Mindful Living With Athea Davis

Happy Day, Friend! Have you ever wondered when you give your kids points, stars, money, or rewards of any kind why there isn’t a lasting correlative behavior change?We can all be caught in that cycle! Points and rewards matter, but we are making them matter too much. Our best intentions to help our kids and students succeed can actually backfire and have the opposite effect. So, what can we do to help our kids and students grow into independent, critical thinking, and hard-working young adults?I had the opportunity to chat with Jessica Lahey, the New York Time’s bestselling author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, and she shares tons of great insights and information to help us all be the best educators, leaders, and parents we can be. We talk about all the things related to failure, motivation, rewards, and kids, including: ~ How to help our kids and students do well and succeed without solely focusing on rewards; ~ How to let our kids and students fa

Happy Day, Friend! If you are burned out, overwhelmed, and stressed with anything… like family, work, school, or just life in general, then this episode will provide the soul elixir you need! I had the opportunity to chat with my soul sister, Lisa Field, owner of Lucky Star Show + Tell. She runs the amazing Lucky Star Art Camp for Women in Hunt, Texas. If you need a little reboot, rejuvenation, and relaxation; if you are looking for a community where you can refine your art skills; or you are just dabbling with anything and everything creative living, then this episode is for you! We talk about all things creative living, including: ~ Lisa’s personal journey into creating a creative business operation; ~ How she’s serving this particular market for women through Lucky Star Art Camp; ~ The positive emotional, social, mental, and spiritual impact her work has on so many women’s and families’ lives; ~ Practical tips to help us all follow and develop our childlike spark within; and  ~ So much more! Oh, and after

Happy Day, Friend! It’s suicide prevention month. Having been intimately touched by such a gut-wrenching experience at the passing of my older one’s father 5 years ago to suicide, I know deeply in my bones that these devastating tragedies can be prevented with proper support, including preventative measures that start in childhood. I talk about the current depression and suicide statistics, the possible “why” behind suicide, and what we can do to prevent so many precious lives from ending way too early.  I also get a little vulnerable and raw with sharing my personal story as a suicide survivor. I would love to hear how you are using the 5 strategies I shared to help turn back this suicide rate tide! Every voice and action matters. If you or someone you know needs immediate help with suicide concerns, please reach out to suicidepreventationlifeline.org or call 800.273.TALKThis is a heavy topic. Take few moments to breathe deep and process. Please share with anyone that has been impacted by depression and/or s

Happy Day, Friend! If you’ve tried to implement a self-care routine and just can’t seem to do it or feel terrible about taking time for yourself or you wonder why you invest in all the stuff that fills up your home or closet, but not your heart or mind, then this episode is for you! I had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Bernada Nicole Baker, an influential, inspirational, and trailblazing leader of her generation. A radical self-care advocate for women, particularly women of color. We talk about all things radical self-care, including: ~ the stigma attached to self-care in communities of color ~ what we can do to transform that stigma ~ the father’s involvement in their daughter’s life and how it impacts their self-esteem ~ creating safe spaces to talk, heal and thrive together ~ tips + tools to help us create our own radical self-care routine ~ plus, so much more! This podcast episode is brought to you by my new digital program – Mindfulness Education University for Educators. I’m so excited about my new co

Happy Day, Friend! If you struggle with carrying emotional baggage around and it impacts your relationships at home, school, or work, or with allowing all the minutia of life, including the endless web of stories we create that can leave us feeling drained, lacking purpose and meaning, and often times repeating negative family cycles, then this episode is for you! I had the honor of chatting with the multiple New York Time’s bestselling author and clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, Dr. Dan Siegel about his work relating to the functions of the mind – Mindsight and the Wheel of Awareness. We talk about all things of the mind, including: ~ what Mindsight and the Wheel of Awareness are and how we can practically use them in our roles as parents, educators, and leaders~ the teenage brain, the adolescent pruning process, and social media ~ how to cultivate strong and confident teens in the digital age~ how to develop a healthy relationship with technology ~ tips and tools for parents,

Happy Day, Friend! If you’ve ever wanted to know about yoga in schools, this episode is for you! I had the pleasure of talking to an amazing educator and leader, Deidra Lawson, who integrates yoga and mindfulness into her school, Yellowstone Academy in Houston, Texas, for students and educators. She’s an advocate for the holistic education of African-American students. Deidra and I discuss her journey into education, what holistic education is, and why it’s important. We also talk about:~ how she integrates health and wellness in her leadership style for herself and for other educators; ~ the results educators and students get from participating in yoga and mindfulness practices; ~ how she integrates yoga and mindfulness in her school and engages parents; ~ and, so much more! This podcast episode is brought to you by my new program – Mindfulness Education University for Educators. I’m so excited about my new comprehensive digital program for educators and leaders! Created to help you melt away stress, overwhe

Happy Day, Friend! Don’t let the back-to-school buzz burn you out! In order to stress less we must learn to direct our attention to the things that matter and change our relationship to stress. This week I’m talking about how intentions help us prioritize and refine our attention. I also give you some kind and warrior-hearted inspiration to learn to say no, so you can say yes more often to the things that you really want to focus on. Enjoy my 3 tips to stress less and live more. I want to know what your fave is and how you are using it in your everyday. DM me or tag me on social and let me know! And, in other big news… I share about my new course – Mindfulness Education University for Educators – for the first time on the podcast!!I’m so excited about my new comprehensive digital course for educators and leaders coming up this September 2019! It's only going live once this year, so make sure you get in while it's hot! To reserve your spot for my free “mindfulness spa sessions” aka, mindfulness train

Happy Day, Friend! As we head back into another school year and before the buzz buzz busyness of all the things, I want to make sure that not only are you planning the remainder of your year, and doing all the back to school shopping and prepping fun, but I also want you to plan your zen time. This is one of the most important things you can gift to yourself and others! That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to my guest on the show today – Dan Tricarico. Dan is colloquially known as the Zen Teacher. He’s been a high school English teacher for nearly 30 years and is the author of two amazing books – The Zen Teacher: Creating Focus, Simplicity, and Tranquility in the Classroom and Sanctuaries: Self-Care Secrets for Stressed Out Teachers. You will love Dan’s matter of fact approach and all the great zenning out tools he has to offer. We talk about all the things including:~ stresses teachers are facing ~ what we can do about it~ how leaders can support their teachers with a twist of zen~ his 5s strategy to help

Happy Day, Friend! I’m so thrilled for you to listen to my chat with Dr. MeMe Brown! She’s such a radically unapologetic and vibrant advocate for women, and for women of faith. We talk about Dr. MeMe’s struggle with people pleasing (where are my ladies… can y’all relate?!), which ultimately led her to realize that she went through an identity crisis where she found herself being and doing for everyone else, except for her. In this struggle, Dr. MeMe discovered that the inauthentic life she was living was suffocating the life out of her and others around her, and God desired that she be her unique self despite what others thought she should be. As Dr. MeMe says, “I chose to live.” And, live she did. She’s trailblazing a new way for women ministers and adding her own unique flare to the mix as an established speaker, revolutionary thinker, and transformational leader. You will love her journey and the vibrant wisdom she has to share. For anyone going through an identity crisis and needing a little extra inspira

Happy Day, Friend! Today on the show I’m coming to you solo style! I know from talking to many of you that you are feeling so much stress, overwhelm, and burnout. While I do generally address these topics on the podcast, I wanted to dedicate an episode specifically on the various kinds of self-care strategies that are important to keeping you healthy in mind, body, and spirit. I also share a recent personal experience with an emotional breakdown I had after a long creative phase of a project and I talk about what I did in the aftermath of that breakdown. I hope you find these strategies valuable. Let me know which self-care strategies you will be committing to over the next several months as we step into one of the busiest seasons of the year!  Oh, and after you dive into this episode… Please take a quick few to rate and review the show. I love feedback so I can continue to glow and grow and give you valuable content so you can continue to learn from some amazing thought leaders and shine bright in all you do

Happy Day, Friend! Today on the show I’m excited to share my chat with a dear friend and colleague, Dr. Beth Reese.  Beth Reese, PhD., E-RYT, RCYT, is the founder and executive director of Yogiños: Yoga for Youth; writer, producer, and host of The OHmazing Way podcast; independent museum and wellness educator, and freelance writer. Beth shares her personal journey into the varied practices of yoga and how what she was learning on the yoga mat could help her daughter with a sensory processing disorder “off the mat”. We talk about what yoga off the mat is, why it’s important to all of us, and how we can practice it in our everyday lives. Beth also shares her new initiative Flower Power by 5 and gives us some great tips to help us all feel more connected to ourselves, others, and the greater world around us.   Oh, and after you dive into this episode… Please take a quick few to rate and review the show. I love feedback so I can continue to glow and grow and give you valuable content so you can continue to learn

Happy Day, Friend! Today on the show I am excited to share my chat with former educator and author of the 8 book character education series, The Adventures of Peacebe and the Heartwatch. You will love Leneen’s book series and her journey into creating and writing her book series for kids, parents, and schools. We talk about the development of the Peacebe series; Leneen’s personal journey into creating the series and how struggle played a role in fueling her passion and purpose; and why you need to stock up on these books for your home, classroom, and school.  For my non-educational leaders out there, I want you to listen to how character development can be linked to ongoing personal and professional development, particularly as it relates to emotional and social intelligence. Leneen also gives us some great guidance to help us all refine and continue to grow in our character development journey. Oh, and after you dive into this episode… Please take a quick few to rate and review the show. I love feedback so I

Happy Day, Friend! Today on the show I am thrilled to share my chat with Bishop Andrew Doyle. Bishop Doyle is an expert in all the important ingredients that go into building diverse, positive, and lasting communities. Grab your notepad, especially my leaders, educators, and parents out there! There are tons of golden nuggets of wisdom in this episode to help you build the communities of your dreams - whether you are working with teams, schools, and families. We talk about the differences between culture and community, front door evangelism and how we can apply that in an ecumenical and secular environment, extreme learners and the reemergence of craftsmanship (and why you must know about this and work to cultivate it in those you lead), how we can share our differences for the value of the common good, dissipative moments and self-renewal within our communities (and how we can navigate these tougher moments of relating), and so much more! As Bishop Doyle reminds us, “There is a story. The core of the story i

Happy Day, Friend! I want you to visualize me giving you a virtual high ten! This episode is a celebratory one for sure! I really wanted episode 20 to be a special treat because it’s the big #20 for Mindful Living with Athea Davis and I’m thrilled to continue to share and grow in all things mindful living with you. My guest today is Christina Sell. Christina is an expert in her craft as a yoga teacher and trainer. She’s been practicing and teaching for nearly 30 years! Christina has so much wisdom and practical guidance to share. This episode is all about Wholeness and Freedom and using the path of yoga to get there. There’s something in this episode for everyone – whether you are just getting curious about this yoga stuff or you have been a practitioner for years. Christina and I chat about why she chose yoga as a physical and spiritual practice, body image issues, the insta age of quick fix and look good fast, what motivates us to take the self-discovery path, how we can navigate struggles in a more empower

Happy Day, Friend! I'm coming to you solo style today! I want to check in with you and say "Thank you" for supporting this podcast all the way to episode 19. Before I bring you the 20th episode next week (can you believe it?!), I want to take a moment to reflect and share on the purpose of the podcast, and what to expect next. Since the first episode, you will find a mix of solo style topics hosted and taught by me and interview style episodes where I bring you a diverse group of thought leaders that live a Mindful Living life in their own unique way. So, I thought it would be a great idea to give you my version of what it means to live a Mindful Living kind of life. Then, my 9 guiding principles were born. I talk about the 9 guiding principles of living a Mindful Living life and hope you find them practical, useful, and valuable for living your own Mindful Living life. By no means is this an exhaustive guide. The principles I discuss are simply a guide for you to reflect on, practice, and make

Happy Day, Friend!This week I had the opportunity to chat with JimmyTay Trinh of Naughty Noah's Vietnamese Pho Noodles, a quick and healthy authentic Vietnamese noodle product for healthy-minded individuals on the go. We talk about Jimmy's journey from engineering to culinary, the founding of his company, Naughty Noah's, and his experience as an immigrant entrepreneur, what he's learned about personal and professional leadership, and so much more! As Jimmy reminds us, "Leadership is about how you help others so that they can grow thereby the reciprocation of that helps you grow."I hope you enjoy this episode and take Jimmy's insights and wisdom to help you grow along your own journey. You can find Jimmy and Naughty Noah's on-line at www.naughtynoahs.com. XO ~ Athea PS. For information on my live mindfulness trainings, digital courses, and products, please visit www.solsenseyoga.com. When you sign up on our e-mail list you get my 5 Pillars to Peace, a free guide to help

Happy Day, Friend! I can't wait for you to listen to this episode with Mitzi Henderson. Mitzi is a global yoga teacher, meditation guru, manifestor, and owner of Namitzi Yoga, The Namitzi Yoga Institute of Health and Spirituality, the only African American owned registered yoga school in Houston, and The Mindful Lotus. We talk about her passion for healing, the death of her mom due to cancer and how that tragedy led her to her own healing on the yoga mat, the creation and development of the first woman black owned yoga school in Houston, her experience as a black woman entrepreneur, how she integrates her spirituality with her religion, and so much more! As Mitzi reminds us, "How you start your day, completely influences how you experience your day."You can find Mitzi by visiting www.namitzi.com. You can also follow her on IG and Twitter @namitziyogaHappy listening! XO ~ Athea PS.  For information on my live mindfulness trainings + digital courses for leaders, educators and parents or for infor

Happy Day, Friend! I'm so pumped for you to listen to this powerful episode with Charles Rotramel, CEO of Houston: reVision, a non profit organization that builds a positive peer culture for kids on the edge throughout the Greater Houston area. Charles has over 30 years of experience with disconnected and juvenile justice-involved youth in the Houston area. We talk about his journey into this particular field, why he uses the term "disconnected youth, the school to prison pipeline, why building a positive peer culture for kids on the edge is so important, and so much more! This episode is a must listen to for all my parent, educator, and leader friends out there! You will gain so much insight into why the work of Houston: reVision is so important in the world and why it matters even if you aren't directly involved in this kind of work. To learn more about Houston: reVision visit their website:https://www.houstonrevision.orgKeep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! XO ~ Athea PS. To learn

Happy Day, Friends! On today's episode, I dive into a wee bit of yoga philosophy from the Yoga Sutras, looking at attachment (raga) and non-attachment (vairagya). I've been reflecting a lot about attachment lately because of the tea cup story I share in this episode (and on the episode with Gaelyn Godwin, Abbot of the Houston Zen Center). I thought you may find it valuable to understand that when we are attached to people, experiences, and objects we tend to feel a push-pull cycle of pleasure and pain, happy and unhappy. This cycle is a tough place to be and creates so much craziness in our life! With mindfulness practices we can cultivate the art of freedom from attachment, meaning we are free from ego-driven personal desires for personal gain, which leads us away from  that crazy push-pull cycle of pleasure and pain. Thank goodness! We can also choose to shift that motive of personal desires for personal gain to a motive of personal desires to serve others that's driven by something beyond ou

Happy Day, Friend! I know you will enjoy listening to one of my fave master teachers. I had the opportunity to chat with Cat Allen, Forrest Yoga Mentor and Trainer, about her new program Poppy Perinatal Yoga. She is now offering trainings all over the world! Ek... exciting! To my fellas tuning in, don't run off yet, because even if you aren't expecting with your partner or you don't have one yet, you will glean wisdom from Cat's numerous years of experience as a yoga teacher, trainer, and dedicated practitioner. She gives some wise guidance on how to practically apply yoga and mindfulness principles in your own life. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or just curious about learning some de-stress for success tools in your personal and professional life, you will find immense value in her approach to living a mindful life. You can follow Cat on Instagram at @poppyperinatalyoga and @catallenyoga. Keep breathing deep and shining bright, Friend! XO ~ Athea PS. To learn more about my mindfulness t