Episode 637: 5 Invitations To Extend For a Shift in Energy (Mindset & Self-Care)

EBT637 – 5 Invitations To Extend For a Shift in Energy

Intro  00:01

Hey food bloggers. Thank you so much for joining me in this mindset and self-care focused episode here on Eat Blog Talk. One of the reasons I started a blog talk was to hold a space to talk about the importance of mindset and self-care. Being an entrepreneur can be a lot. If we are not taking care of ourselves, then getting actionable information about SEO Pinterest or whatever else is all moot. I will meet you back here every Wednesday to discuss various mindset and self-care topics. So you have the energy and space to tackle the rest.

Sponsor (Brittany Roche)  00:36

Hey, food bloggers have you always wanted to diversify your income with brand partnerships but don’t want to feel gross and salesy or maybe you’re just overwhelmed by all the advice out there about working with brands and don’t even know where to start. I’m Brittany Roche, a food blogger at PlantPowerCouple.com and a blogging coach who focuses specifically on helping bloggers like you build a system for working with brands that helps them reach their business goals, but also feels natural and genuine to them. Whether you’re looking to make brand partnerships a consistent part of your monthly revenue or just want to have a solid system in place that you can pull out of your back pocket. Anytime you see your RPMs take a hit and you need to bring in some extra income. My three month goal and mindset based coaching and support program can help you break through your own mental barriers and start making it happen. If you have any questions about coaching or want to sign up just send me an email at [email protected] That’s Brittany with two T’s A N Y. You can also sign up for my free weekly blogging email for brand work focus tips, ideas, motivation and support by going to plantpowercouple.com/coaching. Thanks for taking time out of this episode to listen back to you, Megan.

Megan Porta  01:44

Hello there food bloggers. How are you doing today? How is the week going? I hope you’re having an amazing week. I’m super excited to be back here recording another mindset-focused episode of Eat Blog Talk. This is one of my favorite parts of the week. I hope it is for you as well. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about five invitations to extend for a shift in energy. Do you ever have those days or weeks when you just feel stuck like no matter what you do, you can’t seem to allow good things in? You know you need to shift your energy, but you have no idea how to do it. Well, let me tell you, people I am having one of those weeks I have had one of the most challenging weeks I’ve had probably in years. It has just felt like everything has been falling apart. I started my week with a tooth extraction that needed to happen because of an infection that was brewing below my tooth and it couldn’t be saved. The extraction went fine, but my body did not like the aftermath. It has been struggling. I’ve also just found that I’ve had conflict with people this week that I normally do not have conflict with so dealing with that has taken a lot of my energy. I’m kind of like, What in the world is going on with that because it’s just something that I don’t normally deal with. Our cat was attacked the other night. He came in and had blood dripping down his poor little face, so we have had to deal with that. A couple minutes later, my son started yelling from the basement, there was water just flooding out of the basement ceiling, so there was that amazing thing to deal with, and because of my tooth situation, I haven’t been able to exercise, which always makes everything worse. I feel like exercising is such a good release for me. So without that, I’ve just felt like my hands are tied, like I just need that outlet. I need that release, and I don’t know how to do it. I’ve kind of felt like I’ve wanted to rage on someone or something this week, which is also not something I normally feel. And I just have not been able to stop focusing on all of these unsavory things that are going on. This is not conducive to bringing good things into my life. I know this. The quote from Tony Robbins, “where focus goes energy flows” is not working in my favor currently, because my focus is going on all the things that have gone wrong this week, all the things that have caused pain and have drained my energy and are making me feel angsty. But I realized something last night while crying in the bathroom. This is my prime spot for epiphanies. I’ve been so caught up in the chaos that I haven’t stopped to invite the good things in and that maybe this topic that we’re talking about today, these invitations are just what I need to turn things around. I think we can so often overlook the simple power of extending invitations. If you want to host a party, but you don’t extend invitations to anyone. No one will ever know of its existence, right? So of course, nobody will show up. If you want to bring in answers, people, knowledge, opportunities, peace, rest, guidance, anything that’s good. It’s really as simple as extending the invitation. In this episode, we are going to talk through five invitations to extend for a shift in energy, if you are needing that too. This week, some of these will be directed toward the universe, God, whatever your higher power is. Others will be directed toward humans in your life, and another one, one of them is directed toward you. So let’s get to it. 

Megan Porta  05:38

Number one is an invitation for guidance. This invitation will be extended to your higher power. So whatever you call that universe, God, fill in the blank. Speaking for myself, I can get so caught up in doing and overthinking and over analyzing, stressing and even complaining at times that I forget one of the simplest, most powerful steps I can take, which is to just pause for a moment to ask for guidance. If you believe in any sort of higher power, you probably have that inner knowing that divine guidance is always available to you. Sometimes you just have to stop and ask for it. We know it’s there, but we don’t put out the ask. The answers and solutions to your challenges are already out there. Every solution is waiting for you to find it. The first step is just being willing to ask and receive the answer. Take just a minute right now to think about or to write down a specific challenge you are struggling with today or this week. Then speak out loud or write down universe God, fill in the blank. I invite you in, guide me toward clarity and solutions. It is super important that you open yourself up and make yourself ready to receive the guidance in whatever form it appears in. It might come as a sudden idea or just a gut feeling or through somebody else’s words that you hear when the guidance comes, trust it and act on it. Sometimes I need reminders to stay open throughout my day and to keep this invitation at the top of my mind. So if you do too, try writing this sentence on a post it note and putting it somewhere where you will see it often, so you can put it on your laptop, your bathroom mirror or in your journal. And again, it is universe. I invite you in guide me toward clarity and solutions. 

Megan Porta  07:40

Ironically, this exact thing is what I did last night in my moment of absolute chaos, sitting in my bathroom just dealing with this week of challenges and frustrations and feeling stuck and like I was about to explode, I found myself asking for guidance, and almost immediately this answer came to me extend invitations. So here I am sharing this with you, because it really is incredible how answers come when you just ask for them. Here’s the challenge for you this week, take a moment today, now or when you have a few minutes to extend this invitation. Ask for the guidance you need. Then remain open to hearing it and receiving it. It certainly cannot hurt and you might be amazed at what comes back to you. 

Megan Porta  08:32

Number two invitation for support. This invitation you will extend to a trusted friend. I will be the first one to admit that this one does not always come easily for me. I tend to fall into that trap of thinking I can handle this myself. I don’t need help. This will pass soon enough, I’ll feel better in a little bit. Blah, blah, blah. It’s so silly, but that’s my go to response. Almost every time I know I need support from someone. I often hear this little voice whispering, don’t bother other people with your problems, Megan, they have their own stuff to deal with, but leaning on people who love us does not burden them. I know this, and have to remind myself of this all the time. I think it’s one of the most beautiful parts of being human, actually, if you think about it, when a close friend or loved one comes to you for support, how does that make you feel? It feels good to show up for them, right? It deepens your bond with them. It reminds you about the connection you share. So why wouldn’t we allow others the same opportunity to be there for us when you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or uncertain about something or chaos has just exploded on your week, that is your cue to extend an invitation for support. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or a huge deal or a long, dramatic conversation or anything like that. It could be as simple. As just asking a friend for advice, reaching out to someone who’s been through a similar situation, and just having a simple conversation or sharing how you’re feeling with a friend or a family member, and just asking for a listening ear so you can vent and get some things off your chest. Chose someone who has shown up for you before, someone who you trust and feel safe with. People love reciprocating support when it comes to people they care about. So I’ll give you an actionable tip if you are feeling any of these things today, like you need support from another individual, send a text or even call somebody or send an email to one person today, one trusted friend or family member with a specific ask for support. Here are a couple examples. I am feeling stuck with X issue, and could use some advice, or I just need to vent for 10 minutes, Are you free to talk? By extending this invitation, you’re not only creating a meaningful connection with the other person, you’re also sending a powerful message out to the universe that says, I am open to receiving the support I need. The ripple effect of this is so incredible. Not only do you feel lighter and more supported, but you also inspire the other person to feel valued and trusted, and you’re giving them confidence to extend their own invitations for support when they need it. So who can you reach out to today? Give yourself permission to put that invitation out there to ask for support, because it is all around you, you just need to invite it in. 

Megan Porta  11:43

Number three, invitation for peace and rest. This invitation is going to be extended to you. Oh, peace and rest. Just saying those words makes me feel relaxed like I want to go meditate or take a nap. But how often do we truly, honestly invite these things into our lives? Rest is so often the first thing that we sacrifice when life gets chaotic. We tell ourselves, there’s too much to do, there’s too many people to take care of. We could go on and on with all of the excuses, and we just push through, ignoring those quiet whispers from our body and our mind telling us that we need a break. But rest is not indulgent. It is essential. It makes me crazy when people imply that rest is an indulgence or a luxury. Rest is one of the most powerful ways to reset your energy, your mindset, and honestly, your entire system, because everything going on in your mind and body is a complex system. When I talk about inviting and rest, I don’t just mean taking a nap, although naps are amazing, I mean carving out intentional space to breathe, to be still and to allow peace in to your mind, body and soul. Like I said, this invitation is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is an act of self love. And the magical part is that when you give yourself rest, you open the door to finding more clarity, balance, creativity and so many other good things. Try this right now if you are in a spot to do so and pause the episode if you need to, or wait till it’s done and do it. Then set a timer for 10 minutes on your phone or watch, find a quiet space in your house and close your eyes and just focus on your breathing. You don’t even have to call this meditation. We don’t have to label it simply, sit in silence and let your mind just do what it needs to it can wander freely. You can try to just focus on your breathing. Just try to focus on that peace and rest. No anxious thoughts, no thinking about your to do list, just peace. When you are done with these 10 minutes, you will feel lighter. You’ll feel more present, more grounded. It is incredible how something so simple and literally taking 10 minutes of your day can make such a profound difference. If you want to make this even simpler, you can start your mornings by extending this invitation to yourself. Simply taking the time to extend the invitation can set the tone for a peaceful, focused day. 

Megan Porta  14:39

Here is a simple invitation you can start with each day: I invite peace and rest into my life today, knowing it will fuel my ability to give and grow. It’s as easy as that. How long did it take me to say that sentence? Probably five to seven seconds, or something like that. It is worth spending those five Seconds of your day, extending this invitation so that you can have more peace and rest in your day. I encourage you to start your day with that sentence or something similar, or just taking those 10 minutes to honor this invitation. It could be during your morning coffee that you’re enjoying. It could be while you’re taking a walk today, or maybe in your car before doing school pickups, wherever it is, know that you are worth this time, and your soul and your people will thank you for it. 

Megan Porta  15:33

Number four invitation for celebration. This invitation is going to be extended to the people in your life. I don’t know about you, but when things feel heavy in my life, I tend to shut people out. It’s the exact opposite thing that I should be doing, but it happens every single time. So I personally love the idea of using this invitation as an antidote to feeling blue or heavy, even if you don’t feel like you have anything to celebrate, find something, there’s always something to celebrate and invite people into the celebration. I put a few ideas together, but I’m sure there are so many others that will come to mind as I’m talking. You could pick a win from your week or your month or your year and invite a friend to dinner to help you celebrate it. You could host a dinner party for absolutely no reason at all, or if you have a reason to celebrate great. You could splurge with a yummy takeout dinner for your family to celebrate getting through the week. This is going to be my invitation for celebration tomorrow night, by the way. You could ask a peer or a friend to get on a quick zoom call to celebrate each other’s wins. We used to do this with mastermind groups through Eat Blog Talk. This was years ago. They were so powerful. We would get on 20 minute calls, and we would just go around and we would dream big, and we would say all the good things that had happened to us, that week, that month, that day, and we would talk about things we wanted to happen in the future. And every single time we left these calls, we felt so filled up and empowered and so good this would be such a good way to celebrate with trusted friends. 

Megan Porta  17:18

A few weeks ago, my husband and I realized that since we would be traveling on Thanksgiving Day this year, we were going to miss family time this month, when we normally have a big dose of it. We love celebrating this holiday with family, so we extended an invitation to have these same family members over to our house, kind of for an early Thanksgiving dinner. We did not go the traditional route with food, but instead it became a true Megan style comfort food dinner. I can thank my blog updates for that. We made a bunch of random stuff, but it was all so delicious. Everyone loved it. We had so much fun celebrating together. We played games. It was light, there was laughter, delicious food was involved. And although it’s considerable work putting an event together like this and hosting that many people, it was 100% worth extending that invitation. I’m so glad that we did it. What invitation for celebration are you going to extend today or this week? I encourage you to do it. You’ll be happy you did. Celebrate the things that are going on in your life with the people you love. 

Megan Porta  18:31

Number five invitation for opportunity and favor. This invitation will be extended to the universe or God. This one is the biggie. This invitation is about shifting your focus from what’s going wrong to what could go right, and trusting that the universe is full of infinite possibilities that are literally waiting for you to extend an invitation. When this week felt like it was crumbling around me. I will admit that it was hard to even think about inviting in opportunity or favor. I was so laser focused on all the problems. As we know where focus goes, energy flows. But this invitation is powerful because it flips the script with just a few words. Instead of thinking, what else is going to go wrong, you can ask what incredible thing is just around the corner. The beauty of this invitation is that you don’t even need to have specifics in mind. It can be really generic, and as simple as saying, universe, I invite opportunities in favor to flow into my life with ease. Show me what’s possible. When you extend this invitation, you are allowing doors to open that you may not even know exist, and you have to stay open to how these opportunities can show up for you. They might not look the way you expect them to, but they can exceed your wildest dreams. I encourage you to take just a minute today to dream big, write down some bold desires or goals that you’ve been kind of afraid to invite in and extend this invitation to the universe, whether it is about something specific or just a generic statement that you want opportunity and favor to come into your life. Imagine a door swinging wide open allowing yourself to get excited about what you see on the other side. Invite opportunity and favor into your life today. Allow it to flow with ease. The universe is listening. So extend that invitation.

Megan Porta  20:40

That is all for this episode, there are your five invitations to extend today for a shift in energy. Each one of these invitations is such a small investment of your time and energy, but can reap such big, magical rewards and completely shift your energy for the day and the week and even the month and beyond. If you’re skeptical about this, just try it. Extend one or all of these invitations today and just see what happens. So here they are again. Invite guidance from the universe, invite support from a trusted friend, invite peace and rest for yourself, invite celebration with others, and invite opportunity and favor from the universe. Each one of these invitations has the power to shift your energy and bring in the good things you’re seeking, but you actually have to extend them, just like a party, no one’s going to show up unless they’re invited. So extend those invitations. I encourage you to do that so strongly today, as always, I’m here cheering you on here from my cozy little home in Minnesota. I hope you guys are having a wonderful week, and I’m just so grateful for you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening, and I will see you next time. 

Outro 

Thank you so much for listening to this mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk. If you are a food blogger providing a service for other food bloggers, and you want to spread the word about the value that you offer. I would love to offer you a free way to do just this. Send me a 60 second audio clip to be featured in a mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk in 2024. Go to eatblogtalk.com/audioclip to learn more.