Episode 83: Mindfulness & Mind Map Workshop with Meg Burton Tudman
Podcast
Episode 83: Mindfulness & Mind Map Workshop with Meg Burton Tudman
“You are not alone if you are experiencing resistance to taking a new inspired action. We all have resistance to change and so many of us struggle with limiting beliefs around what we're both worthy and capable of and that can cause us to self-sabotage. We sometimes have this negative voice in our head usually that indicates an old story that perhaps no longer fits or no longer serves us well…” — Meg Burton Tudman
Welcome to this week’s episode of Show Up Fully, for a Mindfulness & Mind Map Workshop. I’m joined by my guest and co-teacher, Meg Burton Tudman, a Holistic Life Coach, Reiki Master and Teacher, and yoga and meditation teacher with the intention of helping people honor their highest selves by aligning their mind, body, and soul.
The Mindfulness & Mind Map workshop begins with a grounding practice to clear energy and get focused within the space. Next, we move into a vision exercise to help you honor what is important and aligned for you. From there, we transition into the first Mind Map, focused on creating three aspects of life important to you, and noting the language and desires around each.
Then we tune into the second mind map, focused on action steps. Inspired by James Clear, we illustrate the smallest step possible you can take to bring your vision to reality, all in less than two minutes. The takeaway here is to identify resistance, check in daily, and then track and celebrate!
Lastly, we incorporate a Heart Breathing exercise. This includes finding a song that resonates with you, visualization, and of course, deep heart breathing. How do you want to live your life, and what are the action steps that you want to take?
Join me and Meg on today’s episode as we get clear about our heart’s desires with our Mindfulness & Mind Map Workshop, built to help you create and live a life that you love. Want to dive deeper? Purchase the Workbook
Topics Covered:
● Why Meg and I believe in the power of practical self-care
● What mind mapping is and how it’s a tool to reset
● Getting grounded with three breaths
● How to dive into our desires and find language for it
● Limiting beliefs and how negative self-talk can impact action steps
● Using your creativity to illustrate the word you wrote in your Mind Map
● A Heart Breathing exercise to get clear about how you want to feel and the steps to take forward
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform.
xo Chef Carla
Resources Mentioned:
Podcast Episode #33: The Power of the Pause + Taking Full Responsibility with Meg Burton Tudman
Atomic Habits by James Clear
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About Meg Burton Tudman
Meg Burton Tudman is on a mission to support women in honoring their highest selves through coaching, writing, and speaking.
Her specialty is holistic coaching for superwomen empowering them to align their mind, body, and soul, so they can live a life they love.
Meg weaves mindset, meditation, and Reiki into her online coaching programs, wellness articles, workshops, and corporate events.
She has been featured by StepMom Magazine, Xerox Women’s Alliance, Finger Lakes Yogascapes, and Go Love Yourself.
Find + Work With Meg:
Website: https://www.megburtontudman.com/
Instagram: @mindsetmasterywithmeg
LinkedIn: Meg Burton Tudman
YouTube: Meg Burton Tudman
00:00.00
Carla Contreras
My guest and co-teacher today is my dear friend Meg Burton Tudman she is just an incredible light in this universe in my life I am so grateful for your friendship Meg. Can you introduce yourself and how you serve the world.
00:38.45
meg
Hi Carla I'm so happy to be here. We just did a grounding exercise together and my heart feels so full to be sharing everything with our friends today I am showing up as a holistic life coach. Riki master and teacher and yoga and meditation teacher all with the intention of helping people honor their highest selves by aligning their mind body and soul so they can live a life that they love. And this workshop is the perfect reset for all of us who are seeking to create and live a life that we love.
01:16.58
chefcarla_77
Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Thank I'd love for. We did a grounding practice before we hopped on here but I'd love for our workshop participants to get grounded and in this. Way of getting grounded Megan I like to teach both of us really practical self-care. We are not asking you to sit on a meditation pillow ah to even own a meditation pillow for that matter.
01:46.98
chefcarla_77
We really like things that are under 5 minutes and Meg actually created a practice that I believe make how long is that a minute and what 10 perfect so in your workbook there is a practice that you can access and you can play this.
01:55.23
meg
A minute and 2 seconds ah
02:05.66
chefcarla_77
As often and as you like to center and ground yourself. But right now I'm going to lead you in 3 deep breaths and I'm going to preface this too if you're driving keep your eyes open this is this is not a practice where you would be going to be closing your eyes. And for that matter you do not have to close your eyes for this practice. You can leave them open and in fact, in buddhist meditation practice. They have a soft gaze so you can do that as well. So wherever you're comfortable, right? now is totally fine. If you're standing up if you're in the middle of washing dishes. It doesn't matter what you're doing. We're just going to take three deep breaths. So I invite you if you would like to is to have your spine long. It doesn't matter what happened before this. What's coming after this. All we have is right now with each other I invite you to take a deep breath in your nose and a deep breath out your nose or mouth.
03:23.67
chefcarla_77
1 more time deep breath in your nose deep breath out your nose or mouth. And 1 last time deep breath in your nose and a deep breath out your nose or mouth this is something to add to your toolkit. And we're really excited to hear what shifts you have Mike I'd love to get started with the mind map because I've had incredible shifts just in the few times that we've done this together so I'm so excited for you to share the information about it.
04:04.39
meg
Thank you Carla mind mapping is one of my favorite tools along with the breath exercise that you just guided us through to reset and you might recall this tool from childhood I know in school I did this as a kid. Um, and you'll find in your workbook a template with 3 empty circles and we're going to be labeling those circles and then writing words or phrases off of that circle almost like rays of the sun and so. For this vision exercise I invite you to consider that your best vision. Your best goals will always be made for you by you and about you so we'll guide you through centering and connecting to your heart to help you honor what is important. And what is aligned for you. Personally, this is all about you. This isn't someone else's agenda or priority rather it is your highest self your truest self your heart and I invite you to consider that HearthearT so let this vision mind mapping be heart-centered. Let it be emotionally meaningful for you. Let it also be exclusive. So it's dependent on your thoughts your beliefs and your actions again rather than someone else's let it be actualized.
05:29.90
meg
So break it down into small steps and we'll talk about the 2 minute rule and also using a timer in a moment. Let it also be reasonable. So let this be doable even if it feels like a stretch and again let it be targeted. So use dates use benchmarking use tracking use celebration. So again, heart heart centered exclusive actualized reasonable and targeted now for this first mind map. I invite you to select 3 aspects of your life that are important for you and to be sure. There is no right or wrong here are some examples to help get you inspired help get you started. You might select mind body and soul you might select the next three months so one month in the first circle second month in the second and so on for Carla the last time we did this together she selected business family and health and for me when I did this recently I selected self-care visibility and personal growth. For this one. They can be as broad or as specific as you are drawn to so we invite you to consider what are you seeking for each one of these aspects write words or phrases that describe your ideal.
06:55.57
meg
Right? What that word in the middle of the circle means for you what you desire and what words come up when you think about that and for this we encourage you to suspend reality. So don't worry about the steps you'll have to take don't worry if it. Feels like it's too broad or even too specific rather focus on what you want to feel and Carla I know you've had such a powerful experience with diving into your feelings would you please share that experience with us.
07:27.29
chefcarla_77
Yes, and I also want to highlight underlying and circle that heart is in the workbook. So if you are a person that wants to read the definition and go through it and really absorb that information like I did. Head to the workbook so now talk a little bit about feelings because I feel like it's interesting that I say I feel like I feel like this is really something that's new to me and I'm happy to share this with people I am using an app called how we feel it is. Absolutely 100% free. It's going to be in your workbook and what it is is a number of feelings and there's no good or bad feelings. But there's a number of feelings in that app and what's interesting is that I've done a mind map. Personally one on one with mag. We've also done another workshop. This is the third time that we're revisiting it and Meg had a circle that was visibility and it's interesting because I have shifted now with visibility and I'm thinking. That my work bubble is really visibility because the all the projects that I do including podcasting food styling posting on social media writing my substack all these different things are are are associated with visibility. But.
09:03.78
chefcarla_77
When I hopped on here today and this is this is I'm sharing this raw here is that I was like mega I don't know what's what's the feeling associated with that and so I headed to the how we feel app and I was like ok how do I really want to feel. When I'm doing this so I pick the word inspired and I'm going to read you. The definition inspired affected powerfully by something in a way that motivates you to do something and when I think of that if like okay I can I can get down with inspired and so. That's kind of a breakdown of like how does this go from the broad term work to me breaking this down even further to visibility being my bubble and then breaking that down into how do I want to feel why I want to feel inspired. So this is an example and I also have another example where again like I've been through this process a number of times and you can do this workshop as many times as you like as many times as you want to revisit and perhaps. For me, it's actually been almost a monthly thing where we we've revisited this and so it's evolved where one of the bubbles I had was health and in there I actually picked a word in our live workshop which was chill but what I really think.
10:36.65
chefcarla_77
I wanted was the word tranquil and I'm going to give you that definition tranful tranquil means peaceful serene free from disturbances and the reason that I chose tranquil is because I wanted to wake up earlier than my kids. And have a cup of tea and journal a little bit and possibly move my body depending on what time they wake up, but this was the thing I wanted tranquility but it took me a while to get there and Meg I'd love for you to elaborate on this of like this is this is a layered process kind of like an onion. You know I'm a chef and there's layers right? So I'm I'm wondering if you've seen this with other people I'd love to know your insight.
11:20.92
meg
Yeah, you're absolutely right? Carla you are definitely not alone. There are a lot of layers and I would encourage all of our friends listening and participating to come back to this exercise as often as you feel called. And know that your mind map can evolve as you evolve right? It's not a static um, document per se so if you're first and let's use you Carla as an example, the first time we did this business and work was one of your bubbles. And that's absolutely fine. So friends if you're coming up with you know, something professional or you know work related. That's a great place to start and then as you write in those rays of sunshine around that bubble I invite you to. Again, suspend reality and start to tease it out what does work mean for me. What do I want to feel around work and so for Carla Visibility was one of the raids she wrote off of work and.
12:29.12
chefcarla_77
Um.
12:30.20
meg
After that visibility she wanted to feel inspired so you can continue to explore and dig and let yourself really feel into how you want to feel and the app that Carla mentioned is referenced in your workbook. We encourage you to. Really get clear on how it is you want to feel because that will help you determine the action steps and the inspired actions that you'll take in that second mind Map Carla anything you want to add from a feeling standpoint.
13:05.27
chefcarla_77
No I'm super excited for the action steps because I feel like that is the part where this comes alive right? This is the part where we start to take those actions and steps towards how we want to feel.
13:16.47
meg
Um.
13:20.85
meg
Yeah, yeah, absolutely so friends for that second workshop or the second mind map brother I invite you to start to tune in and determine the inspired actions that you'll take and these are super small steps. So the smallest step possible. You can take to bring your vision to reality now some things to consider are the 2 minute rule and that is from James Clear's atomic habits and we have that book linked in the workbook as well. So this rule the 2 minute rule asks that the new step the new ritual the new habit that you're looking to implement and create takes less than 2 minutes so here's an example if. Let's say health is one of your bubbles and one of the rays off of that is running a marathon. You might think that one of the steps would be to go on a practice run but we encourage you to break it down even further and the first step would actually be putting on your running shoes. So. It seems so simple but there is a huge ripple effect to putting on your running shoes and also a big motivator once those shoes are on. It's easier to take the second step walk out the door easier to take the third step start moving in a jog or a run.
14:51.10
meg
So again break these down to small small steps and please don't discount the impact and again the ripple effect that these small steps can have. You also might use a timer this is something that carlo and I both use and we've referenced our favorite timer in the workbook you can buy it on Amazon um to set a timer for even 2 minutes more if you have the time. But if there is a task or an action item that maybe feels a little less inspired or you're not super motivated. Let yourself do it for 2 minutes and if you feel then the drive. The inspiration the motivation to continue that of course you can continue. But 2 minutes feels doable. It feels accessible and it helps us to feel less overwhelming when we are trying to create something new. So again, let these action steps these inspired actions that you write down on your second mind map be small and again. Don't discount the impact of them and here's some other things you can consider as you determine your steps can be clear and yet flexible. So your vision your end goal is rock. Solid. You know from that first mind map. What really matters for you.
16:13.86
meg
And you can remain flexible about the inspired actions to create and achieve that dream. So if a particular step isn't working for you. It's the step that you can change. You don't have to change your overall ideal reality. Okay, so be clear yet flexible something else to consider is to identify resistance and we all have this. You are not alone if you are experiencing resistance to taking a new inspired action. We all have resistance to change and so many of us Carla and myself included struggle with limiting beliefs around what we're both worthy and capable of and that can cause us to self-sabotage. We sometimes have this negative voice in our head and that might include saying. Should I should do this I should do that I should be this I should be that and usually that indicates an old story that perhaps no longer fits or no longer serves us well or someone else's agenda so somebody else's priority has seeped into our reality. So we invite you to notice when it is that you avoid taking steps towards your goal when you begin to procrastinate and when you focus more on negative self-talk and perhaps have a plan in place to mitigate that.
17:39.71
meg
To Lessen the severity of that potential self-sabotage. We encourage you to to check in daily so maintain your motivation by making it a point to check in. Not so much with your steps although we'll do that in the next um, the next step. But to check in with your overall vision every day so breathe deeply connect with your heart and revisualize your ideal revisualize. What's in those first mind maps what matters to you? What is important when you turn inward. And imagine how you'll feel when that is your reality when you have created that and then lastly track and celebrate so consciously track each step create a written record of your success. This really matters. Those seemingly small steps when we acknowledge and recognize that we've taken those that creates a phenomenal energy that can keep us inspired can keep us moving forward can keep us making progress. So it's just as important to celebrate along the way. As it is to celebrate at the conclusion of your journey your vision your goal and so again, we encourage you to be clear and yet flexible identify resistance check in daily and then track and celebrate.
19:07.48
meg
So we encourage you to do each of these mind maps before you begin Carla's going to guide us through a beautiful heartsening exercise so that you can come from a place of love a place of grounding a place of centeredness. As you begin this exercise.
19:25.57
chefcarla_77
Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing Meg and I'm also going to add before we get into the heart breathing exercise that I really like to take this personally into the smallest of the small steps. Including adding a post it to my fridge with the word. So now that today we just did this workshop I'm like all right inspired as getting added to my fridge possibly my computer or maybe near my desk putting that word inspired. And that's a way that I'm going to be checking in looking at that post it and I already have tranquil tranquils already on the fridge and I drew a little picture also when I set up breakfast in the morning before I go to sleep I'm calm so I have this like little. Drawing of headphones and headphones plus sunshine equals calm and that means if I so listen to a podcast or an audiobook or whatever while I set up breakfast for the next morning for myself and my family. That I am going to feel calm in the morning. So that's these are just like little tiny tiny tiny examples and also I want to just highlight underlying circle you what you said about resistance and this is a.
20:56.68
chefcarla_77
Big thing and on our live workshop. We talked about labeling the voice if this resonates with you. Mine is Lucinda and she has really great intentions to keep me safe and I have to thank her all of the time that. Yes, we're safe and and I'm going to do this anyways and I know Meg your your name is Bertha for your voice and so if you run up against this and you need extra support megan I are always here as well. So I wanted to say that before we hop into the heart.
21:19.52
meg
Oh.
21:34.19
chefcarla_77
Practice and this practice will also be in your workbook as a recording and so you can listen to this whenever you like and there also will be a shake it out practice and I want to highlight this too because. Sometimes we're not ready to jump into a full guided meditation and or mindfulness practice. Sometimes our energy might be really high and I'm going to say this for myself. My energy can be really high. You know, running multiple businesses having a family doing all the things and maybe you have a very full plate too and you're coming to this workshop and you're like all right I'm going to jump into this heart breathing. Maybe you want to jump into shake it out first. So I'm going to describe this practice. And I'm going to invite you to listen to these words, especially if you're driving or doing something where you need to pay attention but I have a favorite tree outside my house I love to watch it I'm I'm outside of New York city and I love to watch it through the seasons and how it changes and. This morning I I kind of communed with it while I listened to the song shake it out by Florence in the machine and if you haven't listened to the song before. Basically it's it's on repeat shake it out shake it out shake it out and I love to listen to this song and actually Megan I listened to the song this morning.
23:08.86
chefcarla_77
Because tech was not our friend and there were tree people outside like everything that was going to go wrong went wrong and I want to show you like the behind the scenes. The realness of this like this is not Meg and I in this like perfect like. World this is the real deal. So we listen to shake it out a number of times while we so we set up for this workshop and what I'd like to invite you to do is if that song resonates with you awesome if another song resonates with you. Great. If perfect silence like me this morning after my children went to camp this morning and the house was was full of energy and I was also putting things outside for the veterans and doing all the things putting out trash doing real life. Maybe you're doing real life and you need a moment of calm then do that for yourself. So what you're gonna do is you can imagine yourself as a tree and if you want to imagine yourself as a cactus be the cactus if you want to imagine yourself as a rosebush cool do that. But you're going. Imagine that any parts of you as a plant that are no longer serving your highest good and the highest good of all. So if you are having leaves on you. Those leaves are going to be dropping.
24:37.00
chefcarla_77
Maybe you're a cactus and those needles are dropping. Maybe you are a rosebush and the flowers are falling off and as they fall off, you're going to imagine that all of that heavy and dense energy that you're feeling. Is going to transform right in midair. It's going to transform into the highest frequency a love and light energy and that love and light energy is going to float out into the wind. And it's going to spread love all around There's nothing that you have to do. There's nothing that you have to be it just is. I invite you to take a deep breath in your nose and a deep breath out your nose or mouth one more time deep breath in your nose and a deep breath out your nose or mouth. 1 last time deep breath in your nose and a deep breath out your nose or mouth I hope that that resonates with you and if you want to dance it out while you do that by all means.
26:06.90
chefcarla_77
So We're going to go right into the heart the heart practice and I feel like I'm labeling this the heart breathing practice and if you are in a space where you can put your hands on your heart or even just Imagine. You can breathe ah through your heart. This is another one where it doesn't have to take a lot of time. It doesn't have to take a lot of effort. It doesn't have to take a lot of Energy. So We're just going to take a couple of deep breaths.
26:44.83
chefcarla_77
Again in your nose and out your nose or mouth your eyes can be open. They can be closed. However, your body is comfortable. Works. Whether you're standing whether you're sitting. Please do this in a safe space if you're Driving. You're going to save this practice for another time and you're just going to let the rhythm of your own breath guide. You. You don't have to breathe in a special way.
27:30.49
chefcarla_77
You know all of the answers. They're all inside you and you are worthy of creating a life. You love.
27:51.60
chefcarla_77
We're gonna finish this out with three deep breaths in your nose out your nose or mouth one more time in your nose. Out your nose or mouth and 1 last time in your nose. Oh out your nose or mouth. Um, and if you've closed your eyes I invite you to just take a moment with yourself will your fingers with your toes.
28:38.83
chefcarla_77
And gently open your eyes to come back into the space and we love for you to start working on your mind map and really getting into how do you want to feel how do you want to live your life. What are the action steps that you want to take identify that resistance identify the small steps and do everything that Meg has suggested and if you need to replay this workshop. Do it while you take a walk. Do it while you again wash the dishes because I love doing things when I wash the dishes do it whenever in every single time that you listen to this you will gain new information. You will learn something new about yourself and Megan I would love. Hear about it. We're here to support you we are here to cheer you on and I really would love to Meg I'd love to thank you. Can you tell everybody how they can find you how we can work with you how we can support. You.
29:51.24
meg
Thank you Carla and to reiterate our hearts are so open for you. We are here to sheer you on I'm already cheering you on. And you can find me at Meg Burton Tudman Dot Com or on socials at mindset mastery with Meg.
30:11.34
chefcarla_77
Amazing. Thank you Meg! Thank you everyone for tuning in sunny. Love.
30:14.47
meg
Thank you friends.