Life On Purpose with Erica Layne

What makes you the way you are? Is it working for you? Today, Sonia Jhas and I dive into the values and beliefs that have shaped us and how taking a good look at them can help us create aligned futures.    Announcement: This is our last episode of season 4! I’ll be back in the fall with a new season. Thank you so much for listening and sharing!    Resources:  * Connect with Sonia! Visit her website, soniajhas.com, or her Instagram, @soniajhas * Get Sonia’s book: I’ll Start Again Tomorrow: And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself * Get Erica’s worksheet & determine your core values

Do you think of yourself as unorganized, indecisive, too loud, or too large? Any of these might be an emotional trigger for you. In this episode, I’ll help you identify your triggers so you can be free.    Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: http://ericalayne.co/knowing-your-shame-triggers   * Discover your biggest stressor (and how to let go!) by taking my quick quiz: http://ericalayne.co/clutterquiz

Are YOU falling into this decluttering trap? Secret truth: Vilifying your clutter is making it so much harder for you to let go. Tune in to find out how to shift this!    Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/vilifying-your-clutter/  * Grab my free decluttering guide: https://ericalayne.co/declutter/  * Hop on the Let Go waitlist! https://ericalayne.co/letgo   

Motherhood is intense for introverts, who need plenty of alone time to feel like their best selves. It can be so easy to get stuck on what we think of as our weaknesses, but introverted moms also have some incredible strengths! How much airtime are you giving to what makes you uniquely STRONG as a mom? 7 superpowers of introverted moms.    Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/introvert-superpowers/  * Messy Miniamlism by Rachelle Crawford: https://bit.ly/3O5rpOI   * Find Rachelle on Insta at @abundantlifewithless  * Jump into my 7-day challenge for introverted moms! http://ericalayne.co/talkedoutchallenge 

Welcome to Episode 45! How are we already a full month into 2023?    You probably don’t think of yourself as a victim (and I’m glad!), but I’d place a heavy bet that there are areas of your life where you feel disempowered. A bit helpless, hopeless, stuck, or stalled. This episode will help you see those areas AND empower you to shift them. Let’s jump in!    Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: http://ericalayne.co/victim-mentality   * If you’re interested in holistic health, check out @margaratannpowell on Instagram!  * It’s never too late in the year to start The Authenticity Calendar! Take a look and get yours at theauthenticitycalendar.com.     While you’re here, will you do me the biggest favor and leave a rating or review? The biggest thanks! -Erica

Every now and then, when someone hears that I wrote a book on minimalism, they’ll say, “Ugh, I want to declutter, but it’s so exhausting! I usually give up before I get very far.”    I get that.   Decluttering means making a thousand tiny decisions, taking a thousand steps around your house, and hauling dozens of bags and boxes to your car. The process—especially if you have a lot of clutter to clear—can be physically and mentally draining.   Of course, there are things you can do to make it more fun and sustainable (think: putting on great music and lighting a great-smelling candle, decluttering with a friend, doing a decluttering challenge, etc.) but YES, at the end of a day spent decluttering, your body is going to feel it.    All of that said, what if you focused on something totally different while you were decluttering?   What if instead of thinking about how hard and how tiring it is, you redirected your brain to thinking about all of the things that are way more exhausting than decluttering?

Introducing my new, group-coaching program, Let Go! Let go to feel light in 2023! Visit https://programs.ericalayne.co/let-go to learn more and join us before doors close this Thursday night (January 12). See you on the inside!   ↠ https://programs.ericalayne.co/let-go ↞

So my oldest kid is old enough to follow me on Instagram now, which is mostly WEIRD and also  kind of unexpectedly fun.    But the other day he looked up from Instagram with this glint in his eye and said, “There goes Mom again, talking about mindfulness and stuff while she’s over here yelling, ‘I’m CODE RED! CODE RED! Everybody get out of my space!’    I knew he was trolling me (he IS his father’s son), but I still felt an initial ping of hypocrisy and probably even shame.    That said, those feelings stayed with me for no more than a couple seconds. It was almost like I was standing outside of myself, watching those feelings wash across me and then slip peacefully away, like a morning wave.    Old Erica would have been emotionally TRIGGERED by my son’s comment. Let’s just say, the wave would not have receded nearly that fast.    But THIS Erica actually landed on feeling proud of herself.    THIS Erica laughed with him, because - Heck yes! She talks about slowing down, living mindfully, and taking the pressure off… AND she gets super irritated with her family and tells them to all go away!    After those initial feelings washed through me, I trusted that my son sees me as multifaceted, multidimensional. Imperfect but still whole. Trying, falling, trying, falling. And ultimately, expanding.    But the reason I was able to move so quickly through those feelings of shame is that I’ve stopped beating myself up for my sensitivity.    It’s inconvenient, and I really do wish that I wasn’t so quick to get overstimulated, but I’ve stopped painting it in my head as a character flaw.    I’m not making it mean anymore that there’s something wrong with me.    Because of the work I’ve done to accept my sensitivity, I actually feel like I’m ever so slowly growing in my ability to hold space for my own dysregulation.    It’s slow going, but I’m seeing so much more progress than I ever did when I was beating myself up for it.

What do your emotional trigger points have to do with your kids? They might seem unrelated, but as you’ll learn in this episode, they are deeply entwined. Why healing your triggers will profoundly help you connect with your kids: an interview with @the.parenting.coach Crystal Haitsma   Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/healing-your-triggers/  * Erica’s 7-night self-care challenge: https://ericalayne.co/unwind/   * Crystal’s podcast: www.coachcrystal.ca/blog

Boundaries protect us from offering more of ourselves than we’re willing to give. But how do we actually implement them? How do we get our people to uphold them? Tune in for 25 active, compassionate example boundaries—to help YOU create your own. Resources:  * The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/example-boundaries/  * Free download - The Mental Clear-Out: https://ericalayne.co/mental/  * The Authenticity Calendar: theauthenticitycalendar.com 

Declutter your home, buy less stuff, and find the space to live the life you really want. ❤️ How many of these 30 household items could YOU live without?   The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/household-items-you-could-live-without/  Free decluttering list, 100 Things to Get Rid Of: https://ericalayne.co/declutter/  Connect with me on Instagram: @thelifeonpurposemovement

I often talk about being an introvert, and I often talk about loving minimalism. Today, we’re bringing them together—diving into why introversion and minimalism are a match made in heaven. If you’re an introvert (or if you happen to love any introverts), don’t miss this one!  Resources:  Today’s featured message originally appeared on the Becoming Minimalist website. You can find (and share!) it here: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/why-minimalism-is-especially-good-for-introverts/  Download “The Resentment Fix” for free here: https://ericalayne.co/resentment/

When something happens that’s out of our control, it’s so easy to feel powerless.  When something happens that’s out of our control, it’s so easy to feel like the victim of it. Powerless, because there’s nothing we can do to change it. But when we remember the KEY that I share in this episode, we put power back in our hands. We have something we can influence—even when circumstances are beyond our control.  When something happens that’s out of our control—something we can’t change no matter how much we may want to—it’s so easy to feel powerless. But when we remember the KEY that I share in this episode, we put power back in our hands. We have something we can influence—even when we have no control. Resources:  The blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/feel-better-when-you-have-no-control/ My book: The Minimalist Way Free decluttering list: https://ericalayne.co/declutter/  The Authenticity Calendar (currently 20% off!)

Are you a fixer? Do you manage, fix, smooth, and (TBH) manipulate things—so that they usually work out? There's comfort in being a fixer, but there's also a COST. Join me today to learn why it might just be time to let go of all that fixing. xo! -Erica Resources: * Find the blog post for this episode here: https://ericalayne.co/being-a-fixer     * Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeonpurposemovement/  

Affirmations have been on the self-help scene for decades, but what exactly are they, and more importantly, do they work?    Additional segments:    * Off ramp: A word to my fellow approval junkies!  * What matters most: The time I brought my elderly neighbor her last meal in bed—and what it reminded me about our priorities in life.    Resources: * Free download! 100 Affirmations to Strengthen Your Kind Mind: https://ericalayne.co/affirmations/   * Visit my website: https://ericalayne.co/  * Questions or comments? Email me at podcast@ericalayne.co 

It’s a BIG claim, but I really believe that “thought work” is the most important work you’ll learn to do in your life. Learn what it is and how to do it in this episode!    **This is the last episode of Season 3! Be sure to hit follow in your podcast app so you’ll know when I launch Season 4 - sometime in 2022!    Additional segments: * What Matters Most: Things I hope you know. * New paper product! Introducing The Mindful Box—a 90-day, interactive box to help you develop a life-changing mindfulness practice. Order here! https://laynepaper.com/mindful       Resources: * Find the blog post for this episode here: https://ericalayne.co/thought-work  * The Mindful Box: https://laynepaper.com/mindful     * Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeonpurposemovement/  

Does gift-shopping ever lead to you buying things for YOURSELF instead of others? (Oops!) Or just buying too much in general? The pull of sales and consumerism is strong this time of year, but I’ve got four crucial tips to help you stick to your list and keep yourself from overbuying. Less is more!   Additional Segments:    Self-care spotlight: Maybe you’re not crippled by your stress but by your resistance to it. How to let go. Off ramp: A segment where I share something I see women doing that I’d love for you to quit! Today, quit hiding.   Resources:  Blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/overbuying-this-holiday-season/  Email your comments & questions to podcast@ericalayne.co  This week only, get 20% off The Authenticity Calendar! http://theauthenticitycalendar.com

Have you ever felt like a failure because you can't seem to get a morning routine to stick? A good morning routine is the secret to success, right? Maybe not! Let's talk about a pocket of time many of us are hugely underutilizing—and how that bit of time might change your life for the better. Additional segments: * Off ramp: Are you a smoother (like me)?   * Decluttering tip: a quick and easy tip to lighten your mental clutterResources: * Find the blog post for this episode here: https://ericalayne.co/failing-at-your-morning-routine/  * Take the bedtime routine challenge, Unwind: https://ericalayne.co/unwind/   * Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeonpurposemovement/

If you want to live a simpler, slower life, the hard truth is that you’re going to have to say no when people ask things of you. For most of us, saying no almost feels physically painful: We were raised to be helpful, kind, and maybe even self-sacrificing. But you CAN gain more confidence in your no’s. Here’s how.    Additional segments: *Ask the Expert: Today I’m welcoming Rose Rousenbury onto the show to share about her decision to let go of something in her home that was tied up with her identity. Connect with Rose at her website (https://roselounsbury.com/) or on Instagram @roselounsbury.  * Trace It to Face It: A new segment where I dig into something I’m currently struggling with. Today, why I’ve been hesitant to show up online lately (and how it might apply in your life, too).   Resources: * Find the blog post for this episode here: https://ericalayne.co/saying-no-101-webinar/   * Get The Authenticity Calendar! http://theauthenticitycalendar.com   * Determine your top 3 values: https://ericalayne.co/values/  * Questions or comments? Email me at podcast@ericalayne.co   * Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeonpurposemovement/ 

A lesson from my therapist in how to observe the negativity around us without internalizing it! This episode is especially for the empaths and highly sensitive people, but I think most of us tend to take on more than we’re meant to carry, so tune in!    This episode is the last of Season 2, so be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss the new episodes when I return in the fall!    Additional segments: * What Matters Most: It’s hard running the race you’re running, and you’re doing a GREAT job.   Resources: * Blog post for this episode: https://ericalayne.co/how-to-hear-negativity  * Get your copy of The Authenticity Calendar! http://theauthenticitycalendar.com  * Questions or comments? Email podcast@ericalayne.co  * Join us on Instagram to stay connected over the summer! https://www.instagram.com/thelifeonpurposemovement/