Jan 31, 2021 | Personal Development
The one thing that Covid has done was give me some good time to think about my life. How about you?
For me, this last year has been one of transition and turbulence. My youngest child Patrick was a 2020 high school graduate, and despite the challenges with his Down Syndrome he’s made it apparent he’s his own man with dreams and aspirations. A big part of this last year was spent transitioning him into adulthood and on his path. The work we were doing together caused me to take a deeper look at my own path and direction.
Many of you may have noticed a slight shift in my niche. Whereas now, I’ve extended my services to women post domestic relations. I love seeing women shine and rediscover who they are and most are at midlife.
Midlife, those years between 40 and 65. Generally speaking it’s a time of transition and for some women it can be quite tumultuous. It can be a stressful time as we deal with aging parents, hormonal changes, health issues, family transitions, and looking at our financial health.
Some people may refer to this as a midlife crisis, but I like to think about this time as a midlife opportunity and that’s what I framed this time to be for me.
How about yourself?
What have you had to do differently? How has it impacted your life? What have you learned about yourself? What opportunities were presented to you?
There’s no question Covid times have impacted people differently. I hope you and your extended families are all well.
With all this said, last spring I started thinking about how I could help women get through challenging times whether it’s midlife or Covid more gracefully. Over the last 5 months or so I’ve been working on a summit specifically for midlife women.
And now, I’m so excited to announce it’s coming your way this February. I hope you can join us all at the Make Midlife Magical Summit February 22-26.
I have a team of 14 experts who will be presenting on various subjects relating to midlife. It is going to be so incredible. Right now, the presentations are coming in and they are filled with valuable information for women in midlife.
I’ll give you a glimpse of some of the topics:
How to navigate your midlife
Sexual concerns and satisfaction in midlife
Best exercise
Midlife fashion reboot
How to deal with stress and anxiety
Midlife sleep problems
This sounds like a ton of fun, huh? Well, I can’t wait to offer this to women. I’ll tell you, you’re one of the first to know about this exciting event.
It gets better. It’s all FREE!
All of the presenters were excited to offer their expertise during these challenging times.
No worries, if you can’t make the presentations, they’ll be accessible for free for the first 24 hours after the presentation.
How do you sign up?
Right now, I am reserving VIP places, those who are the first to know about this special event.
You can go to the website below for more details and get your ticket. The waitlist changes over to regular registration February 5th. At that time the link will change.
https://lisajollimois.com/waitlist/
Join us in the fun!
In the meantime, here’s a few 5 tips that’ll help you make peace with your midlife.
- Acknowledge your feelings about your midlife. You can’t overcome what you don’t acknowledge.
- Self assess. What is eating at your core? How can you resolve some of those think?
- Look at midlife as an opportunity. Look at this time of life as a new beginning. It is not indulgence, it’s taking care of you.
- Take care of your health.
- Stay connected with other women who are in midlife. Together we’re better.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women. I help middle-age women who have been torn down by spousal abuse learn how to make life moving forward the best years ever. If you need help rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
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Big Hugs,
Dec 31, 2020 | Personal Development
“What You Resist Persists”.- C.G Jung
2020 is about to close. We are all ready to say good bye and in new hope for the coming year.
As I reflect back on the 2020, the one thing that comes to mind is how we all have had an escalation of emotion. For sure, this is one year we’ll never forget.
For me, this year was especially heightened with emotion. My youngest child who has Down Syndrome graduated from high school. With that milestone, new opportunities presented themselves, and despite the emotion we were experiencing collectively we made it to the end of 2020. Today Pat and I sat down for some lunch and talked about all the things we were grateful for in 2020 and paused for those who experienced hardship and loss during the year.
Collectively, we all lacked a sense of ease and calm. Our emotions were heighten, our lifestyles changed and as 2021 moves in there is still so much uncertainty.
With that said, I would like to give you some tips for you to nurture yourself as the new year rolls in.
So many of us struggle because we don’t acknowledge our feelings. This is clearly a skill we all need to learn so we can take better care of our selves and be emotionally happier and healthier.
I want you all to know that ease and calm are Super Powers we all have and we can access them. When you are in a state of ease and calm you can handle whatever is presented to you much better.
There are 5 essential steps to accessing this Super Power when you are feeling out of calm zone.
- Being able to label how you are feeling.
- Now that the feeling is identified, you must own that feeling.
- Own the experience by saying, I’m choosing to experience______________.
- Welcome the feeling.
- How does it feel in your physical body?
Sitting quietly with the feeling will help you move through it quicker than if you were to resist the emotion.
Happy New Year Everyone! Remember good things are coming…
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women. I help middle-age women who have been torn down by spousal abuse learn how to make life moving forward the best years ever. If you need help rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
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Big Hugs,
Nov 27, 2020 | Personal Development
Most of us allow the circumstances of our life to control us and shape our world, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve been conditioned to pay attention and give more attention to the things in our lives that cause us pain and suffering. We allow for those circumstances to occupy too much space in our brain.
I recently heard my mentor Martha Beck speak about this. Once you start to watch your own brain you see where you put up “statues”, huge monuments of suffering. We put up statues of people who have “burned us to the ground”, uprooted us from our happy homes, took our money, tried to strip everything that was good from us. We’ve been conditioned to pay a huge amount of attention to those who have been violent, and who have abused us emotionally.
We put up monuments of people who killed the most people. We’ve been trained as a culture to look at the people who cause destruction. Our news stories highlight negative happenings that infiltrate and mold our brain and we so often allow for too much of that precious space to be occupied.
But really, “It’s about the power of love instead of the power of power,” according to Elizabeth Lesser, author of Cassandra Speaks.
In the 1990’s psychologists suggested looking at what makes people happy instead of focusing on mental illness or negative. Prior to this time, this shift had never been done. We are a culture that looks at the destructive and negative. We must put enough attention to the goodness in your life as much as the badness.
The evidence is very strong that taking a look at what makes people happy and that having a different focus makes people happier and healthier.
1. The one single thing you can do to shift out of negative mode is pay more attention to goodness in life.
2. The one thing that was discovered that is the most happiness enhancing activity, and the most powerful single thing you can do to increase your own happiness over the next year. Take a moment to look at life enhancing people in our culture. Look at life enhancing people in our past, people who have given you positive things. It could be a small thing, but tell them how it impacted your life and perhaps changed your life. These people can be a grandparent, a teacher, a friend etc.
3. Write them a letter and tell them what they did to change your life. Send them the letter, or better yet, read it to them. (This year you may have to do FaceTime or Zoom.) This is your Gratitude letter.
4. Keep your attention on these people, their goodness, and remember what you are grateful for.
Studies have shown that people who wrote this type of emotion letter had much more happiness in their life over the next year than people who wrote just random letters.
Focusing on that special person, gets you thinking about the good they did you and writing it down allows the focus to use and occupy a different part of the brain. When you actually contact the person you tap into the social part of the brain and that impacts so much of who you are as a person. The actual reading of the letter magnifies the relationship and the joy you have both experienced. It’s definitely a force that is sustaining and has the capability of shifting the brain into joy and happiness.
Yesterday was our Thanksgiving here in the US. Many of us had the opportunity to sit down and reflect on what and who we are thankful for.
Today, I would like to challenge you to remember those thoughts of Thanksgiving or if you are not here in the US think and remember those things you are thankful for now.
Take the attention off of those who have tried to “burn you to the ground”. Hey, I hear you and I know those things need to be acknowledged and said, but today I’d like you to shift and focus on the good and those who have been good.
Write that gratitude letter. It’s the perfect time of year to give this gift not only to yourself, but to others.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women. I help middle-age women who have been torn down by spousal abuse learn how to make life moving forward the best years ever. If you need help rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
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Big Hugs,
Oct 29, 2020 | Personal Development
Hey friends!
Next week is election week here in the US. For those of you who live in the US, you get to cast your vote for a leader.
But, did you ever think about casting a vote for yourself?
Everyday you have the choice to check off the little box for yourself…
And, when you do…I guarantee amazing things can happen…
Because,
- You choose who you want to be
- How your going to show up for yourself
- And, how you react and respond to everything around you
You are more in control of your state of being, your life than you may think.
Whether you realize it or not, you are deciding everyday the direction of your life and how life treats you.
So, cast the vote for yourself and put yourself on the list as a high priority person.
And, don’t forget to check off the little box on that ballad everyday, for YOU!
Because,
- You can be in control of your life
- You can feel calm in the midst of chaos
- You can create a life that is TRUE to you, that will be amazing and unlike no other.
- Once you see you’re an amazing creator, amazing things will happen.
I’ll give you a personal example. We’ve created a new motto at our house. “When you show up for yourself, AMAAAZING things happen.”
This stemmed from my son Patrick who has Down syndrome seeing a positive result after showing up for himself when things were tough. There’s no double, things are very challenging for him and trying new things can be a huge hurdle. But, he has seen how showing up and challenging himself even when it’s hard that amazing things can happen in life.
I want to remind you that those amazing things can be little things. For my son, it’s showing up everyday for his online course even when it’s hard. For him, showing up has opened more doors and presented opportunities. It’s the constant checking off the box for yourself that overtime brings big results.
Take a moment to think about yourself.
How have you been hiding? What are some of the things you could do to show up more for yourself? What would your life be like if you started showing up?
You’re more in control of your life than you think.
What are some action steps that you can do to get closer to your goal?
Remember it’s time for you to cast your vote.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through a current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support getting out of your own way, naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
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Big Hugs,
Aug 15, 2020 | Personal Development
“The function of ritual, is to give form to human life, not in the way of a mere surface arrangement, but in depth.” – Joseph Campbell
A few years ago I saw how important rituals were in life and that rituals were essential to life balance – a key to a happy and successful life. A huge part of achieving this balance was to instill rituals and routine into my everyday life.
Like probably many of you, I strive to have that balance – a balanced diet, have time to myself, reflect, exercise, yoga or stretching, journaling, goal setting, time with children, all of those things the self help books tell us are good for us. Are you with me?
But, no way is it essential to have a pre prescribed formula of “to-do’s” to have that more balanced life. We all have the resources, an inner knowing that can create a life of more relevance, balance, and ritual.
I noticed during the pandemic, the things that were most essential stayed a part of my day, and others dropped out, beautiful new things came in, and changed as my whole rhythm of my day.
My day had more authentic ritualistic patterns that were filled with more joy, predictability, communion, reverence, and beauty in my life.
I don’t want to underestimate the loss and hardships many have had to endure during this time.
For sure Covid-19 has shifted a lot of things dramatically for many of us.
I want you to take a moment and think of some of the good things that have emerged since March.
The one thing I have added into my day that has become a daily ritual is swimming with a friend each morning in a private, sacred spot in nature. We’ll swim or you might call it water bathing for about an hour or so. It is refreshing, exhilarating, and great exercise. I look forward to this new ritual everyday. I absolutely love it.
It is the simple things that can be the most meaningful and eloquent... I dusted off my mother’s cast iron table and chair set and plopped it down among my flower garden. It’s been our favorite place to have dinner, enjoy a cool drink, or chat with a friend.
Although each of my days are slightly different, we definitely have a regular rhythm to our days. My son Patrick, who has Down Syndrome will be the first to keep us in the flow of those rhythms. By 3:00 pm the frozen chocolate protein shakes are made and ready to be served. It is time to relax and enjoy.
Our daily rhythm has changed as has my awareness of how important and significant ritual is for all of us. And, how it is every bit as essential and compelling as our need for food, shelter, and love. Ritual feels good. It’s instinctual. The practice provides a sense of comfort especially when times are uncertain.
Do you have rituals in your life?
Have you noticed or added rituals since the pandemic?
How are these rituals benefiting your life?
Maybe your ritual is having a cup tea and calling a friend each afternoon, or taking a walk on the beach each evening. The ritual is a time of rest and adds structure and predictability in life. When things are predictable and rhythmic, we truly relax. We all need that.
Cultures throughout the world have various practices of rituals and ceremonies to enhance creativity, joy, connection and spirituality. It is not surprising that throughout the world cultures acknowledge these practices as foundational.
Years ago I studied the works of German Philosopher, Rudolph Steiner, and his education model for young children. In a nutshell, much of his educational philosophy for young children was based on the unfolding of the child’s day, the predictability, and the need for celebration and ritual for creativity and healthy social development.
Rhonda Curtis wrote, “ritual expands our horizons to aspects of life beyond daily requirements.”” Rituals give the events we experience in our lives meaning, and our lives themselves a sense of purpose. Because a ritual requires preparation and thoughtfulness, they help us shift from “to-do” mode to “into doing”.
Take a moment to think about your day.
How do the things you do serve you?
Do you have rituals?
What things in your day are predictable?
What parts of your day are fun and bring you joy?
What part of your day is a struggle?
If you are struggling to find a ritual in your life, start by making something that brings you joy a ritual. A ritual doesn’t have to be a rigid ceremony to have value. Make whatever you choose a practice and before you know it, it’ll be a part of what you feel like you need to do. It takes only a few days to start this practice.
Ask a friend to partake in this practice with you. Rituals are not necessarily solitary. Share in this practice with another.
I would love to hear about your rituals. You can always email me at lisa@lisajollimois.com or comment below.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
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Big Hugs,
Jul 11, 2020 | Well being
Welcome to my Women to Women series where I interview guest speakers from around the world and share bits of their knowledge with you. I had the opportunity to interview a friend and fellow Wayfinder Coach Nancy McKay, who challenges us to explore our relationship with alcohol.
Nancy came to mind for the series when I saw a line outside of our state liquor store that to me, seemed a bit too long. Read on…
Lisa: Tell me about yourself and your outreach to women.
Nancy: I believe that you can’t be courageous without first being vulnerable.
I’ve been sober since March 14, 2009 and I’m an ovarian cancer survivor. Through the pain of these challenging and life changing events, I became acutely aware that life is short, and there was no time to lose to follow my dreams. I became a Certified Mind-Body-Eating Coach in 2018 and a Certified Wayfinder Life Coach in 2019.
I use my experience and my training to help women (primarily) and men who want to explore their relationship with alcohol. I work intently with my clients to challenge old beliefs and patterns and replace them with practices that empower them to achieve their desires around alcohol.
I host a weekly Facebook Live show (Thursday evenings, 5:15pm MDT), have a Facebook Group and write a blog, all with the same name: “Women & Alcohol”
Lisa: What was your turning point with alcohol and how did you become alcohol-free?
Nancy: I had a lot of warning signs along the way. I started getting curious and a little worried about my drinking 10 years or so before I quit. My last drink was on Friday, March 13, 2009. This was two years after my father committed suicide. I was wracked with guilt over his death and my drinking escalated greatly because of it. I quit because of my own suicide attempt forced me to see how desperate things had become. The gig was up.
Lisa: What are some of the things you do today to stay alcohol-free?
Nancy: Working with others who want to get and stay sober is part of my solution. I talk openly about my alcoholism and my passion and mission is to shatter the stigma that surrounds alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and addiction.
Lisa: How do you help other women who have a problem with alcohol?
Nancy; I use proven strategies, traditional methods and coaching tools to help women explore their relationship with alcohol. We uncover why they drink, what they’re thinking when they’re drinking, and what are the different results they want. It’s a process.
Lisa; How much is too much to drink? When do you know you have a problem?
Nancy: That’s a great question…it all depends. If negative things are happening in your life as a result of drinking, then that indicates that you’re drinking too much. Unfortunately, many people ignore the red flags.
Lisa: Many readers might have significant others who drink, do you work exclusively with women? Do you work with men?
Nancy: Yes, I work with men.
Lisa: What do you suggest to a woman if their significant other drinks?
Nancy: Set boundaries. Take care of yourself and your children. No one can change their spouse. We are only in control of ourselves. Al-Anon is a great resource for those who lives are affected by alcohol. If that isn’t a good fit, I have a coaching resource whose specialty is working with spouses, etc.
Lisa: What would you suggest to someone if they suspect they have a problem with alcohol? What is their first step?
Nancy: Recognizing that there is a problem is a huge step. If they think they have a problem, they probably do. Normal drinkers never wonder if they have a problem with alcohol. That being said, reaching out for help is the first step. Trying to do this on your own is very difficult. Of course, AA or rehab are the most traditional first steps, but many people don’t care for those options. People can work with therapists as well. Life/Recovery Coaches are probably the most effective and cost effective outside of AA, which is free. As a Certified Life Coach, I use a combination of my own experience, traditional recovery tools and extremely effective coaching tools to help my clients really dig into the reasons behind their drinking.
Lisa: What is the most exciting part of the work you do?
Nancy: When my clients hire me to be their guide on their journey of self-discovery and are willing to do the work that personal development demands, the transformation that takes place is amazing. Helping them to examine their thoughts and beliefs, witnessing their a-ha moments and watching them become empowered to change their lives is so rewarding.
Lisa: Who are your favorite influencers, bloggers, podcasters?
Nancy: My favorite authors in the recovery world are Laura McKowen (We Are the Luckiest), Annie Grace (This Naked Mind), and Holly Whitaker (Quit Like a Woman). Matt Salis is a friend who writes a great blog & is a podcaster (Sober and Unashamed).
Lisa: Tell me something about yourself that might be surprising.
Nancy: I’m a contributing author to Ready to Fly – Volume 3 (available through me at the moment – Amazon at a later date); Save July 22nd at 6pm MDT for our virtual launch party! I had my public speaking debut in March of this year. I loved it and hope to do a lot more of that in the future. In a former career I was a Kitchen & Bath Designer. I’m a weaver and I love needlepoint.
Thank you Nancy for taking the time for being vulnerable, share what you do, your life, and passion. Feel free to join Nancy for her Facebook group, Women & Alcohol for inquiry and support.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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Big Hugs,
Jun 30, 2020 | Personal Development, Special Needs
There’s no question we are living in changing times. So many of you have reached out with concerns, added anxiety, and worry. There’s no question in my mind that I have been challenged by all the uncertainty in the world. Overall, I live with a low-grade level of anxiety, but in the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen more anxiety and worry despite the fact I generally feel calm.
So many of us battle with anxiety often from various levels of worry and easily fall into the habit of worry without even knowing. It is easy to slip into the state of worry even when times aren’t so turbulent and when the world isn’t experiencing heightened anxiety and worry collectively. For sure, 2020 is certainly a year that has rocked our world and will produce dramatic changes that will shape our future in ways we have never expected.
Recently I had to make some changes in my life to rebalance and center myself so I wouldn’t feel immobilized by all thoughts in my brain that were sabotaging my calm. I recognized that world energy for the most part is one of anxiety, stress, and discord. It’s so easy to become a part of that collective energy when it’s everyplace you go and effects everything you do.
Here are some of the things I have done to help get myself back on track and little things that you can do to shield yourself from the excess that trickles into your life that isn’t serving you.
- I limit my news intake. I was finding I was getting caught up into too much bad news coverage. I would even get sucked up into the news highlights on my cell phone. After reading the coverage, I would feel nothing but disturbed and mad at myself for wasting my time and energy.
- I had to reclaim my regular routine (for some reason I was thrown off.) Some of the most essential components to my day are my morning stretch and exercise, and my morning journal reflection.
- I made a worry list. I made a column that is headed My List and a column God’s List. I place each worry in the appropriate column. All of Lisa’s List are things that I can control and take action on. Anything else that I don’t have control over goes in a column headed God’s List. This gives me a better perspective on what is really essential and what is out of my control. Each time I do this I find most of what I worry about is out of my control and I can’t do anything about it. I give it up to God and trust he’s got my back. There is so much we really do not have control over in this world.
- I have been making a conscious effort to get outside in nature and be with nature. I’ve been rearranging my flower gardens.
- I have limited my social media. I find that it is so easy to get pulled into everyone else’s business. I need to preserve myself, my self-care and focus on what is best for me right now.
Those are a few things that I do to reset, calm, and get the crazies out of my brain. But the most essential component is our family mantra, ‘Be here, NOW.” I think that says it all. If you can be wherever you are in that place complete and fully, in the present, your worries will vanish. It is the thoughts in your mind that are creating worry and anxiety. If you did not have any beliefs and lived in the present of time everything would be okay. There would be no worry. I know, that may seem strange to think about, right? I love these activities that challenge me in this way. It is hard to just “Be here NOW,” especially in these times. But, imagine if we practice these concepts now, just think how much better off we’ll be past all of these challenges we face here in 2020.
“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” Roy T. Bennett
Today I have a special guest and good friend, Michele Clock who emanates Bennett’s simple, but powerful wisdom. Michele is a part of my Woman to Woman series. I am featuring Michele this week because I am committed to representing all types of women, their journeys, talents, and passions.
I met Michele years ago at a special needs conference where she was speaking. We both have children with special needs so she is a part of my local community and network. I chose to feature Michele for my series because she has a vibrant outlook, a zest for life, and I have never heard her express a worry. The unique thing about Michele is she is visually impaired.
Lisa: Michele, tell us about you.
Michele: I was born with poor visual acuity, corrective lenses were always an option for me until a series of medical events over the past 15-20 years caused me to tolerate vision correction less and less. Over the years, I earned my M.S. at UNH in Communication and Sciences Disorders and have worked in both public and private schools as an ASHA certified Speech and Language Pathologist. I am most proud of being the mother to my beautiful, compassionate, 15-year-old daughter, who was born prematurely, resulting in a host of medical conditions, including Cerebral Palsy. There was a time that I had to transition from what I perceived as a comfortable and successful world to a world where my visual acuity was plagued by double vision and visual perceptual/processing challenges; to a world with a contracted visual field and eyes seeing 20/700 at best. That has been scary.
Lisa: How did you gracefully accept the challenge of the changes in your vision?
Michele: Don’t we all have challenges? I have come to realize that, it is how we choose to face these challenges, accept the hand that we are dealt, and live that makes the difference. For many years, I lived in fear, allowing myself to be a victim of perceived limitations and feeling a lack of support, not anymore.
Lisa: What is the one thing that helped you transition successfully?
Michele: It was my daughter’s developmental ophthalmologist, taking me on as a patient 12 years ago, and after multiple attempts at vision therapy, including prisms and exercises, she recommended I reach out to Hadley for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Lisa: How did Hadley change your life?
Michele: It was a true gift. It was a journey of understanding and gratitude for me. I have always been a learner, but the opportunities I had at Hadley School for the Blind and Visually Impaired opened more doors for where I was right now. The courses and workshops have helped me to be independent again. I no longer live in fear. The classes I have taken have allowed me to find myself again and to better parent my daughter, which means the world to me. I am better able to advocate for myself and for my daughter. I have a tremendous community of friends and supports that I did not have prior to my acquaintance with Hadley. A supportive community is worth a lot. There is truly a gift in every situation in life you just have to look for it.
Lisa: What is the one lesson you have learned through this personal journey?
Michele: Controlling what I can and letting go of what I cannot control.
Lisa: If you could share one thing with women in my community what would it be?
Michele: Off the top of my head, there are a few, effective communication is essential, leaning on facts eases the worrying, and choose gratitude.
Lisa: Do you feel judged by other people?
Michele: I use a white cane for mobility and safety. I cannot control what others think, I am in control of me. If someone asks me questions then I am happy to share about my journey, but I choose to move forward for myself and my own health and well being. I do not see myself as disabled, I just find a way that works for me like any other person navigating life.
Lisa: Can you give us a glimpse of how you have to have adapted your life to give us more understanding?
Michele: Try to imagine this….to overcome your fear… play a game of beep baseball, cook a meal blindfolded, ski down a mountain eyes closed using only a headset with auditory connections.
Lisa: Wow! That gives perspective.
Lisa: What are you really good at?
Michele: Being positive, finding a way to make things work, not being limited by society, or a diagnosis. A diagnosis is just information or an explanation, not an excuse for either me or society. I have a mindset of no boundaries or limitations, to continue to learn and grow.
Lisa: I love that. As your friend, I see those things in you and that is why I wanted to interview you and share your story with my community.
Lisa: Who inspires you most these days?
Michele: I love Hadley Podcasts, Northeast Passage, Maine Adaptive sports, Aphasia Center of Maine, Love Your Brain Yoga, Faces of TBI, a brain injury podcast I follow.
Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that might surprise people.
Michele: I am a watercolor artist, Speech/Language Pathologist, Yoga Instructor, and a Parent Advocate-Parent Information Center, NH
Thank you so much, Michele, for your time and energy. You are definitely an inspiration and a talented woman who has gone from worry to being a powerful creator.
I hope this series has been useful and inspiring for you all.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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Big Hugs,
Jun 7, 2020 | Well being
Welcome to my Women to Women series where I interview guest speakers from around the world and share bits of their knowledge with you. I had the opportunity to interview Krista Cumming, a certified Sleep Science Coach. Krista gives us all hope that we can all sleep sound once again.
I thought the interview with Krista was well needed. I will be the first to admit, these uncertain and troubling times haven’t been the best for my sleep. Let’s start!
Lisa: Tell us more about yourself and your journey to becoming a sleep consultant.
Krista: I live outside of Toronto, Ontario. I have been married for 27 years and have two children, one son, and one daughter. I have been in the health and wellness field for over 30 years. I completed my bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, became a dental hygienist, a registered nutritional therapist, and a Certified Sleep Science Coach. I have helped many people achieve their specific health goals. I enjoy reading, taking long daily walks, and researching women’s health and hormones. I love to travel and look forward to being able to do this once again.
Lisa: If you feel like you had a “calling” to pursue this kind of work, what did that feel like for you?
Krista: I was a dental hygienist for over 27 years when I started getting the signs. You know, those “little feelings” that tell you that you need to make a change. I wished that these feelings would go away but they didn’t. I was content with my job. I liked my coworkers and my patients that I had developed a long-standing relationship with. But I kept getting these feelings that I should retire from my dental hygiene career and start an online business that would help middle-aged women fall asleep. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy! And it was for me too. I had heard friends, family members, and patients complain about how tired they were and how difficult it was for them to get a good night’s sleep. I too had had some sleep struggles which I figured out on my own. Was I meant to share what I learned? To be perfectly honest I didn’t make a decision right away. I am a practical person and weighed out the pros vs. cons too many times to count and really tried to convince myself why this would not be a good time to retire from a perfectly good job. But deep down I knew that was not the reason why I didn’t want to retire. It was because I was terrified. Fear was keeping me stuck. I finally had the much-needed conversation with myself and asked, if not now, when? I chose not to renew my dental hygiene license at registration time. I was 100% into helping midlife women fall asleep and stay asleep.
Lisa: What steps did you take to transition from one career to the next?
Krista: I transitioned to my new career by becoming certified in sleep science and researching everything I could find on sleep for midlife women. Through my research, I believed that many sleep struggles women faced were largely due to hormonal imbalances. I had been studying hormones on my own for years and understood how hormones and sleep are closely intertwined. I put all of my knowledge and learning into developing a sleep program specifically designed for midlife women. This program gives women the learning and action steps to be able to shift their hormones naturally, allowing sleep to come easier and be more restorative.
Lisa: What are the common complaints that women have regarding their sleep?
Krista: The most common complaints that midlife women face regarding their sleep are difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Some women find they are “wired but tired” and can’t fall asleep as their minds are racing and they can’t relax. Some women awake during the night between 1-3 am and can’t fall back to sleep, often for hours.
Lisa: How much sleep is enough sleep and when do we get the best sleep?
Krista: I recommend getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This will allow your body to receive all of the benefits of restorative sleep which are tremendous. My recommendation is to be in bed by 10 pm. I realize this may not be possible each night due to social obligations but use this as a guide. One of the most important things you can do to help your sleep is to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
Lisa: What are the primary causes of sleep disruption?
Krista: Sleep disruption can occur for a variety of reasons. High-stress hormones (cortisol), low melatonin, prescription medications, unstable blood sugar levels, pain, anxiety/depression, lack of sunlight, temperature changes, and fluctuating/declining estrogen and progesterone levels can all have an impact on our sleep.
Lisa: If you were to suggest one thing that we could all do to improve our sleep what would that be?
Krista: My one suggestion to everyone who wants to improve their sleep is to make it a bigger priority. In our modern world, most women are overcommitted and often have distractions. Sleep is an afterthought when everything else is completed. I think midlife is an opportunity to prioritize ourselves and really understand what we need and want and not be shy asking for it!
Lisa: Is sleep disruption or having difficulty falling asleep reversible?
Krista: Having difficulty falling asleep is absolutely reversible! Our bodies are designed to sleep throughout our entire lifespan. When hormones are balanced sleep will become easier to achieve and it will be more restorative. There are many things we can do daily to optimize our hormones to help us sleep, most are free and accessible to everyone.
Lisa: Who are the influencers, bloggers, and podcasters that you follow?
Krista: I follow a variety of people. Some are business-related, others are in the health and wellness space and some I find entertaining. I enjoy the Sheri and Nancy show (great podcast for midlife women), Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Dr. Anna Cabecca, Amy Porterfield, Lori Kennedy, and Jenna Kutcher.
Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that we may not know.
Krista: I have decided to stop colouring my grey hair! I am in the early transition stage and it is not easy. It takes time and patience. I have coloured my hair for over 30 years and I must say it feels freeing to no longer do this. It is something I have considered for years and with the quarantine, in effect, it seemed like the perfect time to begin. Wish me luck!
Thank you Krista for taking this time to help us begin to understand some of the reasons for sleep disruption during midlife and for letting us know there is help. To learn more about Krista join her “I just want to sleep.” community on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/460599001250348/ Or email her directly for more information at krista@mymidlifementor.com
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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Big Hugs,
May 28, 2020 | Health and Fitness
Hello Friends!
Welcome my Women to Women series where I interview guest speakers from around the world and share their knowledge with you. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Christa Povec, owner of Christa Povec Nutrition. She had some great tips for you all and encourages women to have faith that you can be healthier and fit at any age.
I have had the privilege of knowing Christa for a while, now let me introduce you to Christa Povec.
Lisa: Tell us about yourself and how you started your company.
Christa: I have been interested in nutrition and fitness for years, got certified, and coached one-on-one for about 10 years. I recently started a YouTube education channel all about my experience with keto.
Lisa: What is your biggest personal fitness challenge and how do you manage it?
Christa: My biggest challenge is writing my own workouts. I will definitely make my workouts way too long or way too easy…I need a trainer to keep me dialed in for sure.
Lisa: What do you think is the one thing middle-aged women are challenged by regarding health and fitness?
Christa: Honestly I think it’s their own self-limiting beliefs. The women I have worked with all start out not giving themselves enough credit, or they tell me what they can’t do before we even get started. As women, we already overcome so much, I don’t know why we sell ourselves short so quickly.
Lisa: How do you help them overcome it?
Christa: I ask clients to trust me. I ask them to allow me to take them through baby steps and when they start giving me excuses I start getting tougher lol.
Lisa: What do you think is most important, exercise or diet, and why?
Christa: The one you will do consistently. That might sound trite, but it’s true. Pushups have been called the “all-over, if-you-never-do-another-exercise-again-do-this-one exercise”…but if I only do them once a month, they won’t cut it. But I will say if you don’t have a passion for changing your physique, at least keep your extra weight off with walking. Walking is awesome for maintaining muscle, all your metabolic body functions, cardio health, and it is non-compensatory…meaning it won’t stimulate your appetite. You can walk 3 miles and you won’t feel like running to the fridge for a reward snack.
Lisa: There is a lot of talk about KETO. What is Keto and is Keto healthy for women?
Christa: Keto or the ketogenic diet was first developed in 1911 to mimic what the effects of starvation could do for epilepsy. Keto has been revisited decade after decade by clinical nutritionists and endocrinologists because of its subsequent health benefits that continue to be discovered. Some of the most recent ones, of course, are fat loss and an improved lipid panel and blood pressure, some newer ones that are being looked at are a reversal of type 2 diabetes, anti-cancer, anti-aging, cellular repair, improved cognitive function, and better sleep. For women who want to start keto I tell them that there are definitely many benefits, but like any other diet, please don’t “go hard”. Keto can cause electrolyte imbalances and hormone imbalances that you need to take slowly under consideration from a physician or a coach or a great educational book.
Lisa: What does a balanced diet look like for women who want to lose weight?
Christa: The way I was originally trained by Mark Macdonald is to pair your foods into 3s, small amounts of proteins, fats, and carbs at each meal. What I have found for my clients who are a little older is that they don’t always need starchy carbs at every meal so the green leafy carbs or lighter fruits for many of their meals, spaced a few hours apart work great! This keeps an even blood sugar level all day and many people stay satiated and energized this way. Proteins for muscle, fats for hormones, and carbs for energy!
Lisa: What is the best way to retain and build muscle as we get older?
Christa: Prioritize protein. I like to get around .8-1g of protein per lean body mass…figure most women have 30-35% body fat on average in the middle of their lives. So If you’re 150 pounds, maybe you’ve got 100 pounds lean mass, eat around 80-100g of protein throughout the day, and be sure to do weight-bearing exercise like walking and even better do bodyweight exercises or lift :o)
Lisa: What are some tips on how to handle cravings for sweets?
Christa: So many different ways, you really have to find what works for you. Too many fake sweeteners aren’t the answer though. I like to give in to one or two sweet treats per week and just take responsibility for it. The rest of the week I don’t eat many sweets so I don’t feed the craving. Ask yourself why you want that sweet? Is your cortisol high from stress or too little of sleep or too much caffeine? Can you talk yourself out of it or go for a walk? Is this a special occasion where we are making memories? maybe have a few bites of birthday cake…but if it’s getting to be pretty frequent, start looking at what else is going on.
Lisa: How long do we need to exercise to maintain muscle and lose fat?
Christa: If you are short on time you can throw in a quick Tabata workout a couple of times per week, (you have to go hard here for the full effect) but I really like to tell people to commit to at least 30 minutes of something, 4-5 days per week for a good 30 days. I personally wake up early to get a full hour of movement, but I really enjoy it and have done it for years. If you are starting at zero, and you just commit to a daily 15-minute walk you will see fat loss in a couple of weeks.
Lisa: Who are the influencers, bloggers, and podcasters that you follow?
Christa: I am following a lot of keto influencers right now and attending conferences around that topic. I follow Dr. Ryan Lowry (Ketogenic.com), Dr. Jaime Seeman (Doctor Fit and Fabulous), Danny and Maura Vega (Fat Fueled Family), Robert, and Crystal Sikes (Keto Savage), Thomas DeLauer.
Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t know.
Christa: I started my nutrition journey so I could give my kids the proper information and self-confidence so they wouldn’t have to go through the self-doubt, diets, and tribulations I put upon myself when I was growing up…and at 19 and 15, many soccer teams, football teams, and track days later, I think we dodged the bullet!
Thank you Christa for offering us your time and expertise regarding nutrition, and Keto for a cleaner living with some basic fitness tips. Thanks for reminding us all about how important protein is to consume throughout the day. To learn more about Christa and how you can make a clean Keto meal visit her website at Christapovec.com
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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Big Hugs,
May 18, 2020 | Style
Hello hello!
If you’re anything like me you are tired of this corona lifestyle, and your corona clothing.
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Imogen Lamport, an award-winning and internationally known personal stylist, and image consultant.
The interview with Imogen was a well-needed change of pace out of my corona mind, and into the world of personal shape, style, color, and dressing to what feels good to me now without frumpiness. Are you ready for some fun? Read more.
Lisa: Let me tell you more about Imogen and what inspired her to build her business, Inside Out Style, and blog.
Imogen: I became an image consultant after being fascinated by the why of style – from why certain clothes did or didn’t suit different body shapes, to why colour has such a big effect on how we look.
I’ve always known that what you wear changes how you’re perceived by others, as well as impacting on how you feel about yourself, your self-esteem, and confidence.
When I discovered that there was training to teach the art and science of colour and style, I realised that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I started sharing what I had learned to help empower other women to gain control rather than be at the mercy of the fashion industry – falling for every fad. We are not taught what works for our unique being in school or university.
It’s a skill some find more natural and others (like me) need to spend some time learning and experimenting to understand the why as well as the how and what to wear to make you feel authentic in your own clothes.
I felt inspired to start writing Inside Out Style when I discovered what blogs were back in 2008 and realised that this was a way I could educate and empower women globally, not just the ones she sees for personal consultations or those who I train to become image consultants through my Academy of Professional Image at www.aopi.com.au
Lisa: Imogen, what is the favorite part of your business, and why?
Imogen loves the feedback she gets from women who have gone through her style programs both in personal and online in 7 Steps to Style who discover why clothes they have bought sit unloved in their wardrobes. “Women have so many aha moments and they tell me about how learning to become stylish on their own terms has had a positive impact on their whole lives. It’s the ripple effect of personal style,” says Imogen. https://insideoutstyleblog.com/7-steps-to-style-system
Lisa: What is some advice you can give women who have put on weight, and feel like nothing fits them right in their closet?
Imogen: Learn about the body you have right now and what flatters it. Your value does not come from your weight or being a certain clothing size. You are important and treating yourself to clothes that flatter your figure right now will help you feel better and improve your self-esteem. Start by taking my body shape quiz to see if your shape has changed and then download my body shape bible for your shape so you can find out the simple guidelines to flattering the body you have today. https://www.insideoutstyleblog.com/2016/03/want-to-figure-out-your-body-shape-try-my-quiz.html
Lisa: What is the best thing to do when you don’t like anything in your closest, feel outdated, and you want a new look, but don’t know where to start?
Imogen: Firstly, start with understanding what it is you don’t love about anything you have already – what is wrong with the clothes? Take out your least favorite items and write down everything about them that you don’t like. Put this in your “never again” list.
Then, if you do have some garments you love, or can remember some you’ve had in the past that you loved, write down in a “Love It” list all the features and details about that garment (or garments). Think about the fit, the fabric, colours, shapes, patterns, how the fabric feels, how it looks, how it makes you feel when wearing it.
You now have two lists that are really important to you that you can use when shopping for new clothes. Never ever again buy anything from your “Never Ever” list, and make sure that everything you buy ticks your “Love It”. https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2016/09/how-to-build-your-style-from-ground-zero.html
Develop a Style Recipe to help you express your authentic style to make sure you don’t go wrong when choosing new clothes. https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2020/03/developing-your-style-recipe.html
Start with a wardrobe capsule so you get ultimate versatility and maximum outfits from your small wardrobe as you rebuild. https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2016/06/5-excellent-reasons-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe.html
Lisa: Can you help us understand some fashion no no’s that make us look older than our age?
Imogen: I’m not a big believer in any particular fashion no-no’s. I know women in their 70s who rock jeans and leather jackets as they are expressing their personality through their clothing choices.
The only caveat I’d say is that if you’re dressing in a way that is trying to look young rather than embracing the amazing woman you are today, that can just look a little desperate and sad.
That said, I see more women who dress too old and frumpy for fear of dressing too young (mutton dressed as lamb as we say).
When you dress for the body you have today in clothes that flatter it and ones that express your personality. I think that as women age they become more sophisticated. Avoiding baggy, saggy, frumpy clothes in old fashioned fabrics will go a long way to looking modern. If you’ve been wearing the same garment for more than 10 years, ask someone younger than you who is stylish for their honest feedback on it and whether or not it’s dated (and dated makes you look old).
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2014/11/7-top-tips-to-what-dates-and-what-becomes-timeless.html
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2012/11/when-is-it-time-to-let-go-of-the-trends-you-love.html
Lisa: What are your #1 style and fashion tips for women?
Imogen: Dress for you who are today. Clothing choices are all made from the past. Everything in your wardrobe was bought in the past. https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2018/02/how-to-build-a-future-focused-wardrobe.html
It’s good to reassess what you own and reflect on whether what you have in your wardrobe is still a representation of who you are today. Whether it still suits the body you have today and the colouring that you have right now (as colours change with age). Ask yourself “can I imagine wearing this again in the future?” as often old favorites that we are not wearing were great at the time, but are just not who we are now and it’s good to let them go. Regular wardrobe edit sessions are a really important part of maintaining and updating your style over time.
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2014/11/should-you-keep-it-or-bin-it.html
Lisa: Is there a universal accessory that all women should own and how would you wear it?
Imogen: Nope. I don’t believe in any sort of “must-have” list. Apart from needing clothing – so that we are “not naked” there is no one thing everyone should own and wear.
Your authentic style is different from mine.
Your body, face, colouring, and features will be different from mine.
Your personality is different from mine – so how could there be anything that is universal that all women should be wearing?
If someone tells you that there is something all women should own – this should set off alarm bells and let you know that there is money in it for them if you buy that thing!
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2018/08/express-your-personality-style.html
Lisa: What if you don’t like a fashion trend, but want to look in the now. Do you ditch it?
Imogen: There are always lots of fashion trends at any one time. The more you know about what suits you and your unique features and personality, the more easily you’ll find yourself able to select from any current trends the pieces that are a great representation of you, that suit your style, without ever looking fashion victim.
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2017/03/how-to-balance-fashion-trends-with-flattery.html
Lisa: What are some must-know tips when putting an outfit together?
Imogen: There is no one way to put together an outfit. But there is one big tip that is worth adhering to – and that is – to dress your portrait first.
What I mean by portrait are your head and shoulders.
Most women dress from “most hated body part” up. They dress to camouflage body parts, to hide.
Instead, learn what elements of design flatter you and your features, and then dress to enhance them. Always put a feature element in your portrait area as this creates a focal point that draws us up to your face.
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2014/06/why-you-should-dress-your-portrait-first.html
https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2016/04/if-youre-looking-in-my-eyes-youre-not-looking-at-my-thighs.html
Lisa: Who are your favorite and most influential/authors//bloggers/podcaster experts?
Imogen: Brene Brown, Amy Cuddy, Daniel Pink, and Susan Cain.
Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know.
Imogen: I find this question very hard to answer as I’m an open book and have shared so much on my blog about me personally. So what you may not know is that I’ve got a bit of a potty mouth and a quirky sense of humor and also am a total weeper. I cry at anything slightly emotional. I remember when I was pregnant with my son, a TV ad for washing powder came on TV and I remember blubbing because it was “kind to skin”.
Thank you so much Imogen for offering us your style advice. Imogen shared so much more in her links. I hope you had an opportunity to click on them and take in all her tips to looking and feeling your best at any age.
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
Follow me on Facebook !
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Big Hugs,
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