E100 Special: Fave Episodes Spark Conversations
Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 100
Date: December 26, 2023
Participants: Sheila Webster, Elise Seifert and John Webster
Guests: Cheryl Rickers and Pia Williams
Start Times and Segments:
[0:02:27] Favourite What’s On Your Minds: E002 - Masks we wear, but don’t always see; E084 - Friendships enrich physical and mental wellness; E034, E072, E080, E088 and E096 – all the India travel series; E014 – the Giver Syndrome; E017 – active listening; and E025 & E085 – energy givers and energy takers.
[0:12:07] Favourite Expanding Minds Interviews: all the personal stories we heard, where people shared their experiences and helped to break down stigma - E001-002 - Beth Beattie (bipolar condition), E009-010 - Michael Herman,(depression and anxiety), E017 - Ruby Konkol (IBD), E022 - Stephanie Sutherland (ADHD), E026 - Jason Balgopal (depression and using alcohol), E033 & 36 - Imran Kamal (recognizing addiction and seeking help), E077 & 083 - Joe Ashley (depression, travel and wellness), E081-082 - Stefanie Costi (toxic workplace), E085-086 - Jodi Skeates (widowed too soon), E089-090 - Rev. Nora Fueten (fatal diagnosis), E092-093 - NHLer Shayne Corson (Anxiety, depression and more) and E098 - Ellyn Winters (breast cancer diagnosis); E025 & 041 – both interviews with Indigenous guest Clarence Cachagee; E024 – Dr. Shirish Nathwani’s reflections on Hindu spirituality; E011 & 018 – Tova Davidson on U.N. Sustainability Goals and other environmental issues; and E012 – Stand-up comedian Alex “Sandy” MacFarlane: a mental health and stand-up connection.
[0:24:36] Favourite Adventures of the Starving Artist: E005 – The “Pizza Box” story from a rock band song-writing retreat; E013 – different impacts of different chord functions; E015 – the fun “Duh nuh nuh nuh: E019 – A proud music teacher; E026 - Breaking THEory Rules; E031 – Nose trick to raise the soft palate; E066 – Rosalita and showing up on the music scene radar in Ottawa; and E096 – Opportunities to perform at daydream venues, like Chateau Laurier;
[0:31:34] Favourite Move That Bodies: E032 – Laurie’s early morning walks; E062 – 6 tips to motivate you to workout; E069 – Exercise snacking feels amazing; E093 – Think like a kid to improve your workout; and E097 – Reasons to work out other than weight loss;
[0:35:32] Favourite Running Popups: E010 – I hope I’m in the second group; E012 & 040 – Memories from John’s Run Kitchener Project (running every street in his city); E022 & 075 – It’s John’s rebirthday - as his streak of doing at least one 10 km run per week hit 6 then 7 years; E036 – The TCS London Marathon (U.K.) - an amazing experience; E045 – A run provides time to reflect, then John says goodbye to his dad; E076 – What would you sense in the last minute?; and E096 – Favourite running temp – enjoying fresh fall air
[0:42:44] Favourite Flipsides of the Coin: E019 – Why it’s called Flipside; E001 – How we met; E002 – Budgeting got us through; E011, E069 and others– all the Flipsides where we talk about art; E025 – The happy (too happy?) sisters; E039 – People head down and glued to their phones; E052 & 072 – conversations about sex and wellness; E075 – Oh Oh - Don’t wear shoes in the house; E083 – The library is amazing; E086 – A fire next door is unnerving; and E093 – Knowing the good isn’t doing the good with healthy eating .
Quotes and Take-Aways:
Pia – One of the things I’ve learned from listening to Episode 17 – active listening – was to say to my children when they come to me, “Do you want advice, or do you just want me to listen?”. I’ve started conversations with them and it seems to have helped an awful lot.
Sheila – I was really touched, and sometimes tearing up when I listed to interviews of guests who spoke about personal struggles or personal stories. I appreciated that they were willing to talk to us about them and put it out there. We heard about how they overcame or how they moved on, along with the good and bad things that happened. I was really touched by those stories.
Pia – I was impressed by how brave so many of the guests were to share their stories with us. Some of the stories must have been incredibly difficult to talk about.
Cheryl – I enjoyed the interview of Shirish Nathwani on Hindu spirituality. It doesn’t matter really what our spirituality is, there are so many similarities. I love to hear about other cultures.
Elise – an interview that resonated me in a worrying way was Tova Davidson’s on U.N. Sustainable Development goals. She talked about how Canada has the highest emission per capita of all of the G20 countries. Sheila – I was so upset.
Pia – If I had thought about different areas of wellness, art and music would not be one of them, before listening to Cameron Earnshaw and his Adventures of the Starving Artist. But he put it on there for me. I’ve found a whole new appreciation for music because of Cameron.
Cheryl – The running popup on Episode076 – What would you sense in the last minute? – was a good reminder that we need to be more present in our live and in what we do and how we feel and how things make us feel.
Cheryl – In John’s book, Accidentally Well, I was really invested in the Montreal Marathon story. You didn’t miss any emotions and really drew the reader in. People will have to buy the book to get that story.
Pia – One of my favourite Flipside of the Coins was Episode E083 – The library is amazing – because it is amazing ; )
Cheryl – In listening to Let’s Be Well Together podcast and thinking about all of my facets of wellness, it has made me think of financial wellness, whereas before I wouldn’t have thought of that as being a facet of wellness.
Cheryl – This podcast is a constant reminder of all different facets of wellness.
Pia – In listening to this podcast, particularly talking about active listening and mental health, with some about parenting, in a lot of ways have made me a better mom, in my ability to communicate with my children.
Elise – For me, with the podcast looking at the 8 facets of wellness, it opened my mind as to what wellness could mean. I love that each week the podcast gives me a chance to do a wellness check-in. As topics are discussed – maybe financial or environmental or physical or another – it allows me to ask, “Am I incorporating that into my life in a positive and meaningful way, and how can I do that?”. I appreciate that the podcast gives me that opportunity each week.
Sheila – Often I just go and go and don’t think about what I’m doing. I love the fact that this podcast has made me more present and aware. It makes me think about other categories of wellness. I ask, “Is this benefitting me, and if not am I giving up other categories of wellness in order to go, go, go, go.” I’ve been able to think about it and adjust my life accordingly. I’m much better for that.
Bulletin Board Quote brought to you by Cheryl: I’m like her mental junk drawer.
Guest Information: Cheryl Rikers and Pia Williams have been listening to the show from its start. Cheryl worked with Sheila when Sheila taught dance then operated a studio in Guelph, Ontario.
Pia Williams is the Library Manager of the Waterloo Region Law Association Library and she’s the Executive Director of WRLA. She works with John in WRLA.
Connect with Let’s Be Well Together Podcast:
website: https://letsbewelltogether.com
Follow our Instagram account: @lets.be.well.together use hashtag #letsbewelltogetherpodcast
Provide input on Instagram using hashtag #letsbewelltogetherinput
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lets.Be.Well.Together
Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-) Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila, Elise, Isabelle, Julie and Noura