If you can believe it, [I barely can] we are at episode 60 of the Chasing Joy Podcast. What the what?! I guess time flies when you're podcasting! Every 10 episodes I reach out to you, my amazing audience for questions and I do a Q&A style episode. These shows are so fun because I get to hear what you're interested in.

Lately I've been recruiting people near and dear to me to help me record these because it's just more fun that way. My sister has hosted, Chris has hosted (twice) and now my mom is joining in on the fun! She totally killed it. We dive into a bunch of fun, food, body image, relationship, wedding and business questions.

If you missed asking your question, no fear because I'm always available to answer questions on the Joy Squad, the private Facebook group!

Questions I Answer (with my mom)

FOR FUN

• If you were a bagel what flavor would you be and why?
• Also dogs or cats? And if you could adopt your dream fur baby what would they look like?
• Curious about matcha benefits vs coffee?
• What book are you currently reading and loving?
• Do you have any tips for restful sleep?
• If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be?
• Favorite spot on Nantucket? In winter, spring, summer and fall?
• What is your favorite coffee brand?
• What are your top go-to favorite podcasts and/or blogs? Also what kind of music do you listen to?? Favorite artists/bands/Spotify playlists/etc
• Would love to know what your morning routine has been looking like lately
• How did you spend the summer after your senior year before college & any tips?
• How do you take yourself away from something emotional that you feel you aren’t in control of? [like the news]
• How do you deal with comparison?
• What do you do to take care of yourself when you're going through a tougher patch/transition in life?
• You’ve talked about dealing with depression in the past - what do you do each day now to live joyously?
• I would love to hear you talk about your manifestation practice and what you’ve learned about Law of Attraction?

Intuitive eating and movement

• What does intuitive movement look like for you at this stage in your life?
• What did you find most helpful to develop positive body image and self-love in recovery?
• What’s been your biggest tip from stepping away from food obsession and truly loving and eating intuitively?
• How to navigate intuitive eating with inflammatory conditions?
• The other day you talked about having a bad body image day and I would love to hear more about how you manage those
• What are a few things that helped you through your ED recovery? Also, did you read any recovery books during that time?
• Do you have a favorite way to wind down at night and just calm your mind and body?
• Do you have any tips for night eating?
• What are some of your go-to meal ideas?
• I'd love to know if you have any tips on how to support friends w/ certain diet restrictions (for autoimmune conditions, etc) while still staying in your own lane and not trying to "compete" with them in terms of health [use diving team analogy, guitar]
• I would love more insight on your relationship with alcohol/ how did you come to this mentality? Where are you at with alcohol (in tears of wellness w/o restriction)

Relationships

• How do you turn social media connections into real life connections?
• How do you balance your romantic relationship and friendships? I personally find it hard to feel like I have a good balance of spending time with my boyfriend while also finding time for quality 1:1 time with my friends.
• How did you know your fiancé was the one? I feel like that’s such a big decision to make and I see all my friends around me do it and none of them have been able to tell me how they knew.
• How do you and Chris keep the magic alive and deal with differences?
• What are you favorite dates with Chris?
• When is your wedding? What has been the most fun part of planning? Have you been bombarded by others' opinions or judgments about your wedding decisions and if so, how did you deal with that?

Blog/Business

• I am curious about your transition to being your own boss! Any tips on starting to freelance would be awesome.
• How were you able to go from a steady consistent job to working for yourself knowing you might make less money at first or it might not be as consistent?
• I’d love to know about your blogging dos and don’t, and podcasting!
• How has podcasting changed the way you blog?
• What was it like moving back to a small town after living in a bigger city? Were you nervous about finding work?

Resources I mention:

• Intuitive Eating Book *
• Calm App
• Podcasts: Reply All, The Lively Show, The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, Nourishing Women Podcast
• Books: Outliers*, I Will Always Write Back*
• My blog post about night eating

Connect with Me

• On Instagram
• Chasing Joy Podcast Instagram
• Private Facebook - The Joy Squad

The Well Essentials was founded by Global Health Dietitian Megan Faletra, and inspires others to cultivate a healthy life that is filled with intention, and rooted in love and compassion, both for ourselves, for others, and for the greater world around us.

We Talk About:

• Meg’s career of being a humanitarian
• How she switched gears after her first job and went back to school
• The less sexy parts of totally switching your career - like living at home and debt
• How to be optimistic when you’re a humanitarian
• How to take care of yourself when there’s a lot of hardship in your career path
• Sustainable fashion 101 - what is it
• How to go through your wardrobe mindfully
• How to shop sustainably, why it matters and who it effects
• The pros and cons of donating clothes
• Making positive changes for the environment and sustainability
• The power of starting small
• Why being an example is far better than preaching
• Practical ways to practice sustainability

Connect with Meg:

https://www.thewellessentials.com/about/

https://www.instagram.com/thewellessentials/

Resources:

How Meg Created a Sustainable Wardrobe

https://www.thewellessentials.com/blog/how-i-created-a-sustainable-wardrobe-made-3000-in-the-process?rq=fashion

What happened when Meg stopped shopping fast fashion

https://www.thewellessentials.com/blog/what-happened-when-i-stopped-shopping-fast-fashion-for-one-year

Companies that make sustainable living easier

https://www.thewellessentials.com/blog/incredible-companies-that-make-sustainable-living-so-much-easier

Join the Squad

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad/

Chasing Joy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasingjoypodcast/

Instagram workshop: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/next-level-instagram-workshop-tickets-43911906695

Live event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2050519935204873/

Connect with me:

blog: http://init4thelongrun.com/

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/init4thelongrunblog/

On this week’s episode I’m chatting with the creator of inmybowl.com & popular instagram @tahlulahalexandra - Alexandra Dawson. Alley and I first met last spring when we went to Wanderlust with Perfect Bar. Alley is thoughtful, wise, nurturing and genuine.

⁃ How Alley got into blogging

⁃ The power and importance of making space in your life for adventures and expansion both big and small

⁃ How she’s kept it real since day 1

⁃ How Alley’s definition of health has changed and stayed the same over her 5 years of blogging

⁃ Alley shares her experience with transitioning out of a strictly vegan diet and why her son was a big part of that change

⁃ How she slowly shared that transition with her community and why she believes she received love versus negativity

⁃ The power of celebrating plants versus focusing on what’s not on your plate

⁃ We talk how she’s healing her IBS

⁃ Why family was a big part of her decision

⁃ How she’s going on the FODMAP protocol to help heal

⁃ Why it’s not for everyone

⁃ What’s she’s learned from the experience

⁃ Her advice to anyone who is struggling with IBS

⁃ Non-food related healing strategies

⁃ Why it’s ok to make food choices that support your health without feeling like you’re on a “diet”

⁃ Why mindset matters so much in healing

Connect with Alley

• On Instagram
• On her website

Connect with Me [Georgie]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/init4thelongrunblog/
• Joy Squad Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad/
• On the blog: http://init4thelongrun.com

For full show notes visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

Staying Healthy Without Obsession While Working a 9-5 Job & How to Balance Your Side Hustle with a Social Life with Lestraundra Alfred

On today’s episode, we’re diving into a highly requested topic with one of my favorite past guests who was actually the first person I ever interviewed. We’re talking about how to be well when you’re in a 9-5 job, without letting it take over your life.

We also talk about why having a social life is so key even when you’re building a side business that’s your passion. I’m so happy that Les from the Balanced Berry is back on the pod to chat today. I had the pleasure of meeting Les in LA when I was there for the GOOD fest and I just think she’s so awesome. I loved how practical today's’ episode is, and I hope you will too.

We Talk About

• Les’s morning routine
• The transitions she’s made in her life and how they’ve affected her business
• How narrowing her focus helped her find clarity with her blog
• How to create a daily work/life routine that fills you up without getting monotonous
• How she stays in tune with her needs and adjusts that routine when needed
• Practical hacks to making morning routines with workouts easier
• The balance between planning out the week with having spontaneity
• Tips for staying energized and productive during the day
• Tools for prepping food and meals for the week without it taking over your life
• How to deal with food judgment in the office
• The power of taking breaks
• How to balance having fun on the weekends and working on your side hustle
• Letting go of anxiety and “should” do’s - how she gets past it

Connect with Les

• On her blog: https://www.thebalancedberry.com/
• On her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancedberry/

Connect with Me [Georgie]

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/init4thelongrunblog/
• Joy Squad Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad/
• On the blog: http://init4thelongrun.com

Meredith Hanson is a Nantucket-based artist specializing in oils and gouache. Her art is fantastic and even more fantastic is Meredith’s truly kind heart. Meredith’s also a super savvy entrepreneur and has collaborated with a range of businesses to infuse her style and design off the canvas and into real life.

I wanted to have Meredith on the show because she’s one of the kindest most genuine people I know, not to mention crazy talented. I had a hunch that she’s not this way by accident either. We dive into how she got to the island, what her creative process looks like, how she coaches herself and the power of positivity.

We Talk About:

• Meredith’s approach to exercise outside the gym
• Her short venture into city life
• How Meredith found her way to living on Nantucket year-round
• How she got started with her creative career
• The partnership that transformed her business
• How she manages her inner critic and why it’s more of a coach
• Her work as a teacher and using positivity to create change and growth
• Why she chooses joy
• The power of positivity
• The importance of protecting your energy
• How to recharge when you’re having a tough day

Connect with Meredith

On her website: https://www.meredithhansonart.com/

On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merhanson/

Join the Private Facebook Group: The Joy Squad

For full show notes visit: init4thelongrun.com

Practical Tools for Every Day Joy, Building Confidence in Your 20’s and 30’s and Being “Un-You” with Dr. Samantha Boardman

Sam received her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College, then went back to school to get her Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and has been practicing Positive Psychology, the study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive, ever since.

Positive Prescription is about how psychology, science, art and culture collide, + Samantha talks on a range of subjects, from ways to improve your love life or get out of the friendzone, to dealing with party anxiety, to boosting your everyday mental wellbeing, and everything in between.

We Talk About:

• what is positive psychology - why it’s different from traditional psychiatry
• how to make the most of difficult situations
• she shares the story of how Irene totally transformed her jury duty experience
• the power that comes from really positive people
• how your attitude can completely shape your experience
• patterns of happy people
• what it means to be “un-you”
• how to tell the difference between self-care and using self-care as an excuse
• how to develop confidence as 20 something's
• how to make friends in your 20’s
• the importance of growth for happiness
• the power of loose connections and small talk for happiness

Connect with Doctor Samantha Boardman

• Her blog: Positive Prescription https://positiveprescription.com/
• On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/positive_prescription/

For Full Show Notes Visit:

• http://init4thelongrun.com

Join the Joy Squad:

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad/

On today’s episode I’m talking with one of my all time favorite podcasters. This guest is someone I’ve wanted to have on the show since day one. I just wanted to make sure I was at a place where I could make the most of the episode. Nicole is so honest, real, interesting, insightful and relatable. I love her podcast because she has hard, honest and insightful conversations and I always leave feeling more connected.

On this episode we talk about

• Accountability in order to do meaningful work
• Getting work done in the morning and what it takes to start a new habit
• Nicole’s story - how she came to podcasting and sharing honest conversations
• The process of changing and evolving
• Why it’s important to be honest with ourselves first
• Balancing grit and grace
• What it’s like to let go of identities like “runner”
• Why big hard changes can happen slowly
• Sometimes you need to transfer obsessions to get healthier
• What Nicole has learned from long distance hiking
• Why hard things gives us strength and confidence
• The power of having positive self-talk and why it matters in other areas of life

Connect with Nicole:

• On Instagram
• On her website
• Listen to her podcast

Join the private facebook community - the Joy Squad

For full show notes visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

1 Year Podiversary, Redefining Health, Embracing Joy Everyday & How I’m Thinking About the Future

On this week's episode, I celebrate a year (and a week) of podcasting by sharing some of the insights I've learned about joy and health from my guests and my own life. 

I Talk About:

• Mini GOODfest Recap
• Struggle & Win
• What I've learned from Podcasting
• How to listen better (not interrupt or project)
• The importance of deep conversations
• Sharing your voice
• Letting go of control and perfection
• What I've learned about health
• It comes in so many shapes and sizes
• Health means something different to so many people depending on their lives and stories
• The more context we get the better able we are to apply lessons they've learned
• You don't need to agree with 100% of what someone says to find value in their work and story
• We have so much in common and are also so different
• What I've Learned About Joy
• It's usually the most simple things (like people & dogs)
• We can have joy every single day if we like
• It's vulnerable to be joyful in a world that's always bringing us down
• It's important to be present in our lives to fully feel joy
• Joy doesn't have to be at the bottom of your to-do list - you're allowed to prioritize it

Links I Mention:

• 20 Simple Ways to Create Joy
• How to Start a Podcast - A Beginner's Guide

JOIN THE JOY SQUAD

For full show notes visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

Ayurveda 101 & Why Health Isn’t the End Goal with Sahara Rose

I’m diving into the topic of Ayurveda with Sahara Rose. Sahara has a really cool story and brings so much passion and knowledge. This is one of those episodes where I can definitely relisten a couple times to get all the great information.

We Talk About:

• Sahara’s story of how she connected with Ayurveda
• What Ayurveda is
• How Sahara takes a modern accessible approach
• The Ayurveda practices that we do without even realizing
• How Ayurveda and yoga are connected
• All about the 3 doshas
• What they are & how to tell if they are in balance
• All about the 7 Chakras
• How to tell if they are out of balance (and what to do)
• Sahara’s take on self-care

Connect with Sahara Rose:

• On Instagram
• On her website
• Get the Idiots Guide to Ayurveda *

Take the Dosha quiz https://eatfeelfresh.com/new-quiz/

Join the Joy Squad

Get the full show notes at init4thelongrun.com

*affiliate link

Gut Health, Why Calories Aren’t an Accurate Measurement of Nutrition & Intuitive Living in an Office Job with Victoria Myers

Today's podcast I sit down with Victoria Myers who is a Registered Dietitian specializing in hormonal and gut health. She's one half of the dynamic duo behind Nourishing Minds Nutrition and the Nourishing Women Podcast. Vicotria and Meg are traditional eaters and untraditional dietitians. Through their practice, they empower women to find peace with food, heal digestion & regulate hormones. 

I loved this conversation so much. Victoria is such a wealth of knowledge and she shares it with compassion. I love her approach to health, wellness, and healing. This episode is perfect for anyone who is struggling with gut issues and especially if they've previously struggled with disordered eating. We also dive into developing hobbies outside of food, living intuitively when you work in an office and have less flexibility and so much more. I didn't want this episode to end. Like with so many of my guests, I so dearly wish we were neighbors because I'm pretty sure we'd be FAST friends.

We Talk About:

• Victoria’s story - how she got into the work she’s doing now as a dietitian with a private practice
• What her husband taught Victoria about intuitive eating
• Misconceptions about gut health
• Where to start when you know you have gut health issues
• The connections between SIBO and disordered eating
• Why food is a part of your health, but not all of your health
• When an elimination diet isn’t right to heal (when it’s right and when it might not help)
• Why holistic health CAN be part of intuitive eating
• Finding a middle ground between wellness and realness #wellnesswithoutobsession
• Why calories aren’t a complete measurement of nutrition
• Why dieting causes our bodies to gain weight in the long-term
• Why binging and restricting go hand in hand
• Why stopping restricting is the key to stopping binging
• Why food is an awesome part of your life but not the only part of your life
• Other practices outside of food that support the healing journey
• How to deal with losing your “healthy” identity
• How slowing down can create more time
• You have to choose to slow down
• Fears about intuitive eating
• Dealing with weight gain
• Body acceptance versus self-love
• Intuitive living within a 9-5
• make meal prep fun - bring options for enough food throughout the day
• If you work out in the morning make sure you’re still prioritizing sleep

Connect with Victoria

• Victoria’s Blog
• Instagram
• Podcast
• Calorie Podcast Episodes - part 1 part 2

For Full Show Notes Visit: init4thelongrun.com

Dealing with Comparison, Building Confidence in Your 20’s, Balancing Social Media and Real Life & So Much More - Q&A Episode

Every 10 episodes of the Chasing Joy Podcast I flip the mic and have YOU ask me the questions. This round of Q&A did not disappoint. So many wonderful thoughtful questions ranging from body image, intuitive eating, spending time alone, budget-friendly activities to do with friends, photography tips and so much more!

I had my partner in crime, my fiance Chris help me out and ask the questions as well as give his 2 cents. I love having him on the show because he balances me out and always has something encouraging or a good story to share.

Questions Covered:

HEALTH FOOD BODY IMAGE

• When you first started intuitive eating did you find your choices weren’t all that nutritious?
• Do you exercise? Is there any kind of exercise you enjoy? How to deal with the sometimes cliqueness of the group exercise scene?
• How can you tell you’re at a good weight for your body?
• Do you have any advice for dealing with acne and living with a society that hates on it so much?
• How do you stay sane trying to gain weight in a world trying to lose weight?
• Do you have tips for getting away from calorie counting and the fear of gaining weight?

LIFE & RELATIONSHIPS

• How do you get comfortable doing fun things alone? How did you get comfortable going places and eating alone or was it not hard for you?
• How do you like to productively spend your alone time?
• Do you have any tips for gaining confidence in your 20’s?
• What are some of your favorite activities to do with your partner and/or friends that are budget friendly? What are your favorite date night ideas?
• What’s your favorite thing to do with your family?
• What do you do in the evening? I’m not a huge fan of bars or going out, but get super bored in these winter months
• How do you and Chris navigate "me time" while living together? - To elaborate, my boyfriend and I have been living together for 5ish months now after doing long distance for 2 years and while it's overwhelmingly WONDERFUL, I am definitely more independent/introverted than he is. I'm having trouble wading through feeling guilty for needing alone time when he wants to hang out, and not wanting to hurt his feelings by saying I need a break from all human interaction (including and especially his) sometimes. - Is it wrong to need alone time away from your partner?
• How do you practice enjoying the moment and be more present each day. It’s hard to not look forward to the next adventure
• Do you ever compare yourself to others- how do you get out of it?
• How do you manage a budget after graduating college while looking for jobs?
• What's the habit you're most proud of or brings most joy to your life?
• What are some ways that you balance social media with real life?
• I'm really curious what you do to "put away" your technology. I've noticed certain things like my phone starting to consume all of my free time. It's easy to set a resolution and say "I'm gonna use my phone less" but it's SO hard to actually do it. Got any advice?
• What are some of your favorite books, whether it’s all-time or one you’ve been wanting to read or have recently gotten into?
• What’s your favorite coffee drink?
• Do you have tips for home brewing coffee?

PHOTOGRAPHY & WORK

• How do you find your passion when you’re not sure what it is? (wants to change jobs)
• How do you deal with loneliness when you work for yourself? How do you forge meaningful connections when so much networking can be done from behind a screen?
• Do you have any food photography tips?
• Do you have advice to someone who is interested in learning photography but is overwhelmed?
• How do you grow an authentic tribe online through social media?
• How do you think net neutrality will affect the blogging industry?
• Would you mind sharing tips and tricks to cultivate an income from your blog?

Links Mentioned

Nourishing Women's Podcast

Blog Posts I Mentioned:

• Making Friends After College
• Introvert's Guide to Small Talk
• What's in My Camera Bag
• 6 Practices for Turning Jealousy Into Positive Energy
• Tips for Brewing Coffee at Home

Malcolm Gladwell Books

• Outliers *
• The Tipping Point *
• Blink *

Chris's Favorite Books

• Sapiens*
• Homo Deus*

For full show notes visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

Amanda MacKenzie is a writer from Cambridge, MA. After graduating from the University of Richmond, she taught English in Hungary, earned a Master of Divinity, and become an ordained Congregational minister. In her thirties, Amanda had a do-over and went to work on a small farm.

Her crowning achievement was a rustic country wedding for a hundred, after which she drank all the leftover wine straight from the bottle and decided to stick to cooking for fun. Today she is a part-time professor of world religions, preaches, meditates, and practices yoga. She believes in the power of positivity, possibility, and good coffee. The Do-Over is her first book. 

We Talk About:

• Practical ways to find joy
• Changing life paths
• How Amanda found the law of attraction - like attracting like
• How to manifest and attract things into your life
• How to find joy in every day
• Difference between efforting work versus flowing work
• Letting go of having it all figured out
• The difference between having the perfect life on paper and having a life that feels good
• Focusing on feeling good first, then taking action
• Why life is about change
• Creating a life that feels right
• Letting go of caring what other people think about how your life looks
• Not attaching to the “How” of your goals
• The power of appreciating things
• Practicing enjoying
• Surrounding yourself with people who feel good

Connect with Amanda:

• Online: http://amandamackenzie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandamackenzieh/
• Get her Book: http://amzn.to/2D81wZ8

For Full Show Notes Visit:

• http://init4thelongrun.com

Siena Dixon founded Bootsy Chuchu after solving her own decade-long menstrual health issues naturally. Bootsy Chuchu seeks to provide natural alternatives to hormonal contraception for menstrual regulation with science-backed products users enjoy and feel proud to own. Her mission as an advocate is to bring the topic of menstrual health into daily conversation and contribute to the growing community of women who are changing the way we think and talk about it. Siena is also the Head of Communications and Marketing for a global eyewear brand called Ollie Quinn.

We Talk About:

• Siena’s health journey and how she discovered the importance of menstrual health and its connection to overall health
• What it was like to come off the pill after 10 years of using it to regulate her cycle
• How she got her regular menstrual cycle back after it being abnormal for so long
• How and why she started her business Bootsy Chuchu and the first hormonal balancing elixir
• Things to look out for when coming off the pill in order to get a regular cycle back
• Health and wellness rituals that help support a healthy cycle
• What we can learn about our energy and moods from our hormonal cycle
• How our society treats menstrual health and why that is changing now
• Wellness habits Siena practices and ones that she’s let go of
• We talk about journaling strategies and benefits like how it helps with overwhelm and stress
• We talk about low key wedding planning

Connect with Siena:

• https://www.instagram.com/bootsychuchu/
• https://www.bootsychuchu.com/

Discount the GOODfest in LA: CHASINGJOY10

• Get tickets: https://www.universe.com/events/good-a-wellness-festival-lax-tickets-3ZS847

Join the Joy Squad

• http://facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad

For Full Show Notes Visit:

• http://init4thelongrun.com

Balancing functional nutrition with western medicine, Katie’s empowering view on body image and finding sanity and self-care in busy seasons with Katie Lemons

Katie has her masters in functional medicine nutrition and is currently in PA school. She’s got a super popular instagram page @twist_of_lemons where she shares creative recipes, valuable knowledge about functional nutrition all with her puntastic sense of humor.

We talk about:

• Katie’s education and career path
• Why she chose to go to PA school and master in nutrition
• How to keep going when life (ie school) gets really tough
• How to find inspiration and motivation
• How to go through hard things with grit
• Why it’s so important to take care of yourself even when you’re busy
• Redefining balance and self-care in really busy seasons of life
• How Katie’s views of nutrition have evolved
• How Katie makes food choices balancing her intuition and knowledge of nutrition
• Katie’s thoughts on wellness trends
• Why self-care is not one size fits all
• We talk body image and how to shift focus away from your body

Join the Joy Squad on Facebook

Connect with Katie

On instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/twist_of_lemons/

On her blog:

http://twistoflemons.com/

Her FAQs (more information on her education and career path)

http://twistoflemons.com/frequently-asked-questions/

For Full Show Notes Visit:

http://init4thelongrun.com

On today’s episode I’m reflecting on the biggest lessons I learned in 2017, this year’s struggles and wins and my intentions for 2018.

Part 1:

My yearly angel card ritual & thoughts on my cards for 2017

Learn about angel cards and make your own here

Buy my favorite cards: Affirmators

Part: 2

My biggest Struggles & Wins for 2017

Struggles

• Feeling Lost in London
• Not feeling enough in my business
• Not being present or setting up boundaries

Wins

• Getting Engaged
• Working for myself
• Rediscovering Nantucket

Part 3:

Lessons Learned in 2017

1. Alignment before action

Listen: the Lively Show

1. Honesty & People Pleasing
2. Eating Intuitively
3. You are not your thoughts - but you can choose the thoughts that create your reality
4. You can’t grow in a vacuum

Part 4:

My intentions for 2018

1.) Attract abundance into my business and my life

2.) Grow and attract people to this community who I can help serve and celebrate this amazing life together

3.) Continue to show up fully in my relationships

4.) Surround myself with amazing women who support my growth and make me laugh - and do the same for them in return

5.) Listen to my body’s innate wisdom and continue to practice wellness intuitively

6.) Practice and harness creativity outside of work and do more things just for fun

Join the Joy Squad on Facebook

Connect on Instagram

Email me: georgie@init4thelongrun.com

For full show notes: ini4thelongrun.com

This episode is like that deep soul filled conversation you have with a close friend, except Marian and I had never met. We dive right into so many amazing rich topics about personal growth and relationships. I will warn you there is some deep stuff in here. I really loved this episode because I actually only asked 2 of my prepared questions and the rest of the time we just riffed and dove deeper.

I loved where this conversation went and for anyone who is passionate about showing up as the full version of themselves, I know you’ll love it too! This is a good one to listen to after you’ve done some yoga or are on a long walk or chillin’ sipping a glass of wine (or coffee, or kombucha or tea). In fact, after we got off of the call I thought to myself that Marian is like a warm herbal tea for your soul. I don’t even really know what that means but it definitely felt real!

On this Episode We Talk About:

• How Marian starts her morning
• What do you do when you’re under a deadline but want to honor your body when it’s stressed
• How Marian got started with meditation and how she reframed it to just “breathing”
• Being still and what meditation is and isn’t
• What it means to surrender in this moment without the preference on the moment - allowing versus struggling
• Can I surrender to a moment without labeling the pain as something good or bad?
• How we can’t really be happy until we embrace pain without judgment of it
• How our culture has put happiness on a pedestal (and it makes us miserable)
• Appreciating what each kind of emotion provides in our life
• Control - why it’s an illusion
• How we can treat ourselves and others to the best of our ability, without overcompensating and trying to control an outcome
• Expectations - how they create a false reality in the future and block us from accepting and embracing what is
• Why sometimes self-love has to be tough love
• How relationships can be mirrors for our own “stuff”
• Ask “why am I trying to resist this?”
• Why self-love can be compassionate and disciplined at the same time
• Necessary discomfort and why it can be a good thing - there’s magic on the other side of most discomfort
• Small talk versus deep talk - how to make small talk meaningful
• Navigating how to handle what other people think of you
• Sharing your story versus the stories you’re a part of - how do we share our relationships online
• We discuss how we’re working on people pleasing

Connect with Marian

On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marian.mellen/

On her website: https://www.marian-mellen.com/

Resources:

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck

For Full Show Notes Visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

Dana is someone I’ve always really admired online. In a saturated health and nutrition space, she’s a breath of fresh air. She combines practical nutrition knowledge with a dose of YOU DO YOU attitude. I wanted to dive into the topics of being well in the winter and Dana totally delivered. I especially loved our conversation around creating a positive mindset in this season versus just trying to get through it. (aka my strategy in the past.) Dana is kind, honest and practical with her tools and knowledge.

We Talk About:

• How Dana got to the work she’s doing now - designing education plans for fire departments
• How Dana connected with the firefighting community
• How Dana feels about the latest wellness trends
• Why Dana loves working with people one on one versus blanket plans for everyone
• Thinking about exercise from a community and mental health perspective
• How to tap into your own version of health
• Paying attention to your body when you’re learning what works for you - using journaling as a tool for that
• How to enjoy the holidays without major food anxiety
• Being mindful around the holidays with food, stress and actually just enjoying yourself
• Starting small then listening to your hunger and go back for seconds if you want more at big meals
• Why it takes a while to learn to listen to your internal cues and that’s ok
• Remember what you’re celebrating - think about things outside of the food to shift your focus
• How to recover the next day from overeating
• Focus on adding more nutrient dense foods versus removing foods
• How to navigate the stressful parts of the holidays
• Appreciating small wins and picking your battles
• How to stay active and positive in the cold dark winter months
• Get outside and associate joy with the winter weather versus mentally block
• Changing your mindset about winter
• Winter wellness - how to build up immunity and fight colds
• -essential oils, bone broth, rest, botanical steam
• Online realness - how Dana defines being real
• “I always want to be the same person outside of my phone as I am on my phone”
• Food comparison on instagram
• When it’s time to take breaks

Connect with Dana

• On instagram
• On her website

For full show notes visit: inti4thelongrun.com

Rejecting Extremes, Finding Magic in the Grey Area of Health and Practicing Patience on the Healing Journey with Meg Dixon

Meg is a registered dietitian who works with women healing their gut, balancing hormones and recovering from disordered eating. She believes in the magic of living and eating intuitively. On this episode we dive into so many topics including why health doesn’t have to be your full time job, how to practice wellness without obsession, why there’s so much more to food than calories and labels and why patience and grace is key to healing.

We Talk About:

• How Meg became a registered dietitian & how she started her private practice with her friend and business partner Victoria
• How they found their niche based on their experience and serendipity
• How hormone health, eating disorder recovery and gut health are so intertwined
• How to develop your own wellness with living life in mind
• Why wellness is so much more than food
• How do we pursue wellness with out obsessive behaviors or extremes
• How do you start with wellness without that obsessive mindset
• Why she wishes she could tell herself that “Being skinny does not equal healthy”
• Meg encourages us to challenge expectations of yourself
• Why so much of wellness is about being yourself
• The value of living in the grey area
• Why calories aren’t evil and they aren’t just a math equation
• How do we promote a balanced approach to wellness without extremes
• How do we get people in the happy grey area of wellness
• Food should not be an extension of your morality
• Eat based on how it makes your body feel not whether it’s a good or bad food
• How binging or restricting is a maladaptive form of coping and how we can handle those emotions without abusing food
• Why intuitive eating isn’t accessible right away to everyone and how to get there
• Patience is an ultimate healing
• Grace and patience is the foundation for healing
• You don’t have to have it all together every day
• Why you can enjoy your life WHILE you improve your health - it’s not one or the other

Resources

Nourishing Women Podcast https://www.nourishingmindsnutrition.com/podcast/

Intuitive Living Ebook https://www.nourishingmindsnutrition.com/ebook/

Nourishing Minds Nutrition Practice https://www.nourishingmindsnutrition.com/

Connect with Meg

On instagram https://www.instagram.com/meg.c.dixon/

On her blog https://www.rootforfood.net/

For full show notes visit: init4thelongrun.com

Addie (aka @chickpeainthecity) is a health and wellness blogger who’s known for her epic spotify playlists, drinking oat milk cappuccinos and finding great joy in small things. We talked about what’s over hyped and whats worth the hype in the wellness world, how she’s navigating the loss of her mother and aunt and how music and group fitness has helped shift Addie’s perspective on health.

We Talk About:

• Learning in school versus the real world when it comes to business
• Addies thoughts on food and wellness trends
• Keeping it real in the wellness world - which products you don’t need to buy
• Keeping it real on IG and in real life
• Worth the hype: for food - collagen // for wellness - music
• Addies experience with grief and loss of her mom
• Why Addie took time to share her difficult news
• The perspective change she made after her mom and aunt’s death
• Addies tips for how to talk to someone who is grieving
• The power of appreciating small things
• “if there are people in your life who couldn’t continue to live, you have to live for them”
• How Addie’s approach to fitness and movement have changed over the years
• How group fitness has helped given Addie more positive relationship with working out
• Why Addie focuses on having fun while working out
• Why Addie’s ok talking about not feeling 100% about her body all the time
• Addie’s favorite part of living in Chicago
• Addie’s tips for dealing with dark winter weather
• Adjusting to a 9-5 after having a flexible college schedule

Connect with Addie

• On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickpeainthecity/
• On her blog: http://chickpeainthecity.org/
• On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/125085830/playlist/7rIxr1ButaxpEgKvLykWyH?si=0KM4IsfzR92mQQjbaqZIIA

For Full Show Notes Visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

How to Feel Good In a World of Bad News, Self Awareness & Fostering Conscious Optimism

If you've felt overwhelmed, frustrated, scared or depressed because of all the seemly endless bad news, this episode is for you. I'm talking with Branden Harvey humanitarian photographer and founder of Good Good Good about how to counteract cynicism. Branden was always a positive kid, but the more he traveled the more tragedy and injustice he was witness to. This led him to feel cynical, hopeless and powerless. Since then he's reclaimed his positivity and optimism with a twist of consciousness and reality. We talk about how it all starts with self-awareness and as we grow as people we can also grow as world citizens. This conversation touches on so many important, powerful and fascinating topics. It's a must listen and maybe one of my favorite episodes to date!

We Talk About:

Good Good Good - Branden’s company - how he got started

Celebrating good and then acting on it

Why Branden believes in “looking for the helpers”

Why they wanted to start a newspaper in 2017 - to inspire action in a less crowded space

How do you become a helper in a way that’s meaningful in your own life

Start to help where you have skill and passion

How Branden uses storytelling and photography for good

Why it’s ok to start without knowing all the steps along the way

The “how” of your goals and dreams isn’t always obvious

Why most things are not actually about you (and that’s a good thing)

The power and importance of self-awareness

Curiosity versus judgment… “isn’t that interesting”

Optimism - the difference between blind optimism and choosing optimism while accepting negativity

How to be happy when there’s tragedy in the world

Holding space for other people’s experience without feeling that pain ourselves

Balancing empathy with self-care

Why it’s important to allow people to be upset and not try to fix things right away

Why most news fosters cynicism

Humans have an internal negativity bias

How to consume news more mindfully - “if news is news it will still be relevant in a week”

How to have constructive conversations with people you don’t agree with

How to have hard conversations with your family and peers

It’s not the oppressor's job to educate people of privilege about how they’re being oppressed

The “me too” conversation

Join the Private Facebook Group

The Joy Squad: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thejoysquad/

Connect with Branden:

website: http://www.brandenharvey.com/

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandenharvey/

podcast: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood

good newspaper: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/goodnewspaper

For Full Show Notes Visit:

http://init4thelongrun.com

Connect with Me (Georgie)

on Instagram: http://instagram.com/init4thelongrunblog

Today marks 40 episodes of the Chasing Joy Podcast. Every 10th episode is a Q&A. Thank you to everyone who asked amazing deep, thoughtful questions.

This is a very special episode for me because I had my fiancé Chris ask the questions. He also shares his thoughts on many of the questions too. Selfishly I loved it because I love Chris and it was a blast to do this together. I also think he brings a really unique perspective. Chris is incredibly thoughtful and wise. He’s a little older than me and definitely doesn’t have attachment to social media like I do. He’s an intuitive eater without even having to try while also having tons of really healthy habits. We answer questions about adulating, mindset, relationships, body image, work and photography.

A note about the answers - these are all answers from my perspective and without full context on your life. When it comes to advice I always tell folks you have to listen to your gut first and foremost. I hope this will give you food for thought or things that you might want to try. If the advice and thoughts I share do not resonate with you, and they just don’t jive, that’s totally ok.

Questions Asked:

• Girl how did you get your hair like that! Is it washing out?
• What kind of music do (and Chris) you listen to?
• How do you like living in on Nantucket? Do you ever miss the city?
• How much coffee is too much coffee? But seriously.
• Also any thoughts or experienced on "high fat" coffee or collagen in coffee?
• I recently graduated from college and I’m living at home right now. Obviously I can’t live at home forever but I get so anxious when I think about moving to a new city. Not only adjusting to a new city, but also adjusting my first full time job. How can I possibly handle all of that at once?
• How do you deal with the loneliness that comes in the seasons of life when there are less people in your circle?
• How did you choose your first job after graduation? I'm a senior with a couple job options, but don't know what would make me happiest.
• I’m curious to know what it was like transitioning from your 9-5 , so called “perfect” job to your coffee shop life? How did you manage the pay cut and the outside judging and the fear of the unknown?
• How to you get one thought out of your head? I’ve tried so much advice but can never seem to stop obsessing over x one day or y the next.
• I wonder sometimes if I’m just being lazy for wanting to take it easy when I’m feeling stressed/depressed/anxious. Should I push through it and make myself do what is uncomfortable?
• How do you organize your time when you work from home and/or work for yourself?
• What camera/editing do you use?
• How do you get started on a side photography business with the hopes of turning it into a full time job?
• I always struggle with taking photos in public, I feel like I will be judged if I take a picture of my food or a selfie in gym. How would you go around that? Does anyone else feel like that?
• Quick things to do when you don't have a ton of time or start/finish a task, but want to do something somewhat productive. For example I have 15 minutes at home before I need to leave for an appointment - what can I do instead of scrolling through my phone?
• Do you have any recommendations for practical daily tips for recovery for someone who is struggling with the restrictive eating/binge eating cycle who is already in therapy?
• Tips about being in a relationship with a gym junkie, diet focused person when you are trying to recover from an eating disorder?
• I'm in the middle of getting over an eating disorder/restrictive eating. I am working on being comfortable around all foods, but I feel like diet culture/"clean eating" talk is all around me. Do you have any advice for how to deal with hearing people talk about their weight, their food, etc.?
• How do I get away from what all the health bloggers say and instead be in tune with myself and give into what my body wants/craves versus what I “should eat”
• Do you have any tips or experience connecting the information we’ve learned from the wellness community to actionable steps? 
• Vegetarian/pescatarian dinner ideas that you and your fiancé make together!! I'm always looking for veg/pesce friendly recipes that are good for cooking with my boyfriend!
• I would love to know how you approach holidays and parties. I always find myself saying “whatever it’s vacation” but then feeling pretty gross after from all the unhealthy choices I made. How do you navigate those situations in an “intuitive” way without ending up feeling like you overdid it?
• Do you have any advice about coping with dating and body image issues/residual food shame and disordered eating thoughts?
• Also for both you and Chris - what ways do you help foster each other’s wellness? (Without being naggy)
• I live with my boyfriend (also his name is Chris!) and we’ve really been aware recently when we aren’t on the same energy or joy level. How do you and your Chris acknowledge and adjust when one has more energy when the other is feeling like sitting on the couch? And also when one is feeling more joyful or happy than the other when living so close together in the same space?

Resources Mentioned

Canon 5D Mark iii Camera

85mm lens

50mm lens

24-105mm lens

Adobe Lightroom

Get started with meditation

For Full Show Notes Visit:

http://init4thelongrun.com

Kate was my first podcast guest back in February and I brought her back today to talk about community in the wellness world (and so much more.) I love this conversation because Kate shares so many well articulated insights. We talk about the wellness trends we’re just not that into and why that’s totally fine. The overall theme was definitely that wellness practices are meant to be a tool, not a strict regime. The GOODfest will be in LA this coming February and I’m so excited to attend. You can get $10 off your ticket price using the code “CHASINGJOY10”

On this Episode We Talk About:

• Story/Goodfest
• How to make the most out of your schedule - tapping into your different energy throughout the day
• How slowing down helps you make better more clear decisions
• What it was like to see the GOODfest come to life
• Why the speakers helped cultivate a uniquely body positive event
• Ups and down from planning a large day long event
• GOODfest LA - why the GOOD fest believes in accessibility
• Why wellness is “choose your own adventure” not following every Guru’s life plan
• Why it’s ok to not love a trend
• Why it’s important to be honest about why you’re following certain practices and trends
• The wellness ritual Kate is practicing and why it’s working for her now
• Why exercise breaks can help you love and appreciate moving your body even more
• Why it’s a-ok to take breaks from wellness habits that don’t serve you
• How to be social and enjoy it as an introvert - balancing fostering community out and taking care of yourself
• Being honest with new friends about how you communicate starting out
• Realness on Instagram
• How to consume social media more mindfully
• How to post and share more mindfully
• Why you don’t need to be an expert to help and serve
• Why social media serves best when it’s about creating community versus a source for detailed expertise

The GOODfest

Info about the GOODfest

Buy tickets here

Use code CHASINGJOY10 for $10 off your ticket

Connect with Kate

on Instagram

on her blog

For Full Show Notes Visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

This week I’m talking with Follain’s founder and CEO, Tara Foley. I had the pleasure of meeting Tara this past summer at Follain and she is so kind, smart, humble and easy to talk to. I was so thrilled when she agreed to be on the show. Follain is a leader in the clean beauty movement creating a curated store of clean beauty products that really work. Not only that but the staff are welcoming, and so so knowledgable.

On this Episode We Talk About:

x Tara’s background and how she got started with Follain

x Why Follain curates brands versus producing their own products

x There was a whole in the market for a curated clean beauty brand

x Why the natural skincare and beauty business is building momentum as result of the healthy food movement

x What green washing in the beauty industry means

x Building trust with brands is important - talk with owners, employees

x Why we should be suspicious about mainstream brands promoting being sulfate free (because they sometimes replace them with worse chemicals

x It’s best to support brands who build clean products from the ground up

x We discuss the regulations that exist is the US right now (last change was in 1938)

x Why it’s important to vote with your dollar and your ballot

x Follain’s process for choosing new products to sell

x How natural products are a form of self care

x What’s the best way to start replacing your skincare products

- start with what you run out of first

- the go clean kit is a starter pack

- what products are on you the longest - deodorant - hand and body lotion

x How to build a skincare routine: start with removing makeup, use a cleanser, then natural toner, finally use a moisturizer and any other serums

x Tara’s message: Why risk it? (when it comes to using harmful products)

This Show Is Perfect For Anyone Who:

Wants to learn more about the beauty and clean beauty industry

Resources:

Follain Website

Restricted Substance List

Skin Quiz

Go Clean Kits

Soapwalla deodorant

Connect with Tara:

On Instagram

For full show notes visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

Get 15% off your first purchase with the code: CHASEJOY15 on https://zennedout.com/

This week’s episode was such a pleasure to record. I was giddy with excitement to talk to Cassie owner of my favorite jewelry shop Zenned Out Jewelry. We talk less about her work journey and much more about her spiritual journey. She’s a wealth of knowledge about everything from crystals to astrology to meditation to chakras and so much more. I think we just skimmed the surface of her knowledge in this hour. This episode is rich with both useful tools and information about spiritual practices as well as enlightening stories from Cassie’s life. Enjoy!

We Talk About:

• Morning Routines and how to actually get up and not hit the snooze 10x
• Cassie’s history and how she started Zenned Out jewelry
• Using jewelry as a tool for spirituality & reminder of intentions
• Why jewelry is a great place to get started with spirituality and crystals
• Crystals 101
• Crystals are about setting an intention & using as a reminder
• Why it’s important to approach things with a spirit of curiosity versus judgement
• How crystals can relate to your chakras - a tool to help notice imbalance
• How to cleanse your crystals
• How do you protect yourself when you’re in challenging experiences - how do you protect your good energy
• Spiritual tools can help us protect our energy
• Tools for staying present and in the moment
• Why not being your “best self” in difficult moments isn’t the worst thing, it’s just a warning sign
• Cassie’s process for tuning into her intuition
• Listening to your intuition versus asking for advice
• Making big decisions
• Why there’s not always a right and wrong choice to make
• Astrology for beginners
• How you can use astrology in your life
• How do you decide what you believe in and what’s legit in your own life

This Episode Is Perfect For Anyone Who:

• Is dipping their toes into spirituality
• Wants to learn more about crystals
• Wants to learn how to notice and tune into their intuition
• Is looking to cultivate a mindset of curiosity over judgement
• Wants to hear from a purpose driven entrepreneur
• Loves geeking out on all things wonderful, spiritual and a little witch-y

Resources:

• Book: 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
• On Zenned Out’s Blog
• Astrology birth chart
• How to intemperate your birth chart
• Astrology Basics

Connect with Cassie:

• Zenned Out’s Blog
• Shop Zenned Out Jewelry
• Zenned Out on Instagram

For Full Show Notes Visit: http://init4thelongrun.com

*Advisory: Today I’m talking with my guest Alli who bravely shares her story of sexual assault and rape and how she healed from that trauma. If this is a topic you’re not comfortable with that’s ok. Feel free to skip this episode.

Alli Owen is an engineer, writer, and life coach. She vulnerably owns her story of trauma and shares

her journey to healing on her blog where she posts inspirational stories, life advice, and guided meditations.

We Talk About:

• Alli shares her story of trauma and sexual assault and her process of healing
• How hookup culture can be damaging to your relationship to self
• How to own your story without labeling yourself as weak
• Why it’s helpful to see your story through an outsider’s persepctive to give yourself compassion
• Why vulnerability isn’t weakness
• Why is it so hard to admit we’re brave versus weak?
• How memory can be clouded by confusion and emotion - how shame can cloud our experiences
• How to start opening up and healing from your experience
• - start small with friends and trusted family
• It’s so important to validate people’s experiences
• Why is it so scary to share? Fear that people will deny your experience
• Knowing when it’s the right time and whether you should sharing your story on a larger platform
• Ask: “am I sharing this to help people and serve people or am I sharing this to sort it out for myself”
• You don’t have to solve everyone’s problems - it’s better as a friend just to listen
• Being ok with being different - measuring your self worth against who you are and who you want to be - it’s a daily practice - accepting it’s not something you can achieve
• Creating your own standard of worthiness
• Cutting ties with friends who trigger unworthiness
• Why achievement is a coping strategy - and why you need to feel the pain in order to heal
• How to practice mindfulness regularly (to help build awareness)
• How to deal with the “not enough-ness” feeling
• Why play is so important for overachievers

This Episode is Perfect for Anyone Who:

• Has experienced trauma
• Has friends or family who have experienced trauma and you want to be a support
• Is on a journey of healing
• Has used achieving as a coping mechanism for dealing with pain
• Has felt "not-enough" in their life, work, health, relationships

Connect with Alli:

On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allio.co/

On her blog: http://allio.co/

Resources:

https://www.rainn.org/ (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

https://www.rainn.org/after-sexual-assault

Help is available 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE

Get the Full Show Notes:

http://init4thelongrun.com