Contradiction Queen Amanda Bryant

In this episode I follow the thread of “I always know what is best for me” into the theme of “integrity with the self.” I discuss how learning to listen to and trust my body offered me a window into my own inner knowing and an invitation to practice living from that space more. I share how making the commitment to live in this way has up-leveled my life over and over and given me a peace beyond logic.

One question I pose in this episode is, “what good is what I have learned from everything I’ve been through if I don’t put that learning into practice?” This is a jumping off point for discussion on how our conditioning can challenge us to stay where we are, even when it’s not in our best and highest good. Our souls want to evolve! So then, why would others not want us to start listening to our own inner knowing? I get into that as well as how to clearly see who supports our highest good and who wants control.

I share what I mean by “integrity with the self” and how it aligns us with higher power as well as some of the positive aspects of living life from this place. I also give one or two examples of how to start playing with it now.

A few other points covered are the importance of facing ourselves and truly looking, even if there is something being revealed that we don’t want to see; the difficulties you may face when making this your practice; and why developing trust in ourselves is key.

This one is a quick and easy conversation that I hope you’ll enjoy. Big love! XO ~Amanda

When listening to last week’s episode it quickly dawned on me… there’s more! My story did not end in wounding and even thought I think I made that pretty clear last week, I wanted to share a few of the specific gifts this particular wounding offered me. So, in this episode I share how childhood rape and experiences of feeling unloved (via not being given to) rooted me deep in my body, taught me I can trust my inner knowing above all else, gave me the courage to voice my truth, and offered me a powerful understanding that I’ve always got my own back.

We always have the opportunity to work with our wounding rather than choosing to ignore or bypass it. It is my belief that when we choose to enter the wound and have the courage to face what we find there, we are offered many opportunities for healing, upgrades, and total transformation. It is always in our greatest pain that we have the potential to find our greatest pleasure, and that is exactly what I get into in today’s episode.

I discuss how I received the superpower of knowing I can trust my body at the tender age of five. I also share how that knowing set the stage for an easy opening to my spiritual gifts and psychic abilities as they became more apparent in my life.

I get into how my divorce was an initiation of sorts for me, a rite of passage into the next iteration of my soul’s path, more joy, and even deeper trust in myself. I share how a switch flipped for me when I realized if I’m not loved for who I truly am, then I’m not loved at all and how I became willing to risk it all in order to be truly loved for the authentic me. Even more, I learned that my style - the way I live life, the way I dress, the way I show up in the world, including my rebellion - is the very reason people will love me, so owning my exquisite nature and living my truth is a MUST.

Finally I touched on how I became incredibly high functioning as a way of dealing with PTSD and how that supported me in many ways, while holding me back in others. Knowing I can do it on my own and that I’ve always got my own back is a great feeling and has served me well, I just don’t want to always live in that space.

As always, I share my experience in hopes it will inspire you to walk your own path with a greater awareness of mind, body, spirit, and soul. Big love!

In this episode I share my revelations post the Mercury Retrograde, Scorpio Full Moon, Eclipse Portal. There were many beautiful astrological events during the month of April and it was a wild ride. Spirit and Goddess were working their magic taking me deep, deep within and far out into other realms. I share how I could barely formulate a sentence for a week or two, what revelations came about during this big time of transformation, and how my embodiment practices are more important now than ever.

I go into how I processed through some specific childhood experiences, my meaning making process around those experiences, how that has impacted my relationships, and how I’m shifting it all now. I'm taking you through my process in real time, as I am still in the unfolding now. I visit what it's like to be in the mush and why that is absolutely necessary for growth and transformations. I share what it was like for me to go to hell and back and why I’m now dancing with the goddess bigger, bolder, and more vibrantly than ever.

I talk about my struggles with keeping myself small, not charging a high enough entry price to be in my life, my struggles to feel worthy of love (or gifts, as that is my love language), and not knowing how to receive. This one gets juicy.

I did my best to walk the line between saying just enough and not too much, in hopes that you will learn from my experience and feel empowered to create a better life as you do. As always, big love and keep going!

In this episode I talk with my friend, Kendra Rarick. We discuss her views on non-toxic living and the life circumstances that started her on her wellness journey. We also dive into some practical steps everybody can take to clean up their act just a bit and the importance of balancing the fun of living with the desire for a clean lifestyle.

Among her roles, Kendra is a Crunchi beauty and skincare advocate, a mother of two adorable little boys, a teacher, and a wife. So, she had a lot of valuable information to share concerning managing the overwhelm of a busy lifestyle, extending clean practices to the family dynamic, and even how she handles it when her husband wants to reward their son with sugary candies! We discussed so much good info that I couldn't begin to cover it all here.

If you are interested in the idea of clean skincare, are curious about greenwashing, have a crazy, busy lifestyle, and just don’t know where to get started, this episode is for you! Kendra and I break it down into bite-sized chunks and even encourage you to have that side of wine! Cozy up and listen in. Enjoy!

To learn more about Kendra visit her facebook page, Organic Living with a Side of Wine.

The views expressed on this podcast are solely those of the individuals in discussion. Amanda Bryant (Contradiction Queen) does not take responsibility and cannot be held liable for the expression of those views. This podcast does not give medical or mental health advice.

In this episode I sit down with my friend, Lyn Tally, to discuss a myriad of topics including reclaiming your self, why it’s so important to make time in your busy schedule for nothing, and how easy it is to get spun up, in our heads, and out of intuition. One of my favorite takeaways is the quick exercise Lyn shares for coming back into the body when we’ve spiraled upward.

Lyn, a former professional ballet dancer, shares how years of ballet took a toll on her body image and how she made the shift into something that felt better. She also discusses how the same masculine energy she was taught to use in perfecting her ballet kept showing up as she observed herself and other women in the business world. We dive into how it feels to approach business, and life, from the feminine perspective as well as the snags we might hit along the way.

Lyn shares why she now leaves free time in her schedule and her thoughts on “productivity.” We also talk a bit about why we should really be doing self care and how we can begin to make shifts so that we don’t get so burned out in the first place. Finally, Lyn and I discuss the challenges we all face when it comes to taking time for ourselves and how this can be especially difficult for mothers.

I think you are going to truly love this episode. We’re kicking the reboot off with a bang. Here we go! And, to learn more about Lyn, check out her Instagram, @lyntally.

In this episode I sit down with my close friend, Chelsea Brand to discuss why yoga is an important piece of the holistic journey, how essential oils can support overall wellness, and a few questions to ask when prioritizing the obligations of everyday life. Chelsea gives some great advice for how she got started in yoga, what it means to her, and how to take the practice off the mat. I especially love her description of shavasana as a “ferocious rainbow” and how that experience completely shifted her sense of self and how she navigated life. And, yes, we touched on meditation too.

Chelsea also discusses her first experience with essential oils, a powerful healing that took place when she used them on her dog. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to essential oil uses and definitely shared that wisdom in our discussion. So, if you’re oil-curious this episode may just give you the information you’ve been looking for.

Finally, Chelsea and I discuss the busy-ness epidemic that seems to be plaguing so many these days. She offers some good suggestions about how to prioritize what’s really important to you (a practice we take very seriously here at Contradiction Queen) as well as her personal strategies for tapping in to the happy life. I truly think you’ll love hearing my sweet friend as she shares her heart with each of you.

To learn more about Chelsea visit her Instagram Page, yogi_c_yogi_do, her Facebook page, or her website www.winkingmermaid.com.