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Michelle Cederberg is the keynote speaker for UCHealth\u2019s upcoming signature women\u2019s health event,\u00a0evr\u0113,\u00a0which takes place Feb. 21 in Denver. Photo courtesy of Michelle Cederberg.<\/p>\n \tMichelle Cederberg is the keynote speaker for UCHealth\u2019s upcoming signature women\u2019s health event,\u00a0evr\u0113,\u00a0which takes place Feb. 21 in Denver. Photo courtesy of Michelle Cederberg.<\/p>\n
Women need to give themselves permission to recognize that even the smallest steps propel them that much closer to personal and professional success and fulfillment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to remind women about how awesome we already are and provide some clarity in both small and big ways, around meeting our goals,\u201d says Michelle Cederberg. \u201cA big part of that is really trusting and believing in ourselves and having the discipline to do the things that matter to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cederberg is the keynote speaker for UCHealth\u2019s upcoming signature women\u2019s health event,\u00a0evr\u0113,<\/a>\u00a0which takes place Feb. 21 in Denver. Pronounced \u201cevery,\u201d the event aims to help all women lead healthier lives. (Learn more about evr\u0113 and sign up to attend.<\/a>)<\/p>\n A Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame inductee, author, coach and consultant with 20 years of global speaking experience, Cederberg will bring humor and psychology to her presentation and provide tips and tools to support women in their busy lives and feel energized while doing it.<\/p>\n \u201cAs women, we tend to think, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m not good enough, I should be doing more, I should be doing better.\u2019 But you\u2019re already moving mountains for your family, for your job and for so many other people and things. I don\u2019t think that health and energy management should be guilt inducing. It should be fun, which is why I\u2019m looking so forward to this event,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n She guides women in how they can prioritize their own health while also \u201cshowing up\u201d for others. To learn more about how to do this we asked her for answers to common questions about women and self-care.<\/p>\n Cederberg\u2019s evr\u0113 talk: How women can build confidence and overcome self-doubt<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be focused on goals, beliefs, discipline and energy, and ways that we can create more of those attributes in our everyday life,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cAll that we do: every idea, every creative outburst, every moment of productivity, every connection with people around us, is generated from our physical body and our brilliant mind. But too often, we\u2019re depleted by taking care of everyone else and everything else that we don\u2019t take care of that physical machinery. We\u2019ll have a lot of fun talking about that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cI make a point about being relatable. I\u2019m not a celebrity. I\u2019m approachable. I love meeting people, and I love being able to have conversations with them. I also like to make people laugh because I think it cements the learning,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cI want people coming to the event knowing I\u2019m going to be there all day, and I would absolutely love for them to come find me, before or after my keynote, and just have a conversation about what\u2019s meaningful to them.\u201d<\/p>\n Blending kinesiology and psychology to help women find more balance and energy in their life\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have a master\u2019s degree in kinesiology and a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology, and when I tell people, they say that\u2019s an odd combination. But to me, it makes complete sense,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I do my keynotes, I talk a lot about how energy can drive success. And it\u2019s not just eating right and exercising. It\u2019s how we nurture our physical, mental, emotional and cognitive health.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s understanding what you need for yourself as a woman or a human being and then figuring out how to get it. A lot of times we get in our own way because we\u2019re battling our self-doubt or our own challenges in that regard,\u201d Cederberg says. \u201cWe have to give ourselves permission sometimes, to go after the things we want.\u201d<\/p>\n What is kinesiology?<\/p>\n Kinesiology is the science of how our bodies move.<\/p>\n Common barriers that fuel self-doubt and stall our progress<\/p>\n \u201cAll of us have the best intentions to be better versions of ourselves,\u201d Cederberg says. \u201cBut life gets in the way, often with things that we have no control over.<\/p>\n \u201cBut sometimes it is in our control; for instance, it\u2019s in our level of confidence, our self-doubt, or how we talk to ourselves,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the biggest thing that we need to do is decide what \u2018enough\u2019 looks like and try not to get caught up in comparing ourselves with what others.\u201d<\/p>\n Why comparison drains our energy and how to refocus on our own goals<\/p>\n Cederberg says it\u2019s easy to get caught up in comparing our own lives with all that we see online.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not healthy,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when you become clear about what success looks like to you and what qualifies as enough for you, it easier to block out those comparisons and enjoy life as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s why our goals matter,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re clear about your goals, you can tap into them when you\u2019re trying to decide where to give up your time. As busy women taking care of kids or taking care of aging parents and working full time, there\u2019s so much of life that\u2019s not in our control.<\/p>\n So, when you do find a spare moment for yourself it\u2019s important to use that time well.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if we could prioritize our goals<\/a> in a way that feels meaningful rather than reactive?\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n How self-doubt shows up for women and men, and where the challenges differ<\/p>\n \u201cI tend to think that humans are humans, and while men tend to be a bit less outwardly effusive with their feelings, my predominantly male audiences respond in the same way women do when it comes to topics like self-doubt or \u2018comparisonitis,\u2019\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cThat being said, I think that women are challenged, because statistically, they still do the lion\u2019s share of work on the home front, even when both partners work full time.\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so, when I speak at women\u2019s events, we acknowledge that, and have fun with it, and I remind them that superwoman is allowed to have a day off now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n Simple self-care moves for busy women: Move, eat, sleep, hydrate<\/p>\n \u201cI am nothing if not practical,\u201d Cederberg says. \u201cI talk about small ways to move, eat, sleep and hydrate better<\/a>. But on those busy days, when we are trying to fit everything into our schedule, we need to give ourselves permission to do less.<\/p>\n \u201cI share tangible strategies, but I also share mindset shifts that will help people understand that the way forward isn\u2019t always to work harder,\u201d she says. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s to work on that next step and then take the next one, and so on. Consistency is key.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I give audiences permission to \u2018go small\u2019, you can almost feel a collective sigh from the group, and they leave thinking, \u2018OK, I can do this.\u2019 Small steps now are absolutely more powerful than preparing to go big somewhere down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n Cederberg notes that women don\u2019t need \u201cone more thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe want goals that are positive, achievable, and meaningful instead of something that\u2019s one more thing on the list. You don\u2019t want to think, \u2018This is not what I signed up for\u2019 or \u2018This is a chore,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s where encouragement and motivation come in,\u201d she says. \u201cI remind people that we\u2019re stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Despite everything that we\u2019ve got going on in our lives, we all have the desire to be better and to do better and have more.\u201d<\/p>\n Why perfectionism makes it hard to prioritize what we truly want<\/p>\n Perfectionism can play a big part in prioritizing the things we truly want to do, Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t do the things we want to do because we think, \u2018If I\u2019m going to do this, I need to do it right.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cBut starting small has this amazing effect because your brain can\u2019t discern whether the action that you took was microscopic or big. It just knows there\u2019s been action, and that action releases endorphins that signal, \u2018Look at me, I started this!\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThe one thing that I don\u2019t want to be is a \u2018go big or go home\u2019 motivational speaker who gives audience members pie-in-the-sky ideas that no schedule could possibly fit.\u201d<\/p>\n Capacity vs. capability: Why your energy matters as much as your skills<\/p>\n \u201cWe are all very capable in ways that we often don\u2019t give ourselves credit for,\u201d Cederberg believes. \u201cAll of us have skills and abilities that we take to the table with the work that we do, and how we relate to people. We have a lot that we\u2019re capable of doing. Our capacity tells us how much of it we are able to do at a given time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can have high capability, but if we don\u2019t take care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and cognitively,\u201d she says. \u201cOur capacity \u2013 our time, energy, and resources \u2013 will dwindle before we can do the work. Before that happens, we must shift the needle to take care of our physical machinery.\u201d<\/p>\n How to stop saying yes to everything and start saying yes to yourself<\/p>\n Cederberg says the power of saying \u201cno\u201d is incredibly important (and incredibly difficult).<\/p>\n \u201cWe could spend an entire day in a workshop unpacking how to say \u2018no.\u2019 And part of it is, yes, something always has to give,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cFor many busy women, who are sandwiching parents and kids and jobs, I guarantee there are things on our \u2018to-do list\u2019 that we probably need to reconsider. Women are natural caregivers and we are compassionate, so oftentimes when people ask for our time, the immediate default is, \u2018Sure I\u2019ll help,\u2019 even if we don\u2019t have the capacity,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n She encourages women to think before committing to activities that don\u2019t align with their goals. When we agree to do something that we don\u2019t really want to do, \u201cwe\u2019re saying no to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, when something comes up that we really want to prioritize, we have to first carve out the time to take on that new activity.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause so many of us have schedules that are truly jam-packed, I try to encourage women to say yes to themselves in small ways,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cSay to yourself, \u2018Today, I\u2019m going to sit long enough to drink my coffee before it goes cold,\u2019 or \u2018Today I\u2019m going to give myself permission to take a bathroom break instead of chaining myself to my desk just to get it all done,\u2019 or \u2018Today I\u2019m going to pause long enough to greet my kids with full attention when they come in the back door.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s little things,\u201d Cederberg says. \u201cIt\u2019s all the micro habits that show us how to shift change in bigger ways.\u201d<\/p>\n The power of small steps and why they move us forward<\/p>\n \u201cAll steps move us forward. Our brains don\u2019t know the difference between a big step and a small step. It\u2019s just triggering action and suddenly, the brain lights up and says, \u2018OK, we\u2019re doing something about this, right?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a packed schedule, I would rather you take micro steps every single day toward the things you want, rather than a great big leap every two or three weeks when the time or energy suddenly becomes available.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s hard to give ourselves permission to go small because we say, \u2018Well, what difference does it make?\u2019 But small steps do make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n What to do when burnout makes change feel impossible<\/p>\n \u201cBurnout is not something to downplay. Across North America, rates of stress and burnout<\/a> are the highest that they have ever been,\u201d Cederberg says.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, if you\u2019re feeling a lot of malaise, sadness or a consistent lack of enjoyment for work and life, it\u2019s a good time to talk to a mental health professional.<\/p>\n \u201cBut in the day-to-day, if you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed by stress, and think, \u2018Gosh, I just don\u2019t know if I can fit in another thing,\u2019 simply give yourself permission to go small with your self-care<\/a>. \u2018What if I walk around the block? What if I choose to drink more hydrating fluids? What if I go to bed just a little bit earlier, just to get a little bit more sleep<\/a>?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes all that\u2019s sustainable is a walk around the block, but it reminds you how good it feels, and then you decide, \u2018I\u2019m going to do it again tomorrow.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Why the mind-body connection matters<\/p>\n \u201cLearning to trust what we know, what we need for ourselves, listening to our body \u2026 it\u2019s such a simple thing,\u201d Cederberg says. \u201cOur body is a very intuitive machine if we listen, but sometimes we\u2019re so busy and caught up in life that we don\u2019t stop long enough to just breathe.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I speak to women, I talk a lot about taking permission to put \u2018yourself\u2019 on your to-do list and recognizing that you\u2019re pretty darn good just as you are,\u201d she says. \u201cWe don\u2019t sing our own praises very often. We\u2019re always looking in the mirror, thinking about the things that we don\u2019t like about ourselves, instead of all the things that are great.<\/p>\n Cederberg also likes to talk about what she calls \u201cthe amazing list.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou write down 20 things about yourself that you think are amazing, which is a remarkably hard task for a lot of people to do,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some audience members who say, \u2018I don\u2019t know if I can get to five,\u2019 but equally, I\u2019m hoping that there are people in the audience thinking, \u2018What, only 20?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cMany of us weren\u2019t raised to sing our own praises, but when we point out the things about ourselves that are great, we start to realize that the \u2018amazing list\u2019 is far longer than our deficiencies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Michelle Cederberg is the keynote speaker for UCHealth\u2019s upcoming signature women\u2019s health event,\u00a0evr\u0113,\u00a0which takes place Feb. 21 in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":276039,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[7614,142701,163,85,46,522,534,142702,540],"class_list":{"0":"post-276038","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-behavioral-health","9":"tag-evre","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-il","12":"tag-israel","13":"tag-mental-health","14":"tag-stress-management","15":"tag-womens-care","16":"tag-womens-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276038\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}