Today’s episode features Erin Paruszewski, Founder & CEO of Alkalign. Erin talks about the problems she sees within the fitness industry, and shares why she’s so passionate about functional fitness as a sustainable way to take care of our bodies and live well.

Stacey & Erin chat about how to become consistent with exercise, build better habits, and prioritize self-care, so that you can support your body for the years to come.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• 1:30 - The pros and cons social media
• 5:00 - Getting off our phones to foster real connections
• 12:20 - Functional fitness & why it’s so important
• 22:15 - The key to being consistent & building good habits
• 31:30 - The value of life experience and relatability in the fitness industry
• 41:40 - Disrupting toxic diet & fitness culture
• 48:00 - Why you should focus on quality over quantity with exercise
• 57:15 - Navigating midlife changes & prioritizing self-care
• 1:07:40 - Wellness travel essentials
• 1:13:50 - This period of your life could be your primetime

QUOTABLE

“If you’re taking care of yourself, your body is better prepared to face challenges or recover.”

“Good habits build upon good habits.”

LINKS

Sleep Mask: find it here

Therapy Balls: find it here

CONNECT WITH ERIN

Website: https://alkalignstudios.com/

IG: @alkalignfitness

CONNECT WITH STACEY

Instagram | LinkedIn | Website

In today’s episode, Stacey responds to the election results, and focuses on navigating the moments in life when we receive unexpected & unsettling news. She shares practical strategies to help you process your feelings, manage anxiety, and find clarity amidst the chaos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

(2:15) Calm your mind & body

(5:50) Write out all of your thoughts

(8:30) Identify the worst-case scenario

(11:40) Stay open to all future possibilities

(15:30) What Stacy does to get through challenging moments

QUOTABLE

“Your brain is designed to keep you safe at all costs; it wants you to seek pleasure, avoid pain and discomfort - and do it in the most efficient way possible.”

“We look to the past for answers about the future, but there’s on way we can predict what’s going to happen. It’s a blank slate.”

CONNECT WITH STACEY

Instagram | LinkedIn | Website

Today’s episode features Tracy Harward, the creator of Ishtara, a movement method that promotes body awareness and healing.

Stacey and Tracy explore the importance of connecting with your body, and the transformative power of listening to what your body has to say. Tracy shares how she created Ishtara, and explains how processing your feelings in your body can lead to healing, freedom, and self-love.

Tracy is the creator of Ishtara - an embodiment method that balances emotions and gives you a way to become your own healer. Tracy created Ishtara from her own journey of healing herself from childhood trauma through the wisdom of her body. After years of searching for answers, she healed herself by learning to listen to her own body's guidance in meditative movement. What began as her personal practice gradually evolved into her life's work—empowering others learn to heal themselves. Through a decade of following her body's wisdom, Tracy created a method to naturally transform patterns held in the nervous system. She also validated her method by studying with experts she deeply admires, including Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Stephen Porges, and Dr. Pat Ogden. These studies, along with her exploration of gestalt psychology, trauma therapy, attachment theory, Jungian psychology, and yoga, helped her understand the science behind what she was experiencing. Ishtara grew from Tracy's desire to share what worked for her, offering simple, body-based practices that make healing accessible to everyone. Today, she feels grateful to see Ishtara being shared by compassionate, trauma-informed teachers and embraced by people around the world who are discovering their own path to healing through movement.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

(0:20) Grounding practices & connecting to your body

(2:30) How we become disconnected from our bodies

(7:14) Tracy’s story & the origin of Ishtara

(12:35) Finding the spark to keep trying when nothing is working

(17:18) The pivotal experience that taught Tracy to go towards what she was feeling in her body, instead of running away

(25:43) Why processing emotions in your body is safer, faster, and freeing

(32:20) Finding complete love from within, beyond romantic relationships

(35:00) Stacey’s experience of healing through Ishtara & what she learned about herself in the process

(43:10) Your body is the source of your intuition

(45:45) How to know if Ishtara is for you

(52:30) The power of listening to your body & following its wisdom

CONNECT WITH TRACY

Website: ishtarabody.com

IG: @ishtarabody

CONNECT WITH STACEY

Instagram | LinkedIn | Website