Chronicles of a Healing Soul

Hello friend, Today, I wanted to keep it short and simple for you. Here are just a few thoughts on navigating loneliness. Much love to you! Support my Work: https://buymeacoffee.com/elizabethhayashi Subscribe to my Substack ! ... My Reading: "When I feel alone" by Elizabeth Hayashi

This podcast episode is for the one who feels swept away by the current of uncertainty. Are the unanswered questions keeping you awake at night? Are you trying to solve life's equations, but coming up empty? Hi friend, welcome to Chronicles of a Healing Soul, where I share my own holistic healing journey to hopefully encourage you on yours!  Today, I share how I've faced a lot of uncertainty in my...

This podcast is for the one who never feels productive enough. For the one who always wants to do more than his or her chronic pain allows. Who wants to show people how successful he/she is, but at the end of the day secretly feels like a failure... Hi friend, welcome to my 'Chronicles of a Healing Soul.' Join me as we discuss the empty space of unproductivity. Perhaps there is more value here tha...

I recorded this episode for anyone who has felt isolated due to chronic pain or illness. In fact, the invitation extends to anyone feeling lonely at all. Hello friend! I know. I get it. I've been there. And today, I am exploring the idea of loneliness. What is it? What is the core need behind loneliness? Is it possible that solitude can actually be a tool to combat loneliness? It might sound like...

Tense. Clutching tightly. Always running. Do you relate to any of these descriptions? I know I often do. I have historically preferred control over letting go. And to be fair, it's a hard thing to do! But I'm here to say that surrender is so safe. And so needed. Last episode, I explored the need for stillness. And today, I explore the heart posture behind stillness. Namely, surrender. I share a st...

It's funny. In this current moment, as I'm typing these words, I'm doing about four different things at once. That is the kind of person I tend to be. And maybe you can relate. I have noticed that in an attempt to 'make things okay,' we tend to slip into anxiety loops. Or we slip into denial, using noise to drown things out. Either way, it's worth leaning into the stillness and silence.  Join me,...

So many things in life demand our attention that sometimes we forget about our physical health. Hey, I've been there, so I know. But today, I am stepping back and talking about the importance of prioritizing our physical health. Not because we need to measure up to some standard. But because our bodies have such inherent value. As a Christian, I talk about how God values our bodies and wants us to...

If you are facing chronic pain, you are not alone. My brother Jonny and I have both experienced serious chronic back injuries, in which we faced years of pain. We made it through, but we know how hard it can be. And we want to take a moment to share some of the practical tips and tricks we learned along the way. Join us for a conversation on exercise, self care, and dopamine regulation. As mention...

To read my poem 'Right Now But Not Yet,' subscribe to my Substack ! What happens when perfect spiritual realities meet imperfect physical realities? My story is just one answer to that question. Within the last couple months, I have been experiencing miraculous physical healing while also painfully aware of my humanness. Maybe you can relate. Or maybe you're only aware of the painful realities of...

Cancer. Nobody wants to hear that word. Nobody likes the things associated with that word... at least, not normally. But through an incredible and unexpected journey, my father-in-law, Dave, came to associate his own cancer journey with the love of his Heavenly Father.  When I sat down to interview 'Mr. Dave' (as the students at his workplace call him), I was honestly not prepared for the incredib...

It's so good to be back! After a much needed holiday, I'm back with excitement for this New Year! Even though I'm laying on my bed because of ongoing back problems, I decided to record a podcast anyway! I'm learning to live joyfully amidst pain. So, join me in my ponderings as I reflect on the new year and everything I've been learning about identity. Stick around until the end to hear me compare...

Christmas is a season when we ache to be loved. But what does it mean to be loved at Christmas time? Does it mean that we get the most glittering gift or that we have the most beautiful family? Or is it possibly something deeper?  Do you believe love can meet you in the dark moments of your life? I invite you to investigate a love that is real enough to meet you wherever you are today.   Music Cre...

Is it truly "the most wonderful time of the year"? While Christmas can be a happy season, it can also be a heavy season. The grief is real.  But let me ask you something: Do you believe there is a joy that can meet you where you are, despite the grief and pain? I believe it can, but it's gotta be real and powerful. And what is powerful enough to source that kind of joy? Is it possible that the ans...

What gives a child the confidence to dream big? I think it's because she has no reason to doubt her dreams. She has not yet experienced enough disappointment to cloud her childlike faith. She is so confident that every Christmas morning, there will be presents under the tree. So far, she has always found this to be true. But how do we keep dreaming when it gets hard? Hope so easily slips from our...

I cannot deny the divine healing in my life. But the miraculous might happen right where we least expect it. Sometimes, it happens even in the midst of the unpleasant.  Join me as I share how God has brought healing in my life! Also, happy Christmas Time!   Music Credit: Intro music for this podcast was mixed by the lovely STELLA!  My Reading: "Now I Remember" by Elizabeth Hayashi

Welcome to the 'How Does Healing Happen' Intermission! Today, I wrestle through the very human struggle of trying to balance both hope for the future and acceptance of the present. I admit, I have not figured this topic out! I'm posting this episode not to share a victory or a finding. But rather to invite you into forming your own thoughts and to spark conversation surrounding this topic. Dare to...

In a hurting world, we all need healing from something. So, it's important for everyone to know how healing happens. In this podcast, I explore the answers that many people have given to this question. I grew up in the church, and have heard a lot of different answers to how healing happens. I think the church is beautiful, but the church is for imperfect people. Which means sometimes, we give imp...

So, I forgot to mention in this episode that when I got married, I moved. Keep that in mind because it helps explain what I talk about today! Today is all about embracing new seasons. Each season has its unique beauty. And let's be real. Sometimes, it's really hard to see that beauty. Sometimes, that's because the season we're in is really hard. But sometimes it's because the season we just left w...

Why do I believe we can find light in the dark places? And why do I believe we can find beauty in pain? Today, I touch the core of my approach to suffering. I have been talking a lot about chronic pain, searching for beauty and hope in the experience of it all. I believe hope can be found. But what is the source of that hope? Find out with me as I share a raw moment of my life, and a writing I cre...

When was the last time you sat and did nothing? Ok, so I know we are all very busy people. We don't have time just to sit. Especially when we have a career to achieve, kids to care for, health issues to tend to.... You get the picture. But I believe that slowing down and being in the moment is vital to actually living. And ok, I know this is crazy. But I believe we can still choose the moment even...

My brother's college sports career came interrupted by a severe sports injury. Only two years later, he experienced disk herniation in his lower back. But his story is not just about sports injuries and chronic pain. It's a story of identity, leaning on others, and the development of inner strength.  Find out with me what happened when Jonny's passion, running track, was taken from his life for ye...

Today I talk about my struggle with depression in the midst of chronic pain. I personally think I am a pretty passionate person, but this kind of pain kept me from feeling much passion at all. Have you ever felt the same way? Depression is real and not a topic I want to toss around lightly, but I'm also not afraid to talk about it either. If you're ready to brave these topics, let's dive in togeth...

A good vantage point allows us to see more clearly. We become aware of beauty we hadn't noticed before. We get a better perspective of the world. Can suffering become a vantage point? Let me know what you think in the comments below.   Music Credit: Intro music for this podcast was mixed by the lovely STELLA!  Reading: Vantage Points by Elizabeth Hayashi References:  Anne Voskamp, One Thousand Gif...

What do you do when embracing the future means leaving precious things behind? Today, I share about my first year of living completely on my own from my family. How does one balance such excitement and heartbreak?   Music Credit: Intro music for this podcast was mixed by the lovely STELLA!  Reading: On Growing Up by Elizabeth Hayashi   

Sometimes brave choices only follow deep anxiety. Today, I'm getting a little crazy and sharing a few of my teenage diary entries. GASP! As a girl, I felt led to be more than the awkward, nerdy church girl everyone knew me to be. How could I move beyond the comforts of my familiar small town and embrace college life in California. My diary entries reveal how I finally made peace with this decision...