From the Heart with Rachel Brathen

Latest Episodes:

Murphy’s Law: If It Can Go Wrong, It Will Go Wrong Apr 15, 2022

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You know those days where nothing seems to go right? Where your life feels like a manifestation of Murphy’s Law? Rachel sits down in the midst of a two-week long meltdown to record today’s podcast.

From getting sick, to missing appointments, dropping tea on her keyboard, having no hot water, and Dennis almost giving up on Sweden, Rachel shares the entire story. It’s a doozy! If things seem hard for you right now, know that you are not alone. Life has a way of hitting us when we’re down - but it also shows us what we’re made of.

Sometimes there is nothing more you can do than find humor, practice gratitude, and keep returning to the practices that steady you. Tune in for an episode that will bring back your sanity.

Seasons of Sweden: Staying Rooted, Planting New Seeds, and Growing a Dream Apr 08, 2022

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When Rachel pictured her life in Sweden, she saw days in the forest, swimming in the lake, and getting her hands dirty in her own vegetable garden. But the late arrival of spring has made the last one nearly impossible. If you’re a struggling gardener, today’s episode will inspire you to continue the journey and have a few laughs along the way.

As Rachel records today’s episode, there is snow coming down in buckets from the sky - and all her plants are clinging to life in her garage. She shares the grueling efforts she has taken to keep her seedlings alive, how she may have underestimated a Swedish winter, and the impatience she has felt trying to make everything come together.

Just like gardening, much of life is trial and error. It all comes down to the balance of staying rooted in the here and now, while letting the branches of your mind grow into different possibilities. If you’ve been feeling the need to plant something new, tune in to get started.

Story Time: How Getting Arrested Changed My Life Apr 01, 2022

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In today’s episode, Rachel has just returned from the dealership after buying her first car in Sweden. Finally feeling like an adult in her home country, this sparks an epic story where Rachel shares a secret from her teenage years. It involves a scooter, a lot of alcohol, and two cops. You hear the full story, from everything that happened, to how it affected her and her history of driving.

Our teenage years are hard - but they are crucial in shaping us into the people we become. Sometimes, we need a big awakening in order to make a change for the better. This is the story of Rachel’s. From her self-sabotaging teenage years, she was guided into a completely different lifestyle. The rest is history! Tune in for a great story that will anchor you into the knowing that whatever difficulty you may be facing now could be setting you up for something beautiful to come.

The Eye of the Storm: Preparing for Chaos, Hoping for Calm, and Staying Intensely Present Mar 25, 2022

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Do you want to make a change in your life, but you can’t find the energy to actually do it? Do you think you’re only worthy of rest after you work to the point of exhaustion? Today’s episode will inspire you to reprioritize, find balance, and chase your dreams.

As Rachel sits in the eye of the storm before a very intense week, she contemplates how her life got to this moment. A few years ago, she was burnt out. Now, she has released a new course and is on her way to LA for something secret and special. Can she continue to chase her dreams in a sustainable way? Or will she add too much to her plate again until she loses herself in the process?

Our default behavior is not always peace - sometimes its coping mechanisms we create to protect us. That’s why it’s so important to stay intensely present on this journey. You always have a chance for a new life and a new beginning. Tune in to reset yours.

How to Be Human: Allowing Your Feelings, Acknowledging the Pain, and Staying Connected to Your Heart Mar 18, 2022

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Being human comes with many emotions and even more fragile moments. If you’re having a hard time taking it all in lately, today’s episode will remind you that you’re not alone.

Rachel begins the show with a much-needed check-in. Take some space to allow yourself to be the way you are before diving deeper into today’s topic. After receiving some personal news about her family, Rachel is feeling a little hopeless as she reflects on the state of the world and the suffering found around every corner.

When life as we know it crumbles in a single day, there is one place you can turn: community. Stay close to your family, to your loved ones, and to your own heart. Vulnerability reminds us that we are in this together. Tune in to crack your heart wide open.

Living a Life of Service: The Little Things Make a Difference Mar 11, 2022

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There is a lot going on in the world right now. If you’re feeling guilty for what you have while others are lacking, or if you’re not sure how to help, today’s episode will remind you of what’s really important.

As Rachel gets some things off her mind, she shares how overwhelmed she has been lately with Dennis in Aruba, her work duties piling up, and the world seemingly in chaos. Feeling like she hasn’t been doing enough, she remembers a crucial lesson. We do not need to fundamentally change our own lives to be of service to others. And the only way to remember what this is all for is to never take for granted what we have.

Tune in for an episode that will remind you that the little things add up - and that our hearts can hold a lot more than we think.

We Don’t Need to Carry Everything, But We Need to Carry Some Mar 04, 2022

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It’s a hard time to be human right now - or maybe it always is. If you find your anxiety levels rising from constantly checking the news, or if you’ve been unwilling to look at the news at all, today’s episode will help you find the balance between the give and take.

Rachel begins by sharing the story of the service initiatives she has developed throughout her life. From saving snails, to rescuing puppies, and helping women and children in need, service has always been firmly rooted in her heart. But sometimes it has taken over to the point that she cannot take care of herself.

There’s a delicate balance between helping others and taking care of your own heart. If you give too much, you can lose your ability to give anything at all. But if you don’t give anything, you are bypassing your responsibility as a human being. We don’t have to carry everything, but we do have to carry some. Tune in for an episode that will show you how to balance it all sustainably.

When You Don’t Know What To Do, Be of Service Feb 25, 2022

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Everything changed this week. With Russia waging war on Ukraine and European stability threatened, it’s no surprise that many of us are feeling shaky. If you’re trying to process confusing emotions, or if you’re not sure how you can help, today’s episode will guide your path.

After saying goodbye to Dennis at the airport and dropping Luna off at school, Rachel had a shaky morning even before learning the news - and sometimes that can throw us over the edge. Life is a balancing act of honoring our own insecurities without making them the focal point when discussing the trauma of others.

Right now, Ukraine needs our help - and there are ways to be of service. It starts with listening to people’s stories, gaining a sense of empathy, and making sure your actions align with the work you desperately want to see done. Tune in for an episode that will remind you that community is all we have, and we must stand up for it at all costs.

The Power of Choice: Making Conscious Decisions from Your Highest Self Feb 18, 2022

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Do you feel powerless in your life? Are you stuck in certain situations and patterns with no end in sight? Kind of like your life is a freight train speeding out of control? Today’s episode will empower you to critically look at the moments you abandon yourself and make conscious decisions that are in alignment with your soul. Never again will you forget your ability to choose.

After recognizing a harmful pattern in her life, Rachel had an epiphany in a recent therapy session. In today’s episode, she opens up in depth about this situation she finds herself in again and again - whenever she is presented with a big opportunity. Since recognizing the source of it, she muses over how to take charge of her life and only do things that align with her on a soul level.

The truth is, there are always going to be things we don’t want to do. We are adults, after all. But there are critical moments in our life where we have the ability to choose what comes next - or to choose what makes the hard things easier. You can either keep yourself in those same familiar but harmful patterns, or you can heal. Tune in to choose yourself every damn day.

The Newest Swede: Dennis’ Take on Moving to Sweden, Searching for Freedom, and Building Community Feb 11, 2022

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Joining the Yoga Girl Podcast for the first time since the big move to Sweden: it’s Rachel’s husband, Dennis Schoneveld! A Trans-Atlantic move is no joke, but at least there is Dennis’ sense of humor to bring out the best of it. Tune in as him and Rachel answer all of your Instagram questions. Does Sweden feel like home? Does he miss Aruba? What is the weirdest thing that Swedes do?

From building community to building a farm, Rachel and Dennis dive deeper into their ideal life and where they see themselves in ten years. But after this big life change, do they see themselves in the same place? Tune in to find out! As usual, there are plenty of laughs along the way.