Why Struggle? Podcast W Barbara J. Faison

All Links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about shaking things off in life. Enjoy this re-broadcast from Week 40 of 2024.If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!Well, there is a lot going on in the world isn't there? And we know we can't control anybody else but ourselves, right? What I've learned is sometimes the best response is no response. Trust me I have learned this the hard way… talking way too much. Lol.It feels like we're able to see so much of other people's lives, because we are. Technology allows us to see what other people are doing, or at least what we think they are doing on many levels.  It can be frightening. Whether it's watching someone do a live stream, a short on YouTube, or something on TikTok; we think we know what's happening in other people's lives. Do we, really?I'm reminding myself more and more to step away from so much of the busyness and noise of daily life. Even if it's stepping outside for

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON On Thursday last week, I was out running errands before my part-time job at the Stockbridge local library and I had a taste for Cracker Barrel pancakes so I decided I would stop there before I went to work. I didn't have to be at work until 4 PM so I was having a late breakfast.As I walked up to the hostess stand another woman walked up exactly at the same time. We greeted the hostess, and said one when she asked how many people were in our party. She said she would seat us at the same time and we followed her into the restaurant.The other woman being seated turned around to me and said something like do you feel weird like me, when you eat by yourself? I don't mind eating alone, it gives me an opportunity to do my word search or read or just be. I said “Do you wanna join me for lunch?”We sat down, and Sandy and I had a delightful lunch/breakfast. Interestingly enough, the food inspectors were there so our food was delayed by quite a few minutes which gave us ev

All LINKTR.EE/BarbaraFaisonEarlier this year, I said I wanted to do at least one sentence as a journal entry every day. Until a few weeks ago, I'd only missed maybe one or two days this year.When I opened my journal on June 7th, the last dated Entry was May 30th. I looked at the date and smiled. I had given myself grace. And I did not write a journal entry that day.I have never been that committed to journaling. And I noticed lately my entries were very basic. If I journaled at the beginning of the day, it was more engaging and active, and I laid out my desire for the day. If Ijournaled at the end of the day, it was a quick recap of what it happened. As I looked at my entry on May 30th I thought to myself, why am I doing this right now?I decided to give myself a break from daily journaling.  I mean, who is it benefiting, anyone? Every now and then when I'm doing some cleaning and organizing, I will pull out a journal from the past and read through it and I do take note of the growth I have experienced

ALL THE LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about celebrating life’s milestones and moments.If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!How are you feeling about things these days? The world is experiencing a lot of turmoil including the weather, political changes, and even in our personal lives, it can be a lot to process. When things are not going the way I like them to go, it may be easy to question what’s happening in and to the world. It can be easy to write off the world as this horrible place and feel like, why bother, nothing good is happening anyway.And then I have those times of remembering to stay in the moment and enjoy what is happening… I am reminded that you, I, and the world are, and will be just right. I remember that life is about moments and milestones. And in each moment, we can take it in. Feel it in our bodies. Notice how we feel. And be with those feelings. And yes, those feelings may range from deep despair to extreme happiness.Life is fill

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about practicing gratitude.If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!It’s still  May and Nay ⁠CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE⁠I say “thank you, God” all day long. I feel so blessed and grateful for my life and the people in my life. Even when things are not as great as I would like them to be, I’m still grateful for I know I have the ability to move forward.Do you have all five senses? BE GRATEFUL.Can you walk? BE GRATEFUL.Are you able to eat? BE GRATEFUL.Do you have shelter? BE GRATEFUL.Do you have clothing for your body? BE GRATEFUL.Can you read? BE GRATEFUL.Can you think and express yourself? BE GRATEFUL.Being grateful has now been scientifically proven to be a stress buster. Grateful people are more optimistic and reap the health benefits of the practice. Cultivate the practice of appreciation and look for what you are learning from your experiences. Simply say out loud throughout the day, “th

THIS IS A REPLAY OF 2024 - WEEK 23 All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about knowing yourself and having sustainable practices.Developing and sustaining a daily meditation practice for over 25 years helped me gain a deeper level of self-awareness. I have learned that the more I practice the more I gain a level of self-mastery with what I am practicing. Being self-aware and having personal insight allows me to recognize when I need to focus on a specific tool or technique, MORE.I remember when I was at dinner with a few former colleagues in 2017 and an active shooter entered the restaurant. We were ending dinner when we heard the words, “Everybody down.” I was with three much younger ladies reminding them to breathe and affirming that we would be okay.Was I concerned as we were underneath the table waiting for more news? Of course. I also had a strong sense that we would all be fine.As the scene dispersed and the police arrived we found out that the person who instructed us to get down was

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about taking five minutes to be present.May is National Meditation Month so check out my YouTube channel and look for the meditation playlist. There are over 31 meditations out there and you can give meditation a try.I would say we are back into the business of the” busyness” of life after the pandemic. Time is a premium for most of us and we all have the ability to make choices about where and how we spend our time. When I say that I use my voice to heal, educate and inspire as a voice talent, meditation guide and trainer, I usually get a few responses like:“I could never meditate, I can’t stop my mind.”“Meditation is so hard.”“I don’t have time to meditate.”“People tell me I have a great voice.”“I’ve always wanted to be a voice actor.”“I want to learn to meditate, I just don’t know where to start.”Meditation is a practice. Think about a snow globe. When you shake it up, eventually the snow settles to the bottom, that’s what meditation feels like. The

All the LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON2025 - Week 19 - Private BubbleThis is a podcast about managing your mind.If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you are listen regularly, thank you!Life can be overwhelming. Many of us jump out of bed and we are off and running until we fall back into bed exhausted at the end of the day. During the day between emails, texts, phone calls, meetings, scheduling, errands and making decisions all day long, we rarely get to take a moment to ourselves. Listening to the radio or people talking about politics and the news can also send you into various emotional states.I am very sensitive to sounds, loud noises and chatter. Well, most of life has all those things right? I am continuing to learn how to navigate through situations when I am around any of those things. Here’s the truth. If you are somewhere there will most likely be music, people talking or something going on that you cannot control, right?So what is helpful to manage all this input that we can’t stop or con

All the LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about spontaneity.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.I have been a planner for most of my life. Sure I do spontaneous things, however, there's usually a plan in my spontaneity. I think like most people, I have my routines down pretty good. Most Sundays I do my grocery shopping, come in and cook, and begin to prepare for the week.I enjoy routine, most of the time. Then sometimes I like to mix it up and do something a little different. I mean, after all, variety is the spice of life, right? Or so they say.When my husband, TD, suggested we drive out to a nursery to look at flowers on Sunday, I was game. Insert growth moment for me. Let’s just say there have been times in the past when that would have been very problematic. I had my day scheduled, something spontaneous would have thrown my schedule out of the window. I love when I can notice and appreciate my growth.In Episode 16 I talked about life mainten

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is a podcast about silence.April is national poetry month.As I was enjoying some moments of silence, I remembered I had written a poem about it. I hope you enjoy it!SilenceSilence is the language of God. The Universe, The Creator.Be still and listen.Be still and know.Be still and trust.Silence holds all the answers.Silence holds all that you can trust.Silence is waiting for you.Will you answer the call?That is my contribution to national poetry month. I have a feeling I may be reconnecting with the poet in me soon though.The world is filled with so much noise and so many sounds. I find myself craving more and more silence every day.A few minutes of silence as a daily practice can reduce stress as we calm our minds and thoughts from a hectic day. Simply take a few minutes before you start your day in line in bed and observe what you hear, how you feel and what you sent check in with your

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about fun times.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.Remember a few weeks ago I talked about the importance of discovering what fun looks like for me now? If not, you can check out episode number 12 called More Fun. Well, this weekend was action packed with fun and delightful experiences! A few weeks ago, I set the intention, and that is what happened this weekend. I experienced more fun and delight than I have had in a very long time.On Friday,  I went out back out salsa dancing with my salsa crew to celebrate our friends Bonnie and Leticia. In episode 13, Creating Memories,  I talked about having fun with my Salsa crew, we've been dancing together for decades. Check it out!Let me give you a little background on Bonnie. Bonnie is the friend who always takes the time to send you a card in the mail for your birthday. Bonnie believes that your birthday is your own personal holiday. Over the decades that we&

ALL LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This podcast is about maintenance.Maintenance is essential to living. One thing I've learned is that whatever is important to me has to be maintained. Health, relationships, finances, home, car, you get the picture, right?The last few months I’ve cleaned out the refrigerator, the freezer, the pantry, the cutlery drawer, my office and more. Sometimes I listen to a podcast as I’m cleaning/organizing, other times I just clear in the silence.Going through what felt like a myriad of food storage containers is what inspired this podcast. I asked myself questions like: Do I need all of these containers? Which ones should go in the front of the cabinet? Should I throw this one out? What happened to my smaller containers? Each time I straighten out this particular cabinet, I do my best to make it even more efficient for me when I'm looking for something. There’s a part of me that thinks that if

ALL THE LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is an episode about more tools; using self-massage and your breath.I hope you are discovering ways to connect with your body daily. Checking in with how you feel in your body is a practice all on its own.If you've been following me on any of the social platforms, you may be aware that I offer something called Breath Breaks. It's usually 1 to 2 minutes where I encourage you to stop during the day, take a few deep intentional breaths, or just be fully present with what is happening in that moment. That simple practice is a great way to learn more about what your body needs in the moment.If we allow it, life can be extremely busy and active and we can wake up and before we know it, we're going to bed and starting the cycle all over again. This sounds like a recipe for stress to me. In my 2025 podcast episodes 6, 7, 8 and 11 I shared the tools of breath, grounding, gratitude and

All links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is the podcast about creating memories.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.On Saturday I went out salsa dancing with my salsa crew for the first time in 2025. Jartu and Bonnie are a part of my salsa crew that I met while dancing and we have traveled to various places including Puerto Rico together. When we go out we can have as many as 10 others that join us ...and that's our salsa crew. At the party, Jamie, one of our regulars, asked how many decades we had been dancing together. Yes, I said decades. We've all gone back-and-forth about when we officially met so it can be either two decades or three decades, depending upon who you ask. Lol. We have celebrated birthdays, marriages and all the things that happen over decades of knowing each other. We were celebrating Jartu's 50th birthday and we wanted to be sure she had a good time and to create a lasting memory for her birthday. The music was great and the dancin

All LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is an episode about connecting and FUN!In episode 2025 – Week 4 I talked about fun. It was the weekend I got to hang out with 10 wonderful ladies I have connected with over the past 10 years at a gathering we have several times during the year. We shared our accomplishments from 2024 and our desires for 2025. I shared that I was open to more fun and understanding what that meant at this stage in my life.Being in the early years of my sixth decade on this earth definitely has me pondering and prioritizing things differently. I still have my part-time job at the local library and I have some voiceover work that is satisfying and I am open to what brings me fun at this time in my life.Last week I finished the improv class I started in January and it was enjoyable. The class definitely taught me to be MORE in the moment and to think quickly. I don’t feel a desire to move on to the next level. Was it fun for me? Hmmm. Good question? I think it a was necessary experience. I’v

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is the podcast about using affirmations for increasing your confidence.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.If you're interested in learning about the other tools for living that I've covered, check out, episodes, six, seven, and eight. A few weeks ago, I mentioned embracing change. Which if you lived any life, you know is the only constant you can count on. Lol.In July 2023 I started a part-time job as a library assistant at my local library. My father was a librarian at one of the local high schools as well as the neighborhood I grew up in. Just a little background information and I know that really informed my love of reading, books, and learning.At our library and Stockbridge, GA we are a passport processing facility. When I first started, I was asked if I was interested in becoming a passport agent. I declined because I only work 20 hours a week and I was also heading up the crochet group which met twice a month and the s

ALL LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON2025 - Week 10 - A TributeThis podcast is a tribute to my favorite poet, Nikki Giovanni and my English teacher, Mrs. Maureen DeLoach from Albany High school in Albany, GA.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.In this episode, I'm doing something different, offering a tribute to my favorite poet, Nikki Giovanni and my English teacher Maureen DeLoach who really introduced me to poetry.I believe it was in the 10th grade when my English teacher at Albany High School, Maureen DeLoach, had us write poetry. I believe she listens to my podcast, I know she follows me online. That class in English opened me up to a world of writing. So it really is a tribute to Mrs. DeLoach and to Nikki Giovanni.My father, Moses Faison, was a librarian at the local branch on Lee Street in Albany, Georgia and also at Monroe High School. He was an avid reader. He mostly read non-fiction and I remember when he came home with a book of poetry called Cotton Ca

This is an episode about embracing change. And embracing change I'm giving myself a break this week from tools and a brand new podcast. And that does include the card pull I'd love to hear your thoughts. It's amazing how things come back around. Week 9 - Embrace ChangeYou probably got up this morning and got dressed. You may have showered, brushed your teeth, eaten breakfast, driven to work, read the newspaper, and had a cup of coffee or tea. You have already been through at least six changes. Every moment is a new change, every second is different from the last one.Change is a natural part of the life cycle. Learning to embrace change is a major step toward peace of mind. Imagine seeing an old friend whom you loved dearly and giving him/her a loving hug. Think of this image the next time you have to handle a major change in your life.Picture yourself opening your arms and welcoming the opportunity to grow. Change will show up at your door regardless of how you feel about it. Learn to open the door and welcom

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONAUDIO - I'd rather listen - 8:29 mins2025 - Week 8 - Tools Part 3You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:29 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)This is an episode about grounding yourself in the present moment.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.it's been somewhere around 30 years since I started meditating. I started slow and then made a daily practice.I believe having meditation as a practice has helped me navigate life in a more intentional and calm way. I believe meditating, really helped me avoid a lot of things, including having a lot anxious feelings. Unless you're living under a rock, you can see that there's a lot going on in the world right now. Using tools and practices is one way i manage my emotions during these interesting times. lolWe are on part three of tools for a living. So far I've covered breathing in week one and the practice of gratitude in week tw

This is an episode about using gratitude as a tool and a practice.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.I'm doing a series on tools for living and last week I talked about the first tool in the tool kit, breathing. Were you able to take 10 deep breaths at some point in time during the day? If not, maybe give it a try this week. Set a reminder on your phone to stop and take 10 deep breaths, your mind and body will love you for it.Practicing gratitude is the second tool. Gratitude is a simple practice that helps you feel better, stress less and can improve your overall health. Yep, that’s from studies on the power of gratitude and I love that we now have tangible proof of the benefits.Last year I talked about the science behind gratitude. You can find out more in 2024, episode 38. One of the biggest things I have discovered about gratitude is how I feel when I come from a place of appreciation. Physically I feel my body shift from frustration to a more relaxed sta