Balance Period

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Do you start your day in a positive way? No, not having the "positive vibes only" mindset, but practicing habits that contribute to you maintaining optimal mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. In this episode, Nick and Ray close out our month-long conversation on cultivating the 3rd pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our morning routine. They share 5 ha...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Could you use a message of encouragement during this season of your life? In this episode, we welcome Renay Achille to the show. She is a mom, caregiver, author, and fellow member of our Patreon Community. Renay shares her story of how cultivating a morning routine to prepare herself for the uncertainty associated with caring for her mother, birthed her first publishe...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do you manage your morning routine? In this episode, Nick and Ray continue our month-long conversation on developing the third pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our morning routine. They offer 3 tips we can use to better manage our current routine so we can align the habits we practice to start our day with our values and goals. They also highlight the v...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do you spend the first hour of your day? In this episode, Nick and Ray begin to discuss the third and final pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our morning routine. They focus their attention on highlighting the connection between the habits we choose to practice in the morning and the ripple effect they can have on the rest of our day. Each of them shares...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do your mid-day habits influence your quality of sleep? In this episode, Nick and Ray conclude our month-long conversation about developing the 2nd pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our mid-day routine. In addition to sharing more details of their own mid-day routines, they also offer up 3 habits we can begin to cultivate during the day that will increme...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How mindfully do you move your body? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss how we can be more intentional with our movement as we develop the second pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our mid-day routine. They talk about the benefits of incorporating more movement into our day and how it can contribute to us living a happier and healthier life. They then prov...

Pause, and observe a DEEP breath. How do you manage your mid-day routine? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss how we can continue to cultivate the 2nd pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System, our mid-day routine.  They offer 3 simple ways we can more effectively align the habits we practice during the day with our values and goals. Download the free Energy Management Guide referenced in...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How often do you check-in with yourself? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the value of checking in with ourselves and how this practice connects with the second pillar to our Sustainable Self-Care System, our mid-day routine. They share the specifics of how they check-in with themselves and how we can begin to cultivate this habit in our lives today. Remember, ho...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Are you willing to commit to consistent sleep? In this episode, Ray discusses one of the keys to continuing to develop our evening routines, making the commitment to invest our energy to getting consistent sleep. He shares 3 ways we can execute on improving the quality of our sleep for the remainder of 2022 and beyond. Remember, you are unable to fill anyone else's cu...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Are you the author of your life? In this episode, we welcome Devin Scott to the show. Devin is the Chief Visionary Officer [CVO] of Athlete 2 Entrepreneur, an organization here to help retired and transitioning athletes find their purpose. He shares his story of finding his identity after retiring from a successful football career and why he chose to become an entrepr...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How is your sleep hygiene? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the value sleep hygiene has on our quality of sleep and overall quality of life. They offer up 5 healthy sleep hygiene habits we can begin to incorporate into our evening routine as we continue to develop this first pillar of our Sustainable Self-Care System. Here's an article that provides more details...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do you manage your evening routine? In this episode, Nick and Ray offer up 3 simple tips for managing the first pillar in your Sustainable Self-Care System, your evening routine. Ray also dives a bit deeper into chronotypes and how we can use them to make more mindful decisions about the habits we choose to practice in our lives. Recommended Resources: The Power o...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How often do you get quality sleep? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the value of expanding our awareness of our quality of sleep so we can more effectively create our evening routines. They reference the book The Power Of When and recommend a quiz from that book that will help us identify our chronotype and be more intentional about when we go to bed. [ Chronoty...

Pause, and observe a DEEP breath. Are you prepared for 2022? In the last episode of 2021, Nick and Ray share the New Year's resolution that has the ability to change our lives forever, cultivating our Sustainable Self-Care System. They break down how we can begin to incrementally improve the quality of our lives so we can feel good, function at our best, and set the best example possible for our n...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Do you set New Years Resolutions? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the origin of creating resolutions and provide perspective on why it's important to adjust our mindset before we enter 2022. They share an approach to setting this year's resolution so that we can actually execute on incrementally improving the quality of our life beyond the first week of February...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. What lessons did you learn this year? In continuation of the last episode, Nick and Ray each share 3 things they learned along their journey through 2021. They also highlight the value of discipline and consistency in the pursuit of incrementally improving the quality of any area of our lives. Be sure to spend some time reflecting on what you learned from this year so...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Have you reflected on 2021 yet? In this episode, Nick and Ray do a mindful reflection on 2021. They reference the 3 intentions they set back in January and discuss how each manifested in their lives throughout the year. They also each share one additional way they were able to incrementally improve the quality of their lives during 2021. Be sure to take some time to d...

Pause, and observe a DEEP breath. Are you prepared to manage holiday stress? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the common causes of holiday stress and how they approach coping with the stress associated with the holiday season. They also share 3 tips for managing stress this holiday season so we can stay grounded, enjoy spending quality time with the people we love, and continue to be the best...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do you use technology to support your Sustainable Self-Care System? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss how investing in certain pieces of technology has helped them continue to improve the quality of their Sustainable Self-Care System and overall wellbeing. They also share 8 specific products and services they have used to measure their habits, educate themselv...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How big do you dream? In this episode, we welcome Natalie Murdock to the show. She is the brand CEO of Notes from Corrin, a brand focused on encouraging individuals in their growth in The Lord, one day at a time. Natalie shares her story of overcoming depression and aligning herself with her life's purpose. She also shares a few of the self-care habits she practices t...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How much time do you spend educating yourself? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss the value of prioritizing time to educate ourselves as we travel along our personal development journey. They share how swapping out entertainment for education has helped them develop into the individuals they are today. They also offer a list of educational resources we can use to b...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How teachable are you? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss a concept that has helped them take action in spite of fear or resistance, teachability. Teachability is the product of our willingness to learn and our willingness to accept change. They break down why teachability is so valuable in us making progress in any area of our lives and provide insights on how the...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Do you ever feel as though they lack sufficient time to fulfill all your responsibilities each day? If so, you're not alone! A Harvard Business School study found that 80% of other working Americans feel the same. In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss how more mindfully managing our energy will help us be more present and feel more energized so we can be more eng...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. Do you ever compare yourself to others? Well, as you'll learn in this episode, it's a part of human nature. Nick and Ray discuss how their relationship with social comparison has changed along their journey. They also offer up 3 ways we can begin to use social comparison to empower ourselves to learn and grow into the best emotionally intelligent examples we can be fo...

Pause, observe a DEEP breath. How do you cope with uncomfortable emotions? In this episode, Nick and Ray discuss something that can help us all maintain optimal mental and emotional wellbeing, how we cope with uncomfortable emotions. They talk about the difference between emotion-based and problem-based coping strategies and how each can be applied to our journey. They also share how their coping...