Wellness + Wisdom Podcast

There continues to be a stigma and unclear understandings about eat disorders and mental illness. Fortunately, more people are coming forward to discuss why it's so important that we try to understand and help those who are struggling each day.  One of these leaders is 18 year-old University of California, Santa Cruz student and Yoga Teacher, Maris Degener. Maris began her wellness journey as she was recovering from her eating disorder at a hospital. She was given the tools and assistance that she needed to help her body recover from her disorder, but she realized that the medical center didn't provide what she needed to help her mind heal.  Even though she's now a freshman in college, get ready to hear a great deal of insight from Maris on how we can discover self purpose, uncover happiness, and help change the stigma surrounding eating disorders and mental illness.   "They might not be able to understand that what's going through a person's mind doesn't represent the person, but the mental illness." - Maris Degener on why it's important to separate the person from their disorder.   Ending Myths about Mental Illness "Mental illness as a whole is so difficult to treat because it's so unique to the individual. We're still not 100% certain about how exactly mental illness manifests in people." -  Maris Degener   There are lot a of myths surrounding mental illness and we're still not quite sure what could be the cause of it. For some people it might be genetics or trauma or other life situations they experienced that create enough of an impact to affect their well-being.  There's a false belief that eating disorders come from a place of vanity. However, the root cause is so much deeper than that. Eating disorders and mental illness can come from a person working through their personal life issues. It might be their way to cope with trauma, feeling lost, or as a means to stay grounded when they feel out of control.   Recognize the Signs of an Eating Disorder Here are some different ways to recognize the signs of an eating disorder. The person is _____: not finding joy in food. finding it stressful to eat or be around food. suddenly displaying stress during social situations where food is involved. weighing and measuring what they are eating. eating different foods that they didn't eat before.   Shred Other People's Expectations  "Find whatever lights you up when other people are telling you that you should be doing something different with your life." - Maris Degener Maris made a really great point about the predicted expectations that society has about life and happiness. We can go through these scenarios at different points throughout life, but the pressure can be at its strongest when we have all of this pressure to join extracurricular activities in order to get into college.   Leave The Predicted Life Path When we face so many expectations that other people have ab

To celebrate the start of 2017, this episode is dedicated to spotlighting  7 powerful episodes and remembering what they taught us about our wellness path in 2016. It has been such an incredible year on the Wellness Force Radio podcast! There have been so many amazing guests who have opened up to us to share their stories and teach us how we can improve our health and wellness. On this episode, you will listen to seven inspiring conversations for seven steps to greater wellness in 2017. Gretchen Rubin: The Secret to Habit Change (Episode 051) Melissa Hartwig: Food Freedom Forever (episode 071) Dr. Jade Teta: The 5 Metabolic Myths (episode 067) Dr. John Gray - ADHD, Brain Health, & Sex Addiction (Episode 046) Gay & Katie Hendricks - Love vs Fear: Body Intelligence in a Modern World (Episode 055) Drew Canole - Self-Love, Juicing, and Transformation (Episode 078) Mark Divine: Creating the Unbeatable Mind (Episode 086) If you’re listening to the Wellness Force Radio podcast for the first time, this will be a unique experience for you to get in touch with the types of guests and topics we dive deep with on the show. If you're a returning listener, this will be an incredible chance for you to absorb seven powerful concepts from these world-class leaders to help you in 2017.   Gretchen Rubin: The Secret to Habit Change    "Unfortunately, we've all learned from tough experience that no magic, one-size-fits-all solution exists and that the real secret to habit change is that in order to change our habits, we must first know ourselves." -  Gretchen Rubin   According to Gretchen, the secret to habit change is to get to know ourselves through self exploration and awareness. We're not all the same and we need to understand what makes us happy and motivated to work hard.  One great example that Gretchen gave was the difference between some one enjoys simplicity vs. abundance. One person may work great in a simple environment with no clutter, but maybe another person feels energized in an office stacked with books and other collections.  Once you've found what helps you stay motivated, you can create new habits to keep that motivation going while respecting other people's differences and what motivates them at the same time.    Melissa Hartwig: Food Freedom Forever    "Food scientists have engineered chemicals and processed foods that light up the reward centers in the brain for a different reason than nature intended. Not because they provide vital nutrition, but because they're scientifically designed to stimulate our taste buds." - Melissa Hartwig   It is said that the

Alexi Panos and Preston Smiles are both internationally recognized next-generation thought leaders who are redefining what’s possible in relationships, career, and life. This duo has been recognized as "Personal Development’s Power Couple," and as world renowned innovators and pioneers in the “Emergent Wisdom Movement.” They are the founders of the groundbreaking Bridge Method, and have created a movement of transformation that has taken humanity by storm through their unique and passion-filled approach to sharing age old wisdom. With social media as a main source of connection and distribution for their inspiring video series, they’ve built an incredible tribe of loyal fans around the world who aren’t just inspired by their work, but are empowered by it. Today on the podcast you’ll discover with host Josh Trent how Alexi and Preston both went through periods in their lives where they felt like they were doing all the right things, but never got the desired results. When Positive Thinking Doesn't Work They'd read all the best books in self empowerment and positive thinking, took classes, and sought advice, but there was always something missing. After decades of their soul-searching and personal development, they realized that they were missing the most powerful connection - between mind, body, and soul. Discover more on the episode about how they both distilled decades of inner work, a full 12 week online program, and the bridge method into the pages of "Now Or Never" by combining years of training into five principles that can help you navigate the real world, learn how to overcome your inner obstacles, and become your best self. Fill with narratives and stories from the duos own lives as well as those from they have helped along the way, no one ever shares exercises insights and challenges to help you attain the personal freedom you’ve always been seeking.  As we move into 2017 and beyond, this uplifting and inspired conversation with Alexi and Preston is one you can keep on repeat. "Vulnerability is relatable. Perfection is not." Alexi Panos The 5 Principles to Living Your Greatness This LIVE training course with Alexi + Preston is valued at $1297 but it’s FREE when you pre order their new book, NOW OR NEVER. ELEVATE YOUR LIFE by elevating your mindset, confidence and ability to tackle problems and take life on with undeniable certainty and authentic power. You’ll learn the principles to tap into your gifts and unlimited power source so that you can live a life of fullness and abundance— no matter what’s going on. Instead of feeling anxious, stressed out, and overwhelmed, you will feel empowered, grateful and full of joy. By working these principles you’ll transform your life from the inside out, manifest what you truly desire and see the world through new eyes. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In her response lies our growth and freedom." Victor E Frankel, from his book,

When working on our wellness goals, it's easy to forget we all have both an inner coach and an critic inside our mind. The inner coach encourages us to do our best, while the critic can shut us down- dissolving our state of flow.   "There's a voice inside of all of us that tells us to accomplish what we desire and never quit. This is our inner coach. This is a voice that tells us to believe in ourselves." - Jeff Grant   Fortunately, we have the power to bring out the best inner coaches within us and soften our harshest inner critics. On this episode of Wellness Force Radio, coach, mentor, writer, and ultra-endurance athlete, Jeff Grant of Hillseeker,  shares several hacks on how we can tap into our mind and emotions to become better athletes and more productive. Our emotions can easily distract us, but with the right mind tools, we can learn to use those emotions to our advantage.   Owning Your State of Flow   "In positive psychology, flow is the mental state of operation in which a person who is performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment during the process of the activity.” - Jeff Grant   Being in the mental state of flow means that we are both amazed and inspired to be our your best. It's the natural high we feel when we're on a mission or have completed a goal such as completing a great work out, finishing a race, or finalizing a project at work. Experiencing a state of flow means that we are present in the moment. It can be difficult to get into a state of flow, but there are several tools that we can use to help cultivate more flow into our lives. Once we understand what helps us get into the state of flow, we can jump right into it when we want or need it in our lives. When Jeff finds flow during a run or through music, he tries to transfer it to another part of his life or within his work as a coach and author.   The Four Stages of Flow   To find flow and stay within it, there are four steps: Struggle, Release, Flow, Recover. 1) Struggle To begin our state of flow, we need to struggle on purpose. We can do this by taking ourselves out of our comfort zone and placing ourselves in an unfamiliar place, situation, or thought. Once we have struggled, we can release. 2) Release We can release ourselves from our struggle by finding something to laugh at or something that distracts us from it. 3) Flow This state of release places us in a state of natural flow and euphoria. When we're in the state of flow, we can find immense happiness and feel like anything is possible to achieve. 4) Recovery Once we're in the state of flow, we never want to let go of it again. We think that we always need to have this euphoric sensation 24/7, but recovery is part of the proce

"All you have is what's going on in front of you right now. Worrying about the future is only going to cause anxiety and bring up fears. It's only going to cause you to live in a time that's not present." - Justin Stenstrom   Our past may haunt us and our future may scare us, but we must remember that what we have today is the present. When we focus on being in the present and what is happening now, we can move beyond our anxiety. Having once spent years fight depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, Justin Stenstrom is now a nationally acclaimed life coach, author, entrepreneur, and speaker. On this week's episode, Justin opens up and shares his experience about how he ended his panic attacks in order to grow to the person that he is today. Give yourself the self-care and love that you deserve by learning about how you can beat your own anxiety, build confidence, and harness the power of small wins.   Beat Your Own Anxiety in 3 Steps   “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” -  Franklin D. Roosevelt   Even though Justin suffered panic attacks for years, he realized that they were truly a gift to help motivate himself to grow and become the person that he is today. Determined to find a solution to end his panic attacks and irrational thinking, Justin was able to beat his own anxiety in 3 simple steps by completely shifting his mindset and the way he viewed his panic attacks. 1) Observe your thoughts and emotions When you first feel a panic attack coming on, it's natural to want to run away from it. However, struggling with your anxiety will just make it worse for you. Rather than fighting back, simply do nothing and just observe what is happening in your mind and with your emotions. 2) Welcome the panic attack The next step is to let the panic in and have a dialogue with it in your head. Freely welcome these thoughts of anxiety and any other thoughts and emotions. 3) Call out your anxiety and fears Call them out and ask for more. Expose all your fears, anxiety, and concerns to come out into the open. This empowering, counter-intuitive step will help your negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations go away.   The Right Nutrition to Calm Your Mind Calming our minds can begin my focusing on our own nutrition. Justin recommends following a healthy diet and taking supplements as needed. For example, his daily food intake often includes: Fish Fish oil Fruit Apples, Bananas Complex carbs Broccoli, Kale Protein Chicken, lean steak Suggested supplements Magnesium, Niacin, Niacinamide, B complex, ashwagandha, valieran root   Build Confidence & Challenge Yourself  

"Faith is like a muscle. It's similar to going out for a run- if you don't do it normally run, you're going to sweat and it's not going to be comfortable. If you step into having faith when you don't know what the end is going to be, then that's something you can build every single day and you can rely on it." - Bridgette Mayer   This show is for everyone who believes that their past determines their future. How did a young girl who came through the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DYFS) system and foster care end up in the art world with a multi-million dollar gallery and consulting business? Through the kindness of strangers, fierce determination, and a survivor’s sheer will, Bridgette Mayer’s is a success story for the ages. In her inspirational memoir of gross neglect, violent abuse, and ultimately redemption, she shares her journey from the projects of Jersey City to eventually becoming one of Philadelphia’s most celebrated gallery owners. By following her heart and passion for art, Mayer’s interests evolved from a means of escape into her salvation and her security. She used her inherent self-assurance, natural curiosity, and scrapper work ethic to overcome the damage inflicted on her as a child and create a harmonious, rewarding, and charitable life — for herself and the artists she represents.   Rising Above Your Circumstances   "Anger is a much more proactive emotion than despair. I've used anger and fear to propel me forward. I've learned how to use both pretty well at this point. I've used such experiences to make me a better." - Bridgette Mayer   Bridgette's memoir, The Art Cure : A Memoir of Abuse & Fortune (published by Little Lion press in September 2016), is for anyone who aspires to a career in the arts and who has been told it’s too difficult or impractical to pursue. With bravery and tenacity, anyone can achieve the life of their dreams, no matter how out of reach it may seem. Mayer offers readers a bridge to color and a lifeline of hope for the future. After suffering an abusive childhood that landed her in foster care homes and on the streets, starving and beat up, Bridgette was adopted by a wonderful family at the age of nine and began her life transformation. Her early and challenging experiences gave her a tenacity of spirit, unbreakable creativity and a desire to make her mark in the art world. Now a successful art dealer, curator, art adviser, author and entrepreneur, Bridgette Mayer has spent decades cultivating her passion for art, artists, the clients she advises and finding her way to the top of the art world.   Creating The New Story   "I had a moment of frustration and I said to myself, 'The next 10 things that I'm asked to do, I'm just going to say 'yes' to them and figure it out.' The next day, I got a call from C

"Knowing without doing is the same thing as not knowing. What matters is if the knowledge that you have will give you an effective health practice for the long term." - Dan Pardi    There is power in knowledge and with the right health and wellness information, we can make the right decisions in accordance with our own needs. This week, entrepreneur, researcher, and developer of Loop Model to Sustain Health Behaviors, Dan Pardi, explains Self Determination Theory and motivation, the human connection, and his latest project, humanOS to help us find the best health information.   Find The Health You're Looking For "You have more control over your health than anyone else." -  Dan Pardi   There are many sources out there that claim that they have the answer to all of your health problems, but they truly don't. These novelty, quick fix methods, products, and services may look appealing, but they aren't sustainable for long-term health results. To find the best help for your health needs, you first have to clarify your own health problems. Rather than trend hopping by focusing on what you just read in the latest health magazine about a new diet, research and find out for yourself what your body needs.  It can be so confusing with so much information out there in books, magazines, and the internet. However, sources like humansOS, that Dan and his team are putting together, help us find the best, most credible sources of information.    Truth vs. Fiction For Health Research   In a recent interview on humanOS radio with Dr. David Katz of Yale, Dan mentioned:   “As well-intentioned as someone might be, I frequently find myself getting  frustrated, not when somebody’s passionate and wrong about an issue,  but when people can be overly confident and dismissive of  mainstream medicine’s consensus in favor of their own opinion which can often associate with their own financial reward.”   Once you have a proper perspective and mindset, you make good decisions for yourself. It's better late than never to embrace your responsibility to find the best method and motivation for you stay true to yourself and progress your health journey.  One challenge we all face today is the fight against the modern lifestyle. We used to be hunters and gathers, but today we're consuming high processed foods and sitting around too much at home. An unhealthy lifestyle doesn't only lead to chronic disease, but can impair our daily performance and relationships as well. All the technology in the world won't help you, but you can use the power of technology to fight back against misinformed studies to do your own research.    Begin Your Own Research   To ensure that you are finding the best information out there, look closely at who this researcher is and what their study is all about.  Who are they associated with? Do they declare their method? Do they offer a too good to be true solution? If this source appears to provide a quick fix, be careful.  OR Do they have a realistic perspective? Does their method clearly explain how it will help? Is their research comprehensive? Does their campaign have an overall, large framework.  Once you've found a legitimate piece of information on health, how can you incorporate it into your daily life? Try to clarify the problem that you're trying to solve. Find the right ideas that can help you.  Understand those ideas deeply. Turn those

"How you perceive, interrupt, and how you experience reality is unique to you like your thumb print. That neurologically you are an endangered species." - Bonnie Kelly   Today, certified life coach & personal development expert, Bonnie Kelly, tells her story have how she overcame an astonishing amount of hurt and betrayal to become the strong woman, coach, speaker, and author on a mission to help 100 million people end needless suffering.  In just one year, we've listened to so many incredible stories about how powerful the subconscious mind is, and today we have a powerful one that sits atop the collective. One way to Bonnie was able to let go of her past to move on with a new life was by reprogramming negative thoughts to create a new, truthful story and forgiving her past.   Our Subconscious Software   "Feelings are the guards that stand watch over the belief ensuring it will not escape. For many of us, childhood felt more like an episode of Survivor than Leave it to Beaver." - Bonnie Kelly   Our brain is similar to a computer. We have a monitor that connects to the tower to transmit all of the necessary information to function and learn. Inside the computer, we have software that stores and saves all of our memories in the history file. Our software is our subconscious mind which controls all of our thinking and can also create either positive, true thoughts or negative, false thoughts in our mind as far as: Who we think we are How we show up in the world How we fit in the world   Negative Core Beliefs   Throughout life, we collect negative experiences and traumas. Even as children, any unintentional hardship that we experience becomes  part of our negative core beliefs. These experiences are like viruses being installed in our brains. We end up accepting harmful events and remember them in our subconscious. Once these negative thoughts become part of our every day thinking, it's hard to change them. If we don't challenge our negative core beliefs, they become part of who we are and we tell ourselves false ideas such as: We're not lovable. We don't matter. We're not good enough.   Stop The Cycle of Negative Thinking We attract ourselves to feelings or environments that are familiar to us. Because of this, we always we end up in experiences at re-validate any negative thoughts that we have about ourselves. Bonnie experienced a constant cycle of  bad relationships because that was what she was drawn to. Her negative core belief that she is not lovable attracted her to people and situations and confirmed that thought. She's realized that if we don't recognize the continuous cycle of negative thinking, we will continue to believe that our NCB's are true. We have to realize that this is how the brain is working against us.  If we disconnect ourselves from the negative thinking and stop reinforcing a new habit from a previous negat

What does a 20 year Navy Seal Veteran, successful entrepreneur, coach, author, and sought after professional speaker do to cultivate an unbeatable mind?   On episode 086 for Wellness Force Radio we’re learning and growing from the founder of SEALFIT, and the Unbeatable Mind Academy, Commander Mark Divine. Get ready to be inspired from a truly legendary man who just happens to run his business right in Josh's hometown, Encinitas, California.   "The nature of the mammalian mind is to constantly scan for threats and be poised to react to them. Is it any wonder that our minds feel a constant tug toward negativity?" - Mark Divine, from his book "Unbeatable Mind"    Unbeatable Reeve WOD Challenge   Be part of the team effort involved in supporting the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation. There are 5.4 million Americans living with some form of paralysis. You can make a difference for these individuals by signing up for the Reeve WOD challenge today. Over $30,000 in prizes will be available to top fundraisers and top teams, and you can participate as an individual, or get your gym involved as a team. This event is powered by www.SEALFIT.com, Unbeatable Mind, and your generosity in contributions to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.   Creating The Unbeatable Mind   Listen the the podcast above as Mark uncovers the steps on how to create an Unbeatable Mind:   How to live life with your heart and your sword How to change your self narrative How to feed the courage wolf and starve the fear wolf Quieting the monkey mind How to create your personal ethos, including what your passion, purpose, and principles show about the direction and targets that are ahead, as well as learn about his five mountains of mastery Why the physical mountain leads to all others How to avoid "Weapons of Mass Distractions” mentioned before on WFR by Dr. Gay & Katie Hendricks How his Kokoro and 20X physical challenges help to purify the mind How Gratitude can rewire your nueroplasticity in the brain  Why Mark's Box Breathing training is one of his top tools for self-mastery   "The grueling intensity of this event brought me peace. It gave me a place to go within myself that I can be calm. This was unexpected. There are no obstacles that could EVER stand in my way again: physical, mental, emotional, intuitional. I'm able to handle ANYTHING! I'm forever changed & grateful. HOOYAH 32! CMDR Divine, Thank you for being my mentor, my coach, my leader, my friend.” - Danielle Gordon, Health & Wellness Professional, Kokoro 32 Graduate   Mark's Five Mountains of Self-Mastery Physical Mental Emotional (men tend to ignore this mountain) Intuition

When it comes to personal health, one size does NOT fit all. We are all unique in terms of our preferences, genetics, life experiences. Therefore, what works for one person may not work for us. The same can be said about a relationship between a personal coach and a client. Just because one approach worked with one client doesn't mean that it will work with another client. What does it take to a create a positive relationship between a personal coach and client? How can a personal coach connect with a client in such a way that it will change their life forever? ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition Coach, Lisa Perkins, of Primal Transformations shares her 5 tips for changing your life around and discovering the perfect health plan for you.   The Power of Connection in The Coaching Relationship   "We can't look at quantitative biomarker data without looking at the emotional components."-Lisa Perkins   During her journey to become a personal coach, Lisa discovered the power of emotional intelligence and connection with other people. She realized that there is so much more to health than food or exercise. A good coach looks at the whole person.  Nutrition, exercise, and sleep all matter but they are just part of the story. One-size-fits-all plans don’t allow wiggle room for things like work deadlines, the stress of caring for family members, or internal struggles with self-esteem.  They also don’t provide support to help clients consistently implement their plan. Lack of customization and lack of support often prevent people from being successful.  Good coaches know this.  They work with clients to develop an enjoyable process that leads to long-term, sustainable results. A person needs to set a health goal that connects their deepest values. Lisa has witnessed the struggle of many clients dealing with a story of yo-yo dieting, restrictive eating, and plan hopping. They weren't told how important it is to lock in your "big why." According to Lisa, you have to determine how you want to FEEL when you achieve your goal.  If you’re trying to conform to how you think society wants you to look, that’s not a positive motivator. Instead, ask yourself, ‘How do I want to show up in the world?’ Strong? Radiantly healthy?  Energetic?  Capable of doing whatever I want to do? These are the powerful emotions that will help us keep our eyes focused on our unique goal.    Finding the Perfect Coach for You Find a coach who you can connect with and is willing to collaborate on a customized plan. Take the time to interview several coaches.  This is a personal relationship and it’s vital that you feel comfortable opening up with them. Don’t settle for the first coach you talk to or the least expensive coach. Remember:  You are worth the journey to reclaim your health and mojo.  Take the time to find a good coach and see for yourself how