Last week, I shared part one of my fascinating interview with Frankie Picasso, founder of the Good Radio Network and a woman whose reinvention story has inspired me tremendously.

In the second part of our interview, Frankie talks about how she connects with her body and a key experience that shaped her relationship with her intuition. She also offers the book that most helped her understand herself and shares a personal message for you.

1) How do you connect with your body?

I learned a long time ago that our bodies are a big bio processor that sends us messages from within.

I am really good at tuning in to find out what is going on. Here’s an example:

I was once married to a man who was emotionally and physically abusive, and I wasn’t really paying much attention to the stress I was under, until one weekend when he had gone on a fishing trip.

When I heard his car pull into the driveway on his return, I noticed for the very first time that my heart began to race, my pulse and breath quickened, and I had this rush of adrenalin. Now we all know how bad all that cortisol is for us. This was really the first time I had noticed my body’s reaction to him instead of my mind’s.

I knew then that he had to go for real.

As a coach and hypnotherapist, I always ask my clients where in their bodies they feel something, because it can tell me fairly quickly what is going on with them. Many times these aches and pains lie in the chakras.

I try to be good to my body too. Massage is an awesome place to start the connection. So is Reiki and Reflexology.

2) Do you have favorite books or resources that have helped you do your inner work?

I have read a ton of spiritual books, but one book that helped me really understand myself was Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Schmaltz. It’s an old book but wow, the insights are incredible.

I have heard that my own book on change has helped a lot of folks, it’s called Midlife Mojo.

3) Is there anything you’d like to tell anyone in this community who might be learning, for the first time, how to turn inward and embark on their own heroine’s journey?

Often times when we are starting our inward journey, we can’t hear ourselves through the clutter and the noise.

When something does pop up, we think that we are making it up and that it can’t be real.

My suggestion: Write it down. Whatever bubbles up may be what you need to know in the moment or a piece of a clue for a larger picture to come. Some of it might be garbage but again, write everything down. Whatever thoughts you have, whether they feel real or made up, remember it’s all good. Often we use metaphor to teach ourselves a lesson, so if it’s a daydream or a real memory, treat them the same.

I would say I live my life 98% by intuition. I have learned to trust my feelings and I did this by intentionally practicing it. I suggest that if you haven’t tried this before, start by trusting your instincts on little things and working up to the big stuff. 

Going inside to find YOU is a journey we all need to take. Our “socialized” selves often have difficulty recognizing our true self. This is because our true voice has been diminished, replaced by the voice of others. The good news is that you can amplify who you are by looking and listening for yourself.

Next week: We’re talking all about fear and anxiety. I’ll see you then!