Sustainable Sensory Awareness For Wellness This Holiday Season with Dr. Nicole Villegas

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Today’s episode of Rooted in Retail rounds out our theme of this month of burnout, and stress management as we are approaching the holiday season, which tends to be the busiest season for our retailers. And today’s guest, Nicole, is a friend of mine, I learned so much in this episode and feel really inspired and empowered to make to really reflect, to pay attention to have awareness of my sensories and of myself, and ask smart questions to support me, not just this holiday season, but for the rest of my life. I mean, Nicole is an incredibly inspiring person, she shares this towards the end of today’s episode, but she suffered a brain injury from a heat stroke, and had to actually relearn speaking and had vision complications and went through I mean, she is just this warrior. This happened a couple years ago to her. And she has developed this framework that we talk about in today’s episode, to really, in my opinion, I feel like you can use it in all aspects of business and life. And it’s so simple. It’s just a matter of knowing what the framework is, and remembering to pay attention to these three things. And so she gives us a lot of examples of how we could use this framework in our business as retailers to really help not just stress management, but even how we respond in certain situations and how we react. And I loved this conversation. Also, in this episode, we talk about how you can really show up in all aspects of your life. I mean, we wear a lot of hats, and really show up for those people those moments and help you understand what to do. When we feel so tired at the end of the day. And why that is happening. Or maybe you worked a couple of hours in your store, and you feel really tired yet it hasn’t been very busy. Maybe there’s something happening from a sensory perspective, that is overwhelming you. We talk exactly about that example, in this episode. And I just find these things very fascinating because I think often we’re not paying attention. We don’t have the awareness. And that’s exactly what we’re talking about sensory awareness. So we’re not paying attention. We’re not asking those questions to really understand why am I responding this way? Why do I feel anxious or why do I feel excited? Why do I feel overwhelmed, what’s going on? and really reflect and Nicole gives us such great tools to help us reflect to really helped create more balance and ease in our life. Before we dive in. Here’s a little bit more about my guest. Dr. Nicole Villegas is a doctor of occupational therapy, somatic trauma practitioner, educator and social entrepreneur. She comes from a lineage of hard workers and wholeheartedly supports community connections and local economies. Nicole founded the Institute for sensory conscious living, where she helps leaders and caregivers harness their everyday senses to make their work and their wellness sustainable. Nicole also teaches at Boston University consults with workplace teams of all sizes and is published in Clinical textbooks on mental health and lifestyle. She’s been featured in BBC’s Worklife, Reader’s Digest, Huffington Post apartment therapy and Verywell health amongst others. You can learn more about Nicole at sensory conscious.com which will link to and let’s dive into this very interesting episode.

 

Welcome to Rooted in Retail, the show that’s dedicated to helping independent retailers thrive in today’s ever evolving retail landscape. I’m your host Crystal VilkaitisT and I’m thrilled to have you join me weekly as we explore topics that are vital to the success of your store. from marketing to mindset, money to merchandising, sales to leadership, we’ll cover it all. Each episode features interviews with industry experts and accomplished retailers who share their real life insights and actionable advice. Get ready for a great conversation on how to build your dream business with Rooted in Retail. Nicole, welcome to Rooted in Retail, I’m thrilled you’re here.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Thank you for having me.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

This is such an important conversation and I said this to Nicole before we started recording. I think I’m gonna learn a lot. I think our retailers who are listening are going to learn a lot to this and this is all during our month of October for our burnout and holiday theme, because holidays are such a busy time of year. And we can really forget about ourselves and just get caught up and I want to support our retailers as much as we can. So you have a very interesting world, and I think you have a lot of great ways that retailers can support themselves this crazy time of year. But before we dive into it all, for our listeners who may not be familiar with sensory awareness, can you give us a brief introduction to what it means and how it can affect our daily lives, especially as we head into the chaotic holiday season?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Oh, yes, oh, there’s so many things to connect here. And I’m looking forward to going through all of it together today. So our senses really make up our daily lives. You know, they’re the reason why you choose the blankets that you have on your bed. Maybe they’re soft and squishy. Or maybe they’re heavy and dense. You know, our senses are the reason why you like iced coffee in the summer. They are even the reason why you might get hangry and how for some of us, that’s a really, really serious issue, and we need to do something about it immediately. So when I talk about sensory conscious living, it’s really about the awareness and appreciation of how our senses shape our lives. And as we head into the holiday season, not only are our schedules more full with activities, and those shapes, our routines and our habits through the day, but in each of those activities, there are their own sensory experiences that our bodies and our minds need to process. So it’s really important to have that awareness and some of the skills and tools to process through it.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Okay, that makes perfect sense that I have a feeling I just think of our retailers. Is it possible to be a must to be like, extra sensory focused, because I feel like retailers like they buy product and they are creative and all this merchandising like, I feel like they’re probably extra. So that’s the thing.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, yes. So you they’re, they’re likely very, very aware of shape, color, feel the experience in your space, whether that’s brick and mortar or online, all of that shapes, how you show up for your business, your work, your brand, right? You have some great episodes on this podcast, really speaking to that. And it’s important to also look into our own experience, and how our sensory patterns or our preferences might shape what we choose to incorporate in our businesses. Right, what you expect to be the norm or to be welcome are to be nice, from the smell in the space to even the colours on our website. All of that is also coming from you not just branding or consultant. So it’s really fun to bring in the self when we’re talking about this.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I love that so much. Okay, so the holidays are undoubtedly just the busiest time of year. And for most of our indie retailers, I would say not every category, but for most, but it’s also a busy time of year just for us. We’re all going to parties and connecting with people. How do our sensory experiences play a role in how we manage stress? And what are some ways we might unknowingly exacerbate our stress levels or neglecting our sensory needs?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Ooh, this is such a juicy lead and crystal. So juicy. All right. So let’s get into it. All right. Ask me any questions along the way. Okay, everyone ready, we’ll take a deep breath. Oh, and sigh when we sigh it helps to stimulate our vagal nerve, and helps us to be in a more calm and content space. So why that matters? Well, our senses make up our nervous system. And our nervous system responds to stress. Right? So if you’ve ever felt your heartbeat go a little faster. If you felt your hands get sweaty, that’s a sign of your sympathetic or your activated stress response. Right? Our nervous system is there to keep us safe. So sometimes that activated response, say with your heartbeat, your hands sweaty, that can be excitement, that can be you’re about to go on a roller coaster, or you’re about to speak on stage. Right? You’re opening doors for the big sale, you’re probably going to feel some of that. On the other hand, when that response is coming up in our body, and it reads more as anxiousness. Right, it’s uncomfortable, but not in that I’m going to the next level. You know, I’m challenging myself in a way that I’m choosing. That is when we really want to look at it. Now another response that our nervous system may have is through a freeze or disconnection state. That can look like not feeling like you want to get out of bed. But it can also feel like sometimes you’re going through the motions. So you show up to your business. You’re just kind going in there, maybe even feel like you’re in a movie. Now that stress response is signaling, hey, something about this isn’t feeling safe, right, so your body wants to keep you safe. And so your body is trying to take you out of that situation, right? Sometimes we find that, when you realize I just really need a day off, and your body is telling you that that’s kind of taking it to that extreme of exhaustion, and you really need to refuel. So, when we are looking at unknowingly exacerbating our stress levels, by neglecting these needs, it’s as if we are not quite tuned in. Right? When we’re tuned in, that’s where prevention can happen. That’s where you can notice, oh, I’m a little activated right now. And it’s the excitement kind. Great, this makes sense. Or I’m a little activated, and it’s the anxious kind. And, you know, it turns out that if we keep going down this path, you’re probably going to end up in chronic stress land, right? Or you might end up snapping at someone later. Yeah, so our sensory experiences are a huge part of our stress response. And if our body is not feeling safe, or well, then those stress levels might just go through the roof. So it’s really important for us to notice what we are experiencing through the day to prevent it.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

And so I feel like if I’m hearing you correctly, our retailers, during this crazy time of year, pay attention, pay attention to how you’re feeling because I think we can get really caught up in the doing in all the things that we are really paying attention and pausing. Ask the question of Is This the good kind, the bad kind? What am I? What do I need here? What am I sensing? And that can just take a couple of minutes, right? Like this doesn’t have to take, we’re not saying you have to meditate for an hour to really get connected to what you’re sensing like, this can be something that’s very manageable, right?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Oh, yes, yes. And fun fact, a lot of times I find that when people say they don’t like meditation, it’s likely they tried it in a time that they were pretty activated, right? They’re gonna go go go mood, and then they expect themselves to sit to sit and let thoughts go with the clouds, which is all great when it works. But when you’re in that activated state, it is not going to feel good, because your body is trying to get you to move, right to get you to move through that stress response. So no, it is not something that costs money. It is not something that takes too much time. And it’s not something that comes with shame, right? There’s not a good or bad in these stress responses. It just is. It’s your body saying hey, I’m trying to keep you safe right now. So I’m giving you a really big signal. And it’d be great if you can do something with that. And the something you can do is to pause, pause for that moment. And take a breath. Notice where you are.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

And like you said to psi, which can we talk a little bit about what happens there? It’s the vagus nerve, is that right?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes. Yes. So our vagus nerve from especially more recent theory and support, thank goodness, for the research we’re able to do, we see that it innervates not only parts of your head and your neck, but it goes into your viscera, right. So when we tone or stimulate that vagus nerve, whether it is through movement and yoga, or hot/cold practices, through cycling, it helps to ease that nervous system. And when you’re in those states, and you’re doing the work with it, which is a lot of what I do in my programmes, you know, we look at how these patterns, how our body is responding and have some sustainable self care practices. I’m sure we’ll be able to talk about here. But when we work with it, we’re looking at signals from the body that you are in a state of ease. And that may be that you yawn. So everyone out there, enjoy your yawns, please, if we’re ever in company, I’m probably going to celebrate your yawn. So just a fair warning. Or if you have a stomach gurgle, and it’s not due to the fact that you didn’t eat all day. That’s a good thing too, because that’s a signal that your body is in some rest and digest.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Interesting. Okay. Celebrate the yawn. I love it.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Say thank you body, who you’re giving me a bit of a reset. Yeah. So folks that work for you that you’re around. Yawn isn’t always a signal of what we assumed to be tired or bored or things like that. Sometimes it’s it’s your body giving you a little gift there.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Mm hmm. Now in something I’ll do, Nicole, like, if I’m driving, and I find myself like in my head, and my thoughts are you feel that tension or that build up, or if I’m at home, and that happens, all I’ll be like, I’ll sing or I’ll be like the like, I just, I don’t know exactly how I do it. But I’ll kind of be like, I just make noises. And it feels very, like I feel a release. And I guess that’s because of the vagus nerve, and it’s helping calm my nervous system when I do that.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, that is a beautiful example. That is such a beautiful example. And it’s something that you can do when you’re in your car. Yeah, right. Right. So yes, turn up a song, sing the song, make the sounds, whatever you need to do. And it’s also a beautiful example of your own sensory pattern. So at some point, whether it was inspiration from outside of yourself, or you just feeling that bubbling up and needing to release it somehow, and you released it through voice, you’re able to notice now, that’s a pattern that you already have. How wonderful is that? So here, we celebrate that you already have so many things in your life that are supporting you, supporting your nervous system to manage that stress. And sometimes it’s just a matter of bringing in something that is accessible that is sustainable. So that it’s not Oh, no, I need to do all of the things to manage my stress, because that doesn’t lower anyone’s stress that makes us more stressed out. Right, exactly. Yes. So something like that is a beautiful example of a sensory pattern that you have in your life and that many folks can also try.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Okay, that’s cool. Very good to know. Now, your TED Talk delves into unconscious bias, can you connect the dots for us between sensory awareness, unconscious bias, and the way we interact in high stress, customer-facing roles.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

And doing this work with unconscious bias is really next level practice and sensory conscious skills. It involves being aware of our sensory patterns, and our internal state, then taking thoughtful action to acknowledge bias and relearn our behaviors that have been built in that we probably haven’t even noticed are built into us. Right? So it’s really bringing that bodily awareness and thoughtful action together. Now, for now, the best you can do for those high stress situations is to prepare ahead of time. So we all like to think what can I do in the moment? Well prepare ahead of time, so that you’re not just putting the bandaid on. Right? Yes, essentially, train your nervous system to feel a sense of safety, or calm, so that you can respond thoughtfully. If you’re just beginning with this, you can write out a go to response and practice it often. Then when you’re in the situation, it’s more likely that your well thought out practice response will come out before the one that’s generated only by stress and likely fear. So if you’re in the car, and you’re letting your voice out, you’re easing some of that stress and that moment, have that phrase or that response, or that the energy of the response present as well. And you can practice it there. And to bring in more sensory awareness, when you are driving. Our brains can be in a couple different states. One is when you’re a bit more in automatic mode, you know, and you end up somewhere and you’re like, Oh, how did I, I guess I got here somehow, you’re just driving, you’re used to it. It’s second nature. The other is that you are really bringing in a lot of sensory information. Right, there is movement, there are lights, there aredecisions you are constantly making, so it’s a very active time, as well. And if you’re practising these thoughtful responses that you want to have present when you’re in stressful situations, you know that car time is giving you a great opportunity to practice it, because it’s probably not so different from when you’re in that stressful situation. And your body is processing a lot at once.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah. Okay. I love the idea of prepping ahead, so you know how to respond. because we all know going into the holiday season, there might be that common question that people are asking, like your return policy. And if it’s a policy, people don’t love, and you have to explain it, or there’s something that went wrong, and they want to return something, or an employee doesn’t show up for work, or, you know, there are these situations that we know typically happens, if we can plan ahead on how we respond, and just know that versus reacting in that, that stressful, you know, time and responding that way, I think that can save us a lot of stress. And when you’re prepared, it’s just so much easier, like, if you can, I think everything is just so much easier when we are a little bit prepared with life and with running our businesses. So those are really great tips to help us manage some of the stress during the holidays.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, because you know that all of those things are going to happen. Everything that you listed out, we know that all of that is going to happen. So no surprise, when a person comes back with that return, or you have those interactions. So if you can support yourself and prepare with having an idea, you know, an idea of who you want to be when that happens, how do you want to show up, that can make the world of a difference. And by singing in the car, by shaking it out, by making sure that you have enough arrest, you are supporting your foundations, so that when that moment comes, you have enough capacity, or I like to call it internal resource to show up the way you want to show up in those stressful moments.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Absolutely. And you know what we could be using this for the dinner table with our family, how we’re gonna respond. If politics come up, whatever is going to be happening personally or in our store, prepare who you want to be? And these are just really great tips to call. I love it. Now, I’m fascinated by your sensory conscious living framework, can you give our listeners a glimpse into how this might help them navigate the intense demands of the retail world, especially during peak seasons?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, it is such a great framework to help you during the peak seasons. And like you’re saying spoiler alert, before and even afterward, when you’re really wanting to take like a year long nap. Right? Peak season is over? Well, you’re still here. Totally still moving through it? Yes. So the sensory conscious framework includes our sensory patterns and structures like I was talking about earlier, you know, these are the default ways of interacting with the world, your habits and routines. And when we look at them intentionally, we create structures that really serve you through the day. And now a really important part of this for me is that the self care skills that go with the sensory piece are sustainable. So I’ve gathered research about these three. And together, they can move you through moments in the day and long term challenges. So the first is compassion. Now let’s think about what we were just saying, Okay, you’re going to have some stressful moments. And by acknowledging it beforehand, that’s compassionate to yourself. Right, that’s noticing, oh, hey, I’m human. And these stressful moments will come. And when you’re thinking of how you want to respond to your staff, your team, your clients, customers, partners, if you apply compassion, it can help to step into awareness that, you know, we’re all human in the room. All humans, navigating this day to day with many demands and challenges. And that compassion can level the field a bit. Right? It can help calm our nervous system. And when you exude it, it also helps those around you. Now, the other piece is curiosity. So when we look at curiosity we consider Well, I wonder what will happen if I wonder if this will work out. I wonder if peak season this year is going to be amazing. I wonder if I’m going to come out on the other side of this a taller person. By that I mean more confident, you know, feeling good about who you are and how you show up in the world. And the third self care principle that’s really important here is consent. And that means being clear on what you’re saying yes to and what you’re saying no to and what you’re kind of like a maybe on because just being able to tell yourself, I don’t know about this one yet. But I’m gonna give it a little bit more time, that helps to find some ease as well. So imagine when you are walking into your retail space, you’re unlocking the doors. And you remind yourself, I am saying yes to this, I am choosing this, I am choosing to share this amazing thing that I have created. Right. And when we’re saying no, similar things can happen. You’re acknowledging who you are in the world, you’re acknowledging your perspective. And it doesn’t always mean a boundary or a wall, it means that you’re clear on what just doesn’t fit for you. Right, maybe you’re saying no to plastic hangers, because of your belief in eco-friendliness for your space, that’s clear too, right, it helps us to be clear and confident in our decisions.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I love it. So compassion, curious consent, let’s keep these three C’s in mind. And not obviously the goal here is to support you during a busy time of year. But these are things that you can tell that Nicole is saying that you can be using every day to really help support imbalance, like just create balance. I feel like as entrepreneurs and small business owners, it’s very easy to feel out of balance. It’s just you, there’s so much to do. And so many problems you have to solve and so many hats you’re wearing. And these are very, what I love about this conversation, or is it these are things we can all do. Like it’s free. It’s just a matter of changing kind of our habit. And, and how we handle, and making this a habit and having this be the way that we’re thinking and really implement it into our lives. Do you have any like a tip or two? I mean, I’m sure you have so many that can help a retailer implement this so it becomes like second nature for them to think like this.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Mm hmm. Yes. Start with one. Start with that small shift, because then it’ll open the door to the next. So as we talk about the three C’s for self care, is there one that resonates for you? A little bit more? Okay, well then consider that, write it down right now. Put it in your notes, save that word, or a word that represents it, or an image that represents it, put it on your phone, so that each time you open your phone, you have a reminder. Right? And that reminder, it may be compassion, you open your phone. Oh, all right. Okay, that’s what I’m doing these days, I’m practicing compassion. That means when you open up that next text message, it’s there with you. Right. And if you’re looking for, incorporating something that brings in your body, that word or that image may be brief, right, remind you to take a breath each time you pick up that phone. Or it can be something really fun, maybe a cartoon, your favorite musician. And that’s your daily reminder to have a little dance to shake it out. So for some of us who are a bit more active, you’re on the go, go, go stream, that might be really helpful. And for other folks who are might be in a space where it’s difficult to take that next step. They’re finding themselves a bit stuck. That may be a time for the breath. Right? Meet yourself where you’re at. That’s a fun one that I find makes a big difference to folks. And they’re usually surprised by how big of a difference it makes.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, because we can’t like push, push, push, or pull, pull, pull, like you just have again, it’s the balance and meeting yourself where you are that day and having some grace and compassion with yourself. It’s so good. Yes, so good. In our industry, it’s easy to prioritize the customer and the business while neglecting ourselves. How can retailers integrate self care as not just a personal practice, but as a business strategy?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

A business strategy? Let’s do it. Yeah. Because this is all about how we are as humans and humans make business. Right. So if those machines are going to work, we need to consider how they’re going to work for ourselves and those we serve. And I’ve consulted and supported many teams. So it’s not only possible to incorporate the sensory conscious framework as a business strategy. But again, you might be surprised how it makes a difference. So for our retailers, I can’t help but think about customer service since we were just on this topic. Now, let’s apply the three C’s for self care. Imagine if you or your team went into each interaction with curiosity, and asked, you know, I wonder what will happen in this relationship with wide eyes and hopefulness. And I wonder what will happen. And if the person or a partner isn’t quite ready for the purchase, or the way that you’re hoping that interaction to go, then you can add some compassion to it, you know, consider the position that they’re in. So this can help you from being salesy or disingenuous or frustrated, like, Why didn’t that work? Oh, well, if you’re in that, why didn’t that workspace, that’s your body responding to the threat of not receiving or having the resources that you need? Right, because you’re often selling something for resource. So if you’re able to support yourself in that moment, you can save yourself from feeling some of that nagging desperation coming up. So this is happening within the customer service moment. But when we consider strategy, look at how you’re training folks who might work for you. What skills are they bringing to the table? How can you bring more of their strengths, and maybe also teach some of this, right? Teach that, hey, how you show up matters. It impacts our space, it impacts our clients or our customers and impacts me. So let’s get on the same page about what that is. That’s where consent comes in. Right? Are they choosing to be there? Maybe there are discussions, some negotiations about what works. Maybe there’s some explanation about why things need to be a certain way within your strategy. But don’t forget that compassion, consent and curiosity can be a part of creating that strategy at every step.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

It really can. I mean, the fact that you correlated that to the customer service aspect, which I often say, customer service is selling. I mean, I feel like it’s the same thing. And when we approach it with curiosity, and I think we’re going to ask better questions as salespeople, right, which is also customer service. And I think that there’s going to be this feeling for the customer of like, a being heard and being like, met, it’s a memorable experience that a salesperson at a retail store is curious about, not just like, Oh, what are you here for, like, really curious who you’re shopping for? And where, you know, like, just asking better questions than if you need anything, let me know. And then the whole compassion aspect of this was blowing my mind when you’re saying that, because it totally is flipping the script on, I lost the sale. I’m a bad salesperson, they don’t like my products, they don’t like my store, like taking it personal. And I think when we take it personal, it can really put our fire out for the day. And then we have a hard time bringing that energy and enthusiasm to the next person. And so approaching your sales and customer service in that. And then as you were saying, I’m like, Yeah, you could totally use these three C’s in all aspects of the business. It’s really cool.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, yes. I’m so glad that that’s ringing it up for you too. Because for sales, it’s relationship, right. And this is all about relationship with yourself, relationship with your environment. And in this case, relationship with those you serve, or those yourself selling to

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Totally, it’s all about relationships at the end of the day. I mean, that’s what’s gonna get people to choose you and the customer has a million choices now. So we do really have to work hard at standing out and being visible, but then once they see us, how are we keeping them? And these practices and integrating this into your store for yourself as the owner for your team and into the strategy is a really smart way to keep them. Now many of our listeners are not just business owners, but also wear multiple hats, they’re parents, grandparents, their community members, how can sensory awareness help in balancing these roles, ensuring that one doesn’t burn out in one while neglecting the others?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

So many roles we have. First of all, I’m so grateful that you notice that and that you’ve brought this up. There’s so many of us out there who go through the day. And at the end wonder why am I so tired? Well, we can see all of the tasks, right? That’s one thing, our to do list is one thing, but you’re showing up in various roles. And each role brings out a different part of you. Right? Some may be a more nurturing side, others may be a more directive side. And that movement throughout the day takes energy. Yeah, especially if you’re doing that, and you’re in a high-stress environment. So when it comes to all of these roles, consent is a big piece of preventing burnout. You know, when you say to yourself, I am saying yes to connecting with my in-laws. Or you can say I don’t feel well in this situation, and I’m going to make some space, I’m gonna go take some space for myself, I’m noticing I’m not feeling well, that could be to yourself, it can, you can also say it out loud. Watch and see what happens when you’re modelling some of this. People might be surprised. But either way, you’re supporting your nervous system to calm and feel heard when you practice consent in this way. Right? Because we just said, your body’s doing your best, it’s doing its best to keep you safe. And when we’re activated by a threat, whether it’s in your thoughts or received from someone else, when we’re interacting in these roles, your stress response is going to say, hey, let’s do something about this. So it’s when we don’t move through that stress cycle, that we become stuck in it. And there are all these things we can do. But we must be aware that it’s important to do them. Because we’ve seen, we have the data, how much chronic stress leads to burnout, and physical ailments and mental health challenges, you know, you name it. So first, take care of your physical body, so that it can take care of you with all of these roles. Again, let’s do some things on purpose. So that when you do show up, interacting with all of your loved ones, your customers, you are as resourced as possible. So sleep, hydration, nutrition, those are numbers one through three. And then use what you’ve learned today or, you know, future work together to make it more peaceful and to be in environments that support you and your sensory patterns. That might mean during the holiday season, being aware of that, say the TV is on during the family events. And when the TV is on, everyone speaks louder. And there can be this fine line between boisterous and exciting and a bit too much. So noticing that those environments again, impact how our sensory experience shapes our stress response can make a big difference.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

And giving that space and the consent. I mean, I think about, for me, you know, I’m pretty extroverted. But there are those times where it’s like, I have to, you’re out a lot of parties around a lot of people you’re out in shot holiday shopping, and there’s so many energies you’re around and there’s all sorts of people, I have to come home and just like, lay in my bed, yes, with my dogs, and just be like, Okay, give me a second to collect my thoughts. And I love afternoon naps. I’m a really good napper. Like, I’ll take a 30 minute nap and boom, I’m ready to go and give more but I have to have those moments in that space. And also with consent. You know, like, I something I’ve been doing that has worked really well for me. And this is so simple, but I’ve just feel like sharing it is. I’ve been so busy lately with traveling, a lot of travels. So my schedule is so tight. And so I’ve been saying to people, I would love to I’ve got to be a maybe and let you know day of and if that’s cool with you. Awesome. And if you need to know right now, I gotta be a no and thank you for including me. And everyone’s like, yeah, just let me know day up. Like, I have to be that kind of person because that’s how I have to operate right now. And I just feel like people love you. They get it right. Like they’re, they’re gonna be there for you and you just have to ask for what you need. So nice. Yeah, I love it.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Is that something that will continue after this season of traveling?

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Well, that’s an interesting question. I hope so. Oh, I think that yeah, I hope it does. Because what happens is, we just have these, you might have a day where it’s like, so many things came up. And as much as I would like to attend, I just, I am really struggling today. I kind of like having that ability to sort of have the out. But on the flip side, there’s the side of just like you really want to commit, you want to be a woman of your word, you know, like I if I say, I’m going to be there, I’m going to be there and for certain occasions, absolutely. Right? Like you wouldn’t miss it. But I think I guess my long answer is that it will depend on the situation. But I really do need to make sure that I’m keeping some of these boundaries.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, yeah. Yes, you have that option, you have that option for consent. And if you simmer on it a little later today, and you want to add, Oh, watch out, we’re adding consent on top of it. It’s, are you saying yes to the ability to say no. Right? Are you saying yes, to continuing this practice of prioritizing your time in a certain way? Right, because you’re already practicing so many of these things. Sounds like you’re saying yes to your afternoon naps. And that is yes to a sense of decompression, and re-energizing a bit. Right, that is saying yes to listening to your body, and acknowledging that you’re pretty extroverted, and love doing the things. And we’re just humans and need a nap. Yep. So take that nap. Enjoy the cuddles. Yes, yes. And keep up the Keep up the practice, because it’s likely there’s that flip side. My guess is that you’re saying no to being burnt out, by taking that nap.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Mm hmm, exactly. Oh, it’s so true. I am loving this conversation. I’m getting so much out of it, Nicole. Now I want to talk about our physical environments. A lot of the retailers have brick and mortar stores. So what role does the physical environment of a retail space play in sensory experiences? Both for the retailer and the customer? Are there any modifications or tweaks retailers should consider particularly during the busier times?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, well, we’ve, we’ve touched on physical environments a few times, right, whether that’s the physical environments at home during your holiday extravaganzas with your family and friends, and the retail space. So the retail space we know can make or break the experience of a sale. And while I’m not a retailer, I am a customer. And I am a business owner and know folks who are also selling on Main Street, right? So you are already aware of this, you know that it’s true that our physical space makes a big difference. But here are some nuances that you can incorporate into your business even today. I like to think of this, just like an outfit. You know, Crystal, how when you have an outfit, you have a Hero Piece, right? It might be your top, it’s extra exciting, or your jewelry or your shoes, they’re just jazzy, right? When someone sees this whole outfit, that’s what’s gonna stick out. And the rest of the pieces are covering you as they always do supporting that standout piece. So for thinking of it that way, we want to have a space, a retail space, for example, say it is bright, super bright, your items are sparkly. That’s your Hero Piece. Right? Vision for looking at your senses. And this is your space, your Hero Piece is the visual aspect of it. That’s what’s going to be received first, when customers walk in. Literally, that’s what their body is going to be taking in. Right. So when we’re considering your other senses, you know, smelling and hearing, you want to design your space or adjust your space so that your scent or the music are supporting actors. They support the striking visual input, you know, they’re supporting the hero of your space. Now, this helps not only your customer’s nervous system to not be overwhelmed with too much stimuli at once, but it can really help folks working in that space as well. Right? So if they find that after a few hours, they’re just tired. wasn’t much of a busy day, but gosh, I’m tired. Well, you might have too many Hero Pieces showing up in your branding and your space at one So now, everyone has their own threshold for sensory information. And that’s really important to consider. But an approach like this can really help to create a space. That’s considering how our bodies work. And making it so that it is highlighting what your space has that is so special to offer, and not letting that Hero Piece get lost in all of the other sensory information.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Mm hmm. Yeah, I think that’s fascinating. If there are retailers listening to this, and you feel that or your team has felt that we’re like, I’ve worked just a couple hours with him, and I’m busy, but why am I drained to take a look around to see if there’s too much, too much that’s stimulating you, and really have the one hero and things that complement the hero. I feel like that’s a really good exercise for our retailers to look at, and also talk to employees about and take a look at the store and really experience the store. And I feel like all of us now are going to be really aware of this in our store. But then we’re going to be like everywhere else being really aware of these things.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, yes. Just call me, we can have a chat.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah, exactly. So good. Now, as someone who teaches, consults, and runs an institute, how do you personally navigate your own sensory experiences and avoid burnout, especially during peak moments?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Such a good question, thank you. I do believe in walking the talk and modeling and practicing what I speak about, what I teach, what I guide people through. And I hope that is true for all of our retailers as well, that you are engaged in what you sell for a reason. Right? So part of my sensory story, if I may, is that I became hyper aware of my sensory process when I had to relearn everything after a heat stroke and consequent brain injury. Now, the irony is that I’m a doctor of occupational therapy. So I’m the person that helps folks after injuries like these. But when I was relearning my vision, my speech, how to navigate spaces with varying volumes. That personal experience came together with my clinical training. And that’s where the sensory conscious framework came from. So now not only am I walking the talk, because it’s a great idea, right? It’s a great thing for us to do. It is absolutely necessary for me to do so that I can move through my day to day life. So if I notice that I’m in an activated state, and that’s excitement, oh, I lean into it big, I lean into that excitement. And if I’m in an activated state, and I’m anxious, just like you, Crystal, I might make some sounds I might seeing, right, I’m doing all of these practices, so that I can show up and share with all of you what is my life, vision and mission to help people in their everyday lives. And I think that if we all show up in our fullness, and part of this is supporting you to show up in your fullness, your wholeness. God, it gives you so much confidence when you can practice consent. And when you can make the adjustments you need and life isn’t just happening to you. Right, when things aren’t just happening to you. It makes a huge difference. So I do my best to practice it on the daily because I need to, and it brings me so much joy.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

It’s so good. Nicole, what kind of crazy experience that you went through with the heat stroke and relearning these aspects. I mean, that’s had to have been really challenging. Well, how long ago did that happen?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

That was just a few months over two years now. Wow. Yes. So if we were speaking this time last year, my speech would have been much, much slower. And if folks are listening to this as a podcast, you would have noticed that, and if people are watching your wonderful podcasts on YouTube, you would have noticed me being in a pretty dark room. So my awareness of growth and of healing and of moving through those stressful states, again, isn’t just talk, it’s real life and if people are having a hard time in their day to day, I want you to know that, genuinely it is possible to shift the stress levels your experience day to day.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Mm hmm. I am so grateful for the work that you do, Nicole, like it’s so incredibly needed. And I’m sorry that you went through that challenge, and also has given you I feel like gifts that you’re able to really give the world now. And so I’m really grateful we’re having this conversation. And I’m just learning so much from you and about you.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Thank you. Thank you again for having me here.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Yeah. Now, finally, if there’s one piece of advice, or insight you’d like our listeners to take away as they head into this demanding season, what would it be?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Hmm. Oh, well, in addition to a sigh, I suppose. We’ve talked a lot about many different factors today. One piece is really standing out for me right now. So that’s going to be the gem, the gem for you. For everyone to take, right after this podcast stops, right is to pause and take a breath during transitions. So when you’re moving from your car to the store, pause and take a breath. Notice where you are. When you’re moving from the bathroom to a social situation. pause and take a breath. Notice where you are. And when you’re celebrating your success for the season, because you all are going to rock it. pause and take a breath and notice where you are. See where that takes you.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I have the chills. That is so simple yet so powerful. Take a breath. Notice where you are. It’s beautiful. Nicole, how can people find more information about you and connect with you online?

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Yes, join me at sensoryconscious.com, where if you’re interested in doing a not fluffy but pretty fun exploration of your sensory conscious leadership style, you can take a quiz there, and we can connect on more than just the day to day but for sustainable, lifelong practices to help me live well.

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

I think everybody needs this quiz. I’m gonna take the quiz. This sounds so cool to just learn more about ourselves. And this was really a fascinating conversation. Nicole, I’m so grateful for you sharing. Thank you so much for your time and for being here.

 

Dr. Nicole Villegas  

Thank you. Thank you. See you all soon. Yes,

 

Crystal Vilkaitis  

Everybody. Remember that I am rooting for your success. And next week’s episode is actually one of my mentors as well as Nicole’s mentor. Jen Gottlieb is going to be here talking about her book Be Seen. So be sure to tune in and have a great week ahead. Thanks, everybody. Bye.

 

Thank you so much for being here. It means the world to me. Don’t forget to join the Rise and Shine newsletter which is Social Media News You Need to Know sent via email every Monday morning. Go to crystalmediaco.com/rise to join and don’t miss the newest episode of rooted and retail which drops every Sunday morning.