Monkey Chatter

Now that we're fully immersed in the holiday season, our thoughts have turned to perfectionism and how it can impact our lives! While holiday planning and events can certainly bring out the perfection princess in many of us, we also examine how the appearance (many times false) of perfection can affect us. We chatter about Jamie Lee Curtis, Instagram-worthy pics, and the idea of the perfect life,...

Welcome to November, the unofficial start of the Holiday Season, or wait, is it? Does the season seem to begin earlier every year? Doesn't it feel like we're being reminded about the impending hustle and bustle even before Halloween? Join the monkeys as we discuss it all in our Holiday Survival episode. We talk about the various pressures we all feel, how we cope, and what we've learned over the y...

Listen as the three chimps chat about all the training, courses, and workshops we've taken or experienced over the years! What we find valuable, what we like or don't like in a course, and what we think makes a great workshop! We get off track on the subject of learning, teaching, and our various abilities to retain information!  And guess what? Focus and Deep Work come right back into the convo! ...

The monkeys chatter about their various experiences with Retreats (or lack of as it turns out for Amy!). We laugh about our first group retreat to Belize that actually wasn't (listen to hear all about it...), the trips we did take and loved and what makes a retreat great. Shout outs to Lorin Beller Retreats and Yoga In Unique Places! Let us know where our next retreat should take us!

Listen as the monkeys discuss some of their faves when it comes to listening and reading, and yes, audiobooks count as reading! We gab about some of the podcasts we have listened to and loved, or are currently following. Each monkey shares their favorite books list and we discover how our differences make us such a good trio! We cover classics and current titles, fiction and nonfiction, books on b...

Join the Monkeys as we chatter about the concept and book Deep Work (by Cal Newport). Deep work is a state of peak concentration that lets you learn hard things and create quality work quickly. Our various personalities shine through as we see who can focus and who finds it challenging! Can you guess which monkey finishes the book and which one of us can’t even get through the preface?

Listen as the monkeys jump into this very broad subject matter, inspired by the book Breath by James Nestor. Begin with an entry level breathing meditation led by Yoga Monkey Lara, then jump into the book's premise and some of its most interesting theories. How significant is mouth or nose breathing to our health? Can the way you breathe change your life? Have you heard of mouth taping, Nadi b...

What does it mean to be Brave? The monkeys discuss this hot topic from a place of personal and heartfelt life experience. We touch on the ideas of Brene Brown and the correlation between vulnerability and bravery. We talk about the ways everyday people show immense courage in the face of adversity. We share our views on taking risks and challenging ourselves. Isn't just getting up and showing...

The Monkeys welcome Amy's running coach Jaci Wilson of  www.jaciwilsonruns.com .  Jaci, who holds a Masters in Accounting and is a self professed high achiever, discusses her background and the corporate burnout that led her to becoming a coach. She touches on the importance of rest, breath, and mindfulness, and we chat about the myth of finding "balance" and how to gain more focus....

Join us for our second guest in this series on Coaching! Sheryl Woolverton describes herself as a Holistic Social Worker, Life Coach, Guide, Mentor, and Cheerleader. She went from Grief Counseling to Coaching, establishing her own business helping high achieving women transition from feeling lost in life or career, and rediscovering their true path!  She is her clients' biggest cheerleader and...

The first in a series of conversations with coaches the Monkeys love, Amy, Lara and Michelle talk to Lorin Beller of Lorin Beller & Co about her 20 plus years as a successful coach.  Listen in as Lorin talks about how her approach has changed over 2 decades, her work with what she now refers to as her Intention Wheel, and the big part hosting retreats on both coasts has had on her business. Yo...

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.  Amy and Michelle take a deep dive into their experiences as both coach and client. Is it worth the time and money? What’s most impactful? Is it the accountability, the powerful questions, the s...

Part 2 of this topic needs a whole episode to itself! The monkeys talk about the influence of alcohol on health and wellness, from our own personal lives, our family backgrounds, and what we see in next generation!  We chit chat about the 75 Hard program (we'll explain if you don't know) and the changes alcohol makes in resting heart rate, mental clarity, energy levels, and sleep!  We dive...

Did you know that there is approximately $14 Billion spent on Food, Beverage & Restaurant advertising in the US each year? And 80% of that is for candy, sweets, and unhealthy foods (especially fast foods!).  The monkeys chatter about how unhealthy food and beverage marketing influences all of us, and the access to cheap, processed foods outweighs the ease of fresh, whole, and healthy options....

This week the Monkeys get motivated by the impending good weather that Spring & Summer promise! We take you outside to discuss all things nature and trees, specifically Forest Bathing! This episode was inspired by our love of the outdoors and nature in general, but was also influenced by the lovely podcast series The Highland Quietlife, hosted by Nature & Forest Therapy Guide Cath, based i...

To celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, we offer this Bonus Edition of Monkey Chatter! This episode was born out of our shared love of animals, and some special rescue pets that have touched each of our lives. Listen as the monkeys chatter about our current and past rescues, some special organizations we support, and our hopes that more people can adopt and share in the love! Check out the...

The monkeys take a deep dive into the renowned book "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker. Join Amy, Lara, and Michelle as the monkeys chatter about the implications of sleep on overall health and wellness as presented by author and neuroscientist Matthew Walker. This episode starts with a brief update from our curious monkey Michelle on her experience with buying workout shoes and socks from...

The monkeys delve into the best-selling book by neuroscientist Matthew Walker, in this two-part episode. In Part I, we examine our own sleep patterns and the premise of this groundbreaking book. Sleep is an incredibly powerful tool to help us feel and perform at our best. The team vows to finish the book, put what we read about into practice, and share even more about what we learned for Part II! 

Wow do we have different views when it comes to workout, yoga, or exercise gear!  This is light episode where we have fun sharing our faves.  Listen as the monkeys discuss their various views on what we wear, and why, from running shoes, socks, and hats, to yoga tops and pants, and Michelle's favorite (and perhaps a little unconventional) walking outfit!  Show Links: www.charmcityrun.com www.s...

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you insist on a strict A.M. schedule to keep you on track or is  there a relaxed pattern to the start of your day? Or maybe the sound of the alarm fills you with terror as you race to get everything done in order to leave the house on time!  Listen as the monkeys relate their own experiences and routines, and even discuss SAD lamps! What is a SAD lamp yo...

Join the monkeys as we chatter about the benefits of being grateful and Amy becomes the "Curious Monkey"!  We address having a gratitude practice and what that looks like, as well as how people find ways to feel thankful in so many different scenarios. It's personal and everybody has individual definitions of gratitude, as well as how to find, share, and experience it!

A perfect follow up to our last installment of Monkey Chatter: The Importance of Community, Episode 4 discusses how powerful a group of monkey minds can be when they set the same intention! Listen as we share our personal thoughts on the matter, and chatter about real life scenarios like the Resonate Peaceful Cities Project! There's even a book recommendation or two along the path!

The monkeys chatter about the importance of community and having access to support from like-minded people.  Learn and laugh with us as we introduce a few stats, then discuss our own tribes and share examples of when and how it really matters. We get personal while giving and getting a little love from each other!

Did you know only 8% of New Year’s Resolutions actually succeed? The Three Monkeys take a deep dive into the concept of traditional resolutions and why they typically fail. We delve into the difference between intentions and goals, and share favorite authors and influences. Each monkey offers their unique take on how to succeed with creating intentions. Join us to take a closer look at how you cre...

Our inaugural podcast introduces you to the Three Monkeys. Three colleagues turned friends, living in three different states, with three views on all things wellness!  What began as candid conversations on being our best selves, morphed from zany Zoom calls into an idea for the Monkey Chatter Podcast, where we share our experiences with the mainstream!   Join Food & Fitness Monkey Amy, Yoga &a...