by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Jan 7, 2020 | Life, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Wisdom
“Today Is The Most Important Day Of Our Lives.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are feeling recharged as we enter into a new decade.
Big changes have been happening over the past few months. In September of last year, I took the lead on an exciting new campaign in Canada – My Mental Health Rocks. This amazing campaign started in the UK is all about promoting wellbeing, resilience and raising awareness of our innate mental health and wellbeing in children, youth and teens. I’ll provide more details about that in a separate post.
This new role has taken all my focus and effort, as a result, I put The CPR of Life podcast on hold. I’m happy to be starting it up again next month with some fabulous new conversations focused on mental health and wellbeing.
For now, I want to share a few words with you as we enter 2020.
I see a lot of posts about resolutions, not having resolutions, what the new year means, etc. I wanted to share a few thoughts as we begin a new decade. Let this time be whatever best serves you moving forward in your life.
If it helps you to have resolutions go ahead and create a list, but leave room for the beauty of the unknown. Don’t get caught up in the anxiety of not meeting an expectation you created for yourself. If you have no desire to create a list then don’t.
There is so much magic in the unknown. Be curious, be open to new experiences, opinions, beliefs.
My wish for you as you start this decade is that you embrace your greatness. No-one can do you as good as you can, so you do you. Embrace all that you are beyond the stories you engage in – beyond the fears, the judgement and the criticism. You are a beautiful bundle of infinite potential.
Stop searching and start living. Often when working with clients they are striving for something, to be something, to have something. They are so focused on all the absence of things they are missing out on the most incredible gift we all have – the present moment. What about right now?
Be grateful for all that you are, you are enough, right now just as you are. Whatever you are searching for will not make you more amazing. I’m not saying don’t try to better yourself, to learn a new skill, etc. Just know that you are starting from a place of already being more than enough, just as you are.
Be more than kind to yourself, your inner being is always with you, it is the unique light that makes you literally one in 7.8 billion. Read that again, you are one in 7.8 billion! As you move forward in this decade embrace that unique statistic. Embrace all the things that make you so incredibly unique. Have more presence, find beauty in the ordinary, have amazing adventures and beautiful connections.
Cultivate the most extraordinary relationship with that inner being that is always with you. Ready to shine through the layers of judgement, criticism, the excuses, the stories. I promise you that it will be the most rewarding relationship you will ever have. It will be the most valuable way to spend your time as you move forward.
I wish you all much love, peace, gratitude, curiosity and presence as you begin 2020.
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Sep 20, 2019 | Deep Listening, entrepreneur, Leadership, public speaking, The CPR of Life Podcast
You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” John Ford
Who doesn’t want to feel more comfortable speaking in public?
Whether presenting to an audience, pitching to clients or networking having a clear message is really important. In this episode, I chat with public speaking coach and the owner of ‘How to Present Training and Mentoring’ – Briohny Williams.
Some of the things we talk about:
- Being grounded in your message;
- Tips for presenting;
- Public speaking isn’t just about being on stage, for entrepreneurs it about every interaction; and
- Don’t hide, you have a purpose and a message – if you are in the service-based industry you are there to serve and help others.
Here is an important thing to remember: when you are speaking to an audience they are not there to see you – they are there to hear your message. Defining and refining your message is such a valuable investment of your time and energy.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- Public speaking is much more than presenting to thousands, it’s about being clear in your message whenever you are interacting, networking, engaging with others;
- Often fear of speaking isn’t about standing up in front of others, it can be fear of showing up, of having a voice, etc. tapping into this space helps address some of the reasons you may be hesitant to engage in speaking opportunities;
- As entrepreneurs we often overthink the notion of the ‘elevator pitch’, an easy fix for this is to take a bit of time and prepare so that your message comes from a space of truth rather than a sales pitch; and finally
- I like the analogy Bri mentioned about developing the skill of public speaking is much the same as when someone is mastering a craft whether that be an athlete, a musician, etc. There is much repetition, time and activity put into mastering their craft – once they do the work tends to become more effortless and there are many more opportunities on the flip side.
Briohny has a wonderful and very engaged FB group ‘Public Speaking for Entrepreneurs’. I highly recommend you check it out.
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
To listen to this episode on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/taking-the-fear-out-of-public-speaking/
To listen to this episode on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/taking-the-fear-out-of-public-speaking/id1438553484?i=1000450432172
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To find out more about Briohny:
http://howtopresent.com
For more information on Briohny’s FB group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/presentationstoprofit/?source_id=168550113908668
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Sep 6, 2019 | Children, Mental Health, Parenting, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing
Hello my beautiful souls. Today I am so happy to share a beautiful conversation that everyone can benefit from listening to. I have a lovely chat with the founders of the My Mental Health Rocks campaign. This is a topic near and dear to my heart, I see the difference this conversation makes every day with others. Co-founders Leanne Macdonald and Julie Brown both work in the area of mental health and wellbeing. They are blazing the trail with this campaign. Their passion is evident and the difference they make in the lives of others is admirable.
In this episode we talk about:
- What the ‘My Mental Health Rocks’ initiative is;
- Raising awareness about mental health takes a village;
- Teaching versus exploring with children and youth; and
- Children are never broken and don’t need to be fixed.
My mental health rocks initiative really drives home the point that it takes a village. When that perspective is embraced amazing things can happen. I think the combination of Kids being Kind magazine and my mental health rocks initiative has the potential to make a huge impact.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- Teachers already have so many demands placed upon them. Adding the responsibility of emotional learning neither reasonable nor fair. Of course, there is so much emotional learning that already goes on in day to day life at school, but that should be based on what a child already knows.
- There is a difference between teaching versus exploring. Teachers have a set curriculum they have to follow. This initiative focuses on exploration – which is so fun, insightful and life-changing;
- Teachers have an incredible impact and responsibility. As Julie mentioned, everyone can remember a teacher, whether that be because of a negative or a life-changing experience. Teachers are definitely a crucial part of creating the future of our children; and
- This message is one every person needs to hear: you are not broken, life is limitless when it comes to potential and a reminder when you are struggling, whatever you are going through is a temporary experience. Knowing this makes life flow in a much more natural and less stressful way.
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
To listen to the podcast on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/my-mental-health-rocks-episode-33/
To listen to the podcast on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/my-mental-health-rocks-episode-33/id1438553484?i=1000448770991
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To find out more about My Mental Health Rocks:
https://www.mymentalhealthrocks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mymentalhealthrocks/
To find out more about Kids Being Kind Magazine:
https://www.kidsbeingkindmagazine.com/
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Aug 23, 2019 | Be You, Children, Mental Health, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing
“Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.” — Lady Bird Johnson
Working with children is an absolute passion for me. There is magic in each and every child. It’s an honour to be in the presence of children and young people. It’s a gift to have conversations where we get to highlight their wellbeing. In this episode, I chat with Vicky Otter, a former teacher who followed her passion and now works as a wellbeing coach and facilitator. Vicky’s enthusiasm for all she does is evident. Vicky has such a lovely presence.
In this conversation we talk about:
- Running a workshop without a set agenda;
- The power of connection, when you are completely present in the moment, with little attachment to the outcome true connection is powerful.
- All feelings are okay; and
- The benefits of having a ‘come as you are’ conversation.
I’m so happy to have connected with Vicky. She has such a beautiful heart and passion for what she does. It’s nice to exchange ideas and takeaways. This conversation was a beautiful example of the power of connection and the beauty of conversation.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- There are huge benefits to having a loose agenda for a workshop, doing so creates the opportunity for the participants to explore their own creativity;
- Listen to yourself, that’s where the wisdom is;
- In conversations the speaker often has a purpose in what they are sharing, what we often forget is that the listener will receive the information from their own personal lens – it is through that lens that they will hear the message; and
- The power of connection is immeasurable when you are truly present you give the opportunity for those you work with or are conversing with to feel like they matter. As Vicky said with her pilot project, they came together as strangers and left as friends.
Children are so authentic. Take life with a pinch of sparkle…Best advice ever.
Until next time be well, be inspired, be you.
To listen to this episode on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/highlighting-childrens-wellbeing-episode-32/
To listen to this episode on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/highlighting-childrens-wellbeing-episode-32/id1438553484?i=1000447626857
To find out more about Vicky:
https://www.innateconnection.org.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0BD7228BAaLpu7sKcTqUviyVtYsSaVMszG_gEmt7sO_oX-r6QJueJUN7o
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Aug 10, 2019 | Leadership, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wisdom
Leadership is at the forefront of global discussions right now. To me, it’s not just about leadership in the present moment, it’s about the legacy.
“You were born with potential. You were born with goodness & trust. You were born with ideals & dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling. So don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” – Rumi
How will your actions impact the future? What is your message? What kind of culture do you want to create?
I loved chatting with Robert Heath about his vision of legacy leadership. He is a passionate and dedicated individual who has visions of creating a legacy of leaders. Robert is a former teacher, lawyer and US marine corps officer about his amazing transition to being an author, empowerment speaker and leadership development coach.
In this episode we talk about:
- Living a life with an enquiring mind,
- Robert’s book,
- What is leadership and what makes a good leader;
- The power of seeking and understand the world through various perspectives;
- Interdependence is the space where interconnectedness and creativity happens; and
- Managing people versus leading people.
Robert’s passion is so evident in this conversation. I love his movement toward legacy leadership. I look forward to seeing what transpires through Robert’s work.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- Leveraging talent and delegation paves the way to do more in less time and facilitates and foster the growth of others. This is the space where overall exponential growth happens;
- Prioritizing, having clearly defined and communicated systems and boundaries and working from a proactive approach leads to a less stressful, more productive, and dedicated company culture;
- A leader is one who embraces personal growth and cultivates it in others. It is about facilitating the manifestation of the greatness in others; and
- Great leadership embraces the aspect of legacy. As Robert says when we empower people to be their greatest selves, we don’t just change them, we change everybody that gets to benefit from their gift.
FREE GIFT!! Robert has kindly offered the listeners of this podcast a free e-copy of his book: “Why Can’t People Just Do Their Jobs? The Empowering Leader’s Guide to Having More Fulfillment, Less Stress, and Getting the Best Out of Those You Lead.”
I would highly recommend you reach out to Robert and take him up on this kind offer. His email is:
robert@legacyleadershipmastery.com
To listen to the podcast on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-legacy-in-leadership-development/
To listen to the podcast on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-cpr-of-life/id1438553484
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
Much love, Jessie-Lynn
To reach Robert:
https://legacyleadershipmastery.com/home
To buy a copy of Robert’s book:
https://www.amazon.com/Cant-People-Just-Their-Jobs/dp/1795195630/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=why+can%27t+people+just+do+their+jobs&qid=1565463168&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.ca/Cant-People-Just-Their-Jobs/dp/1795195630/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1565463235&sr=8-3
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Jul 25, 2019 | Life, Resilience, Self-Love, state of mind, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing, Wisdom
Life is a journey. Depending on the stage we are at, we may be discovering something new about ourselves or rediscovering something we touched on at another time in our journey. In this podcast episode, my guest is author and coach Ankush Jain.
It’s a wonderful and easy read. It was great to talk to Ankush about writing a book and the wisdom behind rediscovering (or discovering) who you really are.
We talk about:
- Why Ankush wrote the book;
- The process and challenges of writing a book;
- The ebb and flow of life; and
- How transformation is at the heart of everything Ankush does in his work.
As I mentioned I recommend this book, it is an easy read filled with gorgeous nuggets. It’s always nice to hear the background of how and why a book is written.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- Our reality is a reflection of our thinking moment to moment. There is a tremendous benefit to tapping into who we were before getting caught up in our thinking;
- Younger children show up unfiltered, without a lot of thinking about who they are (or are not), how they are showing up, etc. When we learn how our reality is created we are more likely to tap back into this unfiltered presence; and
- When being of service is at the heart of your coaching business (and really for any business in general) clients feel that and are more likely to gain insight and experience of transformation.
I hope you enjoy this conversation.
To listen to the podcast on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/rediscovering-who-you-really-are/
To listen to the podcast on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rediscovering-who-you-really-are/id1438553484?i=1000445340272
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
Much love, Jessie-Lynn
To reach Ankush or to access the many valuable resources he has on his webpage:
https://ankushjain.co.uk/
Ankush’s Book “Sweet Sharing”
https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Sharing-Rediscovering-REAL-You/dp/1796646830/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ULLM1LJ4YR5E&keywords=sweet+sharing+ankush+jain&qid=1564112912&s=gateway&sprefix=sweet+sharing+ankush+j%2Caps%2C283&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.ca/Sweet-Sharing-Rediscovering-REAL-You/dp/1796646830/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1564113832&sr=8-1
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Jul 12, 2019 | Deep Listening, Love, Self-Love, state of mind, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing
You not only are loved, you ARE love.
What do you think of when you hear self-love? I have been having a lot of beautiful conversations with my clients about this. Like my clients, it’s also a journey I spent a lot of my life in search of. For many years I like so many people thought of self-love as a state to get to. What if you have been looking in the wrong direction? What if your journey is futile? I invite you to consider that YOU ARE LOVE. What if there is no journey to go on nor a place to get to?
In this conversation, my guest Phil Goddard and I are taking a deep dive into the topic of love. Phil is a romantic at heart who has written a couple of books about love. I was intrigued to hear more about his journey, why love and how he brings this into his coaching practice.
In this episode we talk about:
- Why Phil embarked on a journey to understand love;
- What self-love is and what it is not;
- Why life is more enjoyable and fun when we stop searching; and
- The innate wisdom within every human being.
This timing of this conversation was serendipitous as it echoed the conversations I’d been having with my clients. I have seen a change in Phil’s dance with the concept of love over the past few years. It was fun to have the opportunity to connect with him.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- What would love do? It is a great question when you are stuck, struggling or unsure of something, reflecting on this question can bring more clarity about the situation. It’s the type of inquiry that brings out the best in us;
- Love is something we define through our own personal lens. That lens changes from moment to moment. Knowing that love is an idea allows us to approach it in a lighthearted and fun way;
- When we are feeling stuck, heartbroken, depressed, etc., it is a gift to share that this moment and more so the feelings are transient and will pass; and
- I loved our discussion around the concept of self-love. When you are searching or embarking on a journey of self-love it is really a denial of accepting or embracing the love that is innate and lies within.
To listen to this episode on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/self-love-a-discovery-or-a-journey/
To listen to this episode on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/self-love-a-discovery-or-a-journey/id1438553484?i=1000444273429
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To get in touch with Phil:
Facebook: Fbphil.com
Website: philg.com
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Jun 27, 2019 | Deep Listening, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing, Wisdom
“The practice of deep listening is the practice of open inquiry, without assumption or judgement.”
― Sharon Weil
I’m excited to share this beautiful conversation with you. In this episode, I chat with the wise and wonderful Declan Stout, a caring human being with a big heart who is on a journey to transform many lives. We are talking about something near and dear to my heart – deep listening.
Declan is the heart and soul behind Listen With Love – a beautiful space for people to donate their time to listen, and on the flip side, a free space for people to be listened to.
In this conversation we talk about:
- Deep listening: what it is and why it’s so powerful;
- How to listen deeply;
- The power of being present in a conversation; and
- The innate wisdom within every human being.
Have you ever wondered what kind of listener you are? I always thought of myself as a good listener until I learned about deep listening. When I did it completely changed everything in my business and personal relationships. It is a game changer. I used to want to solve people’s problems for them. I listened to point them to how strong, courageous and amazing they were. Sounds good right? WRONG!! Listen to understand, listen to give the person you are talking to space to find their OWN wisdom, listen with love. Thank you Declan for this beautiful conversation.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- Deep listening is an incredibly powerful thing. It is not about listening to respond, affirm, negate it is about being fully present.
- What makes deep listening so impactful is the connection and showing up as an empty vessel;
- There is power in the pause, when we don’t respond right after someone has finished speaking, we are giving them the space to find their own wisdom; and
- Wisdom comes from both sides in a conversation. Let your wisdom guide you either as a speaker and a listener;
To listen to this episode on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-deep-listening/
To listen to this episode on ITunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-power-of-deep-listening/id1438553484?i=1000442993263
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To reach Declan:
Website: WISDOM GUIDES: Home
FB Page: Listening with Love – A Safe Space to Talk @safespacetotalk
https://www.facebook.com/safespacetotalk/
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | May 24, 2019 | Mental Health, state of mind, The CPR of Life Podcast, Wellbeing
It’s so good to be back. I took a break from the podcast to take care of some unexpected family medical issues and to dedicate my time to mental health awareness week. I have to say I have really missed the conversations and connections I have with my guests.
While mental health awareness week is over it’s so important to keep the conversation going. More so, to take the conversations forward into inspired action. In this conversation, Claire Russell and I talk about why mental health and why it is so important to include in the company culture.
We have a lovely chat about:
- The importance of acknowledging mental health in the workplace;
- Mental health affects us all, if you have a heartbeat, you experience mental health;
- #time4action is about taking the conversation about mental to the next level; and
- The wonderful work being done by the charity Samaritans.
I’m so grateful that Claire was willing to share such intimate details about her life. I’m truly inspired by her and everything she is doing to raise awareness about mental health.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- I have to say this really hit home for me. Business leaders (and leaders in general) have a responsibility to make mental health part of the business culture. There is a huge ripple effect when leaders embrace this;
- Many of us think we are immune to mental health issues. The truth is no-one is exempt from experiencing low moments that feel overwhelming. The secret is understanding that this is normal. It’s like a personal alert system that it’s time to take notice of how you are experiencing life in that moment;
- There are many organizations doing amazing things. The organization Samaritans responds to a call every 6 seconds. There are two things that stand out to me about this statistic. Firstly, there are a lot of people who feel they don’t have someone they can reach out to. This is our humanity, this should be at the forefront of the news and we are all responsible to help address this issue. The second thing that sticks out to me is that organizations such as this one make a tremendous impact on society. I’m truly grateful they exist. And finally
- For what purpose? This is such a great question, it’s wonderful to have conversations but ask yourself – for what purpose? There is always so much talk, it’s time to take action.
If you are curious to learn more about cultivating mental health and wellbeing in your business, organization or workplace please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d love to chat.
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
To listen to this episode on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/why-mental-health-in-the-workplace-matters/
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To reach Claire:
http://www.mhib.co.uk/
To learn more about the amazing organization Claire volunteers with – Samaritans:
https://www.samaritans.org/
by Jessie-Lynn MacDonald | Apr 18, 2019 | Life, state of mind, struggles, Wisdom
I am so blessed to connect with and have such beautiful conversations with amazing souls around the world. I never know what will unfold in my conversations and I love that. In my conversation with rebel girl and transformation coach Nicky Bartley, we talk about her journey from suicidal ideation to living a beautiful life.
We cover a lot of ground in this conversation including:
- Living a secret life with stress, depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts;
- Even at rock bottom how you are always okay; and
- When we peel back the layers of the inner critic the beauty of life unfolds.
Here are a few thought bomb takeaways:
- When we create a story of low self-worth and not-enoughness we stay behind the mask. It’s such a heavy place to live. We limit ourselves because we believe the story we have constructed. If we live in this state for long enough it starts to manifest symptomatically in our bodies. When we allow ourselves to drop the mask, we see that the potential and possibilities are limitless;
- When we are feeling off track or off-kilter there is information in that, as Nicky says, your feelings are like a personal alert system. I heard a great metaphor by Dr. Bill Pettit, he referred to our feelings as a personal bio-feedback system. Feelings are not to be avoided, changed, managed, etc. Feelings are a barometer to the quality of your thinking. Nothing more, nothing less. How powerful is that!
- Trying to control and manage our thoughts and feelings is exhausting and keeps us stuck. When we let go of the need to control we move quickly back into the flow; and
- A beautiful life is really simple, even when it’s complicated. The simplicity lies in understanding that life ebbs and flows, thoughts, feelings, experiences of life change moment to moment. There is nothing you need to do but be in the moment.
I’m grateful to know Nicky. She has a special gift and the work she does has an incredible ripple effect. I hope you enjoy this conversation.
To listen on ITUNES:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/from-suicide-ideation-to-living-a-spirited-life/id1438553484?i=1000435281327
To listen on Podbean:
https://thecproflife.podbean.com/e/from-suicide-ideation-to-living-a-spirited-life/
Until next time: Be well. Be inspired. Be You.
Much love,
Jessie-Lynn
To reach Nicky:
https://www.nickybartley.com/
