Self Care - Little by Little, Peace by Peace

Shirley Bhutto, Mindfulness Coach
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

This is your small dose podcast for self-care, personal growth, mindset shifts, and creating lasting change thru small, consistent steps. This 20 minute or less show delivers practical strategies to help you reduce stress, improve your mindset, and build a more peaceful, purpose-driven life. Whether you're seeking improved mental health, clarity, emotional balance, or motivation to move forward, each episode offers real tools, empowering insights, and inspiring conversations to support your journey. Shirley is a certified life and mindset coach who uses her own life experiences to give you easy, small tips to help you move forward with small changes that can lead to powerful life-changing results. This self-care podcast is for busy parents trying to find balance, high-powered professionals trying to do it all, students managing work and school, retirees trying to find themselves again, or anyone else looking to prioritize their mental health and become more mindful as they build the peaceful life they deserve.   This show is for you if you’re asking yourself: * How do I ensure my mental health becomes and remains a priority? *How do I learn to let go and reduce stress? * How do create more peace in a hectic life? * How do put myself first and still care for others? * What are simple self-care habits that actually work? * How do I learn to love and trust myself? * How can I build a strong mindset to deal with anything? * And how do I stay consistent and true to building the life I deserve?

  1. 1d ago

    89| Letting Go of Ego: A Peaceful Approach to Rebuilding Relationships You Miss

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything!  Is there someone you used to talk to all the time who has just quietly drifted away? Why does reaching out first feel like you’re being weak, when really it might be the strongest thing you could do? And what if one small action could be the thing that brings back a relationship you thought was already gone? In this episode, we’ll discuss: Why good friendships and family relationships often fade not from one big blowup, but from a slow accumulation of missed moments to reconnect A look at the "why does it always have to be me" mindset, and how keeping score isn’t helpingResearch of how people consistently underestimate how appreciated that first reach out or a simple text isEgo and protecting our pride more than protecting our relationshipsAnd, a simple, low pressure practice for reconnecting this weekSupport the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  2. Oct 3

    88| The Healing Gift of Letting Others In to Help

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! Why does helping a friend feel like such a gift, but asking for that same gift feels like a burden? Do you feel like you need to get better, work harder to be worthy of help and healing, but what if healing isn't about becoming someone easier to love, but about letting yourself be loved exactly as you are right now, mess and all?  We explore why asking for help feels so much harder than offering it, from small requests like grabbing the mail to big ones like admitting you're struggling with depression. In this episode you'll learn: Studies revealing that people consistently underestimate how willing others are to help, and how good it feels for the helper when they say yes A closer look at why we deny others the privilege of helping us, including the fear of being "too much" or that help has to be repaid A reframe on healing: it's not about becoming your best self to be worthy of love, it's about letting your current self be loved while you heal As always, small doable actions to make positive changesSupport the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  3. Sep 26

    87| The Self Care Tool That’s Free Every Day: Sunlight For Your Health

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! What if one of the most powerful tools for your mental and physical health was completely free and sitting right outside your door? Have you ever noticed how a sunny day just feels different in your body, or why gray winter months seem to drag you down? We’ll talk about how a few minutes of sunshine can boost your energy, give you better sleep, and more. Sunlight is one of the oldest, simplest forms of self care there is, yet most of us barely give it a second thought. In this episode we explore how our bodies evolved around the rhythm of the sun, and why that ancient connection still shapes our mental health, mood, and energy today. We cover the science behind sunlight and serotonin, a heart health study on sunlight and blood pressure, the role of vitamin D in bone strength and immunity, and what to do when the weather or your schedule keeps you indoors. You'll also get one small, doable habit you can start using tomorrow morning to bring a little more light, mindfulness, and stress relief into your daily self care routine. In this episode you'll learn: How our ancestors' entire daily rhythm was set by the sun, and why our bodies still respond to light the same way todayWhy sunlight raises serotonin levels and how that same pathway converts to melatonin later in the day to help you sleepNew research connecting sun exposure to lower blood pressure and better blood flow through the release of nitric oxideHow vitamin D from sunlight supports strong bones, a healthy immune system, and even your moodWhat to do for natural light when it's cloudy outside or you can't get outdoorsOne easy way to stack a sunlight habit onto something you're already doing each morningSupport the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  4. Sep 19

    86| Finding Your Purpose: A Mindfulness Practice for Everyday Meaning and Self Care

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! Do you feel successful on paper but still feel something’s missing or you’re just feeling unfulfilled? What if the missing piece isn't a bigger job, but purpose and what is purpose, does everyone have purpose? Listen in as we talk about that and the idea that you may already be living your purpose and don’t even realize it. Do you feel successful on paper but still sense something is missing? In this episode, we untangle the difference between your career and your purpose, drawing on Jay Shetty's concept of dharma: passion combined with skill and put in service of others. We look at research from Patrick Hill and Nicholas Turiano showing that a strong sense of purpose is linked to a longer life and lower day-to-day stress reactivity, regardless of age or other wellbeing factors. Then we get practical: small, sustainable ways to turn what you already love into something that quietly serves someone else, plus one simple nightly question that can help you start noticing your own purpose. In this episode: Why "what do you do" and "what is your purpose" are two completely different questions Jay Shetty's dharma framework: passion + skill + service to others The research linking purpose to longevity and lower daily stress Real, ordinary examples of purpose that don't require a career change or a platform A simple nightly reflection question to help you notice your purpose in everyday moments Why purpose can (and should) evolve as your life changesSupport the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  5. Sep 12

    85|Talk to Your Younger Self - Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, and Healing Your Inner Critic

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! If your 8 year old self walked into the room right now and saw how you talk to yourself, would they like you, or would they wonder why you're being so mean to their friend? If you’ve been taught that being hard on yourself is how you get ahead, let’s re-think that and find easy small ways to get unstuck and keep moving forward without being the mean girl (or guy).  In this episode, we're exploring why so many of us treat ourselves with a harshness we'd never offer a child we love, and what happens when we start closing that gap. We'll dig into the research behind self-compassion, including work from Kristin Neff showing that people who treat themselves with kindness after a setback are actually more resilient and motivated, not less. We'll also look at Paul Gilbert's research on how self-criticism activates the brain's threat response, the same system that fires when we're facing real danger, and why growth simply doesn't happen from that survival state. We'll also talk about using your younger self as a compass for bigger decisions, career questions, relationship patterns, and that sense of restlessness many of us carry. Before the world handed you a script of who you should be, you already knew what felt true. This episode is an invitation to reconnect with that. We'll close with a simple nightly practice to help you notice the small, everyday moments that are already moving you toward the kind of person your younger self, and your future self, would be proud of. In this episode: Why self-criticism doesn't actually motivate you, according to the research How self-compassion activates safety instead of threat in the brain A simple 5-minute exercise to reconnect with your younger self Why "what would feel right" is often a better question than "what should I do" How to catch and soften your inner critic in real time A nightly practice to notice small wins your younger and older self would be proud of If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need a gentle reminder to be kinder to the child still living inside them. Support the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  6. Sep 5

    84 |Reflections on Mindfulness, Consistency, and Mental Health – Happy 2nd Anniversary!

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! On this 2nd anniversary episode, we’re reflecting back and looking forward and asking are you sitting on a dream scared to take that next step? Where in your life have you been waiting to feel "ready" instead of just starting, imperfectly? And what if you focused on consistency, not perfection? Listen and we’ll end with a five-minute exercise to help you answer all three. Two years ago, I sat down with a microphone, a shaky voice and a high level plan. Eighty-four episodes later, we're celebrating together. In this anniversary episode, I'm reflecting on how this show has changed me, what it's taught me about mindfulness and mental health, and why consistency has always mattered more than perfection when it comes to real self-care. I'm looking back at the tools we've built together, from intentional peace to releasing ego in relationships, and sharing what I've learned about habits, connection, and stress management along the way. I'm also opening up about a big life change on the horizon: retirement, and what that means for this podcast and for me. If you've been here since episode one or you're just finding us today, this one's for you. Let's keep choosing peace, little by little. In This Episode: Why I started this podcast two years ago with no content calendar, no strategy, and a lot of fear The mindset and self-care tools we've built together, from intentional peace to the "mood follows action" concept How the show evolved from internal mindfulness work into relationships, grief, and the nervous system Why consistency beats perfection every timeWhat the 80-year Harvard study on happiness reveals about connection, relationships, and mental health A five-minute exercise to help you name a dream you've been sitting on and take one small step toward it Link to guest spot on Inspire Me Forward  https://inspiremeforward.buzzsprout.com/2309826/episodes/18996540 Support the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  7. Aug 29

    83| Peace on Purpose: A Mindfulness Practice to Build Peace Before Chaos Hits

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! Peace isn’t something that finds you when life finally calms down, but something you have to choose on purpose, again and again, even on the most boring, uneventful Tuesday. Maybe those moments in the waiting room, the quiet car ride, the moments you rush through without noticing, are actually the real training ground for finding peace right there waiting for you. Peace doesn't arrive once life finally settles down. It's something you choose intentionally, in the middle of chaos and in the middle of the quiet, ordinary moments too. In this episode, we're exploring why peace is less like a reward waiting on the other side of a calmer life and more like a skill you build through repeated, intentional practice. We'll look at the research behind mindfulness based stress reduction and how consistent, present moment awareness actually changes the way our brains respond to stress. We'll also talk about why the real training ground for peace isn't the crisis, it's the boring Tuesday afternoon, the waiting room, the quiet drive home. You'll hear why monks aren't emotionless, and what neuroscience reveals about how long term meditators process difficult emotions differently, not by avoiding them, but by not letting them linger. We'll also talk honestly about what choosing peace looks like when you're facing something genuinely hard, and why that never means suppressing real pain. This episode is an invitation to notice the small, unremarkable moments in your day and use them to build a steadier, more grounded version of yourself, one small choice at a time. In this episode: Why peace is a trainable skill, not a reward for a quieter life The neuroscience behind mindfulness based stress reduction What research on long term meditators reveals about emotional regulation Why ordinary, low stress moments are the best place to practice peace How to choose peace without suppressing real pain during genuine hardship A simple daily practice to build your own capacity for steadiness If this episode brought you a little more calm today, share it with someone who could use a reminder that they don't need permission to feel steady. Support the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

  8. Aug 22

    82| Mental Health (and Physical) Impacts of Loneliness & Free Ways to Reconnect

    Message me and share your thoughts, on this, on life, on anything! What if the thing most hurting your health right now isn't your diet or your workout routine, but how alone you feel, even when you're surrounded by people? Chronic loneliness is as risky as smoking almost a pack of cigarettes a day but the cure can actually be free and something you could start this week! Listen in to learn how to feel less alone with small, consistent actions.  We have more ways to connect than any generation before us, so why is loneliness on the rise? In this episode, we're exploring the real, measurable toll loneliness takes on our bodies and minds, and the small, free steps you can take to start rebuilding connection, even if reaching out feels hard right now. We'll talk about the science behind why isolation affects your physical health, not just your mood, including research linking chronic loneliness to risks comparable to smoking. We'll also cover why so much of our digital connection can leave us feeling more depleted than nourished, and how to spot the emotional manipulation tactics some scammers use to exploit loneliness. Then we get practical. You'll hear free and low cost ways to rebuild real connection, from community groups and volunteering to simply showing up in the same physical space as others, week after week. No pressure to have deep conversations right away. Just small, consistent steps that compound over time. If you've gone through a move, a job change, a loss, or any season where your social circle quietly disappeared, this episode is for you. You are not alone in feeling alone, and this is fixable. In this episode: The surprising physical health risks linked to chronic loneliness Why digital connection isn't always the same as real connection Red flags to watch for with online relationship scams Free and low cost ways to build community, from Meetup groups to volunteering The "mere exposure effect" and why showing up consistently matters more than being outgoing One small action to try this week to start rebuilding your connection muscle If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who might be feeling a little isolated lately. They might need the reminder more than they'd say out loud. Support the show Tag a friend who needs this and remember to follow and share! 💛 Follow me to get positive posts Mon-Fri….no politics, no sales, just positivity!  https://instagram.com/peacebypeace24 https://tiktok.com/peacebypeace24 Little by Little, Peace by Peace

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

This is your small dose podcast for self-care, personal growth, mindset shifts, and creating lasting change thru small, consistent steps. This 20 minute or less show delivers practical strategies to help you reduce stress, improve your mindset, and build a more peaceful, purpose-driven life. Whether you're seeking improved mental health, clarity, emotional balance, or motivation to move forward, each episode offers real tools, empowering insights, and inspiring conversations to support your journey. Shirley is a certified life and mindset coach who uses her own life experiences to give you easy, small tips to help you move forward with small changes that can lead to powerful life-changing results. This self-care podcast is for busy parents trying to find balance, high-powered professionals trying to do it all, students managing work and school, retirees trying to find themselves again, or anyone else looking to prioritize their mental health and become more mindful as they build the peaceful life they deserve.   This show is for you if you’re asking yourself: * How do I ensure my mental health becomes and remains a priority? *How do I learn to let go and reduce stress? * How do create more peace in a hectic life? * How do put myself first and still care for others? * What are simple self-care habits that actually work? * How do I learn to love and trust myself? * How can I build a strong mindset to deal with anything? * And how do I stay consistent and true to building the life I deserve?

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