Stress Talk with Marcyline Bailey

Technology has enabled a virtual world in which we can occupy the same space at the same time without being physically present. It’s quite fascinating that the world has become so small. It’s easy to speak with someone on another continent. The only problem may be getting the time zone right. We can connect with others in so many ways, anywhere and at any time. Why then, are more people reporting...

What makes for a balanced life? If you are a working woman, with a family, a balanced life may seem elusive. What does that even mean, anyway? Well, let’s talk about what it doesn’t mean first. A balanced life does not mean that we can use accounting principles or mathematics to determine whether we are living in equilibrium. Time is not the only value we should consider. Our skewed ideas of perfe...

Most of us want to exercise regularly, eat healthily, relax and live a satisfying life. This could be a definition of wellbeing. How does that happen? So many of us put ourselves on hold while we try to meet the responsibilities of home and work. Mindfulness goes beyond sitting quietly, repeating a mantra or meditating. Mindfulness can influence our ability to improve our wellbeing and cause us to...

Mindfulness is not just sitting in a corner on a cushion chanting or listening to a guided meditation. It is not just knowing a method to calm oneself or lower stress levels. Mindfulness goes beyond one single person. The foundation for mindfulness living is that everything is connected. We are all interconnected. Imagine that. What one thinks, says and does affects others. What one believes, driv...

Does anyone remember the song “What the World Needs Now is Love?” Hal David wrote the lyrics and Burt Bacharach composed the music. Jackie DeShannon was the first to sing this song. I remember listening to Dionne Warwick’s version in our home as a young girl. I was too young, when the song was released, to understand the depth of division that the United States was experiencing at that time. I hav...

Mindfulness has many different, yet similar definitions. Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn, the developer of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction defines mindfulness as the awareness that arises through “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” My teacher, David Nichtern, the founder of Dharma Moon, an online mindfulness-based education platform and global comm...

Awaken a profound sense of appreciation through this guided gratitude meditation. Let empowering affirmations open your heart to the abundance around you. Experience how a regular practice of thankful reflection can uplift your spirit and create a more joyful outlook on life. In this episode of "Stress Talk" Live with Marcyline we will offer a guided meditation focusing on gratitude. Mar...

Ever feel like 'good,' 'bad,' 'sad,' and 'mad' just don't fully capture what you're going through? We've all been there, struggling to say exactly how we're feeling only to end up using just basic words. Sometimes those simple words just don't cut it, am I right? Using more descriptive wording will help us to relieve stress and anxiety. It will a...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Stress Talk is committed to demystifying and destigmatizing mental illness. All month we are sharing facts, figures, and features about mental health. Our goal is to help you to better understand how you can take good care of yourself and those you love. So many use the terms Mental health and Mental Illness interchangeably. They have different meanings and...

For an entire month, you have heard me say “when emotions are active, the stress response is active.” Women maintain high stress levels because we are constantly bombarded with situations and events that incite our emotions. Why? The limbic system that manages emotions is the same system that manages the stress response. In previous episodes, we talked about the connection between emotions and str...

The experiences we refer to as emotions can carry us away like a turbulent wave created by a weather system in the ocean. They can create a sentiment within us that is so overpowering that words cannot describe them. Emotions give us power and yet they can lead us to self-destruct. There are three questions one can ask. Do we really know or understand how emotions work? Can we describe how they oc...

Anger presents itself in many ways. Do you feel like anger is simmering inside just beneath the surface? Are you afraid that the rolling boil of anger you carry will cause a mess by boiling over? Do you habitually blow up to release stress only to find it returns with a vengeance? All month we are talking about anger and its relationship to the stress response. There is a cost that women (and men)...

Anger, jealousy, and fear are emotions that can be felt intensely. They are not usually one-off experiences. These and other emotions form a pattern of habitual emotional responses that affect how we act, interact, and react daily. These habitual patterns also influence the stress response. Do you wonder what causes you to be stressed all the time? In today’s “Stress Talk” with Marcyline, we are g...

We’ve talked about microaggressions and the negative effect it has on one’s health and wellbeing. There is an alternative form of behavior that promotes a welcoming environment, positive health and overall wellbeing. In today’s “Stress Talk” Live with Marcyline we are going to share “Why You Should Use Micro-Affirmations to Influence Employee Wellbeing.” Marcyline Bailey is a Licensed Clinical Soc...

Mindfulness meditation is a powerful practice that enables strength, stability, and clarity of mind. This centuries old practice has many forms and definitions. Mindfulness can be described as learning to bring our attention to the present moment by focusing on our breath and seeing what arises without judgment. We are living in a stress filled world. Everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with word...

It ranges from comments about your hair to having your education and experience minimized to being excluded. Micro Aggressions are prevalent in workspaces and Women of Color are often the targets of the behavior. Micro-Aggressions are delivered in several ways and are easily categorized. Constant exposure to micro-aggressive behavior affects one’s wellbeing which includes mental health. It also co...

It ranges from comments about your hair to having your education and experience minimized to being excluded. Micro Aggressions are prevalent in workspaces and Women of Color are often the targets of the behavior. Micro-Aggressions are delivered in several ways and are easily categorized. Constant exposure to micro-aggressive behavior affects one’s wellbeing which includes mental health. It also co...

Is your anger causing you to have problems with your co-workers? Do you respond with short, sarcastic statements when addressing your family? Do you often feel like you are a simmering pot of water waiting for a burst of heat to send you to a boiling point? Say “amen” if you are a woman over 40 who feels this way. These feelings cause stress levels to increase and contribute to depressed and anxio...

Change is hard, especially when it is a change that is unwanted or one that causes harm. What about changes that you may desire? Those often cause overwhelming stress as well. Why do we become stressed out over transitions that we want? Moving to a new location, starting a new job, or trying a new hairstyle may create increased stress. How do we navigate these desired changes in a way to keep stre...

Breathing is something we do without thinking about it, yet it's essential to being alive. When we intentionally pay attention to our breath, we can tap into a powerful tool. Mindfulness of the breath simply means focusing on the sensations of each inhalation and exhalation. As we tune into our breath in a gentle way, we may feel calmer, clearer, and more present. Bringing awareness to this au...

We experience change throughout life. Sometimes we celebrate it. Remember losing your first tooth? We avoid it. Why else would we put chemicals in our hair to cover the gray. We also fight against it. Just go to a reunion and watch the older athletes attempt to prove they still got it. The idea of change causes increased anxiety and stress especially as we age. Which is a form of change. In this e...

Do you sometimes feel as if you are being carried away by waves of emotions? What does that look like exactly? When cruise ships encounter active waves and choppy waters, the captain may caution the passengers to be careful while navigating the ship. If you have ever been on a cruise when the ship navigated into rough waters, you probably had to hold on to steady yourself as you walked. The ship p...

We are born into a world of comparisons. One of the first comparisons is found in the question “who does the baby look like? Then there are the comparison statements. “The baby has hair just like her mother when she was a baby.” “He has his father’s eyes.” Comparisons do not stop there. We are taught to observe, analyze, and measure our worth based on how we perceive others. “You should be more li...

The new year 2024 is right around the corner. “New” doesn’t mean that “the old” will not follow you. Leave what does not serve you and take only that which is helpful. To help you walk into the new year with lower stress, we are sharing “3 Key Stress Talk Strategies to Start New Year 2024.” Join us as we review 3 important strategies from this year that you should take into the new year with you....

The holiday season often comes loaded with expectations of perfect gatherings, Instagram-worthy moments, and carefree cheer. But behind the scenes, many of us struggle with stress, loneliness, or simply feeling let down when reality doesn’t match the Hallmark channel fantasies. In this episode of “Stress Talk” Live with Marcyline we’re exploring 4 simple mindset shifts and actions that can help ma...