007 | 3 Ways to Be Courageous without Leaving Home with Melanie Burk

3 Ways to Be Courageous without Leaving Home with Melanie Burk

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Courage begins in the heart. It’s what helps us shoulder unexpected and unwelcome responsibilities. It’s what keeps us moving in the face of fear. During these strange times, when COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down, we perform ordinary acts of courage every day without realizing it.

This week’s guest, Melanie Burk, is a mother of five, wife to a physician assistant, small business owner, and woman of faith. Like other Americans, the Burks have been sheltering in place and homeschooling for about three weeks.

Redefining Courage

In this episode, Melanie and I redefine courage for those who have been asked to “stay home, stay safe” during the COVID-19 pandemic. While traditional courage emphasizes physical action,* we emphasize the need for “mental strength to persevere.”

This type of courage isn’t about fixing or doing. It’s about enduring and being. It includes (1) courage to feel waves of heavy emotion, (2) courage to embrace stillness, and (3) courage to practice self-compassion.

Seeking Light & Joy

Together, we explore the emotional demands of our collective heartache, as well as our individual opportunities to seek light and joy. We also share how faith in a loving God helps us get through the daily challenges of quarantine.

Also in This Episode

  • Why emotional self-care is essential, not selfish, during quarantine.

  • How to find stillness, even if your home is loud or busy.

  • Simple ways to invite children into stillness with you.

  • Why self-compassion is the secret to personal growth.

Show Notes

Note: This list includes Amazon affiliate links to books mentioned in this episode. I receive a small commission for products purchased through these links, which helps to support free content on the podcast.

Connect with Rachel on Instagram

Connect with Melanie Burk on Instagram

Dr. Brene Brown

Dr. Kristin Neff

Three Elements of Self-Compassion

Self-Compassion & Mindfulness

Christlike Parenting (Book)

* We express gratitude to healthcare professionals, first responders, grocery store employees, and other essential personnel who cannot stay home during this pandemic and who continue to show extraordinary courage as they perform their regular responsibilities and keep our communities afloat.

003 | Belonging & Boundaries: How to Really Love Yourself with Jenna Rammell

Belonging and Boundaries: How to Really Love Yourself with Jenna Rammell

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You can spend your whole life chasing approval and acceptance from family, friends, and strangers, or you can stand still and give yourself the love, compassion, and security you’ve always wanted. You can belong with yourself. Finding this inner peace is a process of identifying your values, honoring your needs, and setting loving boundaries to protect your energy.

Secrets of Self-Love

In this interview, Jenna Rammell shares how a crumbling friendship forced her to re-examine her source of self-worth and belonging. She explains how affirmations, energy work, and a gratitude practice helped her process old pain and show up stronger in real life and in her online community. She also shares how this inner work transformed future friendships.

What is True Belonging?

Jenna emphasizes that “belonging with yourself” isn’t selfish or solitary. It’s a way of moving through the world, knowing your worth, listening to your intuition, and releasing others from unfair expectations. It allows you to show up to life with more confidence and compassion.

Why You Need Boundaries

Boundaries are a natural result of belonging with yourself. Jenna explains that boundaries are not cement walls but gentle barriers that protect you from doing things you later regret or resent. Jenna assures us that setting new personal boundaries may feel uncomfortable at first but may not be as confrontational as we expect.

Also in this episode

  • Why codependent friendships leave you feeling drained, unappreciated, and unloved.

  • How subconscious energy sabotages conscious efforts to be kind, loving, and abundant.

  • Giving yourself permission to evolve, even when it may disappoint others.

  • How to stop living like a martyr and start showing up for yourself and others.

Show Notes

Note: This list includes Amazon affiliate links to books mentioned in this episode. I receive a small commission for products purchased through these links, which helps to support free content on the podcast.

Connect with Rachel on Instagram

Connect with Jenna Rammell
Instagram | Website

The Daily Essential Co.
Instagram
| Website

You Can Heal Your Life (Book)

The Emotion Code (Book)

Small Fry

Ashley Reeves

Shannon Sargent