Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Speaker A: Welcome to youo Odyssey Podcast, where your guides, Tara and Karen invite you on a transformative journey toward wholeness and personal growth.
Each week, we'll discuss topics related to the human experience and offer insights to help you along the way.
Please note, this podcast should not replace medical care or advice. We are not licensed health care professionals or mental health therapists.
If you enjoyed today's episode, subscribe so you don't miss out on our future discussions.
So, explorers, let's dive into today's episode.
[00:00:53] Speaker B: Welcome, explorers. It's Tara. I'm so glad you're here. Joining Karen and me today for episode dedicated to Family Wellness Month. We'll explore the powerful connections that bind us as families and how we can support one another on our wellness journeys. From honest conversations about mental health to practical tips to managing stress, Together, we hope our conversations will inspire you to nurture environments that foster resilience and understanding. So go grab a cozy spot and let's embark on this exploration of family wellness together.
[00:01:27] Speaker C: I love this theme because I am constantly talking with my children about checking in about these things. How are you feeling about this?
What's your stress level like?
Giving them all kinds of tips and tricks that they're just like rolling their eyes at me.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: You're planting seeds.
I'm planting seeds.
[00:01:47] Speaker C: Yes. And I know you are as well. If you and I had these tools and the people planting the seeds, I.
[00:01:54] Speaker B: Mean, I went foraging. That's. That's about it.
[00:01:57] Speaker C: Exactly. And you know what? That was all part of our journey. Each of our journeys anyway. That's part of what led to the magic and led to the people who we are.
And yet sometimes it's just like, well, couldn't we just done that a little bit easier?
[00:02:10] Speaker B: We could have, but then, like you said, we wouldn't be us now.
[00:02:13] Speaker C: Yeah. There are no mistakes.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: As we celebrate Family Wellness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, I think it's important to think about how those two things play together when we think about engaging in open conversations about our mental health.
It nurtures the environment where every family member feels valued and heard.
[00:02:40] Speaker C: And I guess one step further. Understood, Right? To the best of our abilities. Right. Just validated, understood, listened to though. For sure. That is such a gift. Yeah.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: And we firmly believe that mental health is vital to our overall well being, influencing our thoughts, feelings and actions.
Many people face challenges related to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, especially now.
And we want to remind Explorers, our extended family, that you are not alone in your struggles.
[00:03:20] Speaker C: And if you are feeling these things and you Feel alone or like you don't have someone to turn to for sure.
Check out resources, 800 numbers, hotlines, therapists. Find some way or someone that you can talk to and work through these things with. It's so important to not be alone. I know you might feel alone, but know that there are resources and there is help.
[00:03:48] Speaker B: And by making mental health a priority within our families, we can break down the stigma surrounding these topics, making it easier for our loved ones to share their experiences with us.
[00:03:59] Speaker C: If you are a kid and you're feeling like you're the only one in the family that feels this way, or you must be the odd one, that's a very isolating and challenging place to be. If parents, guardians, other members of the family are cognizant of this and aware, then you can create the conversations and create the safe place.
We do the best we can, but truly mental health impacts every other piece of it. It impacts our physical health and emotional health for sure. Because if we don't feel like we have anywhere to turn, that's a very damaging, isolating place to be in. It's all related.
[00:04:49] Speaker B: I love how you said that safe space. Creating that safe space, as Karen alluded to earlier, begins with leading by example.
We share our own feelings and experiences to encourage our family to open up. We can start the conversation by saying, how are you feeling today?
Or what has been on your mind lately? These questions help pave the way for deeper discussions and demonstrate that it's okay to express vulnerability. Ooh, let's do it now. Karen, how are you feeling today?
[00:05:20] Speaker C: I've been overall really positive and good, feeling grounded and then I've had my moments of realizing that I wasn't getting the rest I needed and that I was overstimulated. I was trying to balance that out before the podcast, which was great. I did it. It's the awareness, right? I do think, as you were saying, those are great to have open ended questions like that. I'm curious about the balance between modeling for our children that we are human and therefore have challenges without them feeling the weight of I have to fix this.
[00:05:52] Speaker B: You and I have talked about how we felt in our childhood as we had to make adult decisions before we were ready to make adult decisions. Beautiful balance of letting it be age appropriate what you're sharing with your child and being in tune to how they're responding. You're like, oh, that's a little bit too much.
An interesting balance because we do want them to see us as, you know, those models for vulnerability and Openness, but not sharing too much. They're still our kids.
[00:06:18] Speaker C: Exactly. Yeah. So how are you feeling today?
[00:06:20] Speaker B: How am I feeling today? I am feeling a little empowered. Not like full blown. Like I got my cape on, I'm ready to go out and fight bad guys, but just inspired more.
I'm feeling inspired today.
[00:06:32] Speaker C: Great. Yeah, that's beautiful. Like, not quite full on Oprah, but like baby Oprah.
[00:06:38] Speaker B: Like baby Oprah.
[00:06:39] Speaker C: Oprah.
Oh, my God.
[00:06:42] Speaker B: We have a lot of things that we are moving and shaking that we want to happen quickly. But I'm reminded that we should be thoughtful and intentional about all of the steps that we take. So.
[00:06:54] Speaker C: Right, right. That's part of this.
[00:06:56] Speaker B: Fired by the vision. Definitely.
[00:06:58] Speaker C: That's awesome. She's speaking of the vision of our business moving into other aspects of life.
[00:07:03] Speaker B: Like, I'm inspired by everything that's to come. Mm.
[00:07:07] Speaker C: So much goodness.
[00:07:08] Speaker B: Yeah. And that might be. Cause I'm week three of my exercise restart routine. I'm like, yes, keep going. What happened? I looked down, I was like, ooh, my arms. I feel like my arms are arming.
[00:07:18] Speaker C: I was gonna actually say something to you about that. Cause I was actually thinking when you were fixing the mic, I was like, oh, your arms look different. I wanted to say something.
[00:07:25] Speaker B: I saw it today too. I was like, my arms are arming. And I was like, oh, look at that.
[00:07:29] Speaker C: And there's a great example of you doing something that is impacting your physical health is now impacting your mental health and emotional health. Right. Because you're feeling good about, you're setting goals, you're meeting them, you're excited, inspired. I love it.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, good.
So while it's important to talk, we feel that it's equally important to listen.
[00:07:51] Speaker C: Actively listen.
[00:07:53] Speaker B: More than just hearing the words, it's about being present and fully engaged, able.
[00:07:57] Speaker C: To mirror back what someone is saying or ask a follow up question. These are great indicators, eye contact, that you're engaged and present for that person who is sharing some very deep, vulnerable, meaningful stuff.
[00:08:10] Speaker B: Yeah. And as we think about that within our families, that framework of when we're mirroring back, that creates the space where they can share their thoughts. The person on the receiving end is not going to judge them for what they say. It's like, well, I don't know if this is a stupid question. Some of that childhood stuff bubbles up. Well, no, let's bring it on. Let's see what happens. And then talking through it and it's like, oh, I feel better.
I would hope that at no point during this, I made you feel like this was insignificant or stupid. Cuz it's not like share with me.
[00:08:43] Speaker C: If it's important to you, it's important to me and it's meaningful. There are no stupid questions.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: Well, okay. Well, truthful speaking, there are a few.
[00:08:51] Speaker C: There are a couple.
[00:08:53] Speaker B: There are a couple, there are a few. But when we're talking about sharing things, being vulnerable and open with our families, especially if it's something that's going on in your head or something that you're thinking about.
[00:09:02] Speaker C: You know what I love is once in a while my daughter will call and I know that she wants to ask me something or tell me something, but she can't quite. She's not quite able to just jump in and get it out.
And so I just kind of start slowly.
So how you doing today?
What's going on? Is there anything you need to talk about? Kind of slowly open the door for her a little bit. And I think we're just gonna keep practicing that until she feels more at ease in just launching right into sharing her feelings. You know, she's very guarded sometimes and.
[00:09:37] Speaker B: I think by not forcing it out of her, you're laying the foundation of trust. Like she trusts that she can come to you and express whatever. A challenge or praise report popped in my head, like, this is something amazing. I can share the good, the bad and the ugly with my mom. And it's safe here.
[00:09:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
You know, I've been reading or rather listening to the audiobook. Decoding. Excuse me, Decoding Boys.
And it's about how boys need to be listened to. And they have around their preteen teenage years, they withdraw and it's very, you know, you can lose connection with them. A great way to connect with them is to ask them questions or start a conversation while you're in the car, both looking in the same direction so that you don't have to. He doesn't have to look at you, you don't have to look at him.
And we have talked about some really interesting stuff. You know, my preteen and really gotten into some deep stuff and he's able to go there cult, literally. We've put a lot on our boys and men that they have to just be stoic and have it all figured out and can't have emotion. I see that we're slowly undoing that, which makes me very happy.
[00:10:45] Speaker B: I was gonna say, is there a sequel to this book like Decoding Men do the same principles apply.
[00:10:49] Speaker C: The same principles probably apply. But let's. We should Talk to the author.
[00:10:52] Speaker B: Is there a sequel? Is there a part two to this?
[00:10:55] Speaker C: I'm pretty sure if you get this one, like, you'll. It's like, it's gonna apply, but it is the idea of creating whatever conditions feel safe to that person. And you can't always know. Sometimes you have to ask. Or you can just try different things.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
[00:11:09] Speaker C: Maybe it's just. Be like, the lights have to be really low if I'm gonna talk to you about this. Or, like, I don't want to talk about this anywhere but the car.
[00:11:17] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:17] Speaker C: Yeah. How about you and your peeps?
[00:11:21] Speaker B: Me and you're mine?
[00:11:22] Speaker C: Yeah. I'm wondering how your kiddos.
[00:11:25] Speaker B: I.
I always, like, struggle answering this question because people's like, well, how did you do this? And I'm like, I don't know.
Like, I don't know, like, how we made it to where they're adults, but I'm finding, like, with all three of our kids, that all of them, they'll come and randomly talk to us about, like, everything. And one of them will have, like, a friend on the phone and be like, the things that you talk about with your parents are varied but fun. Like, you can hear. We just talk about anything. Our son was home this past week, and he was sharing things going on in his adult life and things he's navigating, and we just sit down and, like, it's never like, oh, we have to be in this setting to make it look like this. And we can only talk about these things here. Like, they all feel, from my perspective, very comfortable coming to us and talking about just about anything. And then there are times where it's like, I'm at the end of the day, but that's when, like, they're on third shift and they're ready to come out and talk. And I'd be like, oh.
[00:12:18] Speaker C: Because this is when they're ready to talk.
[00:12:20] Speaker B: And I appreciate it. Especially as they're getting older. I'm appreciating those moments even more. Come talk to me. Talking about really random things.
[00:12:28] Speaker C: I love that so much. I got choked up today as I was driving around, I pictured my son. He'll be 13 this year, but I just pictured him fully grown and, like, out of the house. And I just, like, I. Like, I started crying in the car. Felt like a very immediate, this is coming, this is happening. It made me want to, in the moment when we're together, really honor the connection that we have and the time we spend together, celebrate that and immerse in it, he's playing Madden on his PlayStation. You can create your character, your football player. You basically are age advancing yourself. He wanted to show me and I was like, I was like, oh, my God, that's you as a grown man, 6 to 190 pounds.
Whoa.
[00:13:16] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness. What were we talking about? Okay. Family wellness and safety. So as we recognize Family Wellness Month, we can commit to making mental health discussions a regular part of our family life. By prioritizing these conversations, we enhance our ability to navigate life's challenges together.
Embrace the opportunity to check in with one another regularly. Because mental health matters. And it's something we can all support each other with.
[00:13:43] Speaker C: Absolutely. There's not an age range where it's.
[00:13:46] Speaker B: Like, people like, and now I am advanced age and.
[00:13:49] Speaker C: And so I'm better. Right. I'm all good. I'm healed.
Okay. And we're gonna look at that. Yeah, absolutely. I think just normalizing, as we've said before, normalizing mental health as just an important aspect that also needs attention.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: Every other aspect, as I'm thinking too, it's even more than we normalize it. We discussed this a few episodes ago in our mental health episode about, like, we destigmatize it and normalize it.
[00:14:18] Speaker C: But.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: But people are thinking, like, now that I've done these things, that it's going to be amazing and beautiful. Sunshine, rainbows is all cleaned up. I'm healed. But it's an ongoing journey. And sometimes the idea that mental health is this thing that you do and then you're better and everything's fine.
Exactly. The appropriate response.
[00:14:37] Speaker C: Exactly. Right? Yeah. If you're a statue.
[00:14:41] Speaker B: It's an ongoing journey. And part of creating these spaces of trust is building our capacity to handle the things that life throws at us.
[00:14:49] Speaker C: Right. It's an ongoing.
[00:14:51] Speaker B: Okay. So we've laid the groundwork within our family with healthy communication about mental health. Let's dive into tackling stress management together as a family. Stress is a natural part of life, but how we respond to it as a family can make all the difference in our overall well being.
[00:15:08] Speaker C: Who I have really, I will say in the past, I've really screwed the pooch on this one couple times that I can think of. Where my stress level is ended up stressing out my kids or my dysregulation. So I am aware of that now. How my stress level impacts others, specifically my kids and how their stress levels impact me. I'm just much more mindful of it.
[00:15:32] Speaker B: The tools available.
[00:15:33] Speaker C: And I have a lot of tools.
[00:15:35] Speaker B: When we Know better. The hope is that we do better. Oh my God. I think about toddlers and oh, those.
[00:15:42] Speaker C: Were not pretty days for me.
[00:15:44] Speaker B: Those tiny tyrants.
[00:15:46] Speaker C: Oh my God.
[00:15:48] Speaker B: I think I saw this thing. It's like, well, they will terrorize you all day long. Then it's bedtime and they're all cute and snuggly and it's like, I love you, Mommy. Be like, okay, I am weary.
Battlefield weary now. Thank you. I love you too. We'll do it all again tomorrow.
[00:16:07] Speaker C: We're going to see. Wake up. It's a new day.
[00:16:10] Speaker B: But by developing coping strategies together we can strengthen our bonds and create, create that environment where we're helping each other navigate life's challenges.
[00:16:20] Speaker C: And I think part of that, like you say, is being open about it, communicating, talking about, noticing. Oh, this is where I am even saying to the people in your family, I need a few minutes. I'm feeling xyz. Whatever. Ask for what you need. Take yourself out of the mix. Take that pause and then you'll have a little bit more grounded perspective to come back and have conversations and just mention, this is what just happened for me, but this is what I did. That's a great conversation to have. Like I was feeling really stressed or anxious. I went in my room, did some breathing and 10 minutes of yoga. These are tools that really serve me. They're remembering that they're like, oh, breathing yoga. Okay, those things could help me maybe someday even if they're not open to it.
[00:17:01] Speaker B: Being open about the things that stress us out or being aware of the things that stress our family members out. So that could be like demanding work schedules or finals week. Being mindful of the those additional pressures in their lives, which is an awareness. So you're like, hey, this is going on. So maybe being more intentional about de stressing and more relaxing time around those situations would be great. How can I alleviate the pressure off of you? What can we do or game plan together?
[00:17:31] Speaker C: Right. I find it more with my son.
Like those do stress him out, those end of grade tests and he's not as apt to talk about it. Whereas my daughter be like, oh my God, in two weeks he'll just be like, you know, he'll sort of kind of internally suffer. And so yeah, making sort of making sure that the environment right, he's getting enough sleep and he's able to have some fun.
[00:17:54] Speaker B: I like what you said about sharing with them. This yoga or meditation worked for me. Or walking them through deep breathing exercises that they can use outside of your presence. Like, oh, my mom said if I did four in, four out, like, box breathing, that'll help me recenter in the situation.
[00:18:08] Speaker C: Right, That's. That's nice.
[00:18:10] Speaker B: Nice. I like you're building a family action plan, family wellness to go kit that they can always have with them.
[00:18:17] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. You can just drop little.
I've seen my son do it. Like, when he's going to bed at night and he feels, like, kind of a little anxious. Yeah. I'll just. All of a sudden, I'll hear him go and just take a really, like, I am all about that deep diaphragmatic breath. And he'll just do it. I just smile. I'm like, yeah.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: So I feel like we would be remiss if we talked about family wellness and didn't bring in the physical wellness aspect of it.
[00:18:45] Speaker C: Absolutely. The family that plays together.
[00:18:48] Speaker B: I. In this rejuvenated, inspired fitness trick where my arms are now arming, I've committed to walking five days a week. Sometimes I'm walking on the trail with my aunt and I walk by myself. My husband and I today, we did our walk together. And on those walks, we're talking connecting with each other about anything and everything. Nothing. It's really great. I enjoy when I can put my headphones in and walk, but the having that balance and the option to be able to do that together, like, we're kind of holding each other accountable to these things and encouraging each other at the same time.
[00:19:20] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. I love that. And there's nothing better than a walk and talk, in my opinion. It's so great.
[00:19:24] Speaker B: So it's the marriage of the emotional wellness, the mental wellness, and the physical wellness. Because we're doing that walk or that it's not a hike. I'm not a hiker. We already know. Like, I just bought sneakers because I'm more committed to walking now.
[00:19:37] Speaker C: Like, I bought myself some.
[00:19:39] Speaker B: What is it? The HOKA knockoffs you got?
[00:19:43] Speaker C: What a knockoff?
[00:19:44] Speaker B: Yeah. Amazon girl.
They feel great. Like, and I did it.
I wore them for the first time and I wore them again today, and I was like, oh, yeah. I feel more supported in all the ways. I feel more supported.
[00:19:55] Speaker C: I love that. And I love that you're really committing to multiple days of walking. Just consistent. Because as you say, you can do it by yourself or you can do it with someone. And it's got that social wellness aspect.
[00:20:06] Speaker B: Mm.
[00:20:07] Speaker C: Good. Good, Anya.
[00:20:08] Speaker B: Yeah. As creatives, I can also say that our family wellness, a piece of that could be incorporating creative outlets.
That would be Encouraging our family members to express themselves through art or music. Even cooking together, y' all. Although me, when I'm cooking, we not doing this together. The collaboration parts could come at the beginning. Like we're trying to figure out what we gonna have once the cooking starts.
[00:20:33] Speaker C: Yeah. Get out my way.
[00:20:34] Speaker B: Please move.
We sit over there and we can talk. Don't come over here.
Please move.
[00:20:41] Speaker C: Hilarious.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: But I have heard people where they say cooking classes together as a family, like they enjoy doing those things.
[00:20:47] Speaker C: I love inviting my kids into it. I'll be like, hey, do you want to chop the broccoli?
[00:20:51] Speaker B: If I need a sous chef, yeah, do the sous chef activities. But the actual either you going to do it or I'm going to do it.
[00:20:59] Speaker C: We can't both stir this at the same time. So take your pick.
[00:21:06] Speaker B: Or like a family craft project together. I don't find myself particularly crafty, but my kids, like, they draw and write and art things and crochet and knit. Like they've self taught these things.
[00:21:18] Speaker C: Oh my gosh.
[00:21:19] Speaker B: Sewing and embroidery. I'm in awe. I'm inspired.
I would love to do this, but.
[00:21:25] Speaker C: You don't have an interest or you just. What is it?
[00:21:28] Speaker B: I'd rather read a book.
[00:21:29] Speaker C: You'd rather read a book? I get that. I like all the things, but yes, some of my best memories with my kids are like crafting, making homemade cards.
[00:21:37] Speaker B: Like really nice card making tomorrow for like a service project. And I don't want us to forget the power of humor and laughter.
[00:21:47] Speaker C: Oh, for sure.
[00:21:48] Speaker B: Telling funny stories, dad jokes, playing games together, watching comedies or TV shows together can be a great way to alleviate any tension from the stressors of our everyday lives. Bonded through laughter, laughter and humor. And invite joy back into your experience.
[00:22:09] Speaker C: And it's such a. There's an endorphin kick. Absolutely physical release. That happens.
Great.
[00:22:15] Speaker B: I'm just sitting here looking at the time, I'm like, ah, it's been chitin, chitin. Okay. All right.
[00:22:20] Speaker C: So yeah.
[00:22:22] Speaker B: On to creating a supportive home environment. As we've laid the found work with the open conversation about mental health supporting our overall holistic wellness, the actual environment of our home matters as well. So having cozy retreat spaces or even your own space within a home somewhere, you know, you can curl up with a book or relax or whatever to balance out the do, do, do, go, go, go.
[00:22:47] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:22:48] Speaker B: That we often get caught up in. It's awesome.
[00:22:50] Speaker C: Quiet and cozy spaces.
[00:22:51] Speaker B: Cozy spaces. Or the family game corner where we're going to do the social bonding and laugh and tell jokes and just talk to each other.
[00:23:01] Speaker C: I love that. Being intentional about use of space.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: Yeah. We had a family game night this past weekend, and it was supposed to look one way. We pivoted and played another game. It was like the most ridiculous game of would you rather. Where both options were horrible. And it's just like, I would rather do none of these.
[00:23:22] Speaker C: But you have to answer.
[00:23:23] Speaker B: But we have.
That was fun. And then also, family dinners is another way to create an environment where we all come together and share.
[00:23:34] Speaker C: I mean, food is a big draw. I will cook for you if you sit and tell me about your life.
[00:23:38] Speaker B: Over here and talk with me and eat some. It doesn't even have to be really cooking. We've had girl dinners or charcuterie nights where we're just like, nom, nom, nom, and we're just connecting.
[00:23:50] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
[00:23:51] Speaker B: Okay. So now that we've chatted about all of those things, I feel like now would be a good time to get up and dance to a song.
[00:24:00] Speaker C: Speaking of that, moving and dancing in the kitchen as a family, my kids won't do recently, but up until they were a year ago.
[00:24:07] Speaker B: Dancing with your kids in the kitchen, the songs and just moving your body.
[00:24:11] Speaker C: So much fun. And we'd laugh.
[00:24:12] Speaker B: So I have videos of doing that with the kids. And at first I look at it, I'm like, well, I don't look like that anymore. But also, look at us being so silly. Just getting up and dance.
[00:24:21] Speaker C: It's the best.
Movement is medicine.
[00:24:25] Speaker B: Movement is medicine. Today's song is we are Family by sister Sledge.
[00:24:31] Speaker C: We gonna dance it out.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Check out this week's song on the YO Podcast playlist on Spotify.
My goodness. We are family.
[00:24:49] Speaker C: We are family all of us have faith and have faith in you and the things you do. I love it.
[00:24:56] Speaker B: I see it.
We have danced it out to that classic anthem about family, love, unity, and support. And now it is time for our question of the day.
[00:25:08] Speaker C: But I just have to say from that song, this is gonna sound so corny, but I'm feeling like. Like that on a deep level of, like, humanity. Like, we are. We are all family. Like, I feel 1000% connected to every being right now. It's the wildest thing.
[00:25:24] Speaker B: That's gonna play very well for the next episode.
[00:25:27] Speaker C: Oh, good.
[00:25:28] Speaker B: All right. So today's qotd.
[00:25:31] Speaker C: Oh, boy.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: If you could give one piece of advice about mental health and family wellness to your past self, what would it be?
What?
Wow.
[00:25:47] Speaker C: I mean, may I. I would like to I would say that when I first became a parent, I was very tired, very overwhelmed and very stressed. And I think I would tell myself to just breathe and take it slow. There's nothing that is happening that you can't handle and figure out.
Even though I didn't have a great example of a calm, non reactionary environment, in some ways I could choose to create that in my own home.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is I would tell my younger parenting self to take a minute and just breathe and calm the hell down.
You don't need to get all worked up about this. It's not personal.
Know if that was a good answer.
[00:26:41] Speaker B: But that's the, that's the, that's.
[00:26:42] Speaker C: I don't know if I would tell my child self anything, but I think like my young parenting self because it was so new to me and I was felt so unprepared in a lot of ways. I would tell myself to have some compassion and grace with that sense.
[00:26:56] Speaker B: I would tell my past self to prioritize vulnerability.
I especially as we think about mental health and family wellness, a lot of it was isolating and masking.
[00:27:15] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:27:16] Speaker B: Like I'm the only one going through this. Nobody understands this situation or whatever that looks like. So I would definitely tell her to prioritize vulnerability because there are more people going through something similar or understand what you're going through or can help you understand what you're going through and to share it and to get it out. So it's not just sitting on my heart and soul. The only person that's spinning up in my head, it's just me because I'm the only one who's ever gone through anything like this.
[00:27:45] Speaker C: I think that's fascinating how we both had that reaction in our family. Like we are the only ones that know about this, can handle it, can deal with it, fix it, whatever it is. And we're gonna lone wolf it. We're just gonna. We got all the weight of the world on our shoulders. Wow, that is great advice.
[00:28:02] Speaker B: When you open up that support system like it's strengthened, it can only be strengthened. Like it, it can be strong if we're only relying on each other. But if we find a way to be open about how these things are affecting us, that requires us to speak openly about those things, to be vulnerable.
[00:28:21] Speaker C: It always fascinating. Like if you share something, even with almost strangers about something, there's going to be like four people in the room. They're gonna be like, yep, me too.
[00:28:30] Speaker B: Right?
[00:28:30] Speaker C: But it takes one person to just kind of just do that. Be that vulnerable, sharing person.
[00:28:37] Speaker B: As we wrap up this episode, we hope there were some insights and practical tips that you can take to enhance your family's wellness journey. I found a quote by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
[00:28:50] Speaker C: Ah, Nietzsche, my old friend.
[00:28:53] Speaker B: And he said, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds us closer together, and the music that brings harmony. Mm, mm, mm. Love is the.
[00:29:09] Speaker C: Love can do all that. Yeah.
[00:29:12] Speaker B: So explorers, every effort matters. Whether engaging in heartfelt conversations, spending quality time together, or checking in with one another, your family's wellness is a lifelong journey. Each step you take can lead to a deeper connection and a stronger support system.
Until next time, continue nurturing your family bonds with love, compassion and connection.
[00:29:35] Speaker C: There's so much to be said for being real and open and vulnerable and honest in all of the relationships, but especially in your family. It's beautiful.
We love you explorers. Thanks for joining us. Take good care.
[00:29:54] Speaker D: Thank you to Queenies in Downtown Durham for the use of their community podcast studio and for welcoming us so warmly each week.
We'd like to give a shout out to Coco Cinnamon, the birthplace of 1023 Media and the yo podcast. Please support your local women owned minority owned coffee shop in Downtown Durham brought to you by Durham based Ten 2023 Media, a heart centered woman owned multimedia company.
