We are doing the best we can with the tools we have ~

When my son was two years old, I noticed stressful situations interrupted his breath flow. His breathing pattern would speed up, become shallow, and he would start gaging and sometimes even throw up as he struggled to take a full breath. He was experiencing anxiety. I knew all my son wanted was to feel safe. He was doing the best he could with his tools, and he needed new tools that supported his overall well-being as he continued to grow.

I recently interviewed Licensed Marriage Family Therapist Shawn Smith on my Connection & Prevention show with Tavia Avila. When I asked Shawn for tips on tending to our mental health and overall well-being, he said, “Our brains are our biggest liars,” ….

In my experience, connection to our community is essential to our well-being and living a meaningful life.

Whether we have self-care tools or not, the only thing that matters when we are feeling a lack of connection with ourselves, and others, is CONNECTION. 

Today I ran 13.19 miles in honor of my brother, Aaron Avila. 13 years ago today, he passed.

We just want a safe space to be
A place to call home
A place we can hear our inner voice