International Women's Day

Latest Podcast Episode. The Candid Conversations Season 2 Episode 6-Troubadours and Teachers with special guest Rev Ananda Leeke.
In today's episode, I speak with my special guest and wonderful client Rev Ananda Leeke for the International Women's History month special. Throughout the month I will be interviewing some dynamic and centred creative women.

We talk about all things books, creativity, authors, and also:

⭐️What inspired Ananda to create her book, including many writers, such as ntozake shange, Maya Angelou, and bell hooks to Billie Holiday as one of her musical influences.

⭐️How Ananda starts her creative process which led her to creating three books.

⭐️How to show up and work on our 'mind drama' to enable us to create masterpieces.
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Again we go in, and this conversation is full of self-love gems grab your herbal tea and invite the love of energy into your space.

If you have a desire to write your own book this episode is a must!

About Ananda,
Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke discovered mindfulness, self-care, and wellness when her career as a lawyer, an investment banker, and a digital communications professional stressed her out, caused burnout, and did not produce the level of success she expected. Over the past 30 years, mindfulness, self-care, and wellness have helped Ananda navigate change, become resilient, overcome panic attacks, transform her relationship with technology and social media, and release her career expectations. As a result, she has been able to pursue her calling as an artist-in-residence at Smith Center for Healing and the Arts at Howard University Hospital and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, an author, a speaker, a trainer, a mindfulness and yoga teacher, a digital wellness educator, a reiki and sound healing practitioner, a Thriving Mindfully Coach, and a Human Design Doula. Today, she coaches and trains high achievers and mission-driven companies, organizations, and communities on how to navigate change, to embrace self-care and digital wellness, to tap into creativity, become resilient, and to thrive mindfully.As the founder and Chief Mindfulness Officer of Ananda Leeke Consulting, she leads a wellness company that specializes in personal and professional development. She oversees the Thriving Mindfully Academy and Resource Network, an online learning platform and membership site. She also serves as a Human Design Doula, a legally ordained interfaith reverend, and hosts and produces the Thriving Mindfully Podcast. In addition, she creates artwork that promotes mindfulness, self-care, wellness, and resiliency. Her mixed media collages, wire sculptures, and paintings have been exhibited in the Washington DC metropolitan area, New York City, North Carolina, and Kentucky. Several of her paintings decorate the covers of her books, Love’s Troubadours, a yoga-inspired novel, and That Which Awakens Me, a mindful creativity memoir. Both books and her mindful technology memoir, Digital Sisterhood are available on Amazon. Currently, she is writing Thriving Mindfully as the REAL ME: A Memoir of Lipstick, Loving Kindness, Joy, and Everything in Between.

Ananadas website
anandaleeke.com/
www.instagram.com/anandaleeke/

Purchase Love's Troubadour on Amazon

www.amazon.com/Loves-Troubadours…One/dp/0595440819

Women we discussed
www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ntozake-shange for coloured girls.
amzn.to/3vIy8qK
Susan L Taylor
www.instagram.com/iamsusanltaylor/?hl=en

Lessons in Living
amzn.to/3HQayKT
Iyanla Vanzant
iyanla.com/
Tapping the power within
amzn.to/3pOChFE

We also spoke about Billy Holiday the Jazz Artist.

To book a consult to see if the Highly Capable Creative Programme for Creative Women is for you contact me here www.mjfontaine.co.uk

Listen here on Soundcloud

Holistic Book Club - Essential oils, pain relief and a great waistline.

7 minute read. .

I was recently sent three books by Eddison Books on Health and Wellbeing. Now I am a bit of s sceptic because as a Holistic therapist and Former College tutor the books we read were quite detailed clinical type books. Suffice to say it was nearly 20 years ago so I suspect the sophistication of the reader has risen to meet our upgraded HD retinas.

Essential Oils You Can’t Do Without: The Best Aromatherapy Oils for Health, Home and Beauty and How to Use Them by Daniele Festy

The Ketogenic & Hypotoxic Diet: Lose Weight and Improve Health with This Low-Carb, High-Fat, Anti-Inflammatory Plan by Olivia Charlet

Natural Painkillers: Relieve Pain with Natural Remedies and Exercises by Dr Yann Rougier & Marie Borrel

Natural Painkillers: Relieve Pain with Natural Remedies and Exercises by Dr Yann Rougier & Marie Borrelcan came at the right time because I recently experienced a bad back after another Bereavement (if you have listened to my podcast or read my blog on Grief  then you will know how common it is to experience physical ailments after the death of a loved one). The book is jam-packed with various complementary techniques to use such as Acupressure points to help with pain relief,  Healthy foods to help reduce inflammation and also a good range of Homeopathic and Aromatherapy remedies and recipes to assist you with any complementary programme.

Safety note: For any physical ailment one should always consult their GP or Complementary Health Practitioner ( I consulted my Osteopath for my back).
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Essential Oils You Can’t Do Without: The Best Aromatherapy Oils for Health, Home and Beauty and How to Use Them by Daniele Festy

When I was asked to review this book I thought it would be just another aromatherapy book with great pics, but I was wrong, it is a great book and great as a reference guide.   This easy to use book is full of information that will help you create some great skincare and wellness blends. 6 Essential Oils You Can't Do Without has great references on all the important data that will allow you to start your essential oil journey. Even for existing Aromatherapists and students alike, this book visually clean and informative, for the novice, it will also be a great companion to creating a Healing home because it has over 300 recipes for the home, skin and body. So for my clients and students alike, I will definitely recommend this lovely book.

The Ketogenic & Hypotoxic Diet: Lose Weight and Improve Health with This Low-Carb, High-Fat, Anti-Inflammatory Plan by Olivia Charlet

I found this book really interesting and again timely because I have spent the winter hibernating and now I am back at the Gym and on the mat.   The Ketogenic & Hypo toxic Diet again was a very informative read. The book breaks down the “Keto” diet which is a diet

Low in carbohydrates and rich in good fats, the ketogenic diet offers the perfect solution to healthy eating for optimum well-being. But in order to be truly beneficial to our health, it should also be hypotoxic (gluten- and dairy-free, with only moderate amounts of organic animal protein). 

The Keto diet says No, to sugar, most fruits or white carbs and Pulses so some Vegans may find this a problem if they eat a lot of cooked Chickpeas or Lentils,(there are options for the sprouted pulses)

As a gluten intolerant Pescatarian  I find pulses hard to digest, even with Seaweed added and soaking,  and the Gluten-free food often leaves me bloated so trying this out has helped reduce the bloating.

The book is clearly written and easy to follow, but for me, my favourite part of the book is the recipes.   Although different I found some of the foods choices similar to the Paleo diet, however, the Keto is about changing macronutrients to start a natural fat burning process. (correct me if I am wrong) and the Paleo is about eliminating dairy, grains and processed foods. Both diets are good for Auto Immune, Weight loss and Gluten intolerance. As for the weight loss, I am only on day 1 so I will let you know if I follow this for 5 days.  I will definitely add this book to the reading list of my self paced course the 30/30 Wellness programme.and now that is a bonus. All books are available for all outlets such as Amazon and Foyles.

2018 in Review

All I can say about 2018 is that you Kicked my arse I totally jumped off the cliff to support myself a 100 percent

My spa dates were cancelled, my clothes were recycled and I did not purchase any new shoes in 2019 which meant I consumed very little and my cash went back into my marketing and business.

After my Dad passed over in 2017 and my brother in law six months earlier, I focused on working and making money for others. As soon as 2018 hit I entered a new relationship - with myself.

From the beginning of 2018 I vowed to concentrate on myself (so no love interest with Musicians, Artist, or Poets (apparently according to Liz Green I am the proverbial troubadour so I needed to experience my lament and love by myself and for myself),

It is so interesting in cyber world we talk about ‘Self Love’ but, self Love like any relationship takes work as there is still compromises, and decisions to be made so that one can balance work and life.

In relationships there was a struggle to balance time between my partner and friends, in relationship to self this is still a challenge. I was totally immersed in myself and the joy I felt being in this zone of pure bliss. I now understand how I love because I gave myself that total unconditional love, so now moving forward I need to cater to three groups of humans, myself, my partner and my circle.

During this time I was also aware of the difference between hiding/withdrawing from the world and loving myself, eating, going out dinning and walking for oneself and with oneself, I was running towards my self love not away from the world.

Surrender : mjfontaine

I went to events and concerts, walked, ate in restaurants, all by my self (cue the music) and at times I felt a slight pang but that was my head and conditioning, my heart was fun and having fun.

I never knew this type of bliss existed. - communion with the Creator my creativity flourished also.

My work became deeper and thick with authenticity and transparency. I re discovered places in my business that I neglected and threw money at so I could not deal with those areas. The reduction of funds also made me realise how much I used money as a way to put a band aid on issues that challenged my self worth and confidence, This clarity of my life situation enabled me to look at my business, my boundaries and my worth. How many times do we make a business decision based upon validation? It is surprising how Social media totally dictates how entrepreneurs actually portray themselves online at the cost to their business model.

Since walking my own path and setting a better strategy I got real and practical, learned, applied the steps but checked with my heart to see if the steps were congruent with my values. Where there was confusion I asked the adult part of myself to apply a practical solutions.

Stuff just go more real and I am actually running a proper business MA!

My clients increased, more sales of my products and more engagement,

There are more surprises coming in 2019 which is totally gonna switch up my work.

First I had to check in with my partner - Myself.

Have a great 2019 please see my next post that will have the review questions of 2018

Marilyn x

Podcast rebranding- The Candid Conversations show Episode 17 Shame.

The is the first episode of our Rebranded show now called The Candid Conversations show. 

Today I discuss Shame and Vulnerability and how it affects our daily lives, relationships, jobs and mental health.

Trigger warning ! This episode may bring up old feelings so I have included links that you visit and use for support.

Music by Rebbz

This episode is sponsered by Willique -Exceptional quality handbags available 

https://www.talkspace.com/

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame?language=en 

Anodea Judith - Chakras and Shame  https://www.mixcloud.com/alignpodcast/anodea-judith-eastern-body-western-mind-chakra-system-ep-137/

Biodynamic Massage 

Alexander Lowen exercises.