Sparkle and Grow

In this episode, I'm sharing where I am in life at this moment and some struggles. I talk about how I'm using techniques we've covered in past episodes to grow through the tough times. I hope to inspire you all to do the same! I'd love to hear from you! Email me at sparkleew@yahoo.com with Podcast in the subject line. Find me on Instagram @sparkleew.

In this episode, we discuss how writing things down is powerful. Getting our dreams onto paper or into a document gives life to those dreams. Writing or typing it out tells our subconcious brain that we're serious about the dream or idea. It gives our quiet minds a chance to work in the background while giving our concious, alert mind a map to follow. When we start with writing down the dream, we...

In this episode, we talk more about being around water and how our coginition might be improved. I am including links to the 2 books mentioned. Both of these authors propose that being in, around, or listening to water improves cognition and our creative processes. I believe this is tied into the last episode where we talked about Attention Restoration Theory. The homework for this episode is to j...

This episode is all about the restorative effects of nature. I provide a very brief introduction to Attention Restoration Theory, a concept created by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in 1989 to explain why nature makes us feel better. I also read from an article explaining and reviewing ART. I will provide the citation so you can look these up for yourself if you'd like to dive further into this topic....

Today's episode is a follow-up to the 4 steps to Change Your Life and a life update. I recap the 4 steps, share with you all some things that have been happening in my life as we go on this journey together, and make an announcement about what's to come. Join our growing Facebook community by searching in "groups" Sparkle & Grow Community. Email me at sparkleew@yahoo.com and find me on Instagram @...

Welcome to the final episode in the Changing Your Life mini-series! This one is short and sweet and I have a major announcement. Step 4 is all about determining what skills you might need to follow through with your goals and getting an accountablility partner. Research shows that people are more likely to follow through when they have someone holding them accountable.  Major announcement: I start...

Welcome to step 3 in the Changing Your Life mini-series. Today is all about setting goals around the list created from episode 2. Set achievable, realistic goals to help acheive anything on your list! Nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough.  Let me know how you are doing with these "assignments." What are some challenges? What things are coming up for you? What questions do you have? As a...

Welcome to step 2 of changing your life! Today's episode is about writing down (or typing out) your goals. Sit down and really take time to write or type all of the things you want to accomplish or achieve in your life. Don't hold back! Be as lofty or as minimal as you'd like, but be specific. Step 1 was about making the decision to change and step 2 is deciding what it is we want to do. We're cre...

You know you need to make a change in your life, you can feel it! Or, something has ended in your life and you must make a change in order to survive. Or, you feel stuck and unhappy, totally out of alignment with your purpose. Whatever the case, if you're looking to change your life, you need to start somewhere. Start by being honest with yourself about where you are in life at this current moment...

On this episode, I'm sharing with you all a very real, unedited version of myself and what's happening in my life at this very moment. This episode is meant to be raw and honest as I share some real struggles that have come up seemingly out of nowhere. I know so many people can relate to having a sudden change in their life that shakes things up and leaves them feeling lost and scared. My goal is...

Today's episode discusses the concept of unconditional love and what it means. I break down how it applies and to whom. I make the argument that unconditional love is NOT experienced in a romantic relationship and provide some evidence as to why. I include a citation for an academic journal entry from Dr. Stephen D. Hales.  Please let me know what you think about this!

In this episode, I talk about my relationship with money and how it has evolved over the years. I went from someone who knew very little about managing finances to developing my own budgeting method in a matter of months-out of necessity. Learn the steps I took to get my finances under control and to a place of peace. Below is the link to the book I wrote called Get Your Money Together: A Budgetin...

Warning: I use the "f" word a few time in this episode I go off script in this episode and dive into the topic of reacting to others. I talk about how it is not your fault if someone treats you poorly. Their behavior is a reflection of them, not you. I also discuss how we communicate nonverbally through actions, facial expressions, gestures, and even our clothing and how we need to care, even a ti...

Ramirez, A., Sunnafrank, M., & Goei, R. (2010). Predicted outcome value theory in ongoing relationships. Communication Monographs , 77, 27-50. Floyd, K. (2011). Interpersonal communication (3e). McGraw Hill, New York, NY. Thank you so much for joining me on this episode. I have listed the mentioned resources above. Please check out their works for further information and to dive even deeper into t...

We all have a first day. Whether it's our first day riding a bike, driving a car, going to school, or starting a new job, we all start somewhere. This is my first day writing and recording a podcast! And I am so excited to share with you all a little more about me and what to expect in upcoming episodes.