#MerryBiz

The quote from Steve Martin, “Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.”, reminded us of the conversations we've been having as we get towards our 10th year of business. We never really felt especially talented in any particular field. We were never number one at anything. But we did well in everything that we did because we were persistent, we showed up, we were enthusiastic, and we did the work. This is what we spoke about during the episodeWhen you're trying to do something and it doesn't happen in the time that you expected it to happen, you can either quit or keep going. When should you give up or when you should pivot? It's hard work getting to the point of where you want to be, as well as maintaining it and going to the next level. You gotta have that resilient mindset to go through the hard times. A lesson from Yoga, detachment, teaches us to keep striving and reaching for our goals but know that wherever we end up going, that's where we're meant to be going and that the real treasure is in the journey and everything that we pick up along the way. Sometimes we can shy away from something because we think we're not good enough. Stop relying on social media as your gauge of success. Persistence trumps talent and it's the person who keeps striving, who keeps going, who keeps trying, who's more likely to be successful. It's these one-liner quotes that can re-motivate you, re-inspire you and remind you to keep taking the steps and dig a little deeper. If you loved this episode, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you’ll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this short and sweet episode, our goal is to get you feeling motivated to exercise. Right now, we are in Canberra (Australia), in the middle of winter. It's freezing and a whole lot more difficult to exercise in Canberra compared to the Gold Coast! We feel the excuses creeping in, but we know if we don't move, we will feel terrible. So, we share simple tactics on how to get motivated to exercise. If you are struggling to get into a rhythm of consistent exercise, tune in! This is what we spoke about during the episodeAfter you wake up and put your coffee on, just move. You don't have to change into your leggings and crop tops. Whatever you're wearing, whether it's 50 layers, pajamas or bed socks, this is why online home workouts are great! We need to change the narrative that's going on in the mind. If you're really struggling to exercise, come up with your own mantra that resonates with you. Make doable micro goals. Even if all you have is five minutes to exercise, that's better than nothing.  Leave visual cues to remind you to start moving your body. Leave your mat rolled out, write notes for yourself on the mirror or fridge. Reduce friction. We love online workouts because we can just do it at home at any time. No need to choose a gym outfit. No travel time. No waiting time for the class to get started. Find the style of movement that you enjoy, that feels really doable and with less friction.  Exercising now is an investment in your health and future. If you're feeling motivated from this episode or if something resonated with you, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We read an article this week from the ABC Radio National about the epidemic of body image anxiety. Philosopher and author Heather Widdows says that "we've gone from beauty being one thing we care about to being almost defining of who we are. Societal pressure leads to image obsession." Body image anxiety has been a big part of our lives. With Carla starting her first diet at age 11, Emma developed bulimia from ages 17-23. We always had this belief that our bodies were not good enough. We felt that social pressure for years. We're so grateful for the work we've done to be here, at a place of self-acceptance. We discuss the above article and talk about how we moved through our body image anxiety.  This is what we spoke about during the episode Body image issues are more apparent because we love in a connected and more visual culture. The influence of social media leads to unhealthy comparisons.  Ageism and the obsession with youth.  Let's embrace our changing faces and acknowledge the utter privilege of ageing. How do we deal with body image issues? Stop talking about other people's bodies and what they should do and don't do. The truth is that our beauty does not define who we are and that we are so much more than just what we look like.  When a thought comes to your mind that you're ugly or fat or have a big nose or whatever it is, interrupt your thought pattern and remind yourself of the truth. That beauty is not just skin deep. That what you look like is the least important thing about you. How to interrupt the thought pattern? Get up and shake it off! If you're a MerryBody member, put on a class or a meditation. If you have body image anxiety, using your exercise routine as a way to practise the opposite of that, that being self-acceptance, is a total game-changer. This is how we continue to move through any body image anxiety we feel. With this self-acceptance practice, you're moving your body, you're present in your body and you're able to show gratitude for your body. If you have more questions about this or if something resonated with you, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Check out all the Get Merry Podcast episodes on iTunes and Overcast and Stitcher for Androids. Plus we are on Spotify over HERE! Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To welcome something new into your life you need to take regular consistent action toward it. But how do you create new habits that stick?  You can't just do something once and then expect to receive all the benefits. Change happens over time. Change happens with new habits.  This is what we spoke about during the episodeFind joy in the new habit. If-when-then plan. Work out a time, a place and an anchor for the new habit. As Carla says "sandwich your habit into your current life".   Get an understanding of how you learn best. Audio, visual or doing? Think of a habit you already stick to. Now realise you can transfer this to another habit. Monitor your habits in a non-obsessive way such as marking your calendar, having an accountability group, or ticking off your to-do list. Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember you're human, you might fail, skip a session or feel like you go backwards even! Don't dwell on the past, focus on the next step. Know that you can create change and welcome new habits. If you have more questions about this or if something resonated with you, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Join our next 21 Day Yoga, Pilates and Meditation Challenge. It's the Time for Me Challenge, it starts on June 8. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re going back to a topic from one of our most popular episodes. People pleasing. A people pleaser works very hard to make other people happy. Often putting other people’s needs above their own. Are you a people pleaser? Also, listen to Episode 216: how to stop being a people pleaser. This is what we spoke aboutA people pleaser often says yes to something and suddenly feels resentment and anger, thoughts might pop up like ‘why did I say yes? I don’t even want to do this!’ The first step of unlearning any habit is awareness. So, it’s acknowledging that you are a people pleaser and that you want to let go of some aspects of this behaviour Say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no. When someone asks you to do something, check in with yourself first. Setting your boundaries is really empowering. Although it can feel awkward to say no, you’ll be proud of yourself for doing it. As a people pleaser, you might have old grudges that you’ve kept.  Go inwards and welcome awareness, what you can learn from others and most importantly, what you can learn from yourself? We are running a live Q and A morning workout on Thursday 19th May 2022 6:30 AM AEST. If you want to join us, head to the themerrymakersisters.com/class. If you have more questions about this or if something resonated with you, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you’ll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we chat about the 8 limbs of Yoga by Patanjali as defined in his yoga sutras. Yoga is not all about the tree pose or downward-facing dog, it's about life. In relation to this, listen to Episode 256: The 5 levels of the mind – The Yoga Philosophy Series and also Episode 255: How to surrender, let go and trust or Ishvara Pranidhana – The Yoga Philosophy Series. This is what we spoke aboutYamas are kind of like moral lines and how you show up in life. Ahimsa is non-violence or kindness. Satya is truthfulness and honesty. Asteya is non-stealing. Brahmacharya is celibacy and loyalty. Aparigraha is detachment. Niyama is more of a way you are inside. Shaucha is more like cleanliness or detoxification of our thoughts. Santosha is contentment and self-acceptance. Tapas is devotion, dedication and discipline. Svadhyaya is self-study and self-awareness. Ishvarapranidhana is the practice of surrendering and letting go. Asana is the postures and the poses. Traditionally, there was one Asana and that was sitting cross-legged to meditate and breathe. Then, the ancient yogis continued to create poses in order to sit for longer periods of time with less discomfort. Pranayama can be translated to 'life force control'. Some people call it breathwork.  Pratyahara is sense withdrawal as in closing your eyes or blocking your ears. Dharana is focusing or maintaining the thoughts and it's like the beginning of meditation. Dhyana is when you're truly meditating and nothing can interrupt you. Samadhi is when we're in Savasana lying on the ground in full surrender. Bliss land. Maybe even enlightened! If you have more questions about this or if something resonated with you, we would love to hear from you. Send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you'll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode (hehe, ok it’s a rant) was influenced by a recent Facebook post that got quite a lot of attention with a number of very different opinions. We shared a post from Alex Light about Kim Kardashian dropping 16 pounds to fit into her Met Gala dress just by eating tomatoes. Wait, what? This is what we spoke aboutYou can do what you want with your body, but know that what you say (especially if you’re Kim Kardashian) has power behind it. It’s not something to throw out lightly, even if the tomato comment was taken out of context. We talked more about the issues with before and afters during this episode, 319: Psychologist perspective of before and after photos with Miriam Emad. Going on a crazy starvation diet a week before a special event is common BUT there’s nothing normal or healthy about it.  What we look like, especially our weight, is the least important factor about us.   We agree that Marilyn’s dress should not be altered. It’s an amazing piece of history. Don’t wear it in the first place. That’s it! We are not designed to fit clothes. Clothes are designed to fit us. We are not anti-weight loss. We just care about HOW you do it. Take some time and reflect on how society and diet culture has impacted you and everyone in your life. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you’ll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's so easy to get 100% consumed and caught up in other people's drama. Some people choose to step out of it while others choose to be amongst it and feed off it. In this episode, we chat about this and how to step out of it.  This is what we spoke aboutSometimes we can be emotional, but this is not really the drama we are chatting about. It's necessary to live our truth and feel our feelings. And have friends we can be open with and depend on. It's important that we check in, is the drama taking over our lives. Also, we go on a crazy tangent onto the obsession with TV and reality TV.  Realise what's truly important. Get your feet on the ground. Decide whether or not you want to be part of the drama. Does the drama serve you or not? Create your own boundaries and have the awareness of whether you're the person bringing the drama or not. Be mindful of the people you hang out with and what you allow. Try to change the pattern of the catch-up or the communication. Really, the way to step out of the drama is knowing that you want to step out of it. It's having the awareness of your energy and time, checking in with how you're feeling and knowing that you are the decision-maker and that you can say no. You can be in control! If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you'll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we chat about ways how you can feel less shit. Something you can do that will change your situation, shift your mood and change how you feel. This episode was inspired by this popular blog post.  This is what we spoke aboutJournaling. Getting the stuff out of your head and on paper.  Surround yourself with people you love and who unconditionally love you back.  Practising gratitude makes a difference. What you focus on grows. Bring creativity into life. You don't need to create something that is beautiful. You can paint for the sake of painting and doodle just for fun. Move your body! This is the ultimate tool to get you out of your head and feel instantly better. Try out our FREE Feel Amazing Pilates Class. Get your sexy butt in nature. Walk outside, sit on the beach, lay on the grass, go barefoot, get grounded.  Human touch, hugs and cuddles release oxytocin and serotonin. Go hug someone for 20 seconds and release those love hormones.  Put on your favourite tune and have a dance break.  Have a nap.  Do something good for somebody else. Give with no expectation. These are very simple ways to make you feel less shit. Take a couple and pop them in your toolbox. When you need them, use them and see yourself change from feeling blah to ahhh-mazing! If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Download our FREE Self Care Checklist and you'll find 50 brand new ideas to practice self care. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We should call this podcast episode, does Pilates make your bum smaller and other stupid stuff we should all stop Googling. Let’s get this straight, right here and now, your bum is amazing. Just as it is. Small butts, bigger bums, round booty, flat booty. All great bums! No matter what your butt actually looks like, your butt muscles help you do many things! They help you walk, sit, push, and pick stuff up. Strong gluteus medius and gluteus maximus, or what we like to refer as your booty, also help you stand with better posture. Meaning, less back pain and potential back injuries. Ahh, yes there are so many amazing reasons to work your booty, whether it be strength training in the gym with a personal trainer, or Pilates at home with our MerryBody Yoga and Pilates App. We chatted about this topic on our podcast, this is what we spoke about. Beauty ideals are forever changing! Right now, it’s all about that big round booty on a shelf, but let’s throwback to the 1990s when the beauty ideal was flat bum and boobs. Even when we have self-acceptance and awareness of diet culture, it’s very easy to fall back to the mindset that our worth is based on what we look like. Let’s flip the conversation and realise that we’re doing a certain workout not just for looks but to work a certain muscle for another reason. Check in with your reason and motivation behind why you’re exercising. It makes you stronger and more flexible. It also helps maintain a healthy mental state. These are two amazing things that happen when you set aside time for exercise. Although you might be under the impression you need to lift heavy weights to work the booty, we’d invite you to try this one Pilates move to see just how amazing Pilates is for your butt. Here’s a photo of Emma, the MerryBody Pilates instructor showing one of her favourite moves, all 4s tabletop. You’ll see her left leg is extended strong, she’ll then add movement and this is when it’s important to engage the butt muscles and therefore work the booty! Whether it’s a single leg tap, leg kick or bend extension, the booty is working. This move uses body weight to strengthen the full body. But to make this movement and all other Pilates exercises more effective, you must do them with control and precision. It’s important to really extend your legs, no floppy legs. You must use your core to help stabilise your body, the work comes in the movement and the stability.  Pilates really is the most amazing booty workout! Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla Ps. Please remember that our advice is never a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis or treatment.  Pp.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we chat about this month’s theme inside the MerryBody Studio which is MINDSET. And really, this is the theme of each and every one of our podcast episodes in some way or another. In this episode, we’ll take you through some of our major mindset shifts and how we go about them. Stuff we talked about…Our journey from having government jobs that we hated to shifting our mindsets and creating the life that we have right now. Mindset is how we choose to see things. How we perceive our lives. Everything starts from a thought. Our actions, which come from our thoughts, create our future. It’s okay to not be okay. You don’t have to be positive about your situation if there’s really no silver lining and you’re going through hardship.  First step is awareness. Self-acceptance and gratitude, for us, have been the most life-changing mindset changes. What you read, what you consume, what you listen to and what you put in front of you make an impact on your life. Surrender is the ultimate mindset tool because it also means gratitude for what you have, acceptance and letting go. What about when your partner or someone close to you does not want to shift their mindset?  Mindset is the time to go inwards and then express it outwards. Tune in and let us know what you think! If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes, we focus on the end result without realizing that the journey was actually the magic. It was actually the prize. Stuff we talked about...We live in a goal-orientated world, and anything less than 'the best' is not good enough. "Follow your bliss." — Joseph Campbell.  In today's age, the obsession with that end goal can be the destroyer of the journey. It's very easy to let your desires take over, stress you out and make you feel that you're not doing enough. It all comes back to acceptance and presence. Find gratitude in the harder moments of your journey. When your goals are creating unhappiness, distress and suffering, then it's time to check in with yourself and remember the important things. Listen to 302: This one mindset shift will help you work towards your goals The journey is full of ebbs and flows, dark and light, and your job is to navigate it to the best of your ability.  We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Check out all the Get Merry Podcast episodes on iTunes and Overcast and Stitcher for Androids. Plus we are on Spotify over HERE! Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re excited to dive into the topic of languishing. It was a topic inspired by one of our community members, Steph. Stuff we talked about…The difference between a flourishing mindset and a languishing mindset from a psychologist’s perspective. Listen to Episode 231: Create a flourishing mindset with psychologist Ellen Jackson At the beginning of COVID lockdown when we were forced to slow down, it was kind of a good thing because we were given permission to do nothing and simply take a rest. Many of us got into this routine of inactivity and used the time to refill up our energy. Overcoming the feeling of languishing involves refinding a purpose to remotivate yourself and then move forward.  If you’re feeling stuck, take any step to get you out of the situation you’re in right now.  Self-awareness is the key to quickly move out of your languishing feeling. If you can recognize this feeling, you have taken your first step. Get the right kind of help and talk about your struggles with someone you can trust. Making a plan also helps to create motivation. Get a coach or an accountability partner to help you get things done. We talk about Kevin Basham and how he is helping us with an SEO project, we’ve interviewed him before on episode 317! We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We received a message from someone talking about how triggering Facebook photo memories are. Can you relate? Maybe you see the picture and you see how young and ‘good’ you looked, you think ‘WOW, I looked so good, and I actually thought I was fat’ or something like that. Then you feel sad and disappointed. Then regret. And down you go into that self-criticism loophole. This is because we live in a world of Diet Culture that also (generally) celebrates youth and shuns age. Yay… urghhh not. The good thing is that we are aware of it! For us personally, because we’ve spent the last 5 years working on self-acceptance, we’re no longer triggered by these photos. In this episode, we chat about why we may feel triggered and how we can move through the feelings. Stuff we talked about…Self-acceptance is the most important thing. Accepting ourselves as we are right here right now is easier said than done. Your weight does not equal health. There’s so much more to health than losing weight. How did we overcome the comparison? For Emma, it’s looking at her past self and realizing that she’s so much wiser now and also the act of bringing gratitude for life now instead of comparing.  Take moments of reflection and link it to an everyday habit such as Yoga and Pilates.  The MerryBody mantra “remember, you are amazing right here, right now” solidifies the acceptance practice and it shows how important it is to have something that is consistent that you can rely on. Take some time to reflect, be honest with yourself, take note of when you get triggered and have a practice of self-acceptance. Dwelling on the past won’t bring any good, unless you learn something from it.  We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Check out all the Get Merry Podcast episodes on iTunes and Overcast and Stitcher for Androids. Plus we are on Spotify over HERE! Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to Episode 320 of the Get Merry podcast and our first official episode for 2022! It took us a little while to get back into it but here we are! Every month inside MerryBody, we have a collective theme, and it’s something that we’ve been doing since the beginning. Sometimes, because life happens, we can find ourselves going through the motions without adding anything new or learning something different. Having this theme allows us to reflect, to discover something new about ourselves and other people. So, on our 36th month (Happy Birthday, MerryBody!), our theme is COURAGE. So, what is courage and how we can cultivate more of it into our lives? Stuff we talked about… Courage is not a lack of fear and anxiety nor a super mega confidence. It’s, instead, stepping forward regardless of how you’re feeling. It’s taking a step forward, even in the face of adversity, in the face of fear and uncertainty. When we’re going through hard times, knowing that getting through it will build that resilience muscle. You know it sucks but you’re going to move forward, learn from this, and grow from this. So often, people are like “I need to do this before I can do that. I need to get this ticked off before I can take that step forward.” And so often, self-doubt is louder than courage. But when we begin to practice moments of courage, that’s when it will grow and become a part of our lives. Courage is really about living your truth which is often hard. But when you take that step and you feel stronger and better afterwards, you feel more confident and honest with yourself. And the more you do it, the easier it becomes. How do we cultivate courage? A bit of self-reflection work is needed. Ask yourself what you want to welcome into your life and visualize that it’s already happening. We’re not always going to feel courageous and fired up. Sometimes you need to slow down, go inwards and just think about something you’re grateful for. Life is all about the ebbs and flows, lightness and darkness, night and day, and you’re not always going to step forward with courage and that’s okay! We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are back for 2022! YAY! We recorded this late in 2021 and we're so excited for this episode because the amazing Miriam Emad, clinical psychologist, is back on the show! During the episode, she offers insight on the before and after photo trend and how it can be unhealthful for all of us. We've spoken on the podcast and across our social media about how we don't market MerryBody (our Yoga and Pilates App and membership) with before and after photos. And recently, we shared a post about it that got quite a lot of attention. So we asked for Miriam's opinions about this. Stuff we talked about...Comparison is a part of the human being. Jealousy and envy are a very primal part of how we exist in the world. Jealousy is the emotion that tells us there is something to protect which involves noticing our surroundings, sometimes comparing. Envy is the emotion that tells us to strive to attain something. In a way, it's healthy to have some form of comparison, especially if it's objective. For example, hitting a target of financial savings for a particular reason. Sometimes subjective comparison can be helpful, too. If you have your own personal goal that does not involve anybody else, comparing your past self, present self and future self can be helpful because it helps you notice progress. What isn't helpful is the construct of comparison based on opinion such as the before and after photos. These are based on idea, neither objective nor subjective perception of what might be helpful in terms of comparison. We all have a social responsibility when we're sharing things on social media. Ask yourself, "if I'm looking at changing something about my body, what is the promise at the end of it? Is it to have my body function better, have a baby, etc.?" If the promise is something like I'll look like my friends or so it's more socially acceptable. It's coming from a place of misogyny and fat-phobia, and that can be very unhealthy. You cannot tell anything about someone's health just by looking at the person without any metabolic data. Health can be seen on the surface level, it's deeper. Trying to lose weight is not in itself a bad thing. The before and after is very rarely about improved health. It's more often about the idea that smaller is better. Connect with Miriam Emad over on her website!  It really all comes back to self-acceptance. It is such a beautiful practice because you don't only begin to accept yourself but also those around you.  We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is our last episode for the year 2021. And oh my! We feel like this had been the quickest year we've ever had. It really does feel like the older you get, the quicker time goes. We've had a great year, but there's lots of heaviness, sadness and troubles around the world. And, as we wrap this year up, we reflect on business, our milestones and the biggest takeaways we've had for the year. Stuff we talked about...Hug your friends and family a lot and make the most of the time together.  The new MerryBody app was launched in January and our mum started working for us in July this year. The hire Mum goal has been on our goal-list since we started. It took us longer than we wanted, but hey, we did it! November has been our biggest month in the business to date (9 years). We've experienced the importance of planting seeds, watering them and the persistence of showing up. Put the hard work in and you will definitely reap the results in due time. How we allowed joy to be our compass in our business growth. We didn't focus only on the financial gains but also on adding joy to life.  Learn new things, like what we're doing now with crypto and NFTs. Question your beliefs around something and trust the timing. Accept yourself and live life to the fullest without worrying about the things that do not define who you are, like your weight, what you look like, how much you've accomplished and how much money is in your bank. Let's collectively release our attachment to "diet". Enjoy the pasta. Enjoy the pizza. Enjoy the gelato. Go and eat whatever food you want, not every day... but you know what we mean. Let's all welcome 2022 with the idea that we're going to savour the moments and experience life for all that it is. Don't rush and only focus on ticking off a to-do list. Start working towards the things that you care deeply about. Bring it on! We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we have an amazing guest, Kevin Basham, all the way from UK and we’re so excited that he’s back on the show. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you would have heard from him on Episode 45: How to Succeed When No One Else Believes in You with Kevin Basham.  We love him and lately, we’ve been loving his Instagram content on living intentionally while building success. Stuff we talked about…You can live intentionally and put your best foot forward. But ultimately, things happen in the world. So, the belief that when we have these goals and if we don’t achieve them, then we’re a failure. Is so stupid. What success means to Kevin. Success is about the endeavour and the adventure of moving forward and doing something meaningful, whether it’s in business, whether it’s in relationships, whether it’s in finances, health, wealth, etc. It’s in the doing more than the arrival point. What Kevin’s weekly structure looks like and how structure equals freedom. You have to really understand yourself to know what works best for you in terms of a work structure. Take your personality test at understandmyself.com. One of Kevin’s rules for “living a meaningful life”. Best relationships are those where you can give more than you take, and let others contribute to you as well. We have to fill each other’s cups up. How Kevin started to practice self-awareness and the turning points and awakenings along the way. Resilience and having a good mindset is something that you develop over a long period of time. Kevin’s last piece of advice: “The world is going through some things at the minute that are particularly difficult for people, and you need to really understand what’s going on at the deepest level and be as best as you can for your friends and for your family and stick up for what’s important. If you believe things are unethical or immoral, then you have every right to put your view forward.” Connect with Kevin Basham: Kevin on Instagram Kevin on twitter CryptoPulse Podcast We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've had a big journey with this whole mindset around change, especially change to self, whether it's a body, mindset or a life change. When we first began, it came from a place of "I don't like who I am now so I'm gonna change and then I'll love myself." Then we realized, the only way to love yourself in the future is to love yourself now. In this episode, we're talking about the full circle where, "ok, now I love myself but I also want to change" without going back to the old mindset of not feeling good enough. Stuff we talked about... With the practice of self-acceptance, some people misunderstand it as you're not allowed to change. But really, change is inevitable in life and you are allowed to want to make a change. It's all about the reason why and how you're going to go about the change. We are allowed to desire things and make a change. But, how do we make sure that the journey from A to B is an enjoyable process? When you practice self-acceptance right here right now, the journey toward change is full of joy, gratitude and bliss. Remember to always come back to the truth that you are amazing right here right now in every aspect of your life. It's okay to want to make a change. But, look at how the change is being made and the reason behind it. We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you trying to grow your business or get that job promotion and you feel like it's going nowhere? Does it feel like opportunity is going to all those around you? Everyone, except you? We understand, we have been there and we've also been in situations where opportunities are flying left, right and centre. Hear us chat more about opportunities and what to do when it feels like you have none. Stuff we talked about...Sometimes, it can feel like opportunity is not coming your way. But it could be there right in front of you. You might just need to take a step toward it. When you feel like no opportunity is knocking at your door, do a bit more research, approach someone and ask for help. Keep taking those little action steps and trying new things. We don't have to wait for an opportunity. We are the creators of it. Action creates opportunity. If you go and take action out of this episode, tell us about it. We would love to hear from you. If you have any A-HA moments, questions, comments or feedback about this episode, send us an email at carla@themerrymakersisters.com or emma@themerrymakersisters.com or message us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts @themerrymakersisters. Always merrymaking, Emma + Carla P.s if you ever need further help or guidance please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. Asking for help is pure courage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.