Latest / Bird on a Branch / Ep. 13 | Here's Why That Wellness Advice Might Be Hurting You
Transcript
- Bird on a Branch: first of all, it's finally feeling like fall here in Colorado. Sorry that my hair is the way that it is, but just coming to you, keeping it real. You guys, I started a new series. I hope you can hear me. My setup is still evolving. Thank you for your patience. I started a new series, it's like an Ask Me Anything, Tell Me Tuesday. In my Instagram, I put up little box so that you guys can write in on things that you want to know more about, things that you want my intuitive guidance about, or professional guidance, or even personal guidance. So I did. I put that up in my Instagram. If you're not following me, please come join the community. I do have my phone because I have screenshots of what you guys wrote in. So I'm gonna do like a mid dive. And I mean mid like Gen Z mid. I mean like you know, mid level. Not a deep dive. I can't do a deep dive on everyone's question, but I think I'm gonna do three questions per episode and three questions per episode, so that I don't go off too far on a tangent, because you guys know I'm not the greatest at minimizing words. So, let's get into it. So these questions can be anything from holistic health perspective to spiritual guidance to emotional healing guidance my perspective on things one of these questions was really interesting I did look at them just right before I hit record but I did not look at them because I want I want to speak off the cuff like as if we're having a conversation because it is an ongoing conversation. Really, really good questions. I get so excited to talk to you guys. if you've been in my Instagram community, you know that I'm in my DMs a lot. So let's get started so we don't yap too much. so the first question is a good one, and I have a lot to say about it, so I'm gonna go ahead and try to touch on This, but I might end up doing an episode on it. The question was: can you speak more on the dangers of the fake wellness culture? And so I messaged my friend who asked this question to get some clarity, but I have a lot to say on this, and what she was referring to is how severely dangerous. It is on socials where all these influencers are coming on and saying and and being paid to or sponsored by or affiliate, which I don't have anything, I don't have a problem with people making money on socials, obviously, but when it comes to wellness. I do think that there is a toxicity and a danger to people who are not experts, and I'm not really hung up on credentials myself, but when it comes to advice, wellness advice, supplements, and things that you're ingesting, injecting. you gotta be really careful. First of all, for everyone who doesn't know, the supplement industry, as a holistic health practitioner, that industry is not regulated. And it's also extremely dangerous to buy supplements off of places like Amazon where not only is it not regulated, but anyone can go on and sell anything. So there's a lot of fake like they do testing on supplements and a lot of the big brands aren't even selling what they say they're selling. So you gotta know the brands that are trustworthy. You gotta know who owns those brands And then you have to know that they're they're locked in on their ingredients, sourcing, all of that stuff. So there's that aspect of it. And then in insert influencers. So these are people who have big followings or medium followings. the brands reach out to and or the influencers use these brands or are sent these brands and these supplements. And then they go on and they advise and say, my god, it's changed my life, it's made me feel X, Y, and Z. And then we are all consuming social media and either feel like shit and are desperate, so then we're more likely to be influenced by influencers and content creators that we trust, which again, I'm in this space, so I I know that there are good people out there, and I I want to always feel that people are doing their best to be good people and to have integrity and to speak from their heart and to be trusted. But the reality is they're not. Not everybody is, not all brands are trustworthy, and not all things are what you think. And more than anything, as someone who works with people, mind, body, and spirit, bioindividuality is the bigger problem here. There is no one supplement injectable, whatever. I'm I'm not even gonna go down that. Right now, I will if you want me to, but there is no one thing that's great for everyone, and I think it's very dangerous when someone with a huge platform comes on and says, Take this, this is going to make you be feel it's change my life, it's make you feel better, blah blah blah. And everyone, literally, you guys know that I feel and know. personal experience and from working with so many people that everyone is is desperate to feel better, to they want to look better, they want to feel better. They wanna be more comfortable in their skin. And so my Encouragement for everyone would be, you know, to learn to trust yourself first and foremost, to do your own research, to not take somebody's blind guidance because they said so. Just because your favorite content creator is telling you to take a supplement that they're most likely paid to talk about does not mean that your body is going to do well on that supplement or that you need it. It can be a very dangerous space. It can be you taking something that is not good for your blood, your organs, your liver, your heart, your cardiovascular system, your nervous system, your body in general. So without knowing where your baseline is, people online who are telling you what to take and what to do with your body, I mean, take it with a grain of salt. Do not Take some random woman on the internet, or man for that matter, and and take their supplement routine because they said that's what works for them, or because they're getting paid to tell you to take those those supplements or the peptides or whatever it is. I am a huge believer in surrounding yourself with smart people. But I'm a bigger believer in trusting yourself, getting to know your body, listening to your body, your what you need, and and knowing what your baseline is first before you do anything. do I have a personal, like these supplements are great for everybody? Everyone should have these. Yeah, I do. I do have. I do have favorites. but I also have been a in the holistic health space for over fifteen years and I feel confident when I encourage when if I do encourage certain supplements. I just do think it's incredibly dangerous to blindly trust people on the internet to take. a certain supplements, you do not you do not know for sure, unless you're educated, that that is really specifically good for you. on the content creator side, I think it's really irresponsible to be You know, I'll give you an example, okay? Something like I'm not paid for any of these supplements, just so you know. But like something like like AG1, for example. It's a green powder. Do I think everyone would benefit from that? Probably. But that's not really what I'm talking about. I'm talking about, Like adrenal support, things that that come in and do like acute things for a specific reason. I don't think it's good for you to take Glandulars for adrenal support if you don't know where your cortisol rhythm is. That's stress. So, like, do I think most people have adrenal burnout? Yes, I do, but I don't think everybody that doesn't mean everybody will benefit from taking adrenal glandulars. That would be too much for a lot of nervous systems. And it acts as a stimulant, and like I could go into the medical and the and that and that, but I won't. I'm just giving you example. An overarching like green powder, I would definitely be like, dude, go and look into the sourcing, make sure that these ingredients and the the brand is locked in, but not specific supplements. Like know your body, trust yourself, ask a friend that's in that space professionally. Do not go and blindly listen to content creators selling you something. because it worked for them or because they're getting paid to. Okay? I might go into that deeper, but that's a that's a big problem on the internet. Handling anxiety, heavy chest feeling. Okay. I am going to first say this is definitely something that I feel like everyone probably feels throughout the day or week. I am gonna also say I've been having some back issues, so this is I gotta like watch my posture here. Guys, anxiety typically the root of anxiety is living too far in the future and and or not trusting the process of life. That is I would say more the route. Anxiety is something that living with uncertainty as humans we all literally have to experience at some point. It comes in all different forms. Mm some people can be more extreme and have like panic over it. I will first ask, dude, did you watch my video on the nervous system reset? 100% those movements slash exercises will help you release that anxious energy in your chest. this is not medical advice. I also just want to say like chest tightness can be other medical issues, so make sure you're you're checked for all that. But if it's if if you're having anxiety, your nervous system is clocking something the you need to feel safety, seek safety, the look for evidence that you're safe. So I would use the mantra in the in that moment with some breathing work that is in my nervous system reset video. The breath work is your anchor. It is always going to return you to your center. It will always be the answer. So it will always say breath work first. But second to that, words the thoughts, words are spells, words are so powerful. You have such power in your ch in your speech. So you want to basically direct your body to safety by using words the thoughts first. So you need to adapt the adapt mantra. I am safe in my body. I am safe in this world. I am safe right now. All three are one of those. all of my clients have a personalized set of mantras that they use and all of them have said that they it's changed their life to this day. Years later they use these mantras. I use mantras, my kids use mantras. One thing I would say if you feel mantras can feel like a lie at first because they're you're saying something that's not necessarily true in the moment. So you guys, the veil is so thin, like I'm clacking freaking energy everywhere and it's freaking me out. anyways, okay, squirrel. I would say for mantras, get some sticky notes and start to paste. Start to write mantras like I am safe. My body is safe. I am more than enough. go through like mantras all day long but simple sticky notes around your house especially in front of the mirror mirror work is incredibly effective it gets into your subconscious faster because you're looking into your own eyes that's hard work that's a whole separate video that's a very heavy on the inner child healing but putting sticky notes of mantras and affirmations around your house I did that when my kids were little and for my my little one really helps get it into the subconscious. So if you can adopt the mantra that you are safe and get your breath work locked in, that is going to help anxiety a lot. It will be a tool that you can use wherever you go, grocery store, Carline, Errands, the gym, whatever, you need to have a set of Words and that become beliefs. Beliefs are just thoughts that you just keep thinking. So affirmations start that path and you're building new neural pathways in your in your brain which are beliefs beliefs are beliefs because they're thoughts you keep thinking and they build their own pathways in your brain so if it's a negative belief or a negative story that is going to be need to be reprogrammed with the opposite so like I am not worthy would be something a lot of us have inadequacy stories and you would Have to work against that by using starting to use words and thoughts and mantras that are around adequacy. I am more than enough, I am worthy. These are really simplified affirmations, but I'm just giving you examples. so if you are feeling anxious and you're feeling it in your body. naming it not not everything is anxious too. I had a client, I have a client when she first came to me, she lumped everything under the umbrella of anxiety, anxious. And there are more feelings and emotions that we feel than just anxious. So getting to know what actual emotions are happening is really important. you could be feeling afraid and not actually anxious. You could be feeling Guilt or shame, and I know that doesn't seem like it would go na with anxiety, but you'd be surprised how many emotions fall under the umbrella if you reverse engineer what is anxiety. So, this same person asked about daily habits and I'm gonna make a whole video on Best way to start your day, how to get grounded and start your day so that your mind and your body and spirit are all aligned and you can start in a good way. But I will say, if you can, in the same way of talking about anxiety, if you can start your day by carving out five minutes right after you wake up before you get out of your bed. To get in prayer, get in breath work, get in meditation, all or any of those, you will be set up for success 150% more than if you just shoot out of bed when your alarm goes off. Please don't do that. Please don't pick up your phone when your alarm goes off and start scrolling. Literally, I have a very tight rule. That when I wake up, the first thing I do before I even open my eyes is say a prayer when my eyes are still closed and I'm like half awake, half asleep. Take a deep breath, be thankful, find gratitude for the moment, maybe a good night's sleep. find gratitude and find a meditation or a prayer That resonates with you. I have a whole list of morning prayers that I listen to while I do like my red light mask in the morning. So I'm multitasking, I'm habit stacking. I think that is a really good way to calmly enter your day, set yourself up for protection. Like my guided meditation on protecting your energy, It's short. Do that. Do that before you get up. You will set yourself up for positive healthy cadence to the day. And if you start to feel anxious, notice. Use your sensory experiences. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? That's something that I guide my panic. prone clients to do like a sensory like if you're in your car and you're starting to feel panic. Okay, what do I see? What do I hear? What like what you use your hands, what am I feeling? it brings your attention, like your sensory sensor system, back to your center and the present because panic is often like a progressive into the future uncertainty, not trusting what's going on or not trusting the process. So use your senses, use prayer, use breath work, use your words and your thoughts to find the truth. Because your body and your brain is always looking for evidence of your belief systems. So check in with yourself, see what you're focused on. Where energy where attention goes, energy flows. That is a very real saying that is true for the body and the brain. Give your brain evidence that you're safe in your body, in your environment, more than likely you have a thought that has come through that has triggered some sort of sense of unsafety. And so noticing what that is and then working on that will sort of neutralize that thought that triggered the unsafety in the first place. generalized anxiety, I mean it would help if you have trauma, that's where you need to sort of unpack it with a coach or a therapist. I don't think cognitive behavioral therapy is very helpful for the trauma, which is why I went into trauma informed coaching, but If your anxiety is linked to something specific like trauma, then I would say you need to do more specific work on that trauma. but I hope that reminding you to use those tools that you have and you can take with you every day. Is going to really set you up for staying in your power, in your personal power, and embodied personal power and not giving it away to anxious moments. we have so much more power and so much more insight than we even know. You have to learn to trust yourself though. You have to learn to trust your body, you have to know what your body needs and You have to take care of your vessel and your mind. This is a daily, daily practice and the only way to get strong is like going to the gym. You have to practice it. It's a muscle. I'm gonna end it there, but I will be coming on to do another video on the rest of these questions. I did put up a box this week for additional questions. You guys please participate. I love hearing from you. I love talking to you, and I really hope that this served today. And I will see you guys soon.