Courage Within You with Silvia Turonova

Hello, my brave soul. The time has come when I decided to say goodbye to podcasting for a while and focus on my writing instead.  First, let me start by saying that I am beyond grateful for you, my dear listener who found my podcast helpful while always coming back for more.  Although the journey of podcasting has been deeply rewarding for me, I decided to direct my attention to something I love the most - writing.  Therefore, every Tuesday, I will publish blog posts with tools, tips, techniques, affirmations, quotes, and a little bit of storytelling to support you on your path of deep inner healing and growth. Also, stay on the lookout for some beautiful and healing meditations.  Another reason why I decided to take a break from podcasting is a realization I recently had.  The truth is that, for a while, I let the doubt get the best of me.  Although I wanted to write my second book, I thought to myself:  Who am I to write a book?  No one will want to read it.  Or my all-time favorite: "I am not ready." It took a couple of months of solitude and looking within. I decided to confront my negative beliefs and break free from these self-imposed limitations.  I am beyond excited to embark on this journey for the second time and pour my heart and soul into my second book, and I can't wait for you to read it.  Thank you again for being a part of this beautiful and fulfilling journey, and as I always say at the end of my podcast, I will talk to you soon.  Stay brave. 

A while ago, I watched an interview with Jay Shetty where he talked about detachment as stated in the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture. He says that, "detachment is not that you own nothing. Detachment is that nothing owns you." I find this one of the most accurate and simply understood definitions of detachment.  Also, it is worth noticing things and people we are attached to and then asking ourselves:" What does this person, thing, or achievement represent for me?"  It wasn't long ago when I was attached to men who came into my life to validate how lovable I was. Or using the attachment to my work and to-do list to justify my worth. If I worked my butt off, I was worthy. If I took a break, I felt guilty for not doing, and worse, being enough.  We often hear about detachment as an act of letting go. However, this episode isn't about letting go but rather understanding duality, attachment to our preferences, things, and people that drive our emotions, and how to use the art of detachment to create and maintain emotional balance. Here is a glance at this episode… [02:05] Different types of detachment and how they show up in your life.  [03:47] Why do we attach to other people, results in our work and business, or how many things we get done on our to-do list and use it to justify our worth?  [07:50] Understanding the role of duality when it comes to attachment and how reframing from duality supports self-regulation.  [11:06] Seeing things for what they are, detaching from our preferences and opinions while creating more emotional balance.  [13:15] Sharing a part of chapter 4 from the Bhagavad Gita that talks about detaching from the results of our actions, eliminating suffering, and becoming free.   

Healing and walking a spiritual path doesn't mean you don't face challenges or that this path is linear. Therefore, having spiritual tools in place is important to keep evoking the love within while shedding off anything that doesn't serve you.  Love is your ultimate superpower. It gives you the courage to take the brave step, softens your heart, and shows you what you are worth.  I always looked at growth from two different angles.  You either grow by life itself when things you don't ask for or don't expect come into your life and challenge you to grow. The second is intentional growth. It means that you take into your own hands what needs to be addressed without waiting for life events to do it for you.  In both cases, you need spiritual tools to support, regulate, and empower you.  In today's episode, I teach you two powerful spiritual tools to regulate your nervous system, improve heart coherence, and bring more love and kindness into your space while releasing stuck emotions and energy that don't serve you.  Here is a glance at this episode… [00:38] What was my past idea of a "good life", how did my perception change, and why do I deeply value balance and my mind being in a state of equilibrium.  [03:02] Recognizing how these spiritual tools help activate the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for relaxation and basic understanding of the autonomic nervous system.  [04:56] Using spiritual tools to regulate your thoughts and emotions and how they contribute to emotional restoration and healing. [06:08] What is heart rate variability, and how does heart coherence support better mood and improve the immune system?   [09:30] How these simple spiritual tools bring forth heartfelt emotions, help you feel relaxed and calm, support heart coherence, and release negative energy. 

When I found myself having Monday blues last week, this was the mindfulness tool I used to snap out of it while reminding myself of the true nature of my mind.  There aren't Monday blues, bad or good days, or happy Sundays (as people call it in America).  The quality of our days, regardless of what day it is or what is happening around us depends on how aware we are and how well we manage our thoughts and emotions.  This simple mindfulness tool is your internal resource available at all times and in any situation. Because paying attention to reality, to what is - is an art of self-regulation that's not talked about.   Often, we get stuck in our imagination. We either ruminate on our past or indulge in the vision of the future that doesn't exist.  Often, these visions aren't compelling, inspiring, or uplifting.  In this episode, I will teach you a simple mindfulness tool to help you train your mind for the present while embracing the truth - this moment is all you ever have.  When you learn to differentiate between what is here and now and what is only your imagination or inner critic acting up, you'll become the master in regulating your thoughts and emotions.    Here is a glance at this episode… [00:45] How I found myself in my head having Monday blues while observing my critic in full force. [03:14] How to use your awareness and attention as a mindfulness tool to regulate your thoughts and emotions. [06:07] An exercise I do with my clients to show them how to change their emotional state. [08:25] How to effectively use this mindfulness tool regardless of where you are or what is happening around you.  [10:21] How to handle your mind if it rebels against the new ways of thinking and feeling while effectively applying this mindfulness tool to your life.  

Although healing childhood trauma is a challenging path to walk, it is also a path of deep fulfillment and self-love.  When we become brave enough to look at our past and address earlier childhood experiences holding us back, we choose our destiny instead of settling for it. I've been healing my childhood trauma for a few years now. And although I have made significant progress, I still find myself emotionally relapsing while feeling paralyzed by fear and unease.  It is one of the reasons why I decided to record this episode and shine more light on what healing childhood trauma has been for me, how it shows up in my life and the lives of my clients, and what are the tools available to us to support us on this path.  If you ever doubt whether healing your childhood trauma is possible, know that there are support systems, modalities, tools, and techniques that are available to you to make this process a healing experience.  In this episode, I will share my journey while healing childhood trauma, why it is impacting us today, and what we can do to cope with it in a powerful and effective way.  Here is a glance at this episode… [01:49] The importance of honoring your emotions and why we need to pay attention to subtler negative experiences from our childhood which are easily overlooked.  [03:55] Healing my childhood trauma and handling emotional relapse.  [12:25] How memory without emotional charge becomes the wisdom that leads us forward.  [15:55] The importance of seeking help when healing childhood trauma and the available options.  [18:47] How yoga and meditation affected my process of healing childhood trauma and a personal practice I exercise daily.  [25:48] Using the inner child's work as a powerful modality while healing childhood trauma.  Disclaimer: This podcast episode is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, psychologist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Please do not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition. If you feel you need professional help, seek it. 

You can rewire your brain, change how you think and perceive life, and become in love with it by consciously choosing how you want to think.  The moment you are born, your conscious mind isn't formed yet, while the subconscious mind is fully open. Therefore, whatever you hear, see, experience, and perceive from that point gets stored in your subconscious.  That's where your mood, attitude, and personality form and then, often unconsciously, direct your life to this point.  However, many things you learn and adapt to aren't serving you. Therefore, to change the way you think and feel, you must learn to rewire your brain.  What do I mean by rewiring?  When you think a thought, something called a "neuropathway" is formed in your brain. The more you repeat this thought or behavior, the more this neuropathway strengthens.  But what if you are repeating negative or self-defeating thoughts and behaviors?  We can refer to this as an unconscious process of thinking.  The good news is that we can make it a conscious one. Instead of letting your thoughts run on autopilot, you can rewire your brain by consciously choosing what you want to think.  As Carl Jung said, "Until you make unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate."  Life isn't based on fate or some prewritten destiny that's out of your hands. By consciously choosing who you want to be, and how you want to live and then actively working towards that goal - you can craft your destiny.  After listening to this episode, you will have a clear understanding of what shaped you into the person you are today and why you may find it hard to change. You will also learn how to rewire your brain with a simple, yet effective 3-step process.  Here is a glance at this episode… [01:30] A science-based understanding that explains how we create habitual ways of thinking and feeling. Understanding how you wire and then rewire your brain.  [04:42] How to consciously create new neuropathways and rewire your brain through a simple 3-step process.  [05:25] What is required of you to successfully apply this 3-step formula, and how to handle your mind when it rebels against your new way of thinking.  [09:42] How to use forgiveness and compassion as a support when working on your mindset and changing the habitual ways of thinking and feeling.  [16:05] How to use questions to rewire your brain and change negative thinking patterns by reframing them. 

Since we tell ourselves affirmations all day, why not make them into positive affirmations that allow us to become who we want to be and attract things we want?  There are two types of affirmations: conscious and unconscious.  Unconscious affirmations are thoughts and beliefs that run on autopilot. Since we reinforce these statements in our minds many times, they become automatic. Often those are thoughts we don't want to have but aren't aware we have them.  Conscious affirmations are positive affirmations we choose. Think of them as thoughts you choose to think that produce emotions you want to feel.  In this episode, I will lead you through the process of creating positive affirmations, carefully selecting the right ones for you, and beginning to practice them.  However, there is one more component that solidifies this process, and that's visualization. When we say or think our affirmations and then visualize and feel that statement, we enter the realm of a possibility that goes beyond the logical mind.  Positive affirmations serve as a tool to change your subconscious thoughts and beliefs, while visualization brings up the emotional state that feels as if you are already that person or have that thing that you think about and visualize.  Here is a glance at this episode… [00:52] Difference between conscious and unconscious affirmations and how we shaped who we are through positive affirmations [05:28] How to create new beliefs about yourself and the world around you by creating new thinking patterns through conscious affirmations.  [08:20] How to create positive affirmations and a few things to keep in mind to make this process as powerful as you can.  ]14:04] Using visualization as a way to empower your affirmations. And how it changes your emotional and energetical state to a higher frequency. 

Healing your inner child is about accessing the wounds or suppressed emotions while recognizing what parts of you need to be healed. It's also about identifying different parts or versions of your little self and then healing them individually. You may have a version of your inner child that's angry, one that feels unworthy, untrusting, or insecure. Attuning to each of them, giving them attention, validating their feelings, and loving them through it all is where deep healing happens. As children, we adapt different coping mechanisms. Since our brain is still developing when we form these behavioral patterns, they aren't often the most beneficial. This is when, as adults, we begin observing patterns that we have but want to change. Healing your inner child is about reparenting and reconnecting with disowned parts of yourself while learning and applying ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that support your well-being.  In this episode, I will teach you how to identify different parts of your inner child that need healing. I will give you 4 questions that represent 4 steps to take when using inner child work as a way to heal. At the end of the episode, we will take a few minutes to do a simple guided meditation practice to heal your inner child. Once you listen to the episode, you can get the full version of this meditation here. Here is a glance at this episode… [02:04] Why is inner child work so empowering, and how does it help you to heal your past [04:57] How to recognize different versions of your inner child and understand the experiences that shaped her [07:54] The importance of healing the inner child through self-compassion and recognizing coping mechanisms you develop due to past experiences [09:04] 4 questions to ask your inner child [13:18] A simple, short guided meditation practice for reconnecting and healing the inner child

Are you stuck on your healing path? Do you feel you've tried almost everything, but nothing quite works? Today, I am sharing my 3 most powerful spiritual practices that I used and continue using every day to heal and keep myself in balance.  Daily spiritual practices are essential for anyone on a healing path. When we have a practice in place and stay committed to it, what we are saying is "I love me to take care of me."  Developing spiritual practices that work and coming back to them daily became a ritual that I can't go without. It is like taking a shower or brushing my teeth.  There is something that is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is "the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections." In simpler words, by exercising different spiritual practices, you are "molding" your brain into becoming a person who takes care of her mental and emotional health. For example, if you used to binge-watch a show every day but now you do your spiritual practices instead, you are training your mind to develop healthier habits and perceive yourself as a healthier person.  In this episode, I talk about 3 spiritual practices I use daily to manage my mind, regulate my emotions, and break limiting thinking patterns. These spiritual practices keep me in balance and support me on my path to healing and personal growth.  Here is a glance at this episode… [00:40] How my spiritual practices became a roadmap to my healing and helped me in breaking the generational narrative.  [01:38] Addressing what is spirituality and why it has nothing to do with religion and what it actually means to be spiritual.  [05:07] How silence and solitude embraced my healing and allowed me to know myself on a deeper level.  [09:58] Understanding the deeper aspects of yoga as a spiritual practice, and how it skyrocketed my healing and became a way of life.  [14:33] What responsibility and the power of choice have to do with spirituality, and why practicing both is more spiritual than you may think. 

What if instead of focusing on what you want to accomplish externally, you look within and focus on who you need to become and how you can reinvent yourself to reach the healing, growth, and goals you desire?  The external world can fall apart, but how you manage your internal system and the magnitude of your is something no one can take away from you. Inner resilience and self-belief rooted in self-trust are all you need when embarking on a committed spiritual path while transforming the subconscious and subtle patterns that keep you stuck.  If you focus on your present reality, how wounded you are, or how many things you need to "fix" about yourself, it's natural to feel discouraged by the amount of work you need to undergo.  Therefore, I want you to look at the other side of the spectrum. I want you to look at the possibility you represent and explore ways to reinvent yourself.  This meditation is designed to look deep inside yourself, identify patterns you want to change, and then use your imagination to create a picture of who you want to become. Not who you think you can be or should be but who you WANT to be. It is your tool to reinvent yourself from the ground up.  How can you use this meditation: Commit to doing the meditation at least once a day, preferably twice in the morning and at night.  Write down the habits, patterns, or traits you want to change ( this is optional).  Write down a clear picture of who you want to become and what it looks like to reinvent yourself. Include as many details as you'd like, and then use this vision in your meditation (this is also optional).  Why is this meditation powerful? This guided meditation to reinvent yourself and reach your full potential is meant to pull you out of survival mode and into the seat of the possibility of who you can become. It helps you to identify subconscious patterns you may not be aware of and directs your attention toward inner healing.