Mind Declutter with Athea Davis

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about discovering your inner spark.   My special guest this week is Jessica Mougis, the creator and host of The Kids Yoga Podcast, a podcast about all things kids yoga! Jessica Mougis has been working with children and families since she graduated from Connecticut College in 2007. She began by teaching creative movement, ballet and modern dance. In 2009 she took a brief hiatus and followed her dream of attending film school in Sedona, AZ. There she had the honor of winning the Pinnacle Award for Best Director. Upon moving to NYC, Jessica realized how much she missed working with children and knowing the impact yoga had on her own life, she began teaching children's yoga. As Director of Programs of Yogi Beans, she taught yoga and mindfulness to thousands of children in schools and studios around NYC. She also trained adults to teach yoga to children both nationally and internationally. She is 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga certified through Laughing Lotus Yoga Center. In 2016, Jessica founded Jem Yoga NYC, a kids yoga company that provides yoga classes to children and families in NYC schools and studios. And in 2020, Jessica began The Kids Yoga Podcast, a passion project she'd been dreaming up for years.Jessica and I talk about: ~ her journey into creating the The Yoga Podcast; ~ what it means to follow our inner voice; ~ how to connect to our creative journey; ~ how mindfulness + yoga practices have helped her reach her goals, including developing positive relationships with herself and others; ~ her go-to self-care practices right now; ~ and so much more! Connect with Jessica Mougis 👉 Website and InstagramIf you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at www.atheadavis.com. Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! In this podcast episode, I’m sharing a self-reflection practice to help you start your new year from a place of balance and alignment instead of operating on autopilot.  Christina Sell taught me this practice several years ago. I also had her on the podcast a couple of years ago to talk about yoga and what it means to live a life of wholeness and freedom. You can check out our conversation (note: we don’t talk about the self-reflection practice on that episode) on Ep. 20: Wholeness and Freedom with Christina Sell. The self-reflection practice is called PIES. It’s an acronym that represents the four main domains of our human development: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. It will help you tune into what you need in each of these domains to be in balance and in alignment with your most authentic self. You can use this practice to create your 2022 life’s vision, or for different phases of your life when you feel your needs are changing. This is also a great practice for each day or as an end of the week reflection, or beginning of the week intention setting. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments I would love to hear from you: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at www.atheadavis.com. Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking how we can connect to our inner wisdom.  My special guest this week is internationally-renowned wisdom teacher, author, and speaker Sophie McLean. Born in Algeria, educated in Morocco and France, and with a professional career in the USA and UK, Sophie McLean has had an eventful life. She’s been a helicopter pilot, a teacher, a designer, a relief worker, a war refugee, and a CEO. She’s been shot at, shipwrecked, and widowed. She lived on a farm, a boat, a penthouse, and an ashram. As a wisdom teacher, Sophie spend decades leading transformational seminars to over 80,000 people around the world of all ethnicities, ages, religions, and social backgrounds – all engaged with the universal existential question of “Who am I?” and “What is my life about?”Now after seven years in France, Sophie McLean is in New York City to begin Act III of her life – speaking, consulting, writing, and teaching courses and online seminars within the framework of Access to Awareness. Her seminar topics span both human and metaphysical dimensions – deconstructing the automatic ego, consciousness, freedom, love, stress, anxiety, fear, relationships, health, sex, money, ownership, spirituality, creation and evolution, the feminine and masculine, being responsible, and making a difference in the world – and being effective at it. Sophie new book, The Elegance of Simplicity, is a compelling, thought-provoking work of autobiographical fiction, one that communicates life-altering concepts proposing an effortless pathway to awareness. It’s deeply honest and dramatic story of self-discovery, about what’s possible when you take responsibility, own your power, and become one with life.  Sophie and I talk about: ~ her eclectic background and the events that sparked her spiritual journey; ~ the universal existential questions of “Who am I?” and “What is my life about?”; ~ transforming our pain and suffering; ~ what a personal life review is and how to take one right now; ~ what she does to keep her spirit vibrant and full of life; ~ and so much more! Connect with Sophie McLean 👉 Website and LinkedIn.If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful lConnect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about self-reliance, retreat, and inner power. My special guest this week is nature writer, David Gessner. How has the tragic experience of COVID-19 changed the way we live—and the way we want to live—for those of us lucky enough to have made it through? When the pandemic struck, acclaimed nature writer David Gessner turned to Henry David Thoreau, the original social distancer, for insights and a wide-ranging conversation across the centuries. The resulting book, QUIET DESPERATION, SAVAGE DELIGHT: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis , is a lyric yet urgent meditation on life and this earth which includes lessons about rediscovering our own backyards, self-reliance, and rewilding—the last especially poignant after a year of environmental healing. David Gessner is the author of Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness and the New York Times–bestselling All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner and the American West. Chair of the Creative Writing Department at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and founder and editor-in-chief of Ecotone, Gessner lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, with his wife, the novelist Nina de Gramont, and their daughter, Hadley.David and I talk about: ~ his journey into becoming a nature writer; ~ his new book, Quiet Desperation, Savage Delight: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis; ~ COVID-19, self-reliance, and the environment; ~ the concept of re-wilding; ~ the healing power of nature and finding solace in your own “back yard oasis”; and ~ so much more! It was such an insightful conversation. I hope you gain a ton of value from it. If you loved this episode, please share with a friend or family member that could gain value from it too. Make sure to get a copy of David’s book and give one to the nature lovers in your life! Connect with David Gessner 👉 Website and Twitter.If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about inclusive affirmations for kids and the mindfulness resource deck you must add to your holiday gift list. My guest this week is author and creator, Fionna Wright. Fionna and Madison wrote 100 Days Inside as a special mother-daughter project during their time at home (during the pandemic), and the story is based on their experience, and all the big emotions that came with it. They wanted to create a book where their diverse aesthetic and co-parenting family dynamic was represented in a positive light. Fionna and Madison have extended that into their newly released project, Mindful Littles: Daily Affirmations for Kids. The deck of cards aims to be diverse and inclusive so that every little one feels represented while they practice mindfulness. This mother-daughter duo is creating the change they want to see. Fionna and I talk about: ~ her family’s journey into mindfulness; ~ her personal experience, and the BIG emotions that came with it, during the pandemic; ~ inclusion and representation in mindfulness resources; ~ the Mindful Littles affirmation project; ~ so much more! It was such a warm and insightful conversation. I hope you gain a ton of value from it. Definitely stock up on her card deck, Mindful Littles: Daily Affirmations for Kids, for all the kids, coaches, and educators in your life for the holidays. Connect with Fionna Wright 👉 Website and Instagram. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at www.atheadavis.com. Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about higher education in prison, and why it’s an important policy initiative to help incarcerated young people to begin their life’s journey again, and to live a meaningful life steeped in the values of truth, responsibility, and freedom. My guest this week is Patrick Rodriguez.   Patrick was released from prison in December 2019, and since then, he has worked to serve those who have been impacted by the prison system. Working as both the Co-Executive Director for the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison and the Director of Special Projects for Common Good Atlanta, he has learned what it takes to implement prison college-accredited programs and support formerly incarcerated students who are seeking to navigate the university space. He was selected out of 432 applicants to be one of eight Justice Fellows with the Education Trust. The goals of this fellowship consistent of understanding policy at the intersection of higher Education and Incarceration. While thinking of ways to push legislation and policy, Patrick has been accepted to the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials’ Institute for Leadership. This is so that he can understand the intersection of Latino people and the political system and how to advocate for more prison education programs. Patrick is currently pushing policy that will ban the box that asks if you have been convicted of a crime on college applications in the state of Georgia. Patrick is currently majoring in organizational and professional communication at Kennesaw State University, will graduate in Spring of 2022 and will attend graduate school in the fall 2022.Patrick and I talk about: ~ his background growing up and the series of choices that led him into the prison system;  ~ his release from prison in 2019 and his desire to serve those impacted by the prison system;  ~ how prison impacted his mind and moral compass;  ~ what caused him to focus on the intersection of higher education and incarcerated youth;~ what keeps him focused, inspired and motivated; and ~ so much more! It was such an insightful conversation. Patrick is up to some amazing work. I hope you gained a ton of value from it and enjoyed listening to Patrick’s story. Please consider supporting his work. Connect with Patrick Rodriguez 👉 InstagramIf you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grConnect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Description:Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about grief, loss, and meaning. My guest this week is author, Maryanne O’Hara.  Maryanne O’Hara is the author of LITTLE MATCHES: A Memoir of Grief and Light. Her daughter Catlin died at 33, after a lifetime of living with Cystic Fibrosis and a harrowing last two years waiting for a lung transplant that finally came but was unsuccessful. In her grief and search for answers, Maryanne trained as an end-of-life doula. Her favorite aspect was creating legacy projects, something she didn’t do with Caitlin because of her single-minded focus on her survival. She planned to do it with her mother, but with a sudden illness in the midst of Covid, that opportunity slipped awayMaryanne O’Hara is also the author of the novel Cascade – the Boston Globe Book Club’s inaugural pick, a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, and a People Book of the Week. The former associate fiction editor of Ploughshares, she has taught creative writing at Emerson College and Clark University, and has had her writing recognized by the artist grants programs of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the St. Botolph Club Foundation. Little Matches is based on the 9LivesNotes blog she kept while her daughter, Caitlin, waited for a lung transplant. O’Hara is a Reiki master and was recently certified by the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine as an end-of-life doula so that she might better speak to the state of end-of-life care in our culture. Maryanne and I talk about: ~ her journey with her daughter when diagnosed with cystic fibrosis; ~ what challenge has taught her about life, death, and fear; ~ what it means to “grow the soul”; ~ end-of-life doula work and life interviews; ~ her new book, Little Matches:  A Memoir of Grief and Light~ and so much more! It was such a moving conversation filled with so much depth, love, and meaningful insights.  I hope you gain a ton of value from it. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a friend or family member, and make sure to purchase a copy of Maryanne’s new book, Little Matches. Connect with Maryanne O’Hara 👉 Website and InstagramIf you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how educators and students can ignite their shine in the classroom through brain-powered learning. My guest this week is LaVonna Roth, creator of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. for schools. As a former elementary and secondary educator, keynote speaker, author, consultant and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with education and shows every individual how to S.H.I.N.E. through their mindset and social-emotional well-being so achievement soars for all. She is the founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® framework and creator of brain-powered learning.  To elevate educators further, LaVonna teaches educators how to get into educational consulting – part-time or full-time - through her Prime to S.H.I.N.E. consulting course and membership site. LaVonna will leave you inspired, remembering why you got into education, and how to create substantial change in your classroom, district or organization that is sustainable. She is here to serve you, so you can effectively serve your students through the lens of brain research, social-emotional needs and psychological safety.  LaVonna and I talk about: ~ her journey into education; ~ how mindset and social and emotional learning impact achievement; ~ brain-powered learning and her SHINE framework that fosters it; ~ a new book project she’s working on; ~ her tips to stay inspired and what is currently keeping her mindset strong; ~ and so much more! It was such a great conversation. I hope you gain a ton of value, and if you or your school are ready to dive deeper into brain-powered learning, definitely connect with LaVonna to bring her S.H.I.N.E. framework to your school. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a friend or family member. To connect with LaVonna Roth, click the links below. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea Connect with LaVonna Roth 👉 Instagram and Website. P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at www.atheadavis.com. Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about teacher self-care and how teachers can continue to do what they love while also prioritizing and loving themselves. My guest this week is teacher, author, and wellness advocate, Danielle Nuhfer. She’s been teaching for twenty (20) years, studying mindfulness for ten (10), and combining those fields for five (5). She is also the founder of Teaching Well. As an ICF-certified coach and Mindful Schools instructor, Danielle provides teacher wellness coaching and other services to time-crunched teachers trying to find time for self-care. Danielle and I talk about: ~ the four (4) noble truths of teaching; ~ doing the inner work of the educator; ~ the impact of self-inquiry work on students and classroom culture; ~ how you can choose calm over chaos; ~ her new book, The Path of the Mindful Teacher; and ~ and so much more! It was such a great conversation. I hope you gain a ton of value and discover tools to help you with your own self-care so you can continue to do what you love. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a friend or family member. The code to receive a discount for Danielle’s new book is: ATHEA25. You will receive 25% off The Path of the Mindful Teacher and any other books in her publisher’s well-being collection. To connect with Danielle Nuhfer, click the links below. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea Connect with Danielle Nuhfer 👉 Instagram and Website. P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisTake one of my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and purchase my books and products + grab your free mindful living guide at www.atheadavis.com. Connect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about mindful breathing tools for teens.   I'm  so excited to have my friend and colleague, Matt Dewar, Ed.D., back on the show this week! We had such a great conversation talking about mindful breathing tools for teens and his new book, The Mindful Breathing Workbook for Teens. Motivated by his own personal struggle with anxiety as a young adult and informed by almost two decades of teaching mindfulness and emotional intelligence in schools, Dr. Matt Dewar’s message is simple: Through increased awareness, knowledge, and skill, you have the ability to transform stress and adversity into emotional strength and resilience. Dr. Dewar has shared his message with Fortune 500 executives, collegiate and professional athletes, and school districts across the country. He is the former president of the Coalition for Schools Educating Mindfully and the author of The Mindful Breathing Workbook for Teens (2021) and Education and Well-Being: An Ontological Inquiry (2016). His work has been featured on TEDx, NPR, Thrive Global, and the National Wellness Institute. Matt and I talk about: ~ his new book, The Mindful Breathing Workbook for Teens;~ how and why mindfulness practices can be such a positive force in a teen’s life; ~ why parent modeling of mindfulness and emotional intelligence is vital for a teen’s success~ the mechanics of mindful breathing and how you may be doing it all wrong; and~ and so much more! It was such a lively conversation. I hope you gain a lot of value from it, and hope it inspires you to order a copy of his new book, and start practicing these tools at home on your own so your teen sees first-hand the positive impact of a mindfulness practice in your/their life. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a friend or family member. To listen to my prior interview with Dr. Matt Dewar, please visit the archives of the podcast on Ep. 47: Mindfulness In Schools.  To connect with Dr. Matt Dewar, click the links below. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected 👉 @atheadavis on all the social channels. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! ☀️XO ~ Athea Connect with Matt Dewar, Ed.D. 👉 Instagram and Website. P.S. Follow me on IG, FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @atheadavisConnect with me on IG, FB, X, and LinkedIn: @atheadavis or www.atheadavis.com