A milestone birthday and my thoughts and experiences on receiving signs from Alex. I'm a total believer by the way. If you are curious about what signs look like and hearing more about them- please read this wonderful book: Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson It is a beautiful read, and I found it comforting and hopeful. Thank you for listening....
If a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears it- does it make a sound? I like existential questions of philosophy, and this one resonates on a couple levels for me. Also, there is a LOT of emphasis on the first year after losing someone, but what happens on day 366?
I’m sharing a few thoughts about why this question is so difficult when in the midst of grief, or really any challenging life stage. Also, I am a chronic over-thinker, so that doesn’t help in this scenario. I also share the Buddhist parable , 'The story of the second arrow'. The message of this story is one that I revisit very frequently. It illustrates the difference between pain and suffering, which for me has been a helpful distinction in many moments. Thank you for listening....
Flashback to…… International Women’s Day, March 8, 2020. My friend and co-conspirator Judy @garagefitness and I dreamt of sharing The Class by Taryn Toomey live in Buffalo to honor and celebrate women. Thanks to generous support from @lululemon, it actually happened! We were blessed to have the inspiring and powerful @emilychristinemara travel to Buffalo from NYC and lead hundreds of women in an amazing group experience……..one week before the world shut down. It was a pleasure to reconnect with ...
It’s now been 2 years since I took what I thought was a break for a few weeks. I considered starting again so many times, but it felt too overwhelming. I wasn’t sure how to begin and what to say. Somehow, a few weeks ago I felt like starting, and so I recorded a 15 min. ‘ice breaker’. Trust me, it’s messy. But, guess what- that’s exactly where I’m at. I usually obsess over details and trying to make everything perfect, but I’m experimenting with going the other way here. I ramble, probably don’t...
Hi Friends, today is my first solo episode. I share an experience that happened when I was growing up that was difficult for me to process. Now from my adult perspective, it illustrates how mindfulness helps me navigate big and small situations as well as why I'm so passionate about sharing it. Thank you for listening and please connect with your thoughts or feedback: jenniferdailygress@gmail.com I'm taking a break from the podcast for a couple of weeks and will be back with more great guests, m...
If you live in Buffalo you have probably heard about Unapologetic Coffee- they have a shop at 1375 Main St. in the city and their coffee is proudly served at many local business. Today I get to talk with Alisa Officer, who with her twin sister founded Unapologetic Coffee. The thing that hits me most about this brand is the authenticity and personality reflected in it. The logo, branding and vision is all real and authentic to them. Alisa shares some great advice for new entrepreneurs, talks abou...
Today's conversation might just change everything you thought about accounting and accountants.... It was a pleasure to talk with Dawn Scott, CPA about being a disrupter in the professional services field and how she has created her firm with her own rules. Hearing how she interacts with her clients and cares about their business is a breath of fresh air in a field which isn't always known for personality and connection. Dawn is also the host of the podcast 'The Empowered CPA' where I was a gues...
It is a rare opportunity to speak with such an accomplished scientist and hear her break down practical wellness information is a way we can all apply! Impressively, Heather is ranked in the top 1% of most influential scientists in the world (PLOS Biology). (See below) ‘This ranking, considered the most prestigious worldwide, is based on the bibliometric information contained in the Scopus database and includes more than 160,000 researchers from the more than 8 million scientists considered to b...
Ashley Middleton has been a corporate diversity facilitator since 2014 and she also has a great podcast entitled 'Figuring it Out'. She recently released an episode called 'Being Black in America' and we unpack more of the ideas she shares. Ashley and I also crossover in the wellness fields and tie this all into our understanding and practices of mindfulness. It goes without saying that racism and all its manifestations are very complex. Speaking for myself, I know this is a journey that I'm rel...
If you are curious about the dynamics of power, influence, getting what you want and being a better negotiator- do not miss this conversation with Professor Alison Fragale, Ph.D. Alison. Alison is an expert in these areas and presents it all with expertise and humor. We discuss our origin story of growing up in Pittsburgh, the differences between women and men when it comes to negotiations and some fascinating insights into power and power dynamics. As someone who does not feel like negotiating ...
A quick few minutes to check in and share where I'm at at the start of 2023 and also some greater clarity on the direction of the podcast. Connect with me: jenniferdailygress@gmail.com @JenniferDailyGress (IG and LinkedIn)
A festive holiday conversation with my sister Colleen Simonds before my holiday break…. Tree flocking …..what is it and why do it? Are you a supporter or consider it holiday sacrilege? Where do we come down on holiday folklore ? Santa, Elf on the Shelf…..why not include the Easter Bunny and The Tooth Fairy too? ‘Loves Entertaining’ Is this something to aspire to or a recipe for anxiety? (do people really need food bat this things, or could we leave that part out?) Do structured activities make f...
Thank you Dr. Bethany Lema for taking on what is a personal and sometimes scary subject for so many people (myself included)....hair loss. UGH. I share my own struggles and approach to dealing with this and I'm so grateful to Bethany for sharing the medical science behind all of this. As you'll hear, this is not an easy situation to diagnose and treat- but hopefully you'll come away armed with more knowledge and some possibilities if you're dealing with hair loss too. Bethany also discusses her ...
Lisa Prefontaine is a licensed mental health counselor and shares so much important information in this conversation. I've been wanting to talk to a professional about this subject for a while after seeing one news article after another about how alcohol use and dependency among women is increasing, especially since the pandemic. Let me say that her approach is a wonderful combination of science, research, experience and compassion. We talk about habits, will power, physiology, cultural pressure...
This is a fun conversation with Janna Willoughby-Lohr about the magical creations she makes out of paper to make people happy and 'bring meaning to people's lives'. Janna is an artist, business founder, sustainability entrepreneur, Buffalonian and mom. Check out her website here to see her creations..... https://www.papercraftmiracles.com/ We talk about the origin story of her business, poetry and art as a connecter to emotions, the power of words, taking rest, and one of my favorite sentiments ...
It was a privilege to hear directly from WNY Women’s Foundation CEO Sheri Scavone about the state of child care in our region and her work in that area to support women and families. I learned so much from this conversation and came away with seeing it as a two-fold challenge. On one side, there is a need for economic resources to increase availability, access and affordability of child care. Additionally, child (and all) care workers need to be paid a fair wage that reflects how important this ...
What happens? Judy is an incredible human being and champion for women. Her heart and energy go into everything she does and nobody is left the same after an interaction with her! We talk about her business: Garage fitness, being vulnerable, communication, supporting women, a little politics and more! Here’s a question we’d love your take on: How can you turn a complaint about your body into appreciation instead? DM us and let us know your answer or other thoughts about the conversation... @jenn...
I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to speak with Lesline and talk about yoga, being a nurse and mom, her business and how all those things connect. Trigger warning that there is talk of mental health challenges, suicide and postpartum depression. She shares this to encourage women who think they may need help or are struggling with mental health to reach out to a professional or in a crisis situation the hotline: 988. Work or practice yoga with Lesline over Zoom or locally in Orlando: https://www.l...
This episode with Buffalo writer and workshop facilitator Nanette D. Massey jumps right into the conversations we do and don't have about race. Next Saturday Nov 5th, Nanette and renowned author Robin DiAngelo (White Fragility) will co-host an event at Canisius College entitle 'Real Talk About Race'. We talk about the event, the nature of Robin's work in this space and the importance of walking away..... uncomfortably. Just like in the gym or at yoga class, we know that physical discomfort in tr...
Dr. Angela McLellan-Desai is a friend and Ob/Gyn MD in Buffalo. This can be an emotional and complex topic and I appreciate her expertise, straightforward approach and empathy along the way. My intention was to ask the questions on the topics that we often don't! I think we did that and I hope that you'll feel interested to learn more, support your friends, family, partner as they navigate physical changes and maybe even become more involved in supporting women's health. Here are some resources ...
Who better to kick off the second series of the podcast than my incredible sister Colleen Simonds! She is an accomplished interior designer after beginning her career in merchandising at Gap Inc and J Crew. We talk about career evolution, the second (or 3rd) chapters of careers, hair issues, beauty, aging and how this all ties back to Mike Brady. Yes. Here are a few highlights….. Innate talents vs. learned skills What is an editor? A chooser and a picker! Closet clean out tips and ruthlessness. ...
I love a good summary! It just feels so.....complete. Just me today for this summary and wrap-up episode of the first series. Mindfulness in the Corporate World .....what are some of the best questions to come out of these conversations? PS- I feel I have to add this: I bring up Donald Trump in an example about bias towards women seeking leadership positions and I need to say that I acknowledge there are a multitude of serious issues associated with him which I do not cover in this podcast! For ...
What would happen if we expanded our definition of leadership? Who is a leader? What qualities do they have? What qualities would we want them to have differently than what we see now? Linkage Women in Leadership Conference: November 1-4 Orlando 2022 https://www.linkageinc.com/ Key Ideas and Questions: Internal v External obstacles to advancement for women in professional leadership The ‘Inner Critic’ and what are the ways to get back to your center. Being likable v being credible as a double bi...
Fun conversation with my friend Steve Procknal! A semi-official ambassador for Buffalo, I can't think of anyone who loves this community more. He gives back through his natural enthusiasm and creativity whether it is organizing memorable large scale events at the Bills Stadium or showing up in costume to cheer on the Shamrock Run. Today we talk about what it takes to create community and Steve has some great experience in this area, co-founding the free fitness November Project here in Buffalo o...
DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This episode is about that, but really so much more. As you may have concluded by now, I'm a believer in mindfulness as a way to transform our thinking. And why? Ultimately, because I think that we'll have a better world for doing so. A kinder, more dynamic and interesting world if we all have the ability to bring and be our full, best selves. Catherine Earle is in Project Management for the Delaware North Corporation and also serves the Buffalo community on...
Part 2 with Steve Bell! We didn't quite complete this conversation after one round, so we come back for more. A few highlights from my notes..... -Leadership and what is the responsibility of people with platforms and us as individuals ? - To establish trust through communicating. - Communication doesn't have to be grandiose or institutional- it is also powerful 1:1. - Taking responsibility for what goes wrong. It's easy for leaders to take responsibility for wins and what goes right. - How do c...
Who better to speak with about mindfulness as it relates to communicating than Steve Bell? His professional career is all about communicating, whether in journalism with the Buffalo News, marketing and PR at Mower or as an independent voice to shepherd clients through a crisis situation. Beyond that, Steve is a good friend, engaged citizen in Buffalo and a fighter for civil rights. I value his opinion and perspective always and appreciate his measured demeanor and wisdom. (Especially over the pa...
Colleen Heidinger is a proud champion of Buffalo and the President of 43North, a startup accelerator and incubator based here in Buffalo, NY. She is also the owner of a yoga studio, Space on Seneca and a yoga instructor. Here are some of the highlights of our conversation and links to check out! - What is THE most important question for entrepreneurs to ask? - What is a key to problem solving? - What results from 'time on the yoga mat'? - What are you willing to 'eat, breathe, sleep'? - https://...
Most of us have probably heard that mindfulness is helpful for stress management. And it is- but what can mindfulness look like beyond just stress management? Could it be a key to transformational thinking and positive change? I think so! In this introductory episode I share my 2-step hypothesis about how mindfulness practices can reveal different thinking. And a big part of that is asking better questions . (Although my nature is to prefer answers over questions.)...
