Laugh & Learn Alessia & Shannon

In this episode, Alessia and Shannon look back at where they were when the COVID pandemic started and they share some of the ways in which it affected them. 
They discuss the positive and negative impacts that the lockdowns and travels restrictions had on them, the ways in which they stayed motivated, the lessons they learned, and the bizarre new “normals” that we take for granted today but which are still strange, such as mask-wearing. 
Alessia and Shannon realize how divisive and political the conversation around COVID has become and they did not want to fuel that in any way. The two sisters share their personal experiences and hope you can relate to some of the points they bring up.

In this episode, Alessia and Shannon share their personal experience with the first week of university orientation, also known as Frosh Week. 
For many, their experience might be unconventional, but they share their story in hopes that someone else can relate to theirs and for all to have a laugh. 
Through the laughs, they go over some of the wild moments that week has to offer and the memories they will carry forever. 
As a side note, Shannon and Alessia had a great university experience, they met lifelong friends and gave memories forever. For anyone starting university, remember everyone has their own personal experience so it is okay to have tough and good times but enjoy every moment and the journey as it does fly by. 

In this episode, Shannon and Alessia talk about Diet Culture. This multi-billion dollar industry is creeping up in people’s lives without them even knowing it. It is often masked and so ingrained in our society, making it very hard to identify. The problem with diet culture is that it is a never-ending pursuit taking away individuals of the true joys of life; being with people you love, doing the things that are truly important to you, and enjoying all pleasures in life. Diet culture has its way of telling people that they are not enough until “…”, you do something to conform to what it says. 
In this episode, after debunking some of the problems of diet culture and the ways in which it has been so ingrained in modern-day society, Shannon and Alessia share some of their struggles with this topic and the journey they are on to foster more self-love and compassion. Remember that everyone is worthy of love and kindness. The chances that you, as an individual, made into this world were very slim, so make your time here on earth meaningful to you and reject the ideas that do not truly value you as a human being. You are beautiful and unique and so incredibly special just as you are. 


Want to learn more about Diet Culture, here are a few good starts: 
Christy Harrison’s blog: https://christyharrison.com/blog/what-is-diet-culturehttps://find-foodfreedom.com/history-of-diet-culture/

Podcasts recommendations: 


Mary’s Cup of Tea Podcast: available on all podcast streaming sites. Apple streaming: https://podcasts.apple.com/ch/podcast/marys-cup-of-tea-podcast-the-self-love-podcast-for-women/id1495128359?l=en Spotify streaming: https://open.spotify.com/show/6uTYcE1pjGx3iMzT7Z2X8h

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison Apple link: https://podcasts.apple.com/ch/podcast/food-psych-podcast-with-christy-harrison/id700512884?l=enSpotify link: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GS2IhAsxrGXi4rfBP3nNh



Book recommendations: 


“You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero “Untamed: stop pleasing, start living” by Glennon Doyle 

In today's episode, Shannon and Alessia discuss the impacts, both positive and negative, that specifically, a coach can have on an athlete's life. 
They talk about some of the lessons they have learned from their own personal experiences with coaches in their sports and some of the things we can all do to make a positive impact on the people around us. Sometimes we don't realize how impactful our words and the ways of delivering them are on other human beings. 

This week, Shannon and Alessia chat about how they got into sports, what their journey has been like to discover what they are truly passionate about, and they share some very important and meaningful messages. Everyone has the right to dream big and follow their passions no matter the circumstances, everybody is unique and has their own path to follow. 

In this episode, Shannon and Alessia sit down with their brother Jason who is doing a master's in earth sciences and studying climate change from a social, economic, and scientific point of view. They discuss a recent vote in Switzerland that got rejected, therefore making it difficult for Switzerland to meet the Paris agreements for 2030 to reduce carbon emissions. They also look at climate issues we are facing today and will face in the future, as well as some hopeful messages and actions each individual can make to have a positive impact on the planet, and much more. 

Documentaries: 
“A Life On Our Planet” by David Attenborough: https://attenboroughfilm.com “The Year Earth Changed”: https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/originals/the-year-earth-changed/ 

Books: 
“A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future” by David Attenborough, link to Get Amazon purchase https://www.amazon.com/Life-Our-Planet-Witness-Statement/dp/1538719983 “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate” by Naomi Klein, Get Amazon purchase https://www.amazon.com/This-Changes-Everything-Capitalism-Climate/dp/1451697392