The idea for this week's episode came from these two quotes from Tim:

• Are you a victim of your environment or are you the creator of your environment? and
• Life is a product of your decisions, not your conditions.

This week the Instigator and the Yogi dig into what it can look like to live a life that we design, not one that just happens to us. Living by default is taking a passive stance and approach to life, reacting and responding to the external circumstances around you.

The path of living mindfully, by design, is not the easiest path. Getting real about what's real and what's perception is a process and a practice. Sometimes, changing the story we tell ourselves about an experience can be one of the pieces that keeps us on the wellness side of life. Let's talk about it.

If you like this episode, check out our June conversation with the Venerable Robina Courtin: Some Things To Talk About.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
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Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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We're delighted to welcome a new guest to the show. In addition to being a life coach and meditation teacher, Matthew Maxwell got our attention as the author of How to Hold a Cockroach. His book combines so many of the things we love: a killer analogy, wise life lessons, and an approachability that comes from lived experience.

Talking with Matthew was such a pleasure. We dug deep on things like intentional curiosity and compassion. He shares that his book is not a "should. It's an invitation to look at what you're believing and see if it's helping you or not." which is right in line with the book's subtitle: "A book for those who are free and don't know it."

Some take-aways we're still sitting with: How do your thoughts make you suffer? How does it feel to dwell in not-knowing? How can I live fully now?

Let us know what lands for you!

Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Check out Matthew's offerings at: https://www.howtoholdacockroach.com/

Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

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Buckle up folks, this one's a doozy! The inspiration/intention behind this conversation was to identify the “pieces” that have the most negative impacts on our wellness. We thought, what if we call them seven deadly sins?!

We love metaphors and analogies here, and we found a LOT to unpack in this conversation. The "seven deadly sins" feature in the Catholic religious tradition. They are: lust, gluttony, sloth, pride, greed, wrath, and envy. Before recording the episode, we each made our own list of the things that we think most negatively affect our mental health and well-being. No surprise that there were some similarities between Tim's and Karen's lists. We cover some familiar territory about the importance of mindfulness and living in alignment with your values.

We do unearth some surprises as we compare our lists with the OG "seven deadly sins". Of course you'll have to listen to find that part out. Enjoy!

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

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So much to say about this incredible conversation! This week we welcome Dr. Ilene Cohen to the show. Dr. Ilene has published six books on various aspects of mental health including anxiety, people-pleasing, and forgiveness. Three of her books are journals/workbooks that emphasize taking practical steps toward healing.

Dr. Ilene has been fascinated by behavior and the mind since childhood, and found patterns of people-pleasing behavior cropping up in her lived experience and the lives of many others in her circle. She is passionate about giving people tools to communicate and be in relationship in healthy ways (sound like any podcast hosts you know?).

We touch on:

• discernment
• getting objective about the actions you're taking and how they impact your life
• responding instead of reacting
• flexing our boundary-setting muscles consistently

AND Dr. Ilene shares with us how we can prepare for the things/interactions that are most likely to trip us up, so we can live with authenticity.

Learn more about Dr. Ilene's offerings and buy her books at https://doctorilene.com/. Follow her on IG @doctorilene. You'll be glad you did!

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week the Instigator and the Yogi are delighted to welcome fellow podcaster Jennica onto the podcast. Jennica is host and producer of the Multispective podcast. Multispective is all about having real people share their raw human experiences, particularly focusing on stories of triumph over adversity.

Jennica shares that she got into podcasting because she has always been genuinely curious about the human condition. She is a skilled listener, which paired with an abundance of curiosity leads her to have authentic conversations in which people are safe to share with great vulnerability. Over time, Jennica was inspired to create a podcast shedding some light on people's "dark stories".

We touch on our shared value of things like mindfulness and meditation and the fact that rest is productive. Don't be surprised if we have Jennica back at some point to dig more into stoicism!

You can find Jennica on IG @multispectivepodcast, or visit her podcast website at: https://www.multispective.org/.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

The Devil you know may feel like a comfy, well-worn pair of jeans that no longer suit your style. Or it may be a "tried and true" pattern of behavior that served you when you were in survival mode. This week the Yogi and the Instigator take on the topic of tackling those familiar behaviors and responses that may be dysfunctional or unhealthy.

Life is a series of micro-moments. How we interact with external and internal stimuli contribute to how we feel in any given situation. Oftentimes, we run on auto-pilot, maybe because we're tired, overwhelmed, multitasking, disinterested. Auto-pilot suggests that we are not mindfully engaged in the present moment. The first step to walking away from the Devil of familiarity is to pause. And in that pause, get mindful and curious about the present moment so that you can respond in alignment with your values and growth priorities.

Tim refers to Alfred Adler's "separation of tasks" in this week's episode. This is the idea that people must distinguish between their own tasks and those of others, to avoid conflict and find freedom. By separating tasks, we can focus only on what we can control—our own actions, thoughts, and feelings—and release responsibility for others' reactions, feelings, or choices.

The same tools that we used to survive aren't necessarily the same ones that will help us grow. Outgrowing those old familiar jeans can feel uncomfortable. That discomfort is because you're stepping into new territory. Don't let the newness scare you into moving backward - let the novelty propel you relentlessly forward toward wellness.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week we share some of our favorite quotes! Inspiration comes from many places. We share quotes from authors, scientists, fictional characters, religious/spiritual leaders, actors, all over the place.

Tim and Karen consider ourselves to be collectors of inspiration. We recognize that it comes in all shapes and sizes and from all kinds of places. Finding a line that's perfectly phrased, or really resonates internally brings us both joy. Today we're sharing that joy with all of you. Our hope is that it enhances your wellness just as it has for us. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out our other episodes.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

Welcome to Part 2 of our mini-series on the stress responses. Last week we discussed fight and flight - the primary stress responses that exist to keep us safe/help us survive. This week we're shining the light on freeze and fawn - the underdiscussed other sides of the stress response.

Freezing and fawning are more often seen in people who have experienced stressors or traumas that they couldn't fight or flee their way out of. This may be due to experiencing persistent stressors/traumas like abuse and addiction.

Typically, the freeze response is associated with dissociation, in which the body runs on autopilot while the mind focuses elsewhere, sometimes with a sense of leaving the body entirely. Just like fight and flight, the freeze response can become an automatic response to any stressor, even those that are not actually dangerous. It takes great patience and persistence to develop the ability to be integrated and embodied - the opposites of being dissociated/frozen.

Finally, the fawn response is another interpersonal dynamic in which the person experiencing the stressor or the trauma tries to please or pacify the person causing the stress/trauma as a means of lessening the level of stress or to get it to stop altogether. This can develop into a pattern of people-pleasing in other relationships.

Karen shares openly and widely about her personal lived experiences with these stress responses. We hope that through this sharing, others who experience freezing and fawning know they are seen, heard, and not alone.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91