Common Kindness Becky Farley & Candace Little from Mindful Art Co.

We dive deep into the Carl Rogers quote “The curious paradox of life is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."  Our guest shares two personal stories about recognizing "what is" in her own life, and also the difficult task to accept that without judgement. We discuss perfectionism, accepting mistakes, the importance of reaching out and also receiving others' help, and so much more. This episode's guest is Ashley Kuchar, PhD. She is our dear friend and has taught and studied with Becky and has such a wise, calming presence, we knew we had to have her on to tell her self-compassion story. Ashley is an instructor at The University of Texas at Austin and a Mental Performance Coach at Fail Better Training--where she teaches athletes and coaches scientifically prove methods for how to improve their game and their lives by applying self-compassion. We found ourselves in Ashley's story, and hope you can too!



Show Notes

Quotes from the email letter from Sue Kraus:

“When you feel incompetent, remember that this too is a gift that you can share with the world – and it helps build bridges between humans. That is the true root of compassion.”

“By letting go of the need to be perfect, we can begin to really live”

Ashley's Website: https://failbettertraining.com/

Fail Better Training Services: https://failbettertraining.com/services-training/

Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/RESET-Resilience-Enhancement-Exercise-Training/dp/B0B1YCM692/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1FQNQ4GNR49MU&keywords=reset+resilience+book&qid=1655228561&sprefix=%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-2

Instagram: @failbettertraining 

In this episode, we discover how asking the right question can make all the difference. Our guest, Leah, is a dear friend and adventurous mama. In her story, she tells about a challenging time she faced after the birth of her 5th child. We hope you find yourself in her story. We know we did. And if nothing else, maybe you wondered when was the last time you asked yourself “What do I need right now?” And when did you actually get yourself what you need?? Start right now.

Are there moments, days or even seasons where you have lost yourself? Maybe you're in one right now. What can we do during times like these? Tune in to this third episode of our Self-Compassion Stories mini series where we host our very first guest on the show shares her experience and how transformation lies in the process, not the outcome. Our guest is our teacher, cheerleader, Instagram friend, and real life neighbor: Monica Packer from About Progress, a community focused on growth not perfection. She describes an intense time in her mothering full of overwhelm and sadness and how offering herself kindness and accepting her situation with compassion and time, allowed her to become way more than she thought was possible. Monica is also an expert on habits, so we had to ask her about that. She taught us how making space for compassion as we begin new habits or revisit old ones, is actually key to helping them stick--especially for women.

Carl Rogers quotes: 

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

“We cannot change, we cannot move away from what we are, until we thoroughly accept what we are. Then change seems to come about almost unnoticed.”

Quotes by Monica:

"The transformation lies in the process, not the outcome."

"Small wins build over time." 

"It takes the greatest of courage to do the smallest of things."

Here is the link to Monica's free class: https://workinprogressacademy.mykajabi.com/women-habits-class
About Progress Podcast episode from 2018 : Teaching Emotional Responsibility to Kids (and Ourselves!) || with Mindful Art Co.’s Candace Little and Becky Farley

In our second episode of Self-Compassion Stories, Candace shares an experience from childhood. Which got us thinking about the ways we naturally offer ourselves compassion, but as we grow, that instinct can be forgotten and underused. Tune in to this timely end of summer share about sibling rivalry and road trips...have you ever been in the middle of the madness and wanted to just ignore it all? We find out what a little compassion can do for Candace's hard situation, and how accepting ourselves exactly as we are is the true path to change. 

Is there a time in your life where you accepted yourself with kindness? We would love to hear about it! Send us an email info@mindfulartco.com or come say hi on Instagram @mindfulartco

Welcome to the first episode of our mini series, "Self-Compassion Stories." It's powerful to hear examples from real people about how they have changed by being kind to themselves. Carl Rogers said, "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change." In this episode, Becky responds to this quote and shares about a time on a family vacation that she accepted herself with kindness and what changed because of it. There are canceled flights, a sleepless night and some really great details, you're not gonna want to miss. When have you accepted yourself with kindness? We hope that with the help of this podcast, you can practice kindness along with us and all of our guests who share their own stories. Who knows, maybe you'll be on next!

Have you ever considered that a distraction is simply your inner self showing you a place you are suffering? I hadn’t thought about that either, until Becky and I recorded this episode. In a world full of numbing, reaction, and constant distraction, we offer another way of life—one full of intention, connection and kindness for yourself and others. Take a listen!!

“You cannot build a deep connection with someone who is disconnected from themselves.”
Yung Pueblo