Higher Vibrations in Higher Education

Grit and Grace: Be willing to throw it all at the wall with Yoga with Jake

Grit and Grace: Be willing to throw it all at the wall with Yoga with Jake
Jake Panasevich carved out a path to be a disseminator of the benefits of yoga with an emphasis on reaching men and athletes. In looking at his offerings and success, I got the “he’s so lucky” mindset. I saw that he had this cool career of writing, disseminating, and teaching yoga—and felt envy. On this episode we dive into the day-to-day variety of activities he faces to match his grit and grace. And, we get the origin story of why this is such an important target audience for him. Jake talks about being on a college wrestling team in an incredibly toxic environment – which launched his aversion and mistrust of men. However, through trying to get in shape without wrecking his body and beyond that, a community finding community, he came to the mat. Now he offers “Yoga with Jake” predominantly for men and athletes—healing himself while helping others get embodied. Don’t miss some of the honest and practical takeaways of this episode, including:
 
 
First yoga class: Did everything “wrong” but felt better
In both teacher training and journalism, get your feet wet, get yourself out there
Three tips to reach more men in your class: 1) be direct—do this for this benefit, 2) focus on connection—show them you care, and 3) avoid energy jargon
Focus on seva- selfless service as the primary archetype of an instructor  
Give everyone permission to be themselves
Become masterful at active language and landmarks
Feedback is love, it’s a positive thing, pushing a skill further, progressing.
Ask: is this “better, worse, or the same” rather than vague “is this good?
Knowing where you want to be of service; your audience, your mission as a teacher
There is a very real struggle in the hustle of making a living as a teacher
The work is fun and meaningful but requires efforting. It’s the balance of effort and ease, just like in a yoga practice
It’s still a lot of work to plan and fill a workshop- even at 20 years and help from a studio; there’s so much to juggle, relationship with studio owners, self-worth tanks if you don’t get a raise, etc.  
Yoga teachers are good at getting people to feel into their feelings; but you have to constantly business develop
Be with family, nurture relationships
The space is not saturated: know yourself, know your audience. Stay flexible.
Real distrust and aversion to men- thinking no guy would be someone I want to connect with
Listen to peer and mentor- be willing to try
Yoga teacher and entrepreneur, throw a lot at the wall, a lot won’t work.. but “the obstacle is the way”
Teach what you learned while still in the middle of it all
Flourishing is “not resisting, letting go”. It’s loving your life with all the different flavors, invite them. Find the beauty in the mundane.
Stepping on the mat does not mean you’ll no longer step in dog shit
Can’t experience success all day every day
Get back to who or what I am—and match those practices.
Honesty is love, honesty is showing you care.
Just go out and try it. Intend. Action matters.
Throw it at the wall—this is the “school of action.”
 
Website:
https://www.yogawithjake.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/yogawithjake/
Podcast:
https://podcast.yogawithjake.com/1544992

How to widen your love while holding grief and rage with Dr. Margie Serrato

I learn from Dr. Margie Serrato that, from both a human and anthropological perspective, we often believe lies and justify rather than reconcile with the fact that we’re wrong: in relationships, politics, etc. anywhere we “misstep.” This is where we start our almost 2 hour discussion. Based on her research and identities, Margie started to talk about rest, love, and care for others in the fear and turmoil of the aftermath of leadership who are not in integrity. This activated the same response she had during COVID-19: Show up and listen to others. It’s not time to panic because these are the moments to be a solid rock of compassion and love and grounding for those around us. Margie encourages us to think critically and let go: you don’t have to finish a PhD because you started it, you don’t even have to go to college. You don’t have to dull your shine. You don’t have to identify as victimized if you were a victim. Through the works she does, she helps others alchemize and transmute experiences that shape us, but Margie reminds us that we get to choose who we become. 
For your information: This discussion includes brief reference to physical, sexual, incestual assault (time stamp: 1:02:20-1:06:28).
Some key notes were:
Not going into panic; listen to your inner knowing.
Different experiences people are having: grief, rage, questions.
Lack of integrity among leaders in charge—is a hard question—it’s hard for kids and adults to grapple with this.
Protect your peace: you don’t have to give your energy to try to convince someone that they are right—they have an inflexible position.
Our education system doesn’t teach critical thinking until grad school.
If you didn’t explore, you attend college and build anxiety that you’re the “only one” who doesn’t have it figured out.
Internalize that others have their shit together and it’s just you, but it's not true.
Need to start within, start where we have influence. Start in education.
When your identity is impacted by policies and the opinions of others: one must deepen and widen love over being in anger.
Cannot fix what we don’t understand.
Being called to hold space, evolve, and equip people with a way to transcend and widen our love.
We’re all shaped by culture; beliefs are reinforced in home, school, church, peers, etc. Each group you belong to reinforces a belief.
Becomes a problem when the system feels opposite of what you internally believe.
Study of humans, past present, etc. cultural anthropologist shape language, feelings, thoughts, things…
Archeologist are also bias.
Some people will be uncomfortable in who you are or what you’re skilled at.
Reclaiming that it’s ok (to fully be you) is a journey
I don’t have to be like the people/ family/ I’m from. I don’t have to be violent, allow infidelity, be condescending, sarcastic, gossiping.
We have a choice in what we believe.
Why are you pursuing your degree- because we all respect and admire doctors- respect and success. Ya that’s not the right path for me…
Clarity about what we don’t want is just as powerful as clarity about what we don’t want and both are needed.
Why is it so hard for my family to accept me as I am based on their beliefs?
You don’t have to experience chronic illness to have sympathy for someone; listening and trying your best to understand their experience in relation to systems.
What is the resistance to your own ignorance? So much easier to attach to being right rather than accept you simply didn’t know differently
Acknowledging limitations of your mentor; your own experiences etc.
What matters to you for your life?
Shared experience, collective environment, we can support each other through this, we can all come out the other end successful.
Sometimes we say “there’s a reason it happened.” No. if you can acknowledge that you can be empowered, that’s what matters. Not the experience. Knowing you can make diamonds out of the shit show that you might have inherited or faced without your consent.
Transmute, transform all experiences so they don’t define you. Shaped who I am but I get to choose who I become—because of them, through them, despite them.
Bridge ignorance to understanding; that makes a lot of sense; but being a catalyst the best way to make sense of it the more I look inward, the more I grow my sense of self, more I grow in my intuition, in my inner knowing, the more I see ripple effects on people around me.
So different from heady research conference v speaking at a panel at a women’s empowerment event. Not trying to prove yourself becomes an opening.
The head wants to get in the way was this right, perfect, meaningful, useful? Ego and validation. That’s what we value in our society but …there’s so much more than that. Then the things that need to be said are said and it comes out on its own.
Don’t do social media to please an algorithm.
Growth path is a forever thing.
Cultural and internal stuff we need both to make sense of our human experience and to understand possibilities for collective evolution.
When we reflect on where we are in our lives: relationship, career, community—feel into your body and go “am I satisfied with where I am and at peace with what I am doing” not with what I learned or what is success or goal. Do I FEEL satisfied…?
The avoidance of the self /neglect of the self for the purpose of accomplishment is not serving anybody.
Must connect with why you started the work- what was lit up in you- that drove you to this particular field.
Keep in touch with Margie via email:
margie@human-empowered.com
Podcast: A Human Experience with Dr. Margie Serrato
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-human-experience/id1732560368

Create good energy in your classroom, once you do that you can do anything with VA Crenshaw

VA Crenshaw is a dancer, yoga practitioner, rapper and educator… never just one thing. She questions: can I be an educator and a rapper? Yes, yes you can. One person can be kind and genuine, and quick-witted, and wearing a cute outfit. How do we be more like kids before “adults” get involved? More apt to give complements and follow our passions instead of what we're "good" at? We carry shame we don’t think we have. VA shares myriad practices to come back to self and to the mat, and being fully yourself. Whether you’re in the classroom, lab, or boardroom. Like:
Who are you when you’re not distracted by your schedule with?
When you say something negative to yourself, who is saying that?
Can you lead with love, in the classroom and beyond?
Let the dam open up.
Notes from the chat include:
VA likes a Monday, a good reset. Attitude change to embrace the week.
Go to be a teacher and student teaching is so short, you’re not prepared to get your mind around the routines and the political side of education. Nothing prepares you, you’re thrown to the wolves.
Taught for a few years but then created a mobile enrichment program; dance and yoga; parents paid directly-- 2005-2010 full entrepreneur
When teachers retired; the VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) students were linked in
Leading with love; listening first. Don’t jump to conclusions. Teachers often come in with ideas and activities instead of listening to what the students need
Confidence and empowerment to help adult learners with rental and job applications, understanding their own children’s homework, etc. set up for service learning approach
Simplest pieces: how to create good energy in your classroom once you do that you can do anything
COVID was a lot of loss and gain. Time to reflect on what is next.
Helping teachers make connections for students with “low scores”/ “behavioral issues”
Sometimes you can forget how to teach, be out of touch. You can even feel like that when you are “young” or teaching in nontraditional spaces.
Be on the journey of what’s opening up for you. VA started stream of consciousness writing led to writing raps.
Spirit shows you divine purpose. Pray “Show me my divine purpose”.
Stepping into creativity can feel cozy, right, felt connected with spirit
Creative in yoga, teaching, writing… now music. Now all the creativity seeps out.
Creative ways to get students to “perform” and want to be in school and to enjoy it.
Still find it hard to own what I am (I’m a rapper and a teacher) should I be doing this? Am I forcing it? What am I really doing?
Settling down, going with the flow can bring peace, go with the flow even if it’s not easy
Filling your time because it’s hard to sit with yourself
Deemed creative, artist, etc. as a kid but if you’re not “good” as a kid, you’re not that thing
Being an artist feeds you; you must let that part of you live. You don’t have to be one thing.
When you are good at painting, you can be quiet. Someone can walk by and not engage. But when you’re on stage, telling a story in a cadence, requires so much vulnerability.
Exhilarating and elevated emotion and then it stops because you don’t release or post every day.
Some days are normal or chill. Some days you get a call or email that changes your life.
What do artists think? Oh, we think the same thing.
Have the audacity to pivot if it fuels you.
Allowing creativity to come out and through and then being willing to share it.
Holding soft and sad, and faith to say: show me what’s next.
Let someone have their feelings.
Quiet frustration—nothing to fight for—surrender—and find what’s meant to be.
When you’re not distracted by your schedule: who are you?
Make a prayer list, take your time.
Be ok when you lose your fire. Follow your calling. Let students find their fire.
Pattern of being told who you are, ignoring, pushing through.
Find who you are, hopefully and pray-fully and at their pace.
Don’t force change, get up go to work and make the best of it.
On your prayer mat, think of others, create a mantra.
I am statements, like: I am happy. I am strong. I am harmonious. “Don’t leave her” (meaning don’t abandon your inner child).
Should I move, is this the right person for me? How do you ask these questions when we don’t know ourselves?
Internal Family Systems: talk to protector, talk to manager.
Whose voice is saying “you’re so weird why would you do that?”
Whose voice is in my head, can I track that down? Let it go on the mat.
Punishment like, never dig or play the same way again once a traumatic hand slapping. Takes us out of being a child with no fear.
Ask why isn’t this safe? Why is this the narrative?
I want to know you beyond these walls, and want you to connect with students.
Being a good teacher: it comes from modeling, not a video in a training
Go sit down by yourself does not work for self-regulation: Hey, I have a better idea; let’s help the students
Flourishing used to be related to how much money I made, but now it’s when do I feel good and connecting with others
Keep in touch with VA:
https://www.instagram.com/vacrenshaw/?hl=en
Resources:
Johnathon Kozol – general information for pedagogy
Game of Life The Game of Life And How To Play It Florence Scovel Shinn
The Creative Act
The Artists’ Way

Mesearch in our Research: How an associate professor of applied behavioral science applies the science to her life with Dr. Jaclyn Margolis

Dr. Jaclyn Margolis is an associate professor of applied behavioral science and department head. I found her Instagram profile TheWorkplacePhD (which has since been rebranded to JacMargolisPhD), where she shares the journey of applying behavioral science in her own life—from gratitude practices to leading by example as a leader in her department. We jump in in this episode that we might have expertise (as flagged by a terminal degree), but the journey really is being in the seat of the learner: The mesearch in our research. Some key takeaways:
- The world is in a heavy time. It's important to be empathetic and serve the greater community, and need to care for ourselves. The power of the "And."
- We would never tell someone "sacrifice our physical health because there are hardships in the world" so we struggle with people who say we shouldn't protect our mental health because there are hardships in the world.
- Learn about theory- practice- discover why it is or isn't working for you. Example: gratitude can be a powerful force (good for you and those around you), but a gratitude journal may not work. Try something else.
- Educators should not say "I am right" but rather "I am learning and sharing what I know and I am open to hearing things that are different."
- Scared or afraid to say opinion or “answers” because in the seat of the learner
- Jaclyn studies the psychology of business: understanding what makes people tick and how to be happiest and healthiest at work they can be.
- Leadership professor leading leadership professor sounds like beginning of a bad joke.
- Leading by example: Start your day after coffee and pastry with your kiddo
- Fill yourself before you hit the inbox!
- How are you saving today?
- When we talk about wellbeing, remember you can "save the day today" without falling into a rut that you "missed" your workout or opportunity. What's one thing you can do to change the "what the hell" mindset.
- What would happen if you gave yourself to be funny, yourself, shift the culture?
- Legacy of the way things were done-- but there's a movement to not do things as difficult as it was before.
- What milestones bring you happiness?
- How can you invest your energy in the process rather than the outcome?
- Burnout can fluctuate up to 30%. A lot of burn out is difficult to change but you can feel better...your next 24 hours can start now.
- Flourishing holistically-- career success has so many dimensions, and it's only one component of your life.
- No joy comes from checking your H index. It's just not a worthwhile endeavor.
- Once you hit a certain goal, it’s the bottom of another mountain to climb.
- Vulnerability in admitting you know what you should be doing but not always doing it.
- You can do anything, but not everything.
- It's good to craft and focus on what's important to you, but it evolves.
- Remember, life be lifing and people be peopling.
Stay in touch:
https://www.instagram.com/jacmargolisphd/

Labels we put on and take off: Clothes, style, and choices with PhD in Clothes

If you've ever hid parts of yourself; felt challenged by fashion or presentation of "you" for the lab, classroom, or conference; or were uncertain of where your "real" self v academic self begin and end-- this one's for you. Rebecca gets me with so many zingers like
How am I complicit in hustle culture?
It’s challenging to have your body on display.
Academia often puts seriousness and intellect opposite of creativity, fun, and frivolity.
The more you think about the self- academic connection the messier it gets.
It’s a long journey back to self.
Universities are having a crisis of communication ourselves.
Empathy is free.
Top tips for dressing in academia:
If it’s not comfortable, it’s not worth it. Period.
Play with what it means to be a professional—joyful ability to express. Don’t hide who you are, don’t be afraid to play
A blazer will solve almost every problem you’re having A couple that look nice, you can pull it all together
But there's so much more like:
Fashion is a lot more serious than people give it credit for
What you have on is an important part of what you communicate to the world.
Clothing is part of confidence: I can do this, I do belong
Becoming an academic is often accidental
Consider academic if you come alive in teaching – see it as fulfilling, challenging, interesting, exciting to watch someone learn things right in front of your eyes 
Teaching can be a stressful context; compassion and use student/office hours to assist in learning processes
Faculty development teaching workshops. If your instructional communication or pedagogy class will change your life
Consistency, structure, respect—don't worry if my students don’t think I’m cool or funny. If they think you respect them and consistent with empathy, they will trust then maybe like you more than if you were trying to be cool.
A class is not me versus the student; it’s you and the students versus the problem
Didn’t realize getting a PhD changes you as a person, personality, attitude, not just a “job” and there is no real way to revert from it. Once you go through an experience this life-changing
It’s ok that it changes you but you don’t really know what you’re stepping into
A person in clothes, speaking, etc.
Grad school is in many ways more challenging more than being a professor; there’s no way; but yes, you are being asked to do so much in grad school; if you’re listening and still in training and trying to manage; wearing a lot of hats; expert but not; teacher but student; leads to heightened state of I need to be working and producing
People brag about culture of work and how terrible their life is; virtue is tied to my productivit, which often leads to heightened anxiety- and further health issues 
Academia will always ask me for more than I can give it
If I don’t get away and hold boundaries, I’ll have serious issues
How do I even do that if people say they haven’t slept 4 hours; how do I get out of it?
I know I should rest but I haven’t been given the tools to do so
Freedom to determine own schedule can also become a curse
Department expects you to have outside interests; culture matters.
Life is going to demand that you impose boundaries
Previous self had an aggressive resistance by bringing whole self to work
It’s ok to lie. Don’t be an academic martyr. If you had to stop teaching tomorrow, you would be replaced. Do you really think you’re that important that you don’t deserve time off?
How are we reinforcing the system? How are we complicit?
As we gain power we need to show, not just tell 
Resources for further reading:
Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26367751-slow-professor
Steketee and Harden. Einstein’s combinatory play: A promising practice for creativity and well-being among public health professionals. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2024.100546
Read "How to take a weekend":
https://phdinclothes.com/2021/03/26/how-i-take-weekends-off-as-an-academic

Deconstruct to Reconstruct your Life with Wellbeing Architect and Coach Johnika Nixon

Whether you are struggling with self worth or finances or how to role model health in the workplace, wellbeing architect and coach, Johnika Nixon, has some insights to soothe your soul. Johnika shares about her journey in higher education, in shedding old beliefs, and finding practices that help her get embodied. When discussing flourishing, she states, "just like you would research a plant, you need to research yourself." Johnika shares vulnerably about deconstructing her old beliefs and behaviors to reconstruct a new, healthful way of being -- both at work and in life. So many gems to share, highlighting a few here:
- Reflection is important. Borrowing from both:
- - Maya Angelou: I have great respect for the past. If you don't know where you've come from, you don't know where you're going.
- - Ghanaian proverb: it is not taboo to go back for what you forgot or left behind
- When you do good work, people see it (two promotions without even trying). But, there's a cost: "I did work so well, I missed other parts of myself"
- Bringing your authentic self to life, work, parenthood, marriage
- Define your whats and whys- boundaries- throat chakra activated to move forward, cleared 70k of debt and lost 50 lbs
- Debt accrual to fix what seemed or felt broken, buy, hide, validate
- Before identifying your values- you have to sit with yourself. You have to sit with decisions
- Sometimes you need a sounding board to help you see where you are or aren’t clear on your values
- Be bored. Be without. Challenge yourself. Track money you didn’t spend. What do you really want? Goals.
- Workplace and spaces need to deconstruct so they are a place of wellbeing for individuals
- Courageous conversation and radical candor when you take care of yourself
-It’s not selfish to center self care for yourself, you are impaired when you drive, you’re being selfish to those on the road wanting to get home to their destination. We are on this journey of life together, more to ourselves, our villages, and the future. 
- My wellbeing my self care my life is/ are non negotiable
- Activating throat chakra is divine
- If you take care of yourself they’ll know what… that you are beautifully human?
- We need to coach leaders and individuals who supervise how to have intentional, thoughtful, meaningful engagement with people. People will be inspired to move mountains for you, the institution, the work they do, themselves
- Flourishing is the embodiment of being able to set a boundary
 
Get in touch with Johnika:
Instagram: pursesuitandtravel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnikanixon/

Discover your Dosha: Finding Balance in Academia and Beyond with Betsy of Rasa Wellness

Tune in to a conversation with my friend and colleague, Betsy Walker an Ayurvedic counselor and owner of Rasa Wellness. We learn about the art of daily living through her deep study and practice of ancient Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a path to physical vitality and wellbeing. We talk about how to apply these concepts in academia and beyond. Overall the discussion is about embracing the nature and purpose of life.  Take our dosha quiz! https://www.parcilab.org/doshaquiz Enjoy a free guided meditation at the end!
Other key take aways:
- Ayurveda gives us the knowledge to make choices to serve us in a moment
- Everything is built of elements (selves, season [outside and in life], food, interactions)
- What you consume matters from food to media
- Three aims of Ayurveda:
Regulate agni (digestive fire, poop)
Reduce ama: (toxins)
Increase ojas (immunity, light, glow)
- Rest, digest, and sex: How we're sleeping; what we're consuming and how we're digesting it; use of energy-- energy putting out and energy taking in
- How to balance nourishment and movement when someone else is setting your schedule
- Poets and scientists who have gone mad—too much reception and we need to balance with love and compassion. Life right now is constant seeking and receiving information  
- Aiming for peace, love, and stillness
- How to balance when you're in different seasons of life and seasons we’re in
- Happiness is u shaped curve
- Season of grit and grind? Productivity and busyness bias. What to do when you’ve been saying you’ll slow down for 15 semesters
- Svasta – sense of self, realness in who we are and what we’re doing regardless of the phase
- "We feel young when not grounded in time but in ourselves"
- Energetics around you but aims and goals of Ayurveda equip with choice
- Academics spend so much time away from sense of self
- We share practical applications about halfway through! (29 min in)
- Strength and opportunities of each dosha; Awareness is to see where pulled out of balance to pull ourselves back in
- Dosha is your constitution, mental and physical tendencies, natural to you
Vata- that which moves things, air, ether, good day creative, out of balance anxious, flakey. Dancer artist
Pitta that which transforms, fire and water, hot, sharp, oily, charismatic, leaders, fast speech tendencies, out of balance judgement and anger
Kapha, earth and water, nurtures, caretakers, calming, when out of balance stagnation, heaviness, hording, depression
- We can all have the perfect poop
- We have the perfect dosha for our dharma
- Distance between what you’re born with and current energies informs care
- Who you are, what season you are in, you are not broken
- Myth busting like: Ayuvedic cleanse isn’t about restriction. Give your body what it needs to create space for clarity and illumination- extract what you don’t need and create space
- Gives us tools to live a life of peace
- A brief reflection on what happens when you have so many privileges, but your body or mind is still in distress
- Oldest system of wellness and how to appreciate the gifts of this system through cultural appreciation
- Everyone on this earths birthright to feel the best they can feel, recognize where the wisdom came from
- The land where your blood and bones came from- what was medicine for them? That in turn might be medicine for us 
- Upholding respect and giving back and showing up in the right way to do honor for this tradition and recognizing anyone walking this earth can have a path to wellness
- I grapple with my need for rest and healing and how dare I seek this; "Who am I to share? Who am I not to!"
- Feel your feelings instead of intellectualizing
- Real recognize real: Just be you!
- A new approach can feel like we have to change, laundry list of things to improve
- Flourishing when you can remain resilient because it's not always going to be smooth sailing; but you have the health, heart, and nervous system takes us through all of it
Connect with Betsy: @rasa_wellness_ for IG
Schedule a consultation: Betsy@rasa-wellness.com
Take our quiz: https://www.parcilab.org/doshaquiz
More about Shakti School: https://theshaktischool.com/

The Courage to Earn a PhD Mindfully with Monika Staab

Monika Staab ((soon to be Dr.) is awaiting her certificate for a PhD in adult and continuing education—specifically related to international comparison in educational processes. She shares about the need for courage and vulnerability to step into joy and ease on the academic path. As a dissertation coach, she is in a “learning rhythm” with the clients. And, she reminds us all that when we let go of what other people think (or what we think they think), we can lead with excellence. Monika and I have different characters, peaks, and valleys, but our story is the same...We used our pain to fuel the desire to create higher vibrations in higher education one professor, one lecturer, one PhD student, one person at a time. Systems are slow to change, but we can keep reflecting on our why, what we need, and what do we want to change? Other key takeaways include:
Join us in a guided breath practice: Andrew Huberman’s lab at Stanford found that these 2-3 breaths can calm us (before presentations, whenever we need). It’s an instinctive breath.
Give yourself more space
From the outside—everyone said you’re so successful, organized, perfect, etc., but there’s a different story when we look inside.
Want to be the person I missed throughout my journey- someone by my side to save time, energy and pain so that’s what she’s providing 1:1 coaching
What do I want, and need? What are my values?
In academic, it seems like everyone is perfect. Has it all together. So, in order to belong, I have to be miserable and perfect
COVID let Monika see that professors were struggling- their faces, health issues, etc.
Check in: what do I need now? Maybe meditation is no longer working. Self-care has misconceptions
Yes, there are always concerns for money for self-employed/entrepreneur, but it is worth it
If you keep thinking “if I have this degree, I’ll be happy” ; we put too much pressure on ourselves: you have to look into yourself, your soul
Takes courage to step in believe and redefine success
Where did we get the idea that the professors have why, anchor point, joy?
PhD students afraid to share mistakes and struggles because it’s so competitive
Mind your PhD namesake: what is important to me courage to share I’m not ok and I have struggles. Release mask and façade
Be clear on passion, values and purpose. You can pick a career and pivot. Find your why and purpose can change over time
There is no direct word to translate flourishing in German—and in English, it’s a word you can feel
Flourishing isn’t an end goal, and achievement, it’s a continuous process, check in
We don’t need another slide deck, we just need to connect
Change our own lives and have a ripple effect
More at:
www.mindyourphd.com
https://www.instagram.com/mindyourphd/
Sign up for a coffee chat!

Redefining Academic Success: Reflections from sabbatical with Dr. Heather Leach

In reflecting on her stellar career thus far, Dr. Heather Leach brings a lightness to the journey. She recounts how she started her education but was “there for the soccer”… finding the degree came separately. Unsurprisingly, to me, she found Health and Exercise Science. Through an internship at NASA she learned what the research was… then came a MS and PhD and Postdoc and when we talked, she was in the last few weeks of her sabbatical (academic rest). We laugh and reflect on the journey, trying to lay out some “cheat codes” for you to find joy in your academic pursuits. A lot of it comes down to this: find your passion; dial up what you love, dial down what you don’t love; take sacred rest whenever you can. My favorite share... "What are you going to do with your PhD?... Whatever the hell I want." Other key takeaways include:
Find your passion and maybe you can “back fill” what job or degree
Exercise as treatment to chronic disease
You can hold on to the fun of learning when you constantly curious
Seek all the information you can: find the right fit for your expertise and daily desires
Beware of our own self-imposed goals
If you work all weekend or all break, there’s still more to do, where do you press pause, where do you stop
Along the way you might find the epiphany, “I know what I should do to play the game, but I struggle, it doesn’t excite me. If I got the grant if the reviewers say high impact but I don’t think we should do the study. Can I do rigorous science and follow the rules but do the work I think will actually make a difference to the field and the people we are doing these studies for?”
Slow down: Dr. Leach wishes she had had a 5 year plan with step by step foresight
If you have the privilege of sabbatical: TAKE it…figure it out, stay cation: Do not decline yourself the reset
You can make this whatever you want it to be (the pursuit, what you do with it, how you apply, who you serve) …. Don’t want for a dept head or mentor to tell you that
You can have a restful, peaceful, and filled with adventure, by design
Don’t forget the interests you had before, they don’t have to be hidden
Flourishing is firing on all cylinders: Let’s get it!
Redefining what success is, it’s not the same motivator that got us to tenure

You are not overly sensitive or selfish, you are fully worthy with Miriam Verheyden

When people are told that they are overly sensitive or thinking too much—instead of lauding gifts of insight and protection—they feel isolated and alone, and start to wonder, “Is there something wrong with me?” This was the genesis of Miriam Verheyden’s experience with her own self-doubt, intrusive thoughts and… eventual understanding of depression, alcohol misuse, and PMDD. PMDD is premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is distinctly different from PMS and is more closely related to hormone imbalances that lead to sever psychological symptoms (like depression, anger) as well as skin, gastrointestinal symptoms, fluid retention to name a few. At the cross-section of being on her 40s, being almost 2 years sober, and having multiple incredible published books out—Miriam brings a voice to women navigating shame and resilience. I almost audibly gasp when she says she doesn't take being called "selfish" as an insult: We are responsible for ourselves, we have to be selfish.
Other key takeaways include:
All feelings are valid, observe with compassion, feelings don’t define you. In savasana or otherwise
If you don’t want to talk to someone, start writing- it’s liberating and often not as bad as you think it is. Reach outside of yourself.
How do you let go of what you’ve written? Once it’s out it’s not yours anymore- write and release
Journey we are on to become our best selves while navigating everything happening in the world is messy, not polished, just like a “snapshot” within a memoir
In sobriety, everything is turned up (brighter, louder, flooding emotions)
Hiding your “not good sides” is more painful than outing them, shame is such a heavy feeling to carry.
Warm ball inside of me, warming me—everything that happened and I’ve been through is ok
Hide = this is terrible. Out it = better outside perspective. Not that bad
Raised with conditional love = get love when you do what your caregivers and teachers approve/ like
Don’t should all over yourself: do more, try harder to maintain friendships, become a person you are proud of – without being in hustle culture of always improving—but be somebody you can look in the eye and say you know what, I did the best I could. I'm trying to be kind and helpful, and if others don’t understand or approve, it has nothing to do with me
Unlearn decades of conditioning… of being pleasing… to the eye, the way we behave.
Rebellious I’m not playing this game anymore
Find sisterhood: See women as friends and supporters
People’s opinions, or critiques: It ceases to matter. It stings. But it doesn’t really matter
Someone bothering you: You have the right to not respond
Refuse to see “selfish” as an insult because it’s nobody else’s responsibility
Cutting out drinking is a huge time saver
I can be alone with thoughts and feel at peace; Wake up before the alarm
What we women have to learn is to not be so hard on ourselves, we don’t have to do anything; we are worthy on days when we literally don’t do anything. If there’s a day you have to stay in bed, that’s ok. The myth that we always have to be better—just take it easy more kindness and grace
More at: https://miriamverheyden.com/
Specifically, the book that started Everything is Broken and Completely Fine