Brave a Moment Podcast

05/12/2020

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Try the 5 finger breathing technique ✨

29/09/2020

Looking for a way to wind down in the evenings as you prepare your body for sleep? For those of you who want some mindful movement in the evening, this one is for you! I find that I struggle to fall asleep quite often and relaxing my mind and body is especially difficult right before I go to bed. In the evenings when I know I'm a little anxious before bedtime, I try to turn my phone on Do Not Disturb and just be in my body and move in a way that honors it. But some days my mind is so busy that I can't even think of what to do, so if you're like me or you just want to give it a try to give YOURSELF a moment dedicated to ~you~, this guided video may be helpful! You may notice if you did the gentle morning sequence, we begin on our backs and work our way up to standing. For this sequence, while the movement is a little different to prepare us for sleep, we progress from standing to laying on our backs! This video is beginner-friendly, let me know what you think if you decide to give it a whirl!

15/09/2020

Good morning everyone! ☀️ I thought I would be brave and do something I have wanted to do for a long time- create a guided relaxation video with some mindful movement. I have been itching to spruce up my morning and evening routine - aka add something to my days that I consistently do besides shower and brush my teeth. I find that I feel more at peace but also energized physically and emotionally after moving my body. As many of you probably know, I am a night owl through and through and I'm working on being at least half as functional in the morning, as I am at night. One of the ways I am trying to create a more positive morning experience, something I can look forward to upon opening my eyes is a gentle stretching routine! I intentionally didn't use a mat because this is not really yoga and it can be done anywhere! Keep a pillow nearby if you'd like to add it into the sequence. This stretching sequence is beginner-friendly and I invite you to join me in the morning or whenever you need a little more movement in your life! Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think! (p.s. sorry if the video quality is not the best, I just recorded it on my iPad!)

29/08/2020

Here is me opening my arms and inviting you to REST! That’s right-we’re back! Episode ~six~ of Brave a Moment Podcast is LIVE 🌱✨ Open Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you listen to podcasts or click here: https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/listen/episode/31ff61d8/your-official-invitation-to-rest and hit pause on all of the distractions that prevent you from being your full self and PLAY on Brave a Moment Podcast! You’ll notice some things are different this time around - I didn’t design a branded template to promote this episode drop, I do not have a guest, I did not have notes or an outline of what I was going to say, I just spoke off the cuff and from the heart. For me to do that- was brave. And that is the essence of why I started this podcast. This episode is a quick 35 minute one where I reflect on my past few months, discuss the importance of resting and my struggles with doing so and encourage you to give yourself permission to rest your mind, body and spirit. Take a listen as you go for a walk, clean your space, or while simply sitting and resting! Let me know what you think of the episode and how you intend to create restful moments throughout your day! 🌟

22/08/2020

🎶 brave a moment with breni! brave! a moment! with breni! 🎶 it’s been a minute since I’ve heard that lil theme song 🥺 to be honest y’all I’ve been SPENT these past few months. Emotionally. Spiritually. Physically. Mentally. These past few months have flown by. And I have learned and grown so much. I haven’t forgotten about BAM- Brave a Moment. Not at all. I have been reflecting heavily on this project and this lil platform. I anticipated that BAM would transform as I transform. And I want to be intentional with how I engage with this platform and really think about my voice. And what I need to feed my soul. I’m excited to continue on this journey with you all! I don’t have everything figured out. And I’m learning to embrace that. But I wanted to pop on to say- I see you. You are not alone. Each morning that we wake up and face a new, uncertain day- we are actively braving that moment. Moment to moment. Let’s just be. 🌱

30/05/2020

This is important. On your next socially distanced walk- listen to one of these podcasts. Just listen. Take it in. Apply it to your life. Learn. Unlearn. Cry. Be vulnerable. Be brave. Continue the work weeks beyond a prosecution, a memorial, and the decline of the trending hashtags. Check out these podcasts & give them a listen! ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

19/04/2020

Looking for something to listen to on your next physically distanced walk, while doing chores, exercising or while just ~being~? Episode 5 on intuition & listening to your inner voice is out now! 🌟Click here to listen https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/listen or stream Brave a Moment Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts! (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc).

This episode was recorded before the Stay at Home Order but is absolutely relevant to our current situation. I want each episode that I put out, to be authentic and lately I’ve really been struggling to listen to my inner voice and I felt like a fraud if I put this out while I was having a difficult time with it- but as I listened back, Sheila’s advice was for me to suspend the work and just be.

I am a very driven & motivated person so it’s really tempting for me to adopt the mindset of “this is the time to level up, transform, DO EVERYTHING” but maybe it’s time to do something I’ve never done before and let go of all of that. How can you be better to yourself during these uncertain and challenging times?

13/03/2020

It’s been seven days since I released Episode 4 - Mindful breathing for skeptics! My mom and another very valuable listener told me this was their favorite episode yet!! 🌟 Here’s a preview of the episode- it’s very real, personable, and raw. One of the most impactful professors that I had in college, Dr. Doug Kennedy, discusses why he chose a career in researching & teaching mindfulness. He discusses how he believed himself to be a “high functioning train wreck” when he was introduced to mindfulness. It genuinely changed his life and we hope you’re able to take something meaningful away from this episode! It’s a fun convo to listen to regardless 😁 Let us know your thoughts!!!!

05/03/2020

Listen to Episode Four on breathing NOW 🌟 This episode is for anyone curious, but especially those who are skeptical about how to use the breath in every day situations and how mindfulness can shift your attention and perspective. Doug (a former teacher of mine from college) and I debunk some myths about mindfulness, discuss practical ways to integrate mindfulness in your everyday life, how to personalize mindfulness to support you in your goals and connecting with others, and how our breath can be our most powerful tool if we don’t get in our own way! This conversation was really down to earth and I love listening to it- I hope you do too! Listen here: https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/listen/episode/e86b2e9f/mindful-breathing-for-skeptics

20/02/2020

Listen to Episode 3 on EATING today! 🌟Cuong and I discuss how eating can connect you to different cultures 🎋, we play a fun TRIVIA game about eating habits around the world (e.g. which country drinks the most tea 🍵) and within the U.S. (e.g. what percentage of meals are eaten in the car 🚙), I chef it up in the kitchen 👩🏻‍🍳, how food can be a love language ❤️, and how to increase mindfulness within the experience of eating! 🍜 While the episodes have similar structures, each guest and topic brings a new energy and this episode definitely is the most light hearted but still impactful one yet! Listen now to hear how brave I truly was when it came to connecting to not only food in general, but traditional dishes from Chinese culture 🍚 Click here to listen: https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/listen/episode/1ac75c7f/my-parents-ate-to-live-so-that-i-could-live-to-eat

13/02/2020

It’s been ONE week since Episode 2 has been released! 🌟 Have you listened to it yet? This one was even more personal as I take you with me during my gratitude experiential week! I write gratitude letters to four people, including myself which spoiler- was the most difficult letter for me to write (why is it so hard for us to be grateful for OURSELVES and even receive the gift of other people’s gratitude!?) These three video clips are of me reading the gratitude letter that I wrote to my beloved grandma. Gratitude truly is a superpower and can be transformative in nurturing the relationships and friendships that really matter to you. “Thank you. I don’t think I say that often enough and with enough intentionality...I feel as though you have a tendency to see something in me that I don’t see in myself...I have learned so much from you including how to speak up for myself, how to know my worth, how to ask for what I want, how to be efficiency and how to be kind. Your hugs are the best and your smile can brighten even the most challenging of days. Thank you for truly accepting me for who I am. I have to admit, I’m scared of the day that you are no longer physically with me. But I am grateful for all of the lessons you have instilled in me and all of the wonderful, meaningful, and happy moments that we have shared. I will carry the feeling of your unconditional love as long as I am breathing...” 💟 What are you grateful for today? What is something that made you smile?

06/02/2020

🤩 Listen to Episode Two Now! 🤩 This one is all about gratitude! I absolutely love the content in this episode and enjoyed the Brave Steps so so much! Spoiler: This episode includes quite a few audio clips of me reading gratitude letters to various people in my life plus a little bit of their reactions which made me a little teary eyed :’) however- with that you may have to turn the volume up on whatever device you use to listen because it gets a little quiet! I’m still learning about audio editing, thank you for your patience 💛 Take a listen: https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/listen/episode/355482c0/gratitude-as-the-ultimate-superpower and let me know what your thoughts are! Have you ever written and read someone a gratitude letter before? Why do you think it’s difficult for us to be grateful for ourselves? ~ thank you for your support! 🌟

06/02/2020

✨ WHY READ B.A.M. BLOGS? ✨
There are many reasons!
1. Maybe you listened to the episode and found a trivia question or a resource really interesting but didn’t want to go back and listen to the entire episode again. Read the blog to see a quick, easy to read version of the episode to get all the Brave Steps, links, resources, and main takeaways at your fingertips! I also share reflections or disclaimers about certain things mentioned in the episode.
2. Maybe you didn’t have time to listen to the episode yet, but you want to know what to expect or you’re deciding if you want to listen. Take a peak at this blog to decide!
3. Maybe you loved the episode so much, you wanted to soak the information up another way- with your eyes instead of your ears! Or maybe, you cannot listen to podcasts because you’re deaf or hard of hearing, these blogs are here for you to learn some of the same information shared in the podcast!
Click here https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/blog to read some quick blogs that shouldn’t take more than 5 MINUTES to read 🤓

06/02/2020

Hi! I'm human and I forgot to post the blogs for the mini episode series and for the first full episode on sleep. Please give them a quick read! Here they are:

All About Brave a Moment Podcast Blog: https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/post/all-about-b-a-m

Meet the Host- All About Breni Blog:
https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/post/meet-the-host-all-about-breni

All About Season One- Not So Basic, Basic Moments Blog:
https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/post/all-about-season-one-not-so-basic-basic-moments

Sleep Episode Blog:
https://www.braveamomentpodcast.com/post/episode-one-sleep-is-for-the-weak-or-is-it

*Huge shout out to Shanell McCoy. Shanell is an incredible creative force in our community and someone that I’m lucky to call a friend. She helped produce the l

03/02/2020

It’s been 11 days since the very first full episode of Brave a Moment Podcast has been released! This episode was all about sleep and I was joined by my best friend Tina, who bravely discusses a sleeping disorder that she feels is truly a super power- hypersomnia. Never heard of it? Click on this video to listen to a snippet of Tina discussing what hypersomnia is and how it has changed her life! 😴 I have so much gratitude for her being on the show, sharing her journey and stories, guessing some trivia questions and providing me with some cool Brave Steps that really impacted my relationship with sleep. Take a listen if you haven’t already 🌟 Stay tuned for Thursday 2/6 when Episode Two is released!!

04/01/2020

Hello!! The second mini episode is all about me-Breni! Life has hit me like this cold wave and I don’t even know where to begin! I also am realizing that who I am is beyond my resume and CV! I’m gonna need your help with this! I set up a BAM google phone number that goes straight to voicemail so you can call it and leave a message with either a few words or answering this prompt: How would you describe Breni to someone who doesn’t know her? I will add a compilation of these audio messages to the beginning of the second mini episode! ✨ Here is the phone number, call a girl up! Thank you in advance 🌟 612-321-8404 ☎️ Soft deadline: THIS Sunday 1/5. Hard deadline: Thursday 1/9! 🎯

03/01/2020

Exciting things happening! 🎙‼️ Shanell McCoy and I hopped in her studio today and knocked out the theme song, intro, transitions AND the first mini episode: all about BAM- Brave a Moment Podcast 🎆 (will be released with the 2 other mini episodes on JANUARY 23rd! 🗓)

01/01/2020

New blog: Letting go of 2019! 💟 (this isn’t a highlight reel, I am raw, real & honest in this post). A huge internal transformation happened this year and I reflect on this process in my newest blog (only a 4 min read 🤓)! Click here to read it: www.braveamomentpodcast.com/post/letting-go-of-2019 The photo here is actually a misleading clue- the blog isn’t about grad school & research. This blog represents one of my last brave moments of 2019- being honest with myself and others. Here’s to a new year and a new decade of further becoming who we truly are 🥂✨ I can. I will. I must. You can. You will. You must. We can. We will. We must.

31/12/2019

Channeling the vibes I want to bring into 2020! Let me know if any of these images resonate with you! 🌟

28/12/2019

This podcast is for anyone who is tired of feeling like s**t, tired of feeling stuck, tired of feeling alone, tired of feeling inadequate, and tired of feeling unsatisfied or unhappy. This podcast is for anyone who has felt like they didn’t belong in their own body, in their own family, in their own friend group, in their own community. This podcast is for anyone who doesn’t want their self worth to be defined by their productivity, for anyone who is going through a life change, transition, or is simply done living a fragmented, unintentional, and inauthentic life. This podcast is for me. This podcast is for you. This podcast is for us.

28/12/2019

Join the B.A.M. Pod Fam! Check out the website: www.braveamomentpodcast.com 🌟

28/12/2019

I am starting a podcast. And yes, I am terrified! But that’s what this is about. Getting real, raw, and uncomfortable to make room for growth and self-actualization. The idea for this podcast originated from me realizing after I graduated college, that I did not know who I am, what I want to do, who I want to be and what I was doing with my life and being really distressed by this. And also talking and connecting with those around me, across the lifespan (not just college graduates), and realizing that I was not alone. I want to redefine what it means for me to be brave. And proclaim that being brave is breaking out of the mold and letting go of past attachments, expectations and ways of thinking that no longer serve me and making space for things that do.

We are constantly braving, or conquering or surviving moments, every day, all the time. We’re constantly braving the storm. And we are not alone. This is an official invitation for you to join me on my journey of transforming into someone who is driven by ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’. More information and details to come. Thank you for being here. {Share this post on your story and with others if you would like} 💟