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We're often very aware that our emotional stress impacts the foods we eat, but did you know that the nutrients we take in actually affect our emotional well-being? When you start looking at ways to reduce your stress levels, you probably focus on how much work you are doing, what your daily responsibilities are, and whether or not you practice good self-care. These are all very important, but don’t forget about the simplest choices you make every day that could be impacting your stress. A common one has to do with your diet, where some foods can increase foods, while others help to reduce it. In fact, your diet has a much larger impact on your stress levels than you might expect, and your stress can determine what your food choices end up being. This is a vicious cycle that starts with focusing on proper nutrition to fuel your body. Things like anxiety and depression are very real. They are real emotions, triggered by real experiences. But there are many times where our nutrition can either greatly reduce their intensity or at the very least, give our body the best possible chance of navigating the emotions in a greater way. And on the flip side, poor nutrition, or nutritional deficiencies, will also play a role in your emotional well-being. We typically focus on the way these deficiencies can affect not just your physical health, but your emotional health as well.  As a holistic health & stress resilience coach, I actually see this fairly regularly, so I thought it would be a powerful concept to explore in this podcast.  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

What do you think of when you hear the word "exercise"? For some, it's a burst of joy, and for others, it sounds exhausting. I know. I've worked with many people over the years. Exercise sounds like something you "have to do" unless you were raised around sports OR have simply grown to love it.  That's why I love talking about the concept of "joyful movement" as it pertains to our health, energy levels, mental clarity, performance, and building resilience.  When your body has the physical capacity to "bounce back" (resilience) through regular activities that involve movement, you're able to bounce back in life much quicker as well.  What if it's not so much about the exact type of exercise that you do, but if it's involving more of a flow of who you are, where you're at, and what brings you joy? In this episode, I'll walk you through a few different scenarios where shifting the type of movement you do can help with fatigue, inflammation, weight, and resilience involving those who aren't currently doing a movement plan versus those who might be doing too much.  Tune in and perhaps you'll discover some gems to take with you on your movement and healing journey!  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

In this episode, I’ll introduce a very powerful concept that can bring powerful healing to your body through a very simple practice. If you've been around even a little while, you've heard of a "Gratitude Practice" and maybe you've even tried jotting down a few things in the morning based on what you've seen out there, only to walk away not really feeling any shifts. Today, we'll talk about the WHY behind practicing Gratitude, but also how to shift that experience into your body, mind, and even your nervous system. There are some tangible ways that this can truly help create a new experience for you. You might even become addicted to gratitude! It's just that powerful.  We'll talk about areas in our lives that gratitude can affect as well as even looking at how science has shown that our brain and our body change in the midst of a true gratitude practice, inviting the healing process to take place. And at the very end, I'll walk you through a very powerful practice that you can use any time you're feeling stressed, anxious, out of sorts, tired, run down, fatigued, or simply just off. And as you do this, you'll notice shifts take place within your mind, heart, and body.  Enjoy!  Oh, and PS, have I mentioned that I'm grateful for you! :) Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Nerves, what can you say about them? They perform so many important functions in your body and are related to every movement you make and even your thought patterns.  However, nerves can really mess you up at times when they get out of control. Things such as anxiety, stress and depression can impact your nerves severely which in turn will negatively affect your entire body. When this happens you need to find a way to calm your nerves down and one of the best ways to do that is with deep breathing exercises. Negative Breathing Patterns Breathing patterns definitely play a role in how your nervous system reacts to the current state your body is in.  According to Calm Clinic, people that are suffering from stress and anxiety exhibit the following poor breathing issues: Shallow breathing – this results when you take short breaths that are often taken using your chest muscles instead of your diaphragm.Monitored breathing – this is when you are very aware and focused on your breathing and often times it leads to further anxiety.Over Breathing – this is taking in too much air. It actually causes people to believe they are not getting enough oxygen when quite the opposite is actually happening.All of these types of breathing can lead to increased stress, anxiety, panic and further disruption of your proper nervous system functioning. Why Deep Breathing? Now that you know some breathing patterns that can make you more anxious and affect your nervous system in an adverse way, you need to know how to counteract that. The answer lies with deep breathing. Deep breathing, or what is sometimes also known as ‘abdominal breathing’, is when you use your large diaphragm muscle near your stomach to take a breath. It tends to pull much more air into your lungs in a longer and smoother way that has a calming effect on your body and your nerves. According to the American Institute of Stress, deep breathing impacts the body in the following positive ways: Your metabolism slows downYour heart rate decreasesYour blood pressure is loweredYour breathing slowsYour muscles relaxYour nitric oxide levels increase – this increases blood and oxygen flow in your bodyYou can see from the list above that deep breathing has many benefits for your body including the calming of your nerves Links Mentioned in This Episode: RESILIENT BREATH EBOOK DOWNLOAD HERE Deep Breathing Techniques That Will Calm Your Nerves—Included are some deep breathing exercises from some well-known websites that are authorities on stress and calming your nerves. https://coachkirsten.com/breathe/ Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Resilience … is our ability to bounce back … but what if  you can’t bounce back and seem to remain stuck? Have you ever experienced the feeling of procrastination, feeling stuck, or like you just can’t move forward in an area of your life?  I’m sure at some point most people have felt this way if even on a small scale. What if you really want to move forward though? Is it broken willpower? Does it mean you're broken? Does it mean you "just can't do it"?  I'd like to propose one possibility: what IF it's actually related to the freeze response? What is the freeze response? When the brain, or nervous system, perceives that we’re in danger, we enter into a Fight Flight or Freeze response to keep us safe.  So the freeze response gives us a feeling of being frozen or stuck in place takes place.  This usually happens when a load of stress and overwhelm has built up too much OR there’s a certain trigger that overloads our system. If this is a default pattern for you, you’re OK, you’re not alone, and this is actually a good and protective wiring for you to have. It says that your protective systems are working. But what if the freeze response is working when you don’t want them to?  For example, you want to freeze when a bear is around because running (Flight mode) would only ensure that you’re a threat to the bear and you don't have capacity to run from a bear unless you’re super human. But if you have a goal you’re pursing such as a health goal, or a work goal, or say someone in your family asks you to do something for them, you are more than likely not under threat.  Tune in to discover more and unlock several helpful techniques you can use right away. Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Perhaps you've heard about the idea of having a morning routine. But if you're anything like myself, or the people I work with, when you're extremely fatigued or dealing with stress and other health issues, putting "one more thing" onto your plate might feel, well ... exhausting ... I get it! I've been there. But I'll also say that putting an energizing morning rhythm into my life was one of the best things I did for myself. That and an evening wind down rhythm. It's not just for high performers to include a morning routine. It's for everyone. But it's ESPECIALLY powerful if you've noticed your nervous system has been shot, slow to respond, or you're constantly battling fatigue, and feeling worn out. I wanted to give a fresh perspective on how to create a rhythm that fits YOU and how to engage with it from an empowering and energizing way. These are tools that can really help you bounce back, become resilient, and really thrive. And if you'd like a helpful guide at setting up your healing Morning & Evening routine, you can download that here: https://coachkirsten.com/mornings/  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Burnout is a dangerous condition that can affect you both physically and mentally. If you've recently discovered you are suffering from burnout, you may be wondering just how you can overcome it. Unfortunately, overcoming burnout isn't easy, but there are several things you can do to help yourself bounce back. This and last week, I did 2 back-to-back topics on Burnout. I'll be doing more in the future as this is a big one for me and understanding how our bodies work together with our mind and heart. The first time I experienced burnout, I was young and in college. While I did bounce back within a few months, it was rough. I had to take a semester off and really focus on my health. I was actually very focused on my health prior, though! I was on the Triathlon team, eating very well, and doing things I thought were helpful. A lot of times, we can be doing "all the right things", but still be over doing it. The second time I experienced extreme burnout/fatigue, it led to several other health battles. It took years to overcome. It was multi-faceted with many layers to it. And that is why I have a passion to see people build resilience, not just avoid stress or remove it, but to actually build an internal mind, heart, and body that has the capacity to bounce back well. In these episodes, we'll look at: How do you know if you're headed towards burnout? And then what happens if you find yourself in that "bottom of the barrel" place? What do you do? Burnout is often a personal journey that affects more than just the physical body. And I talk about that within these episodes. While these aren't comprehensive, they are some helpful starting tips. PLEASE NOTE: If you are really in the midst of burnout, it's worth reaching out to practicioners who can help assess where the deeper roots are. There IS a way through to the other side. And it's much quicker with the right help. - Coach Kirsten Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

I have personally experienced extreme burnout twice. You'd have thought I'd learn from the first time, but I definitely learned a LOT from the second time around. And since then, have helped others recover. I've spent the better part of the last 10 years studying the body, the nervous system, and resilience to stress in order to understand how this happens and how to both avoid it and heal from it.  Burnout is a very serious condition, and once you realize you are caught up in it, it can be difficult to bounce back. Trust me. It took me many years to fully recover from the second time around. That is why it is important to monitor yourself for signs of burnout and take action before it's too late. I hear this language fairly regularly from people, so I decided I'd do an episode talking about some of the signs of burnout and what you can begin to do if you're seeing them. Tune on in!  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

When you're feeling fatigued, sometimes you don't have the energy or willpower to make big overhaul changes. Sometimes you simply need little things that done over time can really create an impact. I know the journey very well.  While there are some key overhaul changes that can be made when you're experiencing deep fatigue, there are also some very key little changes that make a big impact over time. What does optimal performance feel like?  How do you feel when you're performing 'at your best'?  Do you remember how this feels?  For many of us the answer would be a combination of energy, focus and good mood. If you're interested in being healthier then you should focus on these things because not only will you feel healthier immediately, but you'll also then have more energy and drive to stick to whatever other health programs or objectives you're setting yourself. To achieve these kinds of small improvements, the best strategy to take is to focus on making small, cumulative changes that will build up over time. By gradually adding these in  with smaller steps, you will find each change is easier to make and that you experience less resistance. These small changes then add up and provide you with more large scale energy, health, mental clarity, and many other benefits as well. Tune in for 6 Great Little Changes to Make You Instantly Feel Healthier and More Energetic Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Maybe you relate: It's during the middle of the workday and you're tired. The day has been overwhelming, stressful and nothing seems to be going quite right. Or perhaps it's the end of the day when you have "more" you need to do, but are just done and tired. You have 2 choices: On these types of days, you could grab another coffee or tune-out and become not as productive.  OR you could practice resilience and recovery techniques that actually help you transform from the INSIDE out.  It's time to refocus, reset and reenergize. These a activities help bring down stress, build resilience, and increase your energy levels.  They are great for refocusing and making you and your day more productive and inviting healing into your body and your life so that you can truly thrive. We also talk about the 6 pillars where we want to build resilience to stress so we can thrive: PhysicalMentalEmotionalExistential/SpiritualSocialEnvironmentalThe Three Techniques You will learn about 3 powerful techniques that will not only help you recover from any stressors, but will help your nervous system shift, help your body release any tension, help your mind, and bring healing into your body and emotions. As you do these on a regular basis, you'll notice your clarity of thought, ability to bounce back, and energy levels increase. You'll observe an object, your breath, and then your body (details in the recording).  Bringing your attention and awareness to each part brings relaxation and you into the present moment.  Shifting regularly from your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) to your PNS (Parasympathetic Nervous System) takes you regularly from the cycles of depletion into cycles of healing and rejuvenation.  I hope you enjoy! Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Today’s episode is a fun reflection on things I’ve learned while distance running. If you know my story, I was able to bounce back from Fibromyalgia, extreme fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, poor gut health, stress, and past pains and traumas from being unable to walk around the block to running long distances and bounding with energy. Amazing, right?  Whenever I run, I get inspired by both the challenges I face and the joys. I have ample time to reflect, think, and process. And I often write little “life lessons” after I run, so I thought it would be fun to share those in a podcast.  Running is something I actually used to hate. I know many people that say they just don’t enjoy it. And if that’s you, I have many thoughts (It is possible to enjoy it with the right coach) This podcast is not about inspiring you to run … it’s about inspiring you to LIVE.  There are a lot of parallels about coming through challenges, setting goals, and staying in our own lane that running inspires.  My journey in running has taught me a lot about life. It’s one of the things I love about running:  No matter what you put your mind to, when you do, you’ll face ups and downs, you’ll face challenges, but when you set a goal in front of you and press into it, incredible things happen along the way.  As Nelson Mandela said:  "Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did."  When you can truly ENJOY the JOURNEY along the way toward a goal, that’s where you find your breakthrough. Not in the end result.  I hope you enjoy!  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com

Here we wrap up our mini series on cravings. This time, we're focusing on how to SHIFT your focus to actually crave healthier foods. It IS possible! We just have to know how to work with our mind, body, and lifestyle. If you’re going to beat the odds, you may need to rewire your brain so you crave greens more than the processed, sugary foods. Each time you choose healthier foods, you’re strengthening your desire for them. Take a look at these suggestions for changing the way you think and eat. Imagine looking forward to a bowl of beets with the same enthusiasm you usually reserve for double-fudge brownies. Some simple mental training, along with adjusting a few lifestyle habits, will have you craving food that’s good for you. AND imagine what this can do FOR you when you're on the other side! Less inflammation, less fatigue, more energy, clarity of thought, hope, weight loss, greater resilience, and more. Enjoy!  Thanks for listening! Leave a comment if you've been enjoying it. Check out more resources at CoachKirsten.com