00:00:03:04 - 00:00:17:19
Chris
Hello and welcome to the Ending Body Burnout Show. We are your host Chris and Filly, co-founders of a multi-award winning functional medicine practice serving busy people with energy, mood and gut issues. While busyness.
00:00:17:19 - 00:00:24:21
Filly
Addictive, doing, people pleasing and perfectionism might be the norm, it's not normal and it's a major contributor to health issues.
00:00:24:23 - 00:00:38:05
Chris
Our goal with this show is to give you a holistic, root root cause approach to healing your body so that you don't have to continue doctor or diet hopping or popping a gazillion supplements hoping something might stick.
00:00:38:06 - 00:00:46:08
Filly
So get ready to heal your body, get your spark back deeply, connect with yourself, and step into the life of your dreams.
00:00:46:10 - 00:00:54:19
Chris
Let's dive in.
00:00:54:21 - 00:01:28:05
Filly
Hello and welcome to the podcast. Today we have a guest expert on here to talk all about, emotions. So we have Michelle MacDonald. She is a life coach and part of this episode she dives into her own healing of her own body burnout, chronic fatigue, and a whole host of other health issues and how mindset and moving through emotions and working with the body really helped her to recover from chronic fatigue.
00:01:28:09 - 00:01:52:11
Filly
Now, we were lucky enough to have Michelle inside our ending body burnout method program. Goodness. Oh, I forgot to make a note of it. I think it was back in August this year, and she took our clients through the Trigger to Truth framework, which he talks about inside this episode as well. And it was the most beautiful, workshop.
00:01:52:11 - 00:02:12:18
Filly
We've had so, so much great feedback from our clients to be able to identify emotions that we're experiencing, and then matching that with movement that will allow those emotions to move through and out of you. Because the thing that motions and then, you know, if you're trying to use a tool to shift it is sometimes it can make it worse.
00:02:12:18 - 00:02:38:19
Filly
Sometimes the movement or tool or strategy that you choose could actually increase the presentation of that emotion rather than allowing it to move through. So there's lots of practical tips in this podcast as well. If you are a client inside our Ending body burnout method, you can check out the show notes and it will take you to a direct link to Michelle's, workshop that she did inside our program.
00:02:38:20 - 00:02:56:21
Filly
And also, guys, it is the last day that our doors are open for our ending body burnout method. So if you're listening to this on the Tuesday, on the day that this is published and you've been sitting on the fence and you're ready to dive on in, head to the show notes and come join us inside the program.
00:02:56:21 - 00:03:23:16
Filly
We would love to have you there. Official stuff about Michelle MacDonald. So she is a life coach and creator of the Trigger the Truth framework, having worked with hundreds of clients through life coaching, yoga, and Pilates, she is passionate about helping people understand their emotions, trust their bodies, and feel more connected to themselves. Oh, and by the way, totally forgot.
00:03:23:18 - 00:03:55:23
Filly
There's some really exciting things happening in October, so the doors to our program Ending Body Burnout method are open. As we mentioned in our podcast episode last week, we are opening the doors for a whole month this time. Previous to that, it's been one week. And yeah, we just wanted to to be a bit more slower, a bit more organic, allow, people to come in without feeling like scarcity or urgency so that you've got some time to make sure that it's a really aligned decision for you.
00:03:55:23 - 00:04:32:00
Filly
Because when you follow your heart and your intuition and you move, whether it's our program or something else, things are going to change for you. So check out the show notes if you want to come join us inside the ending body Burnout method. Doors are open, but they do close the 27th of October. Also, if you want to learn a bit more about what how we actually support our clients inside our program and what it looks like to work through our ending body burnout method, we are holding a free Rewire Your Brain to Heal Body Burnout online event.
00:04:32:02 - 00:04:55:19
Filly
So every Monday over the next four weeks, we would have just held our first one yesterday. When this comes out live. But there is a replay. We're going to take you through the steps to essentially rewire your brain and your whole self to heal from body burnout and chronic health issues. We've run this, this free event. In the past.
00:04:55:19 - 00:05:20:17
Filly
We've had thousands of people now coming along to it, registering to it, watching back replays, and we've had so much beautiful feedback around people who showed up, leant into those workshops and actually experience transformations just from the free content. So it's definitely worth your while coming along to those, there'll be coaching, there will be practices that will take you through.
00:05:20:18 - 00:05:47:05
Filly
It is definitely not a, you know, a standard masterclass or webinar where we're just going to talk at you and teach at you. I feel like in this day and age, there's so much information now. Yes, we'll be sitting in teaching, but majority of it will really be helping you, to meet you where you're at, to heal your, yeah, your whole self and to get to the root cause.
00:05:47:07 - 00:06:32:16
Filly
So you can find that in the show notes. And the last exciting thing that is happening in October is our next retreat, Heart Meets Land. So this is a live in person event at Tasmania. Yeah. Sorry, Glen Eagle, Tasmania. And it's going to be all about dropping out of your head, into your body, into your heart, connecting with the deepest part of you that wants the best for you, working through the blocks that are actually blocking you from listening to this part, or taking action from this part, and then building deep sense of trust and safety internally so that you can follow through on what your heart wants, what what you want for
00:06:32:16 - 00:07:00:17
Filly
you that's going to allow you to heal and thrive and have the best experience of yourself in this life. So come along to any of those. There's a few spots left for the retreat, so you can check that out at the link below. If you've been sitting on the fence, or maybe this is the first time you're hearing about the retreat and you're like, oh, my heart is saying, yes, great time to book in now, before that price increases.
00:07:00:20 - 00:07:07:22
Filly
All right. See you on the other side inside the episode. Hello, Michelle.
00:07:08:00 - 00:07:11:22
Filly
I'm so excited to have you on our podcast today.
00:07:12:00 - 00:07:15:06
Michelle
Hi, Filly. Hi, everyone. Thanks for having me.
00:07:15:08 - 00:07:40:00
Filly
So exciting. We had you inside our Ending Body Burnout method program to run the most beautiful workshop. When was that? Was that back in August? Yeah, August. Month ago? Yes. At the time of recording. About a month ago. So you took our clients through the trigger to truth, your framework that you've created. But to dive into a little bit later.
00:07:40:02 - 00:08:03:09
Filly
But I really loved your session, and there were some parts that were big light bulb moments for me to, especially when you talked about the way that different emotions can be felt and then different movement to help shift those emotions out there, the categories that you had created. I'm just like, she's nailed that. That is so good.
00:08:03:09 - 00:08:06:17
Filly
So I'm sure we'll talk more about that soon.
00:08:06:19 - 00:08:11:00
Michelle
Thank you. Yeah, that is a helpful way to know what you need in the moment.
00:08:11:02 - 00:08:39:22
Filly
Yeah, yeah. So we do love when we have a guest on our show. We do love to dig into your own body burnout or health journey. Because most people who end up in this health and wellness healing space often have had their own struggles. And you had some big struggles. A chronic fatigue syndrome, the overdoing perfectionism patterns, and Dimitrios, all the things.
00:08:40:00 - 00:08:40:16
Michelle
All the things.
00:08:40:16 - 00:08:49:08
Filly
So if we go back in time, what did that look like for you when you noticed your health started, like was first failing?
00:08:49:10 - 00:09:12:16
Michelle
Yeah. Great. So I guess I'll paint a picture of before the moment where it all sort of came crashing down on me. I've always been very outgoing. I, as a teenager, well, actually, as a young child, was in dancing and performing arts. So as soon as I left high school, I booked my first gig performing on stage.
00:09:12:16 - 00:09:50:19
Michelle
And for the next ten years was doing, you know, eight shows a week in Hairspray, Chicago, Jersey boys, all the things. And you know that it takes a lot that that's an elite level of performing. And so for me to even have got there, there was absolutely a lot of me not listening to my body and pushing through where there was injuries and pain as well as, I don't know if anybody's ever been to an audition, but singing or dancing in front of a panel where they are, they're literally judging you.
00:09:50:21 - 00:10:15:22
Michelle
And so, you know, a lot of my inner self-talk was that I was just never good enough. You know, there was always something to perfect, something to be better, the next show to book. So that's kind of what my life looked like leading up to when I fell pregnant with my daughter. So I have one daughter. She is seven now.
00:10:16:00 - 00:10:42:14
Michelle
No. And you know, there were little hints throughout the pregnancy, a lot of pelvic pain. And at this time. So this was 29, 2018. I didn't know at that time that I had enemy trios. And looking back, you know, as we can all look back, it makes a lot more sense now. But even just walking, I was ten out of ten.
00:10:42:15 - 00:11:11:13
Michelle
Pelvic pain. That I ignored because in my head I assumed that it was normal to feel pain in pregnancy, which I know now that is not true. And so if anybody's out there in pain, please go and seek help. There is lots of help around. And then after the actual birth, I mean again. Still to this day with, with chronic health conditions.
00:11:11:13 - 00:11:41:22
Michelle
And it's such a complex picture. I don't know if I can pinpoint the one thing, but all I know is, you know, after I gave birth, postnatal depression and anxiety, Hashimoto's autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue. Again, didn't know at the time, but I imagine that endometriosis and adenoma oasis was probably flaring quite a lot. What else? Is there anything else I've forgotten in that concoction?
00:11:42:01 - 00:11:43:20
Filly
Yeah.
00:11:43:21 - 00:12:04:02
Michelle
And just really didn't get the help I needed, which is it's unfortunate. And I know so many people out there have this story that it was not for lack of trying. It was not for lack of going to the doctors, going to specialists, all the tests saying, you're fine, everything's normal.
00:12:04:04 - 00:12:10:02
Filly
So was this was that, from a medical system point of view at this point?
00:12:10:04 - 00:12:39:12
Michelle
Yes. I had in the past, before giving birth, I had gone down traditional Chinese medicine routes and nature paths, because throughout this journey as well, I've had a lot of digestive issues. Which is most likely to do with the enemy. So but yes, I think at that time, after giving birth, it was mainly medical help that I had been seeking.
00:12:39:13 - 00:12:41:09
Filly
Yeah yeah yeah.
00:12:41:11 - 00:13:07:00
Michelle
And yeah, as you can imagine, so many emotions coming up for me there, not only grief. Because I had led up to the pregnancy thinking, oh my God, I'm going to be a mum, and we're going to go get baby chinos, and it's going to be really cute. And meanwhile, I couldn't even walk to the end of my driveway without being in pain.
00:13:07:02 - 00:13:26:17
Michelle
So there was a lot of grief for what I imagined and what absolutely did not happen. And a lot of yeah, anxiety and depression as well. Where do I go from here. The turning point. Should we get to the turning point.
00:13:26:18 - 00:13:32:23
Filly
Yeah. Well how long were you you in that for. Was that like six months a year. Two years? Three years.
00:13:33:03 - 00:13:59:10
Michelle
I didn't find myself in a great recovery program until until 2022. So that was probably three years. Yeah. Yeah. Right. That really was the turning point where I had just, you know, I'm so I'm sure so many of your listeners have this experience where you get exhausted with the amount of doctors you've seen that I just threw my hands up and cried, you know, on the floor.
00:13:59:11 - 00:14:23:05
Michelle
And what's wrong with me? And I don't know what to do. Yeah. All I knew was, you know, sleeping ten hours a night to wake up feeling, like, exhausted, feeling like you'd been hit by a truck and then to go back to bed two hours later. All all of that. So I just chose to diagnose myself with chronic fatigue because I was like, no one else is.
00:14:23:06 - 00:14:47:16
Michelle
And I'm the only one who knows what my experience of my body is. Yeah. And I think once I had given myself that permission piece of I have chronic fatigue, I need to do something about it. That is when I found a recovery program specifically for chronic fatigue. Yeah. But the thing is, with a lot of these chronic illnesses, you know, as you know, it's multifaceted.
00:14:47:16 - 00:15:11:01
Michelle
It's holistic. So as I went through the process of healing chronic fatigue, I also was working on mindset. I was working on food and diet. I was working on meditation. I was working on an emotional regulation. And it was the culmination of all of those things that really lifted me out of that very dark place.
00:15:11:03 - 00:15:13:15
Filly
The holistic approach.
00:15:13:16 - 00:15:14:14
Michelle
Every time.
00:15:14:16 - 00:15:34:12
Filly
Every time. What do you what do you feel was the root cause that like I don't know if you could. And again that's multifaceted. But if you could get right down to the nitty gritty, what do you feel was the root cause for you for your body to crash after pregnancy?
00:15:34:14 - 00:15:56:04
Michelle
This will be one of those long pauses. And honestly, I can't pinpoint one thing, but what I will say if I had to choose two things that helped me the most. One was sleep hygiene. And two was mindset.
00:15:56:06 - 00:16:24:05
Filly
Yeah. Yeah. Which is I mean in our practice, you know, ending body burnout method when we're getting to the nitty gritty root cause there's always an unconscious core belief about self. Which sits in I guess like a mindset umbrella. And also for some many people who have body burnout, there's like some big physiological things going on to.
00:16:24:10 - 00:16:51:14
Filly
So they're usually is something from the physical realm that will help to lift the body up. But if that deeper metaphysical ways of thinking, feeling, being aren't changed, you know, if you imagine it's like if you didn't address that and it's like, I just have really good sleep hygiene. Oh, yeah, and I'm sleeping better. But when I'm awake and in my living life, I am having all sorts of chaotic things happening in my mind, in my body.
00:16:51:16 - 00:16:52:19
Michelle
Absolutely.
00:16:52:21 - 00:16:53:04
Filly
Yeah.
00:16:53:04 - 00:17:07:10
Michelle
And mindset. When I say mindset, obviously that's such a big umbrella. And so if I was to, you know, zoom in a little bit on that, definitely for me postpartum, I had this overwhelming feeling that I was trapped.
00:17:07:12 - 00:17:07:21
Filly
00:17:08:01 - 00:17:40:07
Michelle
And you know trapped stuck didn't have a choice. Everything was awful and you know no way out. Yeah. It was very heavy. So being able to be I guess self responsible and self empowered to change that mindset of I do have a choice. It doesn't mean it's an easy choice. Like if I'm just let's say for example at the time I was breastfeeding and that was not great for me, for my body or my mental health.
00:17:40:09 - 00:17:58:08
Michelle
If you had of asked me back then, oh, just stop breastfeeding, start bottle feeding. I would have said, no, no, no, I can't do that because here's all the reasons I can't do it. Whereas the truth is there is a choice there, but it's just not the choice I want. It's not the most perfect choice. It's not the easy choice.
00:17:58:10 - 00:18:14:17
Michelle
It's a harder choice. So being able to. Yeah. Realise that I'm not stuck. I'm not trapped. It's just not looking the way that I want it to. But I can move forward. That was a really big mindset shift.
00:18:14:19 - 00:18:40:03
Filly
And with that as well with the chronic fatigue and other debilitating symptoms. How did how did that show up in your healing journey. Because again like if you think about something where the body is just like, we're not getting up today and, you know, try and then two hours later the body is saying, we need to go to bed again.
00:18:40:04 - 00:18:55:02
Filly
How did because that would have felt really trapped, trapping and trapped as well as in the body is trapping me. What did that look like in terms of working with the body to recover?
00:18:55:04 - 00:19:17:00
Michelle
Yeah, well, it's exactly what you just said. Working with the body, right? Because my strategy before that was essentially working against the body was letting my mind run the show, and the body just had to do what it was told. Yeah. So that's how it played out that for years when I, my mind's like, okay, you know, dance Monkey do this, you know, the body goes ahead.
00:19:17:00 - 00:19:41:18
Michelle
But those years after giving birth when my mind was like, yep. Now we're going to do this. And I'm sure everyone's heard that saying of when whispers turn to screams from the body. It wasn't just like, no, we're not doing that. It was pain. It was. Yeah, fatigue. The body was saying no. So in answer to that question, it's like I, I was forced to, which is the best way.
00:19:41:18 - 00:20:07:18
Michelle
If you ever want to be forced into doing anything or making change. It was like my body was forcing me to listen. Yeah. And that's when learning those emotional checking practices and ways of listening to the body instead of, ignoring it or suppressing it. That's when those methods came into my life.
00:20:07:20 - 00:20:35:22
Filly
So let's dig into that because something that you're really passionate about, sharing with the world and with other people that work through your program is like emotional intelligence and checking in with the emotions and then what's happening with the emotions and how can we move through those? For you, was the big emphasis on this because it was a huge part of your own healing journey?
00:20:36:00 - 00:20:58:14
Michelle
Yeah, absolutely. And a huge part that brought probably the biggest change in who I am or in getting back to my truest self. Being able to express all parts of me and all emotions without feeling shame or embarrassment or regret or any of the things that we can all feel sometimes.
00:20:58:20 - 00:21:28:15
Filly
Yeah. Yeah. So what are what are some of your favourite? Actually, before we get into practices. Can we talk a little bit about, maybe the Trigger to Truth framework? Because I think that that would be a good place to start in terms of how do we actually connect in with the body, know what emotions we're feeling, because sometimes people are so cut off from that, especially if they're in dorsal bagels.
00:21:28:15 - 00:21:52:23
Filly
So nervous system shut down where it is a mobilisation it's freeze. It can be dissociation. And on the other side sometimes people are very in fight flight where scattered overwhelmed. And so everything feels like a fire all the time. But if they were actually to get still and to notice, there will be nuances around what their body and their emotions are actually trying to say to them.
00:21:53:01 - 00:22:02:22
Filly
So maybe it would it be okay if you gave us a bit of a framework in terms of what, your framework for trigger to Truth is in those steps?
00:22:03:00 - 00:22:26:19
Michelle
Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's, that's right with what you said, that if people are in different nervous system states, it's going to be slightly different. But even just every individual is going to experience this slightly different. So there's no right or wrong way. But yes, I have a six step framework called Trigger to Truth, meaning when you're experiencing a trigger.
00:22:26:19 - 00:22:53:19
Michelle
And if that word doesn't make sense to everyone, essentially, if there's like an intense emotion or reaction in your body, that's what I would call a trigger. And then we're going to find the truth where it's coming from and what to do. So and this I created essentially from all the wonderful coaches and practitioners and guide and guidance people who have guided me, good.
00:22:53:21 - 00:22:55:16
Filly
Guides, the guide.
00:22:55:18 - 00:23:18:12
Michelle
Yes, people who have gotten me over my journey. So step number one is pause because of course, if we are on autopilot throughout our days, there is not a great chance that we're going to be able to properly listen into the body. And when I say pause, it doesn't mean you have to meditate at the top of a mountain.
00:23:18:14 - 00:23:39:05
Michelle
It can literally be you might be stuck in traffic or at school pickup, and you can even just look around. Name some things that you can see. Maybe take a deep breath in through your nose. Notice if there's any smells. So a little bit of sense getting the senses involved. Or if you are, you know, at home alone, of course.
00:23:39:05 - 00:24:06:18
Michelle
Close your eyes. A little bit of meditation, maybe your body scan, whatever is really going to bring you into reality, into the present moment. So that's step number one. And then step number two, of course, is listen. And we're not just going to listen with our ears, but we are going to listen to sensations or feeling. And we're going to listen to emotion.
00:24:06:20 - 00:24:31:08
Michelle
We're also going to listen if there are particular sentences or thoughts that are standing out inside your head. So that's the three things that we would tune into thoughts, sensations and emotions. The third step is acknowledge. So what's really important up into this point is that we're not trying to fix it. We're not trying to make them go away.
00:24:31:10 - 00:25:04:22
Michelle
We are literally just going. Hello. You are here, right? So acknowledging can be as simple as oh, hello. Queasy stomach. I can feel that you are in my body right now. And that's all you know. So we're not fixing it. Not judging it. Just saying hello to it. And then step number five is the release. So this is the part which probably needs a little bit deeper explanation where I like to use a bit of somatic work.
00:25:04:22 - 00:25:41:01
Michelle
So meaning body work. Now that could be some slow breaths or that could be screaming in your car at the top of your lungs. So again, it's about recognising and asking your body. What do you need me to do in this moment? And usually you'll hear the first answer and that's the right one to go with. If you notice that there's a bit of a back and forth conversation, or I think I want to scream or and I have people around, maybe I can't scream.
00:25:41:04 - 00:25:55:19
Michelle
That's your head taking over, right? So pause again, get back into the body. Listen to it. And then go with the first thing that it needs. Should I go here into those three different types.
00:25:55:21 - 00:26:27:01
Filly
Yeah I, I think so. And just in reference to that in the back and forth like sometimes I mean I've experienced this, sometimes it's just like not convenient as well. Where, where it's like, oh I can feel that I'm being pulled to doing this, but I have to finish this email or the kids need me or, like, for me, this is why I love you dance.
00:26:27:03 - 00:26:55:19
Filly
I love your Instagram and you're moving. Your body is to go to the beach and dance. And sometimes it's like raining and windy and so. So I just think it's good to that you acknowledge that because that's not that's just the brain trying to think of reasons why you can't do it right now, as opposed to that intuition of like, actually, we have all the answers inside of us to know what we need to heal or to move through this.
00:26:55:21 - 00:27:14:15
Filly
And it's also okay if there's a bit of a back and forth. And even if it doesn't happen right now. Like, and I think you mentioned this in the workshop too, it's like, you know, sometime in the next 24 hours or whatever time frame that is, it feels good for you and you're able to do it. Follow through.
00:27:14:16 - 00:27:34:03
Michelle
Yeah, absolutely. So that thank you for bringing that up. That's a really important point that these these six steps, they can be used in the moment if that's appropriate. But you know, let's say you've had a fight with your partner and you've kind of been like stewing in this frustrated energy for three days. Or maybe it's been a week.
00:27:34:09 - 00:27:51:18
Michelle
That's okay. A we can go past and then you can realise I need to do the trigger to truth. I need to pause and listen in to this and ask my body what it needs. So yeah, there's no there's no perfect timeline. Whenever it it comes to you, you can do it.
00:27:51:20 - 00:28:08:18
Filly
Yeah. So in terms of moving the emotion through the body. Yeah. If you can talk about the three different emotional states and then some ideas underneath those emotional states that can match the movement that's required.
00:28:08:20 - 00:28:36:01
Michelle
Perfect. So this is just a simple way for people to know a little bit easier what they need. So if we think about three different types of emotions one could be a high energy emotion. So if you're thinking of when you're feeling joy or excitement or even anxiety overwhelm, it can feel like like it's buzzing inside of you.
00:28:36:03 - 00:29:05:17
Michelle
So those kind of emotions or even stress, restlessness, they would be your high energy emotions. Then the next category is our heavy, heavy emotions. So as you can imagine, sadness, grief, disappointment, embarrassment, guilt, heartache. It's funny, even as I'm saying them. My own energy. So.
00:29:05:19 - 00:29:32:14
Michelle
So. Yeah, recognising. Okay, if you're feeling a bit of embarrassment, you're like, okay, that's a heavy emotion. Yeah. And then the third category is what I would call a numb emotion. So, you know, that can just be feeling a little flat. As I said earlier in my own story, when I was feeling trapped or stuck, burnt out, you know, or just feeling confused.
00:29:32:16 - 00:29:36:20
Michelle
So that can feel a bit like. Yeah, it's a bit numb. It's a bit disconnected.
00:29:36:21 - 00:29:38:06
Filly
So that's that.
00:29:38:08 - 00:29:38:23
Michelle
Yeah.
00:29:39:00 - 00:29:42:22
Filly
Shut down. Yeah. Dissociate. Aided. Yeah.
00:29:42:23 - 00:30:12:19
Michelle
Yeah. So that's the three categories that it's just easy to check in. Is it high energy. Is it heavy or is it numb. And then in terms of some, examples that you could do for your body movement practice. So for your step four release, for the high energy emotions you might shake, you might dance. Obviously, you would choose the music to match your mood.
00:30:13:01 - 00:30:33:08
Michelle
And you know, this works for if you're like really, really excited because like you're going into some epic, I don't know, birthday party or concert and you're like, I actually need to ground myself, you know? It doesn't always have to work for what some people might deem the negative emotions. Yeah, right. So obviously, if you're feeling joy, you're going to put an upbeat song.
00:30:33:09 - 00:30:39:09
Michelle
But if you're feeling anger, maybe it's a rock, rock, heavy metal, I don't know something.
00:30:39:11 - 00:30:41:07
Filly
Take it out. Yeah.
00:30:41:09 - 00:31:09:09
Michelle
And I will say with that as well, once the emotion has felt expressed, there might be a secondary emotion that needs to be held. So for me, I've definitely started with if I'm feeling angry and I've gone to a big old rock and roll track and then that's turned into sadness, and then I'll change the music to more instrumental, you know, and then let my team blow.
00:31:09:11 - 00:31:12:18
Michelle
So anyway, sorry, I, I get off track.
00:31:12:22 - 00:31:14:15
Filly
No.
00:31:14:16 - 00:31:46:17
Michelle
Yeah. So shaking, dancing, punching a pillow, screaming or any sort of guttural sounds. If you're in a place where you can't actually make sound, you can even do a silent scream like that feels just as good. Jumping, stomping, beating. And you can even contract and release your muscles. So if you might even scrunch your face up really tight and bite your teeth together and then let it go.
00:31:46:19 - 00:31:47:19
Filly
Yeah.
00:31:47:21 - 00:32:20:12
Michelle
So that's there's some options for high energy release and then the heavier emotions you might need to say in terms of breathwork you might need long exhale breaths. You might need to cry. I love a good cry. I know it's not for everyone, but letting those tears flow. Journaling can help hold the heaviness. I already said long exhale, but you can also turn the exhale into a hum.
00:32:20:14 - 00:32:30:05
Michelle
Or if you find yourself, you know, maybe you're in the car and maybe some radio music is on. Maybe you're humming to the song because that's going to help that long exhale breath.
00:32:30:11 - 00:32:31:12
Filly
00:32:31:14 - 00:33:05:18
Michelle
Wrapping yourself in a blanket. I've got a lovely weighted blanket that I love. So that again listening to music that meets that mood. And self holding. So giving yourself a hug, you know, and really meaning it to you don't do it often enough. So that would be the heavy emotion options to release. And then for the numb emotions, they're going to be more, things like taking a walk outside.
00:33:05:18 - 00:33:33:18
Michelle
So changing your environment, you know, taking that breath of fresh air, looking at the sky, running a little bit of cold water on your wrists or the back of your neck or your face. Some gentle stretching just to get you back into the body in a nice, gentle way. Again, slow breathwork, slow intuitive dance movement. And again self.
00:33:33:23 - 00:34:01:11
Michelle
Hugs and holding and also possibly a bit of play, a bit of playfulness. And a lot of people do struggle with this because sometimes as adults you were like, I don't even know what brings me joy anymore. And so I'm like, you know, maybe it's just throwing a ball against the wall and catching it, or yeah, maybe it's colouring for somebody, or maybe it's instead of walking down the street, you skip a few steps.
00:34:01:11 - 00:34:06:04
Michelle
Like just something that makes you go, That was a little playfulness in my day.
00:34:06:05 - 00:34:30:19
Filly
Yeah. Maybe it's like putting some special lipstick on or jury or, like, I think music can be really powerful there, too, with play. Baby Shark is the first thing that came to my mind. It's like, put on a song or something. Actually know something that really helps me is something that a song that I loved when I was in high school.
00:34:30:21 - 00:34:37:17
Filly
It's like Spice Girls. Yeah, exactly. Get back into my inner teen.
00:34:37:19 - 00:34:51:04
Michelle
That's it. Because, you know, for a lot of us, finding joy and playfulness was easier as a kid for everyone. But yeah, if it takes you back to a time in the past where you've felt joy and playfulness, then do that.
00:34:51:05 - 00:35:18:16
Filly
Yeah. So because I have a question around those, categories, I guess, and the practices underneath them, the your, the intention that you're using them is so that the emotion can be expressed. Is have you found that sometimes people then need to down regulate if they're in those high emotion ones. So let's just say it's like I need to do a big scream because I'm so angry.
00:35:18:17 - 00:35:37:18
Filly
Like, is that scream enough to relax the nervous system down into parasympathetic? Or might there be times when, okay, now we lie down on the ground in the sunshine and close our eyes and just be. Question.
00:35:37:20 - 00:36:04:21
Michelle
But unfortunately the answer is it's really individual. Right. Because that's where the intuitive piece comes in. What I will say is yes, it doesn't necessarily mean that if you're feeling anger and you go through the practice once, it might not completely release. That's okay. You might need to be, you know, doing a bit of release work throughout your week or even longer if it's a theme that's been throughout your life for a while.
00:36:04:23 - 00:36:24:17
Michelle
Especially like even in my own example, there's been a lot of grief around endometriosis still to this day. Waves of grief come up for me, and even around being a mother and how that played out for me. So I do these practices and yes, it moves me through in the moment, but it's it's not like a oh, I've done that.
00:36:24:17 - 00:36:29:09
Michelle
Now on with the rest of my life. Happy days. Yeah, yeah.
00:36:29:11 - 00:36:47:14
Filly
And that's the intuitive piece. And probably also moving in your season of life. Like if someone's like, well, I feel like that feeling. If we use grief, that feeling or intensity of grief has shifted and changed, but it's still there.
00:36:47:16 - 00:37:10:03
Filly
My experience is there's always like a new nuance to it. It's almost like peeling the onion layers back. So it's like either the the intensity of it is less or there's something that's kind of connected. It's connected to a past event that you haven't ever addressed, but it's not connected to the first one because that's and I think that's the next step we're going into.
00:37:10:04 - 00:37:34:01
Filly
Yeah. And, and I think that that's really helpful for people to know or to remember, because sometimes I see it with our clients and it was definitely we're on in my healing journey was I thought I'd already done this work. Why has this coming up again? Or why am I even getting triggered? Why am I experiencing emotion?
00:37:34:01 - 00:37:56:03
Filly
I thought that when I was completely healed and healthy and whole, that I'd have no symptoms ever, and that I'd just, like, be happy all the time. Maybe that was like a perfectionism pattern still unravelling for me. Because for me, till it was very black and white, all or nothing. And I've seen that as a pattern for some clients as well.
00:37:56:04 - 00:38:13:07
Filly
And so the more that you can just like, know that you haven't done anything wrong. In fact, it's just a sign of progress. You're at university level. Whereas maybe a year or two ago you're at kindergarten level. So happy days keep progressing and growing.
00:38:13:09 - 00:38:39:13
Michelle
Yeah. And even like, to be honest myself, coming on this podcast, I had to remind myself, well, hang on, my my life's not perfect. It's not this. This framework isn't about. Yeah. Now you're fixed. You're perfect off you, right into the sunset. Yeah. You know, emotions are here for life. And different life circumstances will challenge us. So it's really like, this is what I use to support myself.
00:38:39:15 - 00:38:44:06
Michelle
But by no means am I just laughing and happy every day.
00:38:44:08 - 00:39:06:11
Filly
Yeah. And I think, I mean, I'm seeing it in the Instagram feed every there's like fads and waves. A while ago, it was like nervous system regulation solves everything. And now the nervous system regulation. People are saying like, everyone's wrong about regulation because we're not trying to regulate all the time. We're trying to build capacity so we can move through the things that we feel.
00:39:06:11 - 00:39:18:19
Filly
So, hi. If anyone is, watching this on YouTube, I'm in a different location because it literally just started raining.
00:39:18:21 - 00:39:25:16
Filly
Okay, so next step in the Trigger to Truth framework. What is that?
00:39:25:18 - 00:39:52:00
Michelle
Yeah. So the next step is I call it connect right. Because we've we've paused, we've listened, we've acknowledged it, we've released it. And to be honest that can be enough. Some days, some days you can just stop at step number four and and that can feel complete for you. But I find this next piece gives you more answers in terms of how to respond differently in the future.
00:39:52:02 - 00:40:27:09
Michelle
So in step five, connect, it's a meditation and visualisation guided by me, where we revisit a memory from the past, where you've felt this way or felt this trigger. Now in no means it doesn't have to be a childhood memory. It could literally be something that happened to you yesterday and you want to revisit it. But essentially, you know, there's been times where if I've been feeling anger and I ask myself, when have I felt like this in the past?
00:40:27:15 - 00:40:57:23
Michelle
And right now there's a memory coming up for me, of me playing netball when I'm, you know, getting really angry. So. Okay, that's my body's telling me that's the memory I'm going to revisit. And so I guide you through taking your current adult self back to that memory, like you're watching it as a, an observer. Because I find in life we, we can sometimes be so good at knowing what other people need to hear, but not so good at knowing what we need.
00:40:58:04 - 00:41:21:17
Michelle
And so when you're watching this past memory of yourself play out like you're watching a movie, I find it gives you the exact answers and insights because it's like you're watching somebody else live it. So we go back and, and we essentially have a conversation with that past version of ourselves to understand what was happening for you in this moment.
00:41:21:19 - 00:41:45:05
Michelle
And then we also get a chance in that meditation to play it out or replay it and give that past version of us what we needed. You know? Yeah, it's really special, I love that. Yeah. And and that might be, you know, something that needs to be said, something that needs to be done. It might be a hug again.
00:41:45:06 - 00:41:51:17
Michelle
That's really intuitive. So just whatever you needed in that past moment.
00:41:51:19 - 00:42:20:00
Filly
It's so beautiful because, I mean, there's a book called The Body Holds the Score. So there's emotions that especially for the even adult. But I'll talk about before the age of 12. We do have limited capacity to make sense or to, like, move emotion through our body. Unless we have a really emotional, intelligent caregiver or, you know, someone that teaches us how to do that.
00:42:20:02 - 00:42:51:04
Filly
And so these emotions can get literally stored in the nervous system, in the unconscious mind, in the body, in the brain, as if they're happening now, in the present, almost like a little broken video tape loop that's going round and round and round and round. So when you can go back into the past to give the younger you what you needed, that essentially allows that memory to go into the hippocampus, which is long term memory that doesn't have emotional charge.
00:42:51:05 - 00:42:58:13
Filly
So you can remember those memories, but it's not like the body is having a visceral response to that, as if it's happening now.
00:42:58:15 - 00:43:25:12
Michelle
Yeah, that's absolutely right. And thank you for explaining that so well because it's it it feels well, at least for me, I can only speak about my own experience. But when I've had that feeling of being triggered, it does feel like an attack and it's very heightened. And the truth is, is that if I haven't gone back to give myself what I needed in that past memory, the chances are in the present moment, I'm just repeating what has played out.
00:43:25:12 - 00:43:48:05
Michelle
Not obviously step by step, word for word, but just in terms of not having the deeper need being met. And so exactly right as you go back and you meet the need that then informs future situations when this emotion or sensation comes up, that you then get to choose how to meet that need.
00:43:48:07 - 00:43:51:12
Filly
Yeah, yeah, I love that. That's so good.
00:43:51:14 - 00:44:15:21
Michelle
And so then, yeah, the final step is just a simple one. I call it resolve. So that's when we've come out of the meditation, and it's essentially making a promise to your present self and your past self that you will choose differently when this sensation and emotion arises in the future based on what you've learned in that meditation.
00:44:15:23 - 00:44:51:05
Filly
Which is rebuilding trust and rapport with self. I think that that's such an important piece because I can see, again, like a lot of people can regulate or meditate or move emotions through, but if you're not actually taking action based on what you're learning about yourself into the future, it's just sending a feedback loop to the unconscious mind that you and I'm going to say this, it's going to sound like brutal, but you can't be you can't be trusted.
00:44:51:07 - 00:44:51:20
Filly
00:44:51:22 - 00:45:15:09
Filly
Whereas when that last piece essentially rebuilds trust again because it's like you have heard me, you have seen me, you have felt me and allowed that to move through. And you've met the past version of me. And now I can trust you that you're going to be and move differently in the future because you've made the promise to self.
00:45:15:09 - 00:45:26:05
Filly
And then the more that you follow through, the more that that trust is just rebuilt more and more and more and becomes a solid foundation of being a resourceful human being.
00:45:26:07 - 00:45:46:02
Michelle
Absolutely. Because I think as well, when it comes down to it, it's that pace of being heard. You know, if any of us have been trying to communicate to somebody who just hasn't been listening for however many years, and then finally they turn around and go, oh my gosh. And they say back to you exactly what you've been trying to tell them.
00:45:46:04 - 00:45:59:19
Michelle
It's just like there's like, oh, finally I've been heard. Like we're in communication with each other now, meaning we can actually problem solve and move forward together like we're on the same team. Yeah.
00:45:59:21 - 00:46:14:00
Filly
I love that this is putting you on the spot. So if you can't think of anything or if it's too personal, it's totally okay. But have you used this process and had a really profound experience during it or after it?
00:46:14:02 - 00:46:43:00
Michelle
Wow. Do you know what? I actually don't remember a lot of what I go through, but what I will say and then you kind of touched on this before is when I started doing it, it was with the deeper wounds, the, the. Yeah, some childhood ones and some, some deeper wounds that cut really hurtful within myself. But now I will use it if it's just like, oh, so-and-so said this to me at school pickup.
00:46:43:00 - 00:46:45:15
Michelle
And I was embarrassed, you know, and it's just like.
00:46:45:16 - 00:46:47:15
Filly
It's feel it here. Yeah.
00:46:47:16 - 00:46:58:17
Michelle
It's not like life changing, but I kind of love it because it's still it's still a trigger. So I kind of almost love using it now for the smaller moments.
00:46:58:18 - 00:46:59:01
Filly
Yeah.
00:46:59:02 - 00:47:01:04
Michelle
Okay. That's where I'm at in my journey.
00:47:01:05 - 00:47:14:06
Filly
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's gets easier, more joyful, more flow full, as opposed to when it's like the big stuff that have been buried underneath the surface for a long time. It can feel hard.
00:47:14:08 - 00:47:38:20
Michelle
Yeah. In fact, I okay, I just thought of one if you want me to give an example. So a memory that always come up a lot for me is when I was around about seven and again, I was at a very strict dance school. And I was so looking forward to this private lesson. And in my head, I was going to be a superstar and all the things, and I must have, you know, forgotten the steps.
00:47:38:20 - 00:47:52:07
Michelle
And back then, you know, in the 90s where teachers would still hit students. So my teacher came over, she hit me, and she said, I know you wouldn't be good enough, Michelle. I, I knew you wouldn't give me 100%.
00:47:52:13 - 00:47:55:10
Filly
Whoa. Yeah.
00:47:55:12 - 00:47:58:08
Michelle
And you have worked through this because now I can giggle.
00:47:58:10 - 00:47:59:11
Filly
Yeah.
00:47:59:12 - 00:48:18:05
Michelle
But very much so. When I use this method, you know, my current self goes back to that seven year old self and what I needed in that moment. Not only was a hug, but to, you know, to say you absolutely gave your all. I know you've been practising the steps. I know how much you want to be on the stage.
00:48:18:07 - 00:48:43:16
Michelle
It's okay that you forgot the steps today. Like you're amazing and I love you. Thank you very hard. And also, I probably also said something along the lines of never let anybody treat you this way, because I know obviously as my adult self that that's not okay. Yeah. So making that, that promise to her that in my adult life now I will never let anybody treat me that way.
00:48:43:20 - 00:48:44:16
Filly
00:48:44:18 - 00:48:45:07
Michelle
Yeah.
00:48:45:09 - 00:48:47:07
Filly
00:48:47:08 - 00:48:55:03
Filly
And I would have turned around to that teacher. And you would never talked to her like that ever again either. Goodbye. You're out of her life.
00:48:55:09 - 00:48:55:23
Michelle
Goodbye.
00:48:56:00 - 00:48:56:09
Filly
Yeah.
00:48:56:10 - 00:48:58:10
Filly
Let it all go.
00:48:58:12 - 00:49:01:07
Filly
Yeah. So that's definitely.
00:49:01:07 - 00:49:02:05
Michelle
Shaped me.
00:49:02:10 - 00:49:03:11
Filly
Yeah, yeah.
00:49:03:16 - 00:49:14:12
Michelle
And again, there's a part of like that is my part. And you know I can't change it and it is informed my life. But I'm not going to move forward allowing those things to happen to me.
00:49:14:15 - 00:49:42:12
Filly
Yeah yeah I love that. So good. This has been an awesome conversation. Thank you so much for coming on to our show. And sharing your self and your process and your practices. And yeah, I feel like there's lots of little or big nuggets in there that like really practical things as well, that people can just be like, okay.
00:49:42:14 - 00:50:03:15
Filly
I do identify that this is what I feel a lot, and I could try this or I could try that or I've done all that, but I haven't done the kind of like going back to past and talking to that part of me. So I think there'll be some steps in there that people will resonate with. And also might even identify some blocks or some stuckness.
00:50:03:15 - 00:50:07:12
Filly
And it's like, that's because they didn't have it addressed that part.
00:50:07:14 - 00:50:08:03
Filly
Yeah.
00:50:08:08 - 00:50:09:07
Michelle
Awesome.
00:50:09:09 - 00:50:17:14
Filly
Thank you. And if anyone wants to dive deeper into Trigger to Truth, you have a online practice.
00:50:17:16 - 00:50:18:06
Filly
Or like.
00:50:18:11 - 00:50:20:21
Filly
Course mini course practice.
00:50:20:23 - 00:50:48:08
Michelle
I would basically just call it a practice. So yeah, it's a well one is the PDF explaining the steps. And then it comes with a 20 minute guided audio. So I'll guide you from step number one. Pause all the way through to step number six resolve including that meditation and visualisation. So you can pretty much move through that whole thing in in 20 minutes.
00:50:48:10 - 00:51:00:00
Michelle
And I also find that the more you practice it. So I've practised it obviously for years now. I can move through it if I have to in five minutes. So you get quicker every time?
00:51:00:02 - 00:51:20:00
Filly
Yeah, I love that. So we're going to put the link to that in the show notes, and you are offering Alyssa's listeners a 10% discount to that. So you just need to use the code T to T ten. And if anyone else wants to connect with you, best place to find you is on Instagram.
00:51:20:05 - 00:51:21:04
Michelle
On Instagram.
00:51:21:05 - 00:51:22:09
Filly
Yeah. Nice.
00:51:22:10 - 00:51:25:19
Michelle
Find me dancing and talking about emotions.
00:51:25:22 - 00:51:52:04
Filly
Yay! I love it. It's like we need more of that in our feeds. Yeah. Awesome. Oh, and I do want to, tell you, Michel. When you took our workshop and you got all the. All our clients are like. It's like, turn your videos off and, go through the practice to help move through the emotion. I chose a song from The Greatest Showman.
00:51:52:04 - 00:52:16:09
Filly
This is me, and I danced that out, and that ended up being one of the final songs we used at our retreat. And there were like, people just crying with joy or like, freedom or feeling like, so strong in the cells. There were some people that were like dancing, like their inner child. And yeah, it was because of that workshop that that song came through.
00:52:16:09 - 00:52:23:14
Filly
And like, I really loved that song. And then as I was dancing it, I'm like, I need to use this in the retreat. Yeah.
00:52:23:16 - 00:52:40:01
Michelle
That's it. Amazing song choice. Because the the words and the lyrics are so powerful and in so many ways, like it could be a song of joy, but it also could be a bit of a song of frustration and sadness. Yeah. Expression. So yeah, it covers a lot of bases.
00:52:40:02 - 00:52:41:14
Filly
Yeah, yeah.
00:52:41:16 - 00:52:43:01
Michelle
Awesome.
00:52:43:03 - 00:52:53:04
Filly
Well, thank you so much. And thank you everyone who listened in today. We'll catch you next week.
00:52:53:06 - 00:53:03:08
Filly
Thank you so much for listening. We so appreciate you. If you'd like to give us extra smiles, drop us a review and spread the love by sharing this episode.
00:53:03:10 - 00:53:21:18
Chris
You can also write your own state of burnout and the root cause contributors by taking our Ending Body Burnout assessment on our website. And if you're interested in learning about our group or one on one ending body burnout programs, shoot us a DM via Instagram or Facebook. Have the best day ever.
