Episode #24 – Help!  My Brain is Fried 00:12 – Introduction 01:40 – Ever wanted to just sack out because your brain dead but you still have things to do? 02:10 – What would life be like if you had a tool to give you an extra boost to get another project done and prevent brain fry. 04:30 – Gita story about training to become a Yoga teacher at Yogaville.  Her walks to her meditation helped to reinvigorate her. 09:30 – Walk for your body. 10:00 – Clear and strong relationship between number of steps taken and overall mood and energy level. 13:10 – Solo saunter walk Walk with no fixed route Put away phone, no headphones/earbuds Pay attention to surroundings 16:10 – Ask a question walk             Pay attention to sounds, wildlife, sites             Reflect on what you caught you 20:00 – Power walk – Brain is fried but physical energy is good.             Sometimes after travel 21:30 – Need to have a difficult conversation with a colleague or coworker.  Helps to have these conversations and move forward with the project or conversation. 23:25 – Identify what walk you need. 24:30 – Chant for Peace

Let’s talk about your sleep, my friends!   Check in with yourself real quick:   Do you sleep through the night consistently?   If you wake in the middle of the night do you fall back asleep easily?   Do you sleep well but still feel tired during the day?   Do you rely on coffee or sugar to get through your day?     Imagine for a sec how life could improve for you if you had better sleep; maybe you’d have more energy for the things you love, you’d think more clearly, or your health would improve.   Today’s episode is super personal for me: I share the heartbreak and turmoil I went through that ruptured my sleep cycle. I also share exactly how I rehabbed my relationship to sleep and found the power of deep and restorative rest again. I’ve been there during trauma, insomnia, sleepless nights, anxiety, and fear. I’ve been there and in this episode I share the science behind what happens while you sleep and some surprising facts about the impact of sleep on our kids and auto accidents.    And you’ll learn actions you can take tonight to start changing your relationship to sleep.    You deserve deep and restorative rest. Start now, I’m right there with you!   Hop over to my website for the full video version of this episode, full transcript, and links to all the resources I mention in this episode:   https://bit.ly/sleepgitabrown    

Recorded in Fall 2019  Back by popular demand: Sarah Gilbert gives you the inside story on how she transformed her relationship to anxiety. In a huge bonus she also teaches two simple techniques you can use right away to deal with anxiety and stress. Sarah is a special needs advocate, mom to two teenagers, and dedicated yoga practitioner in Yoga for the Special Child and Yoga Spirit. Her warm and open sharing of her struggles and growth is inspirational and also full of insights you can put directly into action.   “I look back on my life and I think that I've had anxiety for a good part of my life, but I had no idea. Breath gave me the ability to cope with my anxiety. And the best part about the breath is that you can do it anywhere to make yourself feel a little bit more present, a little more in control…all it takes is just a couple of deep breaths.”   Visit the website for the full video version, episode takeaways, shareable graphics, and full transcript: https://bit.ly/3eeQ3ZN    

Do you have enough energy to do all the things you love? Have you ever reached for caffeine just to make it through the day? Here’s the good news: It is 100% possible to build and manage your energy so that you can enjoy life and pursue your dreams. You just need some strategies that will help you feel awesome all day. Listen in and learn five easy things you can start doing right now to increase your energy. More energy means more joy! Your best self is waiting, listen now and get ready to take action!   Visit the website for show video, full transcript, and takeaway tips! Get it here: https://bit.ly/2v0Xe7g

Want a little more creativity in your life? Think how amazing it would feel to have a fresh outlook on projects and relationships! Creativity is where new possibilities for your life start!  Meditation holds a fantastic opportunity for you to grow your creativity naturally and without struggle. You’ll be guided through the whole process so you can just relax and enjoy. Even if you are new to meditation, this process will meet you exactly where you are and will help you to grow your creative power! Get started on a fresh and creative outlook right now!   Hop over to the website for updates and more wellness training, see you there! https://bit.ly/2uO7HCn    

Do you want to learn how to deal with stress more effectively? Do you want to be pushed around by your fears and anxiety, or do you want to learn how to make better decisions? You can totally do this! Decreased stress and anxiety, better sleep, and lower blood pressure are totally doable. All you have to do is follow this short and sweet guided meditation. Easy!  Check out what one of my busy students said:  “Oh my gosh I I cannot believe how much this has helped me. It's helped me think more clearly. I'm way less anxious…I never thought I could be a person who meditated, but here I am!” Listen now and get started on a happier life! As always, hop over to the website for the full video, helpful tips, and full transcript! https://bit.ly/30Si2t1

Does the word meditation make you feel like a deer caught in headlights? Imagine how great it would feel to start your day with a relaxed mind with clarity and focus! Here's the good news. Everyone can meditate. All you need is a structure that sets you up for success, and that's exactly what you'll get in this episode! Hop over to my website for the full Set up for Success structure as well as the meditation routine: https://bit.ly/30p34uv   If you picked this episode, it means you are the kind of person who wants a little something more out of life. You want that little bit of extra clarity, emotional balance, and focus. So grab a notebook and take notes as we break down the very specific steps that you can follow to set up for success and follow to create your meditation routine. Let’s get to it!   #16 – Meditation for Beginners 00:12 – Introduction 01:20 – Breaking meditation down to a system that works for you 02:24 – What could you do if decisions were easier, if you had more clarity, felt steadier and weren’t as anxious or be kinder or nicer 03:21 – Meditation can do these things for you – many studies that05:50 – Mindset for success06:40 – How to handle all of your negative thoughts when you meditate07:20 – You’re doing meditate to help you observe your mind09:10 – Stuff/Thoughts that comes up during meditate – gunk, garbage you can deal with it during meditation09:45- Expect to be stirred up during meditate10:10 – It’s not important how you feel during meditation – you’ll feel the benefits throughout your week – just do it!11:12 – Why are you meditating – be specific!12:45 – Pick a specific place for your meditation14:10 – Choose how you’re going to sit, stand, etc.15:00 – Pick a time a day – morning is the most successful18:11 – Readying for meditation20:00 – Meditation26:00 – Practice your meditation!  

Wouldn’t it be great to stop an icky drippy cold before it starts? Or how about keeping it from developing into a sinus infection or bronchitis? Stay healthy and well by practicing a new mindset and seven specific tips from this episode of The Gita Brown Show! Get started now on your journey to wellness!    Visit https://www.gitabrown.com/the-gita-brown-show to watch the video of this episode. See you there!

Do you want more for your life? Think it’s too late to follow your dreams or don’t know where to start?   Get seven tips you can use right away to take action towards your dreams today!   Our guest is Kristen Paulson-Nguyen, a writer and editor. An award-winning poet, Kristen got her start in writing at the Boston Globe as a correspondent where she where she wrote dozens of articles on everything from Joanne Chang’s banana bread to the World Series. At 49 she took the leap towards her dream of writing literary nonfiction and started writing a memoir. Kristen is also the writing life editor at Hippocampus magazine and busy mama to an amazing kid. She’s a testament to the skills and hutzpah it takes to follow your dreams!    Join us for this lively and actionable discussion and take notes so you can join us in pursuing your dreams!   Head over to gitabrown.com to watch the video of this episode or get a free transcript!

Do you have a dream for your life but have been too overwhelmed to start? Do you make excuses about how you don’t have enough time, money, or support?  If you need a little help in getting started, or want to know how to move towards your dreams and keep you day job, look no further than this interview with Louise Miller. Louise is a professional pastry chef and talented writer. Her books, The Late Bloomers’ Club and The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living have received rave reviews and are proof of the power of pursuing your dreams, no matter how busy your life is. Listen in as Louise shares her practical advice for how you can create a life that is full of the things you love doing. The time for you to start following your passion is now!   Be sure to visit Louise here, she’s got some great upcoming classes and lots of wit and wisdom for you: louisemiller.net   Top tips from Louise on how to follow your passion:   1. Start small and simple! Take a small action towards your dream; this creates momentum and is sustainable. 2. Start scheduling time for your passion. Your calendar reflects your dreams so make sure to schedule in time to make your dreams a reality. 3. Find people who support your dreams. Take a class, find a mentor, hire a life coach, or connect with a volunteer group. Having people in your corner will make all the difference to your success and ability to stick with it! 4. Share your dreams with your family and friends; let them in on your passion project and enjoy the support. 5. Be yourself! So much of our creative blocks occur when we waste time waiting for the perfect day, time, or lifestyle to magically create our lives…instead just focus on being yourself. Keep it simple and know that you are enough!   Episode #13 – Follow You Passion and Keep Your Day Job 00:12 – Introduction 00:50 – Introduction to Louise Miller – Author of “The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living” and “The Late Bloomers’ Club” 03:15 – How Louise started and balances being a pastry chef and an author. 07:00 – Why do we block ourselves so much from writing or other creative endeavors? 08:50 – Feedback is important.  Seeking out the right people to give you feedback. 12:00 – Owning that you are a writer. 13:00 – What can older women do to help millennials shorten timespan between having a dream and implementing it. 17:10 – Louise talks about blocking out time for writing.  She also writes ideas and notes that come up throughout the day and jotting what comes next in her book so when she’s at the computer she’s not thinking a lot about that. 22:20 – Using social media to connect with other artists and create community. 32:05 – Chant for Peace 

Have you ever felt like a failure? Like you just want to crawl into bed and hide?  Or maybe you have a dream you’ve wanted to start but have been too scared to try because you’re afraid of failing? But imagine what life would be like if you could change the way you react to failure. What would it feel like if failure helped you achieve your dreams? How many cool new things would you experience if you let yourself think differently? Here’s the deal:   Success is not the absence of failure. Success is the product of failure. Failure is a key ingredient in success You can train your brain to think differently and turn failure into a superpower. All you need is a new way to think about things and a few strategies to put into practice. Check out the show now and start and embracing the challenge!   Episode #12 – What to do when you feel like a Failure 00:12 – Introduction 02:20 – You’re not alone in feeling like a failure.  Even the most accomplished people feel like a failure. 02:44 – It can be tough to be rejected publicly and privately. 04:20 – What would it be like if you thought of your success and failure’s equally.  Instead of thinking of failure as the end, thinking of failure as part of success. 5:00 – Feel of failure is usually the human need for belonging that is feeling threatened. 8:20 – Gita’s story of what she thought was a failure. 11:20 – Think about the story you tell yourself about your failure.  What about thinking of it as a success and move onto something else? 13:00 – Think about your failure as a stepping stone and visualize the next success.  You’re retraining the way your brain thinks. 15:35 – Winning is just temporary.  What’s permanent is your soul or your higher self. 18:20 – Be intentional about how you are going to deal with failure. 19:00 – Bless something before you do it. 20:30 – Give yourself time to grieve.  Then give it a timeframe to reenter the social stream. 24:05 – Success is the product of failure. 24:50 – Chant for Peace  

Do you want to keep your brain full of energy and creative juice? Have you ever had brain fog or find it hard to keep your focus? We need your full potential to shine and in this episode you’ll learn a concrete, scientifically proven method keep your brain sharp, young, and healthy!    Meditation doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. You’ll learn two techniques that you can start doing right away. Get benefits like:    Reduce fear response Reduce stress response Keep more cognitive ability as you age Regulate your emotions Improve ability to learn new stuff   Start simple and start small. Each meditation only takes three minutes to learn and with daily practice you’ll join the millions of people who have experienced the benefits.   Think you don’t have time? Jump to minutes 11 or 21 and give it a try for three minutes! Let’s get started, take action now!           Episode #11 – Keeping Your Brain Young: Three Minute Meditations for Busy People 00:12 – Introduction01:20 – Check in with yourself – Do you have brain fog, can you concentrate, do you rely on caffeine and sugar to make it through?01:57 – Are you doing great but need to kick it into another gear to get more done04:20 – Gita’s story about starting with meditation – helped her feel better, decrease anxiety and helped her during very difficult period in her life10:00 – Short meditation14:20 – You can do meditation anywhere and it doesn’t take a lot of time – keeps your brain young14:55 – A study shows that long term meditation had increased gray matter in several parts of the brain.  50 year old meditators had same amount of gray matter as people half their age (most brains shrink)19:31 – Left Hippocampus part of the brain got larger.  This area is learning, memory, emotional regulation.20:50 – People that meditate – blood pressure is lower21:20 – Meditation using a mantra

Have you ever had trouble sharing your gifts with the world? Like when nerves get the best of you and it’s hard to speak or perform when it counts? We need your creativity and your presence!    But it can be hard to get up in front of people and share our gifts. Whether you’re presenting at a meeting, performing onstage, or getting up in front of your peers, it can feel like a struggle to remain connected to your strength when you feel vulnerable and exposed.   All you need is a strategy to follow. And in this episode of The Gita Brown Show you’ll learn a strategy to use that will keep you connected to your purpose, calm your nerves, and help you communicate with confidence!           Episode #10 – How to Communicate with Confidence 00:12 – Introduction02:07 – Are you intentional when it comes to addressing your performance anxiety03:21 – Gita’s story about performance anxiety07:10 – Gita noticed that after breathing and meditation helped with performance anxiety08:20 – Olympians know if they train their mind and right psychology, they come out on top09:17 – Shifting the anxiety to increase your performance11:15 -  Don’t loose sight of the “why” you are performing14:18 – Talking about vulnerabilities – about things that get in the way from performance15:40 – Breathing and moving before performing18:10 – If you have a negative thought, have a positive thought.  If you have a negative body reaction, take deep breaths to counter19:30 – Breath slowly and deeply before a presentation or a big meeting19:50 – Be It:  catch phrase to bring the why and the breath together21:51 – Summary: Frame it, breath it, be it23:07 – Pick one of the strategies and practice – frame it, breath it, be it24:00 – Chant for Peace

We all hold onto stuff. Emotions. Relationships. Dead end jobs. We know these things are wrong for us. But without any concrete way to learn how to let go, we remain stuck. I’ve been there, too. A decade ago I felt stuck in my marriage. I watched, helpless, as my husband abused alcohol and drugs. We met when we were just twelve; his joy and sweetness was such a natural part of my life that I called him "My Buddha."  As his behavior changed and became more dangerous I knew I had to leave the marriage; but I was terrified that he would become homeless or die without my care. And in that dark moment I was stuck. I was afraid to stay and afraid to leave. But. I realized  that in order to hold onto the love I felt for him, I needed to let go of our marriage.  It’s not easy, this letting go thing. And I share my story with you so you know that you’re not alone. And so that you know that it is possible to train yourself to let go. Learn three simple techniques that you can use, right now, to start practicing how to let go. You can be emotionally free and balanced; I believe in you! Let’s move forward! Episode #9 – How To Let Go 00:12 – Introduction01:14 – Dr. Kallie Snyder quote – “I get frustrated when people tell me to ‘let it go’.”07:22 – Gita’s story about her past relationship11:00 – She realized the more she tried to hold onto her relationship and what she thought the relationship should be, the more the love drained through13:00 – Trying to hold on to things – emotions, relationships – trying to grasp the ungraspable14:13 – The only thing you can hold onto is the recognition of your soul15:59 - When we struggle to let go, we’re stuck in our emotion, stuck in our heads16:28 – A simple way to help get unstuck is to breath in and when you breath out exhale and relax and release19:13 – When you think of a dark thought, substitute for a better thought20:25 – Bring person or situation into your mind and create a mantra (ex:  may she be happy, healthy productive, may she be connected to her soul, may I be free from my attachment)21:38 – Letting go comes down to managing your thoughts about the situation24:20 – Chant for Peace

Do you feel like you’re running around all day long, but at the end of the day find yourself wondering what you actually accomplished? Wouldn’t it feel great to live in a state where there is no hurry yet everything gets done? Imagine how awesome you would feel if you felt relaxed and like your day could just flow easily!  At the heart of productivity is a flow state where you use just the right balance of effort and ease. It is totally possible to train yourself to live this way; by practicing this simple relaxation technique you learn to let go and allow your mind to settle. When your mind is clear your productivity will naturally follow.  Listen to examples of three people who use this technique and then practice along as I guide you! It’s easy and super chill, I promise! You are going to feel more clear and relaxed and I know that your productivity will grow. Let’s get started!       Episode #8  00:12 – Introduction 01:35 – Gita discovered ways to be more productive – made her rethink entire life03:00 – Productivity is there for us all03:15 – There are many systems for getting more productive04:00 – At the heart of productivity – being in a flow state or fully present 05:20 – Relax and Let go to get more productive06:50 – Story about Ghandi and relaxation08:24 – Gita’s story about finding a new type of yoga which let her to the path of relaxation12:00 – Bringing student through relaxation before lesson – student played with beautiful and relaxed tone after relaxation18:00 – Technique for relaxation25:00 –  Chant for Peace 

Are you a creative person? Do you write, draw, plant gardens, or make music?   Have you ever wanted to level up your creative output but weren’t sure how to do it without sacrificing your wellness or free time?   Your creativity is a reflection of your wellness and soul; start a simple system today to help you find your creative flow.   Listen in as we talk about how you can develop a mindset to help you feel inspired to create. You’ll also get tips for the best mindset to use during your creative burst. You will also get a short and sweet sample of a quick routine you can do to prep your body and mind to feel joyful and to harness your max creative power.    Since I’m a “Clarinerd” we use music as a specific example in this episode; I also use all this stuff to help my writing, too! We are all creative and express this in different ways, take these ideas and run with them!   Let’s get creating!          Episode #7 – How To Amp Up Your Musical Performance 00:12 – Introduction 01:35 – Have you ever been burned out/had performance anxiety?02:20 – There’s always a way to get a little higher02:45 – Remember why you got into music04:00 – Remember your music is important – Everything that is being created now is a reflection of the times06:27 - #1 limiting factor in not reaching full potential is the mental and physical preparation before making music09:30 – You need a systematic set of practices to help you get into flow11:00 – Remember why you are practicing – the greater way12:45 – Be aware of your body14:20 – Body warm-ups:  Take 5 minutes to step back and warm up body before practicing19:40 – Do a mental scan of your body to see what is tense24:34 – Chant for Peace

Burned out?  Every now and then we all hit the wall. Whether it’s stress from your career, care taking for a family member, or any other massive life event, we can all relate to being exhausted and feeling like we’ve lost the joy. The good news is that there is a whole team of people waiting to help you recover. It’s time for you to discover your personal wellness team.    I’ve totally been there. Twenty years ago I was living on Diet Coke, takeout food, five hours of sleep every night, and a work schedule that was truly insane. On the outside I seemed to have it all; husband, nice home, thriving career, and I looked healthy. But I was exhausted, constantly sick, and had lost my joy. Thank goodness I had yoga and a wellness team that kept my head above water, and when my marriage ended I had my wellness team on speed dial! Fast forward twenty years and lots of healthy habits later and today I’m sharing my tips with you. You get to learn my top tips for finding a wellness team that will help you recover from burnout.  My friend, your ability to be productive and joyful is directly correlated to your health and energy. Watch now and take that first step to creating your personal wellness team and bring back your joy! Make sure to hop over to gitabrown.com for full transcript and my top tips!   00:12 – Introduction01:45 – If you don’t manage your health, no one will02:39 - Do a reality check – Do you feel burned out or do you feel burnout coming04:50 – Gita’s story to burnout08:25 - #1 person you need to see is your primary care physician10:00 – Get a massage therapist to work out kinks in body, improve blood circulation13:22 – An acupuncturist, acupressurist or a tradition Chinese medicine practitioner – preventing yourself from getting sick15:50 – Get a personal trainer before you run a 5K, going to the gym for the first time, or other activity19:00 – Go outside; it's free and proven to improve your health21:50 Tell your family and friends about your wellness team and recruit them to help!24:35 – Chant for Peace