Episode 14 - Creating Capacity Through Energy Awareness with Ann Hince
By Jessica Garrison
There is so much to learn from our guest this week, Ann Hince, who showcases her intelligence, strength, courage, and kindness throughout the episode. There’s always something to learn from the amazing guests we’re able to feature on the podcast, but you’re going to want to take some notes this week.
There are various levels to our self-care needs, and Ann is always looking at an inner level when nourishing her soul. When Ann was only 19 years old, she woke up to find her mother deceased on the bathroom floor, and her emotional past was constantly affecting her (as it would anyone). It wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she decided enough was enough, and she had to start taking better care of herself. Ann is a prime example of it never being too late to begin your own journey.
Boundaries evolve and change as we do, and Ann has had quite the life of growing. She lived in Hong Kong with her family when she was 9 and then went to a boarding school in England where she was the only girl at a boy’s school…how she managed that is impressive on its own. Now that she has sons of her own, she shared some past emotions that have worked their way back into her life. However, she has a brilliant technique that helps her understand her emotions: EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also known as tapping. Ann describes her discovery and use of the technique, and it’s something I really want to explore. I also couldn’t help but share what she said with some friends who have expressed feeling helpless with their emotions—it can be a life-changing tool.
When her journey began, Ann says she didn’t have any self-awareness. Layer by layer, she’s been working towards a life where both her physical and emotional health are being taken care of. She shares an example of being consumed by the thoughts of something another mother told her, and she knew that wasn’t normal. A doctor helped her work through a couple of instances with tapping, and it transformed her life so she was able to decompress some of the tough emotions that weighed on her. Ann is always searching for other women who use the same techniques as her so she can share, learn, and continue to grow.
By writing down her emotions and documenting her journey, Ann is releasing a barrier that allows her to share her story with others. She asks herself questions such as, “How am I feeling?” and “Do I want to feel this way again?” This is a way we can bring our emotions back to ourselves and have more control over our lives. If you don’t like the way you’re feeling, what are things you can do so you don’t have to feel that way again? We can’t do this for all of our emotions of course, but it’s a way to chart which actions are responsible for which feelings you may be having.
Ann is an empath, so she’s constantly being pushed and pulled by other people’s energies. Living out of her own expectations has changed her family dynamic for the better; no one knows your family better than you do, so overcritical outside voices don’t help. Although she’d take someone’s real concerns into consideration, overall Ann wants her life to be powered by her own energy rather than someone else’s.
There are many layers within each aspect of ourselves, and Ann says it’s better to be more curious about them than afraid, which I definitely agree with. Discovering your layers can be a little scary, but it’s also exhilarating to continue finding things out about yourself. If we keep pushing down our layers, the energy there becomes trapped with nowhere to go. Not trusting herself caused changes Ann didn’t want to see, but embracing her layers changed everything in a way where she could see all the progress she made and continues to make.
Ann has her own website if you’re interested in learning more about her or her techniques. There is so much gold in this episode that we haven’t even scratched the surface of; I can’t wait for everyone to listen and share their favorite part.
Ways to Engage: Ann talks throughout the episode about the importance of understanding your emotions and working through them. Take some time to write down your emotions, even labeling why you’re feeling this way and when it occurred. This can be pivotal in understanding patterns and behaviors associated with your emotions.