they're going to feel right or they're not. I'm going to encourage you to trust yourself. Just because it works for me doesn't mean it works for you.”
• “What makes the brain work is what you put in your mind, what you put on your body, what you put in your mouth.”

What You’ll Learn:

Why brain health is important and how to pursue a healthy brain through small lifestyle changes.

This Episode Includes:

• Daneen first started looking into brain health when three different doctors diagnosed her son with three different issues: sensory processing, ADD, and Asperger's.
• After a long journey of searching, Daneen finally came to the realization that brain health was at the root cause of her son’s health situation.
• Daneen found the Brain Balance Program which revolutionized the way she viewed brain health for herself and her children.
• She believes her health journey is a forever resource which she now shares with others through her coaching program.
• Robin reminds the audience that health is layered and that there are many factors that can influence brain health.
• Daneen shares that the first step to supporting brain health is getting good quality sleep.
• Getting sleep is how the brain detoxifies itself from neurotoxins incurred throughout the day.
• Daneen shares a few more steps to supporting brain health in children like eating enough healthy fats and getting energy out early in the morning through jumping ropes or jumping jacks.
• Sleep is one of Dr. Robin’s three non-negotiables for a well life.
• Daneen encourages parents to model the health behavior the would like to see in their children.
• Daneen and Dr. Robin both agree that small steps are the key to success when pursuing a healthy brain.

Three Takeaways From Today’s Episode:

1. Practice getting good quality sleep each night this week.
2. Add enough healthy fats to your diet to support your energy levels and brain health.
3. Do 50 jumping jacks with your kids before they head off to school in the morning to help them release energy and feel encouraged through exercising together.

Mentioned In The Episode:

• Community America Credit Union
• Advent Health
• Brain Balencing Program
• Mark Nepo
• Unleash the Power of the Female Brain by Dr. Aman
• Bruse on Small Changes Big Shifts
• Brain Boosting Checklist