Mindful Parenting in a Messy World with Michelle Gale
Description: Today we are joined by Michelle Gale, bestselling author, speaker, strategic advisor and mother/member of her lovely Family Council. Michelle and I talk about mindfulness as the number one secret to parenting with a clear head and open heart. She shares the intention and inspiration behind her book, Mindful Parenting in a Messy World,her own transformation from anxiety and fear to acceptance and empowerment, how new parents may find time to weave mindfulness and meditation into their jam-packed schedule, and how she herself practices mindfulness in her own family.
To share your own fertility story, please email me at hillary@ladypotions.com. I look forward to connecting with you, as you are what this podcast is all about.
Takeaway:
[:42] The Free 29 Day Fertility Challenge is just around the corner, starting August 26! Each day you will get an email from me reminding you to log in and check out the new meditation. Each meditation will guide you through your chakras, helping you to free stuck emotions, release limiting beliefs and to tone your physical body, reading it for conception.
[1:45] Meditation is truly the secret weapon when it comes to parenting with a clear head and open heart. Many parents become so busy that they forget the very practice that is there to help them stay grounded, peaceful and sane during the time right after childbirth when they would need it most.
[2:17] Our guest today is Michelle Gale. Michelle was previously the head of Learning and Leadership Development at Twitter, has a bestselling book titled Mindful Parenting in a Messy World: Living with Presence and Parenting with Purpose, and a podcast, Mindful Parenting in a Messy World. In addition to her board work with Holistic Life Foundation, she is currently a strategic advisor to the Mindful Schools and the Wisdom 2.0 Conference.
[5:45] Michelle makes it a priority for herself to weave mindfulness in throughout the day. She shares the different ways we can practice it, whether it’s taking a moment to make eye contact a few seconds longer with our children, meditating in the morning or evening, or using a meditation app for even 5 minutes a day. You can check out Michelle’s 7 Day Series on the app Simple Habit.
[8:53] In knowing ourselves, we create the conditions for peace in ourselves and our communities. If we want a generation that is awake, we need to awaken ourselves first.
[11:08] Michelle revealed in her book that so much of her anxiety as a parent came from a fear of screwing up. She reached a turning point when she realized she wanted to focus on the magic that was her actual kids, instead of the story about them and about how things should be, that she was seeing through a “should” filter.
[14:44] Moments where we overreact and make mistakes as parents become an opportunity for growth, and serve as a teaching moment for ourselves and our children on the importance of handling stress and taking care of ourselves.
[20:02] Michelle shares the experience of enlisting her son Tyler as her teacher to help notice patterns of reactivity and then remind her to breathe.
[24:14] I read an amazing excerpt from Michelle’s book on her take on teenage behavior, unmet needs, and the evolutionary response to separate in adulthood.
[28:25] Meditation may be the formal practice, and mindfulness can be done everywhere at any time.
[31:18] Michelle teaches Mindful Listening to her family and recommends starting out a Family Council in small bits at a time, so everyone practices getting a chance to both listen and speak. Her own Council has evolved over time and is something that has helped strengthen the family and make each member feel seen and heard.
[35:26] Michelle’s first Online Summit has a star-studded, wonderful cast of people talking about all aspects of parenting. For more information, join her online community.
References:
Mindful Parenting in a Messy World
The Way of Council, by Jack Zimmerman in collaboration with Virginia Coyle
Continue Your Journey:
Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge
@ladypotions4u on Twitter
@ladypotions4u on Instagram
My Website: Ladypotions.com
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You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.