Episode 82

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Published on:

30th Jun 2025

#82: Lost in the Cycle of Pain? These 6 Simple Shifts Can Transform Your Life With Britt Brandon

Lost in the Cycle of Pain? These 6 Simple Shifts Can Transform Your Life



What if true healing doesn’t come from a prescription—but from within?

In this powerful episode of Beyond The Pills, we sit down with wellness expert, bestselling author, and survivor Britt Brandon, who shares her remarkable journey from homelessness and addiction to global impact and thriving recovery. With over 22 years in the wellness industry, 25 published books, and more than 10,000 women transformed through her work, Britt has a story—and a strategy—you won’t want to miss.

Her latest book, She Rises & Thrives: Loving Life In Recovery!, doesn’t just inspire—it empowers. Drawing from personal experience and professional expertise, Britt introduces us to her six science-backed pillars of wellness: food, fitness, fun, fellowship, faith, and sleep. These aren’t just lifestyle tips—they’re lifelines for those navigating recovery from addiction, trauma, grief, and chronic stress.

In this episode, we uncover:

  • The biggest myth about recovery and why the conventional model is broken
  • The most transformative shift Britt uses with clients that changes everything
  • How natural healing can create long-lasting emotional, physical, and spiritual breakthroughs
  • The intersection of faith and fitness in her journey from rock bottom to radiant purpose

Whether you're in recovery, supporting someone who is, or seeking a healthier, more aligned life—this conversation is your invitation to rise and thrive.

👉 Learn more at: www.SheRisesAndThrives.com

📘 Grab her book: She Rises & Thrives: Loving Life In Recovery!

🎙️ Follow Beyond The Pills on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to support our mission.

📺 Subscribe on YouTube so you never miss an episode!

Transcript
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Hello, hello.

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Welcome to this episode of

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Beyond the Pills.

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Today,

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I am thrilled to welcome Britt Brandon.

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She has over twenty two

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years of experience in the

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wellness industry,

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has helped more than ten

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thousand women transform

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their health through her coaching,

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fitness and nutrition

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expertise and the wisdom

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and founding of twenty five

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published books.

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But in her journey isn't just professional,

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it's very personal,

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as we've talked about a lot

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on these episodes.

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So from being homeless with

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three children to becoming

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a beacon of hope for women worldwide,

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we get to hear about that story today.

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And Britt has risen through addiction,

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trauma, abuse,

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To reclaim her life and purpose,

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her latest book, She Rises and Thrives,

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Loving Life in Recovery,

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is both a guide and a movement,

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one that focuses and uses food, fitness,

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fun, fellowship, and faith,

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and sleep as powerful

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pillars for healing.

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Britt is a walking testimony

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that recovery and

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transformation are not only possible,

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they're within reach.

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Let's dive into that story

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and discover how we can rise and thrive.

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Welcome to the show, Britt.

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Thank you so much.

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I'm so psyched to be here.

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Thank you.

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Man,

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I love reading the bios because it

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just gets me so energized

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with people's stories of

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transformation because

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that's what we talk a lot

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about on this podcast is transformation,

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healing, moving through it.

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And I have...

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I have this belief,

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and I'm pretty sure you do too,

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because it's in your story,

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but one hundred percent of

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people that help other

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people in wellness and

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healing have had a personal story.

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It's part of their journey,

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the hero's journey,

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the shamanic journey of

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moving through our own

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deaths in our world and

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moving into this new space.

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Let's talk about your journey.

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Let's talk about that story

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and those turning points

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where everything just started to shift,

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because I think those

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shifts are what's really important.

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So let's just dive in.

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OK, OK.

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Let's let's talk a little

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bit about who you are and

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where you got here.

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okay okay so um and I love I

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love the highlighting of so

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first of all like even

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hearing the bio which I'm

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sure a ton of your guests

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have probably even

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reflected to you is pretty

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wild right and it's it's

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like because you don't

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realize what you're going

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through when you're going

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through it you just know

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that it's pretty it's

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pretty yucky and you're

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trying to figure it out and

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you're trying to do your best but

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It's such a process to try

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to get from point A to point B,

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especially when you don't

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realize what point A is or

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where you're at and where you're going.

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It's such a cool journey,

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this life experience.

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I think, too,

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being able to share what we

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have experienced

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Helping other people either

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easily more easily navigate

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the same challenge or just

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be able to apply some kind

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of same principles that we

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use successfully in our own

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journey to be able to help

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them through theirs.

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It's like it's it saves

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people from trying to reinvent the wheel,

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but it also instills hope.

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Right.

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And that's the whole thing of.

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you know, yeah, the healing is.

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Yeah.

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It's so,

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it's so interesting that you say

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that because it comes up so

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much and it's such this big,

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beautiful truth because, you know,

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we can throw the

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neuroscience in there too.

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It's like we learn through

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story and through community.

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Right.

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And so when, when,

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and I love reading these

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bios because it's,

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Yeah,

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I'm glad you went there first because

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when people hear their own

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story outside of themselves,

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it becomes like, for me, it's like, oh,

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wow.

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Like, oh, yeah, I did do that stuff.

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And that's part of my story

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and my reality.

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So I'm glad that you enjoyed that,

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but that it's part of this

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journey that we're on.

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So let's talk about your journey.

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I'm curious on this.

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Okay.

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So it's funny because,

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so it started and I won't, you know,

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I won't take you through

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like every single year,

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but it started when I was

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little and I didn't realize it,

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but I just, I grew up in a house where,

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you know, you,

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you think your normal is your normal.

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And so I grew up in a house

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with non-fighting parents who, I mean,

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we had the picture perfect life of like,

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you know,

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we lived in a mansion on the

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water in Florida with a

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boat and a plane and

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And everything was great.

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It was me, my brother.

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We had two professional

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parents who never fought.

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It was amazing.

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And then when I was ten,

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they told me that they were

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getting a divorce and it

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totally rocked my world.

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And we went to two different

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houses within like a matter of, you know,

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probably a month.

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And I barely ever saw my dad

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again for a long, long time.

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And so it was this whole

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shakeup on that end.

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But then my mom's way of

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dealing with that was her.

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She spun out of control in

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addiction and she was she

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was still a professional

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and she was still a functioning addict.

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But behind closed doors,

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my normal was a very.

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funky.

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My mom slept a lot.

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I didn't know what was going on.

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I just knew that this was not good,

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but it was kind of like,

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I didn't know what was going on,

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where my dad was or what was happening.

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And so that was that piece.

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But then as I grew older and

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started dating, so I was

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A few years,

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I had either my mom or my

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boyfriend in rehab and I was.

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And so it was like, it was,

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my world was crazy, but it was my normal.

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And so that went on for a

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little bit and I held it

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together and kind of figured like, well,

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it's not my problem and it

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doesn't really affect me.

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I'm just going to care for

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both of them as much as I can.

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And then my boyfriend lost

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his battle with addiction

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and passed away.

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And my mom kind of, you know,

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she battled with it for a really,

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really long time.

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And then my way of dealing

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with it was getting out of

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my house and getting

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married to the next person, you know,

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I was with who, again,

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cue the addiction and alcoholism.

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And so I started, you know,

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I was young and married and

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started a family.

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And so I was twenty one when

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I had my first daughter.

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And there were signs that

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red flags that things might be abusive.

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There was always verbal

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abuse and emotional stuff.

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But physical abuse started

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when I was pregnant with my first.

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And then, you know,

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these long honeymoon

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periods in between that

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just got shorter and

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shorter and shorter over time.

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And

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And so my way of handling

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things was to turn to

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alcohol for numbing and it

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worked until it didn't is

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what I like to say.

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So that was kind of what brought me,

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you know,

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into my world of addiction was

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that it had always been normal.

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But, and then,

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and then I never wanted to

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be that for my kids,

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but I literally became like

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that proverbial tree that

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you don't want to hit when you're skiing,

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like you focus on the tree,

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focus on the tree,

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focus on the tree and you hit the tree.

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And so it was, it was pretty, um,

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it was just this whirlwind of events that,

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um, kind of culminated in a really scary,

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abusive household that was

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just fueled with, you know,

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what became my alcoholism

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as a way of coping.

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And then when it got too scary to stay,

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I left with my three kids

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in tow and we were, I mean,

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we had nowhere to live and it was,

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it was crazy.

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And then everything kind of came to a, um,

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just like you said, you know,

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those turning points where

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I was trying to co-parent

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with somebody who was

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completely out of control.

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and trying to manage what I thought.

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I was still writing books.

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I was still coaching clients.

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I mean,

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I was definitely a functioning alcoholic,

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but I was a shell of myself

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and just hurting beyond

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anything I had ever even

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imagined physically

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possible or mentally possible.

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One day I hit my knees and

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was just in my kitchen

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after this huge fight with my ex-husband.

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Our divorce ramped

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everything up instead of

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calming things down.

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he would pick up the kids when it was,

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you know, on my days.

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So I would be either at their school,

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like looking like a fool, picky,

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trying to pick up my kids

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who had already been picked up or, um,

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going to pick up my

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daughter from a friend's

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house was this day.

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That was my turning point.

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And I called to say that I

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was on my way and they were like, Oh,

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her dad already picked her up.

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And so I called him and was like,

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what are you doing?

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And he was like, Nope,

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you think you're calling the shots.

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You're not calling the shots, you know,

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you and

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And your lawyer, you know,

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can go stuff it and not in those words,

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but in some more colorful terms.

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And I just,

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I felt so defeated and there

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was like no way that this

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was going to end up in some

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positive outcome.

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And I went home and there

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was this massive bottle of

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wine on my counter.

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And that was normally what I

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did was it was just like dive into it,

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just numb things out,

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fall asleep and worry about it whenever.

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And I,

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it was like exhausting to even think

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about drinking.

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like that it was just this

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self-perpetuating cycle of horrible,

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you know, experiences.

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And so I just hit my knees and was like,

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I can't do this anymore.

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This is a disaster.

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And in that moment, and I know everybody,

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it's so cliche,

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but it literally felt like

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I had the weight of the

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world lifted off of my

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shoulders and things got

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way worse before they got better.

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I mean, it was, it was really,

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really crazy, but my, you know,

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my alcoholism peaked and

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I was put into a situation

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where thank goodness my

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kids weren't with me.

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And it was the middle of the

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day and I didn't think I

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would be driving.

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So of course I was drinking

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because that was my go-to.

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And I ended up having to

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leave to put an application

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for a new home in with a

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realtor and got a DUI.

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And, and it was just right there.

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It was like,

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I was told because I had full

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custody of my kids.

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Like if you don't, you know,

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you you're done.

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Like if you are,

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to continue on this path

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you'll lose your kids and

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so it was it was great and

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then I was a single parent

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I was trying to navigate

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things my ex-husband broke

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into our house like

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christmas eve in the middle

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of the night almost killed

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one of our house guests so

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he went to jail it was

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everything fell apart and

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that was what we needed

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that was exactly what we

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needed was everything broke

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apart and we were we have

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been able to piece by piece

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brick by brick

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build this incredible life that is healthy,

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peaceful.

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People walk into my home and they're like,

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oh my gosh, this is the most peaceful,

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peaceful place.

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And I'm like,

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that is exactly what we are

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trying to build here.

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My kids are thirteen,

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sixteen and eighteen and

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they're best friends.

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Like we are such a team and such a healthy,

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thriving little family.

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And I don't think any of it

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would have been possible if

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we hadn't had everything

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just kind of break apart in

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such spectacular fashion.

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Well,

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it is that sort of hero's journey though,

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right?

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It's hitting that dark night of the soul,

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like that pivotal moment

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where everything seems like

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it's not going anywhere,

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but it's so intense, right?

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I think people that have

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gone through these journeys

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have got to that point

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where they knew it's like,

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It's either micro moments

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that get you there or it's

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this big pivotal moments like, all right,

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I'm sitting there on my knees,

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I'm staring at this bottle of wine.

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And first of all, thank you for sharing.

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This is deep stuff and really,

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really interesting and good

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things because

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you're on the other side of it, right?

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You're on the other side of it.

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So I want to talk through that,

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that turning point.

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Cause I think a lot of this

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resonates with a lot of us

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like numbing with, you know,

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things that are not healthy for us,

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like turning toward, cause it's, it's,

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natural human tendencies to

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want to numb the pain right

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we don't like pain so we

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repel against it and we

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cling towards the things

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that we like and the

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dopamine hits and there's

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something in between and

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yes I think we do need to

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experience everything but

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that's our natural tendency

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of survival right we want

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to go towards the things

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that we like and we want to

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go away from things we don't like

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And there's coping, maladaptive or not,

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coping mechanisms that we have.

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And so everybody understands

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that because we all do it, right?

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There's some points in our

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lives where we go there,

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and some of us have genetic

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or other extinctions.

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situations where maladaptive program.

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Right.

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And so you were in there,

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you were in the thick of it,

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you were still functioning,

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but you were in the thick of it.

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And then that, that piece came or,

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or what I heard was like,

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I got to make a choice point now,

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whether it's my maladaptive

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stuff or my kids.

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Right.

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Like it was very clear for you.

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Like, and I,

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whether we,

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I think the universe gives us

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these tools and gifts until

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we learn our lesson, right?

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And they get a little bit more.

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And what I've learned

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through my own experience

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and journey of healing and

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transformation and lessons in life,

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because I think we're

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winning or learning and

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learning is winning.

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That's from the book Arate.

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And that piece was like,

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if you don't learn your lesson,

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it's like the karmic thing

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comes and kicks a little harder.

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gets you a little going like, all right,

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you didn't learn your lesson.

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Now it's the DUI.

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Like you were moving to the

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point where it's going to keep repeating.

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I think most people

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understand this when they think about it,

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right?

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And it gets a little like

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that swift kick in the ass is like,

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all right, now,

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now you're forced to make a choice,

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right?

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It's like,

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it's going to keep coming up for

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you until that choice came.

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So you made the choice, right?

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You made the choice to go over here.

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walk us through,

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cause you've got these six pillars.

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Now you've got this personal

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experience that you're teaching others.

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So walk us through.

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All right.

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Big choice point.

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Now it's because I think

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this is where a lot of

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people get stuck or lost.

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Like I'm a big fan of having

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guides and coaches in your journey, but

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Right at that moment, where were you?

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What was going on?

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And what was the process of

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moving those bricks?

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I love how you're saying, for me,

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it's like the whole thing got blown up.

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The foundation was there and

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then you had to piece it up

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together and build the

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thing you really wanted to build.

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And so we're building now,

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but that choice point where

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we start the first brick, right?

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We start that one thing.

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That's the change point.

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And I want to talk a little bit about your,

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your experience with that,

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because I think that's a

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really true moment that we

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all face in our lives.

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Yes.

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And,

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and I love the idea of everything

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being like wiped clean.

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Cause that's, I mean,

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you literally start from scratch and I,

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and I think it's the best way too,

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because sometimes we try to

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fix something or we try to,

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we try to piece something

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together and it's almost

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like trying to piece together like water,

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you know, like trying to sew water.

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I mean, it's just, it's broken.

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It's disastrous.

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It's, you don't,

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it's not even workable anymore.

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So it's like you start from scratch.

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And so luckily, I mean, even,

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even in my book, I, I, I,

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in the acknowledgements,

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I acknowledge the

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international sports

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sciences association for

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giving me the information

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and tools that I needed

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because I had been a health coach.

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I had been a personal trainer.

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I had been a fitness nutrition specialist,

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a group fitness,

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like all of these things.

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And it was like,

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it got to the point where I was like,

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I don't know what to do.

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Like, so now I know I need to get sober.

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And my life doesn't stop.

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I've got three kids.

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I have to work.

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I have to do all of these things.

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Yeah, the stress doesn't go away, right?

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No, no.

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I was not in a position

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where I could put my life

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on pause and go to a spa

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and learn how to recover.

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That was not my reality.

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And I was jumping through

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the most intense hoops I've

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ever had to jump through with probation.

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So I was having random drug alcohol tests.

Speaker:

I mean, it was crazy.

Speaker:

so which and you can't drop

Speaker:

the ball because dropping

Speaker:

the ball means jail or

Speaker:

start over and it was like

Speaker:

and this is an expensive

Speaker:

endeavor I don't know if

Speaker:

anybody you know so anyway

Speaker:

it's there were a ton of

Speaker:

plates spinning so it was

Speaker:

like first of all

Speaker:

everything had to quiet

Speaker:

like if it wasn't

Speaker:

warranting my attention it

Speaker:

was out and so I like to

Speaker:

say that it was literally

Speaker:

just like my dad says we

Speaker:

went underground for a year

Speaker:

I just took my kids and we were literally

Speaker:

Just it was me,

Speaker:

those kids and my faith

Speaker:

that everything was kind of

Speaker:

like working on.

Speaker:

And we went through the same

Speaker:

schedule every day of work in school,

Speaker:

home and then making dinner,

Speaker:

going to bed.

Speaker:

Like everything just became a routine,

Speaker:

which helped me immensely.

Speaker:

So that was one thing.

Speaker:

And then I started drawing

Speaker:

on all of these.

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

habits and directives that I had

Speaker:

been sharing with my

Speaker:

clients for so many years.

Speaker:

And it was starting with nutrition.

Speaker:

Like so many things are

Speaker:

based in nutrition.

Speaker:

And if your nutrition isn't on point,

Speaker:

you're depleted,

Speaker:

you're dealing with

Speaker:

dysfunction and malnutrition.

Speaker:

So I started focusing on my

Speaker:

eating and drinking water.

Speaker:

And it was like that kind of,

Speaker:

those kinds of things were

Speaker:

like brick one.

Speaker:

And then my sleep was huge.

Speaker:

I just hadn't slept well in months.

Speaker:

you know, forever.

Speaker:

So there's a story I share

Speaker:

in my book about, we dragged home this,

Speaker:

this,

Speaker:

this a treadmill that my kids had

Speaker:

seen like on the, on the,

Speaker:

at the edge of this curb on

Speaker:

our way home from our community pool.

Speaker:

And they were like,

Speaker:

can we bring it home and see if it works?

Speaker:

And this

Speaker:

item not only turned into

Speaker:

like a perfect toy for them,

Speaker:

but it was my saving grace

Speaker:

because when I couldn't sleep at night,

Speaker:

I would get up and just

Speaker:

walk on that treadmill.

Speaker:

And so between wearing

Speaker:

myself out with fitness during the day,

Speaker:

so I could sleep at night,

Speaker:

it helped me correct my circadian rhythm.

Speaker:

I was like getting exercise,

Speaker:

but like my body had been

Speaker:

so pumped on adrenaline for

Speaker:

such a long period of time.

Speaker:

that it was just like

Speaker:

everything had to be super

Speaker:

simple or it was out.

Speaker:

And it was just that was how

Speaker:

we just did brick by brick.

Speaker:

So it was like the fitness, the food,

Speaker:

the fun, the fellowship.

Speaker:

the sleep and the faith all

Speaker:

kind of culminated in

Speaker:

everything I needed.

Speaker:

Nothing cost anything, you know,

Speaker:

everything was free and it

Speaker:

was just quality of life

Speaker:

things that I had to focus

Speaker:

on and it worked and it

Speaker:

worked and it was day by day.

Speaker:

Not every day was easy.

Speaker:

There was a lot of learning,

Speaker:

just like you said, you know,

Speaker:

we're either winning or

Speaker:

we're learning and the

Speaker:

learning is winning too,

Speaker:

because we learn what works

Speaker:

and what doesn't, and we keep what works,

Speaker:

ditch what doesn't.

Speaker:

And that's,

Speaker:

that was how simple and basic

Speaker:

everything became.

Speaker:

I feel like I've learned.

Speaker:

So just like we were talking

Speaker:

about before the show,

Speaker:

there's so many parallels

Speaker:

in your journey to becoming

Speaker:

well that you carry over to life.

Speaker:

And it's like,

Speaker:

what people think about you

Speaker:

doesn't matter because it doesn't,

Speaker:

you know, I mean,

Speaker:

you need to focus on the people,

Speaker:

places and things that

Speaker:

really bring you joy

Speaker:

because life is short.

Speaker:

I mean,

Speaker:

you start really just kind of

Speaker:

cutting out the fluff and

Speaker:

focusing on like,

Speaker:

You know,

Speaker:

things that pop up as needing

Speaker:

your attention, they need your attention.

Speaker:

Anything else just doesn't.

Speaker:

Well, you.

Speaker:

you hit a lot of points that

Speaker:

I've been talking about for

Speaker:

a long time as well,

Speaker:

was the simplicity of it, right?

Speaker:

The simplicity of, now,

Speaker:

just because it's simple

Speaker:

doesn't make it easy.

Speaker:

Like I have a whole program

Speaker:

called Wellness Made Simple,

Speaker:

and it gets back to those

Speaker:

basics that you talk about

Speaker:

that we push aside because

Speaker:

of the simplistic nature of it,

Speaker:

because we are complex beings now.

Speaker:

And everything is like

Speaker:

people are moving towards

Speaker:

the first supplement that

Speaker:

can give them the this or the that.

Speaker:

And it's this for that

Speaker:

approach when you did it.

Speaker:

Like the first pillar is the

Speaker:

pillar that I have in my

Speaker:

well-being structure is food.

Speaker:

Food is medicine.

Speaker:

And I do want to talk about

Speaker:

those and how those things are.

Speaker:

But I do want to honor you in a way that's

Speaker:

for being vulnerable as a

Speaker:

wellness coach and

Speaker:

understanding like that we

Speaker:

are humans too.

Speaker:

And we fall from grace and we,

Speaker:

we go through maladaptive stuff too.

Speaker:

Like,

Speaker:

I love hanging out with healers.

Speaker:

I love hanging out with

Speaker:

wellness people and we all

Speaker:

have our ups and downs.

Speaker:

It's not like we're the

Speaker:

pillars of society.

Speaker:

Ninety nine percent of the time.

Speaker:

It's like this was real stuff for you.

Speaker:

You knew all of it and it

Speaker:

was still real and in front

Speaker:

of you because of the

Speaker:

emotional intensity that it created.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

And so we are all perfectly imperfect.

Speaker:

you recognized it.

Speaker:

And then you went back to your trainings.

Speaker:

You went back to the places

Speaker:

that you could find grounding for.

Speaker:

And I love that you grabbed the, I love,

Speaker:

this is something that's

Speaker:

coming up for me lately is

Speaker:

that embodiment of getting

Speaker:

that energy out, right?

Speaker:

Like getting on the

Speaker:

treadmill and just going

Speaker:

because energy has got to move.

Speaker:

If it's stagnant, then you can't do it.

Speaker:

So these, these,

Speaker:

breadcrumbs came to you, right?

Speaker:

I love it.

Speaker:

On the street,

Speaker:

you dragged it in and it

Speaker:

became a pillar of your healing.

Speaker:

That is really, but that is the,

Speaker:

that is the essence of the

Speaker:

healing journey.

Speaker:

It's like,

Speaker:

there is no script that how and

Speaker:

the when just falls in once

Speaker:

you're in alignment, right?

Speaker:

You took that choice point,

Speaker:

you threw that out into the universe and

Speaker:

And then you went back to the basics.

Speaker:

This is like the simplicity of it.

Speaker:

You said fun, right?

Speaker:

Fun is something that's not

Speaker:

in everyone's vocabulary,

Speaker:

but it's in every single

Speaker:

child's vocabulary, right?

Speaker:

And getting back,

Speaker:

I've been working on that

Speaker:

one lately is like,

Speaker:

how can we be more playful

Speaker:

and be more of that inner

Speaker:

child where we're just

Speaker:

joyful about the simple things?

Speaker:

and your routine, right?

Speaker:

I love the fact that you

Speaker:

went back to simple and you

Speaker:

said whatever it and stayed

Speaker:

present in the moment, right?

Speaker:

If this is in front of me,

Speaker:

I'm going to pay attention to it.

Speaker:

That stuff's not there.

Speaker:

And

Speaker:

Easy to say, hard thing for me to do is,

Speaker:

you know, what people say doesn't matter,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

It doesn't matter in your world.

Speaker:

It matters to them, great,

Speaker:

but it doesn't affect you.

Speaker:

So you have this boundary you are setting.

Speaker:

You can help do it.

Speaker:

And you stayed the course

Speaker:

with consistency.

Speaker:

That is a big piece that I

Speaker:

think a lot of people don't

Speaker:

put the patience into the

Speaker:

consistency of things before they,

Speaker:

this isn't working, wash it out, right?

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

It's that balancing though.

Speaker:

It's not a balance.

Speaker:

It's a balancing of try, see if it works,

Speaker:

scrap it if it doesn't, learn from it.

Speaker:

And staying the course when things,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

things that are good for you and

Speaker:

still work through it.

Speaker:

It's like with food,

Speaker:

you can choose the foods you eat,

Speaker:

but it's either medicine or poison.

Speaker:

And we know the difference, right?

Speaker:

It's either helping or hindering.

Speaker:

Absolutely.

Speaker:

There's no...

Speaker:

There's, and you know,

Speaker:

our bodies talk to us.

Speaker:

And that's the thing is like in this time,

Speaker:

I was so blessed with the

Speaker:

fact that I had been numb

Speaker:

for so long that everything

Speaker:

was on like heightened,

Speaker:

everything was loud.

Speaker:

So it was like,

Speaker:

if my body didn't like something,

Speaker:

it was like reject.

Speaker:

Like, I mean, I felt things,

Speaker:

I would like touch coffee

Speaker:

and recoil and be like, oh my gosh,

Speaker:

that is literally the

Speaker:

thought of it is making me sick.

Speaker:

And so I started following

Speaker:

these cues and clues that

Speaker:

my body was giving me about

Speaker:

food or about fitness that I was doing.

Speaker:

Like I tried to do HIIT at

Speaker:

one time and it was too intense.

Speaker:

It like literally stressed

Speaker:

my systems too much.

Speaker:

And I felt like I had the flu.

Speaker:

And so it was like, okay, nope,

Speaker:

we're going back to just walking.

Speaker:

And so I did that for like, I mean,

Speaker:

it was like two years and I,

Speaker:

it wasn't until recently

Speaker:

that I realized that I

Speaker:

learned from actually from a client who,

Speaker:

um,

Speaker:

she's a, she's a PTSD counselor,

Speaker:

but she was like, Oh my gosh, that was,

Speaker:

it was, you know,

Speaker:

this bilateral stimulation

Speaker:

of your walking was helping you heal,

Speaker:

helping your brain heal.

Speaker:

And it's like, Oh my gosh,

Speaker:

this is so like your body

Speaker:

wants to be well,

Speaker:

and your body wants to thrive.

Speaker:

And so it's like,

Speaker:

if we stop trying to mute

Speaker:

things out and just push

Speaker:

things on our body, like,

Speaker:

just like you said,

Speaker:

like the new and latest

Speaker:

supplement or this or that,

Speaker:

and it's like,

Speaker:

just feed your body

Speaker:

nutritious foods and start

Speaker:

looking at like the time

Speaker:

and how your body responds

Speaker:

to whether it's like, you know,

Speaker:

when was the last time you

Speaker:

got outside and without AirPods and,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

walked around and were just like

Speaker:

mindful about, you know,

Speaker:

in the moment and

Speaker:

practicing like just like

Speaker:

things that stress you out

Speaker:

or that you need to try to

Speaker:

minimize or the fun that

Speaker:

you need to maximize.

Speaker:

Like I'll mention fun to

Speaker:

clients and they're like,

Speaker:

I don't know what I like to do.

Speaker:

And it's like, there it is.

Speaker:

Like that's what we need to focus on.

Speaker:

You know, like join a kickball team.

Speaker:

I have a client who started

Speaker:

ballet and she loves ballet.

Speaker:

Like she's, you know, fifty five.

Speaker:

And she's like,

Speaker:

my ballet class is amazing.

Speaker:

And it makes me feel strong.

Speaker:

Like there are so many

Speaker:

beautiful things that we

Speaker:

get from like we're not little anymore.

Speaker:

And right.

Speaker:

Like, I mean,

Speaker:

I watch my son who's thirteen

Speaker:

have endless energy and his

Speaker:

forms of fun are incredible.

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

very like high paced and high energy.

Speaker:

But my forms of fun are very different,

Speaker:

but they bring me so much

Speaker:

joy and I look forward to

Speaker:

them and they enrich my days.

Speaker:

And it's like, you know,

Speaker:

let's let's do more of that.

Speaker:

Like paddle boarding makes

Speaker:

me feel like I am

Speaker:

you know, just like talk about alignment.

Speaker:

It's like peace and my brain

Speaker:

is like calm and open and free,

Speaker:

but I'm also like inhaling

Speaker:

phytotens because our trees

Speaker:

are just emitting these

Speaker:

amazing phytochemicals here

Speaker:

in North Carolina that are amazing.

Speaker:

But the things like this

Speaker:

that are free and that we have access to,

Speaker:

we need to be taking

Speaker:

advantage of those to heal

Speaker:

our bodies and our minds.

Speaker:

And yeah.

Speaker:

It's powerful.

Speaker:

And you're bringing up stuff

Speaker:

as I'm thinking it.

Speaker:

It's so fun.

Speaker:

It's like getting out in nature.

Speaker:

yes free right yeah you got

Speaker:

to buy a paddleboard but

Speaker:

you can go on facebook and

Speaker:

find one pretty cheap these

Speaker:

days or forget the

Speaker:

paddleboard and go swim I

Speaker:

mean it's right yeah it's

Speaker:

like the no excuse piece is

Speaker:

I'm busy you know I love

Speaker:

that you're like you're

Speaker:

bringing fun into it but

Speaker:

you're asking people

Speaker:

directly like hey what are

Speaker:

you doing for fun and then

Speaker:

they're checking themselves and it's like

Speaker:

you know it's it's get those

Speaker:

hobbies move that stuff

Speaker:

forward and for me it's all

Speaker:

it it I've learned this

Speaker:

over my last year too is

Speaker:

like more more in nature

Speaker:

more in nature more nature

Speaker:

and if in what you said was

Speaker:

the way I way I say it too

Speaker:

is like the body knows like

Speaker:

it's not like the mind

Speaker:

thinks but the body knows

Speaker:

the heart knows that when

Speaker:

you're outside and you're

Speaker:

grounded with your feet

Speaker:

bare feet on the ground in nature.

Speaker:

And you don't, I'm in Charlotte here.

Speaker:

You're in Raleigh.

Speaker:

Like we don't have to go to

Speaker:

the mountains to be in nature.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

There's parks everywhere.

Speaker:

And you can sit in nature

Speaker:

without ear pods and just be like,

Speaker:

I've been doing this a lot.

Speaker:

I don't know if it is

Speaker:

something that you've been thinking about,

Speaker:

but like,

Speaker:

The art of non-doing is

Speaker:

something that's coming up for me.

Speaker:

It's like,

Speaker:

when was the last time you just

Speaker:

sat in nature without an agenda,

Speaker:

without checking anything,

Speaker:

without your mind going nuts?

Speaker:

Because it's going to go,

Speaker:

the monkey brain will go,

Speaker:

but we know that we can

Speaker:

check it back and go back into nature.

Speaker:

You can just be present and

Speaker:

watch nature or be in

Speaker:

nature or do whatever feels

Speaker:

right for you.

Speaker:

These are low cost, no cost,

Speaker:

highly impactful and valuable things.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

Lifestyle medicine is just a choice.

Speaker:

Oh, yeah.

Speaker:

And this is why I put a lot of focus.

Speaker:

One of my mentors has taught

Speaker:

me this as well.

Speaker:

It is over like probably the last five,

Speaker:

six years.

Speaker:

I've gone through this

Speaker:

process of going back to simple medicine.

Speaker:

Like I've learned all the

Speaker:

crazy functional medicine

Speaker:

protocol to do blank, blank and blank.

Speaker:

Yeah, that's great.

Speaker:

But eighty percent of the

Speaker:

time we can do it with

Speaker:

lifestyle and simplicity.

Speaker:

We can reverse diabetes in

Speaker:

ten weeks with simplistic

Speaker:

food choices and mindset shifts.

Speaker:

Absolutely.

Speaker:

Stress is the big one.

Speaker:

You talked about it a lot.

Speaker:

It's been the number one

Speaker:

thing that's affected me in

Speaker:

my life and all of the

Speaker:

trials and challenges I've

Speaker:

had that I've learned

Speaker:

through that are my gifts.

Speaker:

but they're my shadow too

Speaker:

because that high intense,

Speaker:

this is why that hit didn't

Speaker:

work for you because your

Speaker:

stress response was so high.

Speaker:

You can't go into intensity

Speaker:

workouts thinking it's

Speaker:

healthy when your stress

Speaker:

response system's already

Speaker:

triggered and your hairline is so finite,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

And I'm speaking from my own

Speaker:

experience here because that's the thing.

Speaker:

It's like, so that's why I found...

Speaker:

on meditation is the best

Speaker:

grounding thing for me.

Speaker:

And it's my non-negotiable.

Speaker:

And there's too much science

Speaker:

to prove why it's so good

Speaker:

for us now in immune system

Speaker:

and all these other things.

Speaker:

That's why I follow Joe

Speaker:

Dispenza's work and I'm a disciple.

Speaker:

Oh, such a genius.

Speaker:

Oh my goodness.

Speaker:

Because he's saying it with

Speaker:

the science piece that our, you know,

Speaker:

left brains need to learn about.

Speaker:

But what you said is all the

Speaker:

simple stuff that our body

Speaker:

has already known was known forever,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

We talk through story,

Speaker:

sitting around a fire, being in nature,

Speaker:

eating, eating food from, from the farm,

Speaker:

not the factory, right?

Speaker:

Yep, exactly.

Speaker:

Exactly.

Speaker:

And these are, but so how do,

Speaker:

how do you teach people in your clients?

Speaker:

And let's talk a little bit

Speaker:

about your book next, but like,

Speaker:

how do you,

Speaker:

how do you get people to

Speaker:

understand and move through this?

Speaker:

I know we need accountability.

Speaker:

Eighty percent of people

Speaker:

follow through with accountability.

Speaker:

Yep.

Speaker:

And twenty percent of people

Speaker:

follow through without accountability.

Speaker:

So we got to flip it to the

Speaker:

eighty percent so we can

Speaker:

get an outcome here because

Speaker:

we got problems.

Speaker:

Right.

Speaker:

We're stressed out.

Speaker:

We are foggy brain.

Speaker:

We have our attention is

Speaker:

everywhere and we're

Speaker:

scattered and we have a, you know,

Speaker:

weight obesity problem.

Speaker:

We have all these things

Speaker:

we're trying to handle and

Speaker:

change in this world.

Speaker:

So what's your formula for

Speaker:

success as you're bringing

Speaker:

people through this process?

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

So to your point, right?

Speaker:

So we start with the accountability.

Speaker:

The fellowship piece is one

Speaker:

of my favorite pieces because- Ooh,

Speaker:

talk about this.

Speaker:

I'm a spiritual guy.

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

Okay.

Speaker:

So listen.

Speaker:

So we are obviously like,

Speaker:

we are social beings, right?

Speaker:

And we love feeling seen and

Speaker:

heard and valued.

Speaker:

And when we can start

Speaker:

building communities around ourselves and

Speaker:

And we kind of,

Speaker:

in my experience in recovery,

Speaker:

back to everything kind of

Speaker:

just being decimated and

Speaker:

having to bring things back.

Speaker:

And I mean,

Speaker:

I went so far as to move my

Speaker:

kids out of the state that

Speaker:

we were in so that we could

Speaker:

get a fresh start.

Speaker:

They don't even agree on

Speaker:

what's for dinner and

Speaker:

everybody wanted to move.

Speaker:

So it was awesome and

Speaker:

beautiful and wonderful.

Speaker:

But I came to my new home

Speaker:

almost five years ago.

Speaker:

and started making true

Speaker:

friends for the first time

Speaker:

that I was comfortable

Speaker:

being around because I was being myself.

Speaker:

And I, I was,

Speaker:

I wanted people to see the

Speaker:

real me because if I'm not

Speaker:

everybody's cup of tea and

Speaker:

that's totally fine.

Speaker:

But I want to,

Speaker:

the people who I want to be

Speaker:

around are the people who

Speaker:

want to be around me

Speaker:

because of me being me,

Speaker:

not for me being somebody

Speaker:

else or who I think they want me to be.

Speaker:

So that was, I mean, talk about a self,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

a self-perpetuating cycle of

Speaker:

improvement just in that piece.

Speaker:

It was like, holy cow, they like me,

Speaker:

you know, for me being me,

Speaker:

not me being somebody else.

Speaker:

So that was really cool to

Speaker:

feel accepted for the first time.

Speaker:

And then

Speaker:

I started seeking out people

Speaker:

who had my same interests.

Speaker:

And that was awesome because it was like,

Speaker:

I mean,

Speaker:

I have friends who I can talk

Speaker:

about faith with who leave

Speaker:

me sweet messages under my doormat to say,

Speaker:

like, you're awesome and I love you.

Speaker:

And, you know, God loves, like,

Speaker:

we share common things.

Speaker:

And so I have different

Speaker:

groups that are around me

Speaker:

that I've kind of just gravitated towards,

Speaker:

but we share similar interests.

Speaker:

and we support one another.

Speaker:

And that's where if you can find groups,

Speaker:

and a lot of us have

Speaker:

burdens that we don't want

Speaker:

to share because we don't

Speaker:

want to burden other people.

Speaker:

And back to your thing about

Speaker:

how like we learn by sharing stories,

Speaker:

we shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel.

Speaker:

When we sit in a group and

Speaker:

share or sit in a group and don't share,

Speaker:

but listen to other people,

Speaker:

we hear strategies that

Speaker:

have worked for other people or have not.

Speaker:

So it's kind of like,

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When in caveman time, it was like,

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don't go over there because

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there's saber-toothed

Speaker:

tigers do go over here

Speaker:

because then you'll get away from them.

Speaker:

It's the same thing.

Speaker:

We've learned strategies from each other.

Speaker:

Now we just have to pay

Speaker:

attention and communicate.

Speaker:

And so we have,

Speaker:

but we have to be

Speaker:

vulnerable in order to do that.

Speaker:

And so it's a process.

Speaker:

But when you start focusing

Speaker:

on fellowship and making

Speaker:

friendships and even just

Speaker:

connecting in your community,

Speaker:

it opens up your world to, I mean,

Speaker:

not only accountability,

Speaker:

but you want to be well.

Speaker:

Like you want to start

Speaker:

working in the right

Speaker:

direction so that you can

Speaker:

be your best and be like

Speaker:

the people who you look up

Speaker:

to and that you want to be more like.

Speaker:

Yeah, I just call it find your tribe,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

Oh my gosh,

Speaker:

I call them my tribe all the time.

Speaker:

I have plenty of tribes.

Speaker:

I'm in my front row dad's group.

Speaker:

They're heart-centered men

Speaker:

looking to be good dads and businessmen,

Speaker:

family men with businesses,

Speaker:

not businessmen with family.

Speaker:

They're all growth-centered.

Speaker:

I've just surrounded myself

Speaker:

with people like me.

Speaker:

You touched on being you,

Speaker:

but the word authenticity

Speaker:

is coming up a lot right now.

Speaker:

Not from a buzzword,

Speaker:

but because of the wholeness you are.

Speaker:

My whole last year has been

Speaker:

about finding me.

Speaker:

And then building me.

Speaker:

And if I can't be in my true

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authentic self,

Speaker:

then I'm not who I'm supposed to be.

Speaker:

And so it starts there, right?

Speaker:

It starts with that pillar.

Speaker:

And I love that you're

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bringing it up in your own

Speaker:

way because to me,

Speaker:

this has been a great conversation,

Speaker:

but to me,

Speaker:

that's what was the turning

Speaker:

point in my evolution because

Speaker:

you get to do what you are here to do,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

If you're in your full

Speaker:

authentic self and you're

Speaker:

hanging out with people that get you,

Speaker:

right?

Speaker:

Being seen, heard, understood is like,

Speaker:

these aren't old things,

Speaker:

but they're so true and so real.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

And so the relationships you

Speaker:

have and what you're building around this

Speaker:

that fellowship right that

Speaker:

tribal philosophy because

Speaker:

we don't live in tribes

Speaker:

anymore so we have to find

Speaker:

our own tribes we don't we

Speaker:

we're we're migrant people

Speaker:

we can move and go wherever

Speaker:

we want in the world and

Speaker:

people are doing that

Speaker:

they're nomads they're

Speaker:

they're working here and

Speaker:

there so finding that tight

Speaker:

group of people that get

Speaker:

you and you get them it's

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that support system and

Speaker:

This is why I think group

Speaker:

based programming is so important and why,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

Cleveland Clinic put studies

Speaker:

upon it to say people learn

Speaker:

from their peers more than

Speaker:

they learn from the expert.

Speaker:

Absolutely.

Speaker:

Because we're all in it, you know,

Speaker:

like we're in this this

Speaker:

human race and it's like.

Speaker:

I have learned so much from

Speaker:

my ladies that I, you know,

Speaker:

I call them my second family there.

Speaker:

I see them every Thursday night.

Speaker:

Like I just got a message before I,

Speaker:

before I hopped on this in this,

Speaker:

on this call with you.

Speaker:

And it's like, you know, you just,

Speaker:

You and it's like people

Speaker:

don't even realize with

Speaker:

like when you make it and I

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put this in my book because it's so to me,

Speaker:

it's so cool that our

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bodies are designed this

Speaker:

way back to like our bodies

Speaker:

knowing best when we

Speaker:

connect with people and you

Speaker:

get that that dopamine hit

Speaker:

and you it's like that, you know, you.

Speaker:

it feels good to feel seen

Speaker:

or to know that somebody

Speaker:

else cares about you.

Speaker:

And it's like, even in the grocery store,

Speaker:

you can have like a funny

Speaker:

conversation with the

Speaker:

cashier and leave with a

Speaker:

little bit of a pep in your

Speaker:

step because it's like,

Speaker:

you just made that brief

Speaker:

connection with somebody

Speaker:

you don't even know who

Speaker:

you'll never see again,

Speaker:

but we're social beings and

Speaker:

we love that connection.

Speaker:

And so it's like,

Speaker:

you know, that is, to me,

Speaker:

such a strong pillar, because it's like,

Speaker:

you want people who want the best for you,

Speaker:

but who you also want to be the best for.

Speaker:

So it's like this, you know,

Speaker:

it's just a reciprocal thing.

Speaker:

So that's one of the big ones.

Speaker:

And then the other ones kind

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of just back to simplicity.

Speaker:

I mean, whether it's food,

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I talk about there's, you know,

Speaker:

everybody wants to talk about a diet.

Speaker:

And I joke that there's like,

Speaker:

there's low carb, no carb, low fat,

Speaker:

high fat, you know,

Speaker:

Like which one is best for you?

Speaker:

And it's like, scratch it.

Speaker:

Let's just start with eating whole foods.

Speaker:

Like if it has a package or

Speaker:

a list of ingredients that

Speaker:

you can't pronounce, scratch it.

Speaker:

Like it's not your,

Speaker:

we want your body to like,

Speaker:

and I have like this

Speaker:

YouTube video that's so funny,

Speaker:

but it's like,

Speaker:

Your body gets so excited

Speaker:

when you eat something like

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an apple because everything

Speaker:

from the fiber to the

Speaker:

vitamins to the carbohydrates,

Speaker:

like your body gets so

Speaker:

psyched because you're digesting it.

Speaker:

And every part of the apple

Speaker:

has a purpose and your body

Speaker:

knows what those things can be used for.

Speaker:

And so it optimizes everything with it.

Speaker:

a Twinkie is like, your body is like,

Speaker:

what is this?

Speaker:

And you know, like it's, so it's,

Speaker:

you're either providing

Speaker:

sustenance or just distracting.

Speaker:

And so it's, you know,

Speaker:

there's all of these different things,

Speaker:

but just,

Speaker:

if you want to keep things

Speaker:

simple so that you don't

Speaker:

have to think too much

Speaker:

about what you're eating,

Speaker:

just make it so that it's whole foods.

Speaker:

Just, it's super simple, you know,

Speaker:

and just try to-

Speaker:

speaking my my beautiful

Speaker:

language that I right

Speaker:

because it's so true it's

Speaker:

time I just we call it

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clean eating and like I

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have a clean I have a clean

Speaker:

fourteen which is like the

Speaker:

basics of getting getting

Speaker:

reset was just like clean

Speaker:

it all up in fourteen days

Speaker:

and see how you feel like

Speaker:

you're right like the power

Speaker:

we talk a lot about

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different kinds of plant

Speaker:

medicines not just psychedelics but like

Speaker:

The apple came from the earth,

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came from the plant,

Speaker:

and it's designed to

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nourish you and your body

Speaker:

knows exactly what to do with it.

Speaker:

And what's even better is

Speaker:

the stuff it can't use is

Speaker:

really good for the

Speaker:

microbiome of your gut.

Speaker:

Yes, yes.

Speaker:

So it's like what you don't use,

Speaker:

the other guys use,

Speaker:

and it's this beautiful

Speaker:

symbiotic relationship.

Speaker:

Right,

Speaker:

the fiber scrubs your colon on the

Speaker:

way out to make sure,

Speaker:

like it's like what a

Speaker:

beautiful design in an apple, you know?

Speaker:

All the fructose saccharides

Speaker:

and all the things that are

Speaker:

going are feeding the good critters.

Speaker:

And guess what?

Speaker:

It's starving out the bad critters.

Speaker:

It's like all,

Speaker:

it's all in this beautiful

Speaker:

universal intelligence that

Speaker:

I have no control over.

Speaker:

And I don't need control over,

Speaker:

but we should be aware of it.

Speaker:

That says, yeah,

Speaker:

it's easy to say food is medicine.

Speaker:

And then you could dive down

Speaker:

the rabbit hole of the science.

Speaker:

But if the simplicity is

Speaker:

what you just said,

Speaker:

which I love how you

Speaker:

package that up is like

Speaker:

your body just knows what to do with it.

Speaker:

It's beautiful.

Speaker:

It can take all the parts

Speaker:

and it can use it for its

Speaker:

own well and in good ratios.

Speaker:

And guess what?

Speaker:

When you do that.

Speaker:

like all these other

Speaker:

downstream problems go away

Speaker:

or at least enough to where

Speaker:

you realize it and you can

Speaker:

continue down the path so I

Speaker:

love that we're staying

Speaker:

with food is medicine this

Speaker:

is a great segue for uh all

Speaker:

the things that we're doing

Speaker:

of course but like let's

Speaker:

let's dive into your book

Speaker:

this is a new book yes um I

Speaker:

want to hear about it it's

Speaker:

okay I can't wait to grab a copy

Speaker:

but she rises and thrives

Speaker:

loving life in recovery.

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

So my mission, right.

Speaker:

And so, so this is my book.

Speaker:

And so I have, right.

Speaker:

So I have like all of these

Speaker:

books that have been so

Speaker:

beautiful and wonderful.

Speaker:

And I was able to, you know, focus my,

Speaker:

put my health coaching hat and really

Speaker:

I published an eating clean cookbook.

Speaker:

Like, I mean, you name it.

Speaker:

I've been able to like,

Speaker:

this has been my passion.

Speaker:

It's been so beautiful to create these,

Speaker:

these titles.

Speaker:

And then my recovery journey

Speaker:

started six and a half years ago.

Speaker:

And this book has literally

Speaker:

been on my mind since I found like,

Speaker:

oh my gosh, it could be this simple.

Speaker:

Like it could be this simple.

Speaker:

Like, how could it be this simple?

Speaker:

Cause you start feeling a

Speaker:

little bit better every single day.

Speaker:

And it's like,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

that momentum and the progress

Speaker:

like builds on itself.

Speaker:

And it's like, holy cow,

Speaker:

this is actually working.

Speaker:

Like we have to share this with the world.

Speaker:

And so luckily I've been

Speaker:

able to share it with so

Speaker:

many people and see, and you know,

Speaker:

and see and hear how it works.

Speaker:

And so we boiled it down to

Speaker:

these six pillars, the food, fitness, fun,

Speaker:

fellowship, faith, and sleep.

Speaker:

And super simple.

Speaker:

Like,

Speaker:

and even with the faith piece that

Speaker:

can get sticky because people,

Speaker:

like I have one client, she's like,

Speaker:

I'm not, I'm Buddhist.

Speaker:

I'm not, I'm, I'm,

Speaker:

I don't want to read this.

Speaker:

And I was like, no, you can, you can,

Speaker:

you can still read it.

Speaker:

Even if you worship a coconut,

Speaker:

how about it?

Speaker:

My whole goal is to help

Speaker:

people not feel like

Speaker:

they're carrying the burden

Speaker:

of the world and that

Speaker:

there's just some plan,

Speaker:

whether it's the universe

Speaker:

or God or whatever you

Speaker:

deity you choose has a plan for you,

Speaker:

like is in charge of the

Speaker:

big scheme of things.

Speaker:

Do you know what I mean?

Speaker:

And so, yeah.

Speaker:

I tell people I'm highly

Speaker:

spiritual and I'm not very religious.

Speaker:

And I just say, I call it Gus now.

Speaker:

I got this from one of my dad's friends.

Speaker:

God, universe, spirit.

Speaker:

You can call it whatever you want.

Speaker:

But that faith isn't,

Speaker:

I'm preaching to the guy

Speaker:

with the beard that's judging me stuff.

Speaker:

No, there's a bigger...

Speaker:

There's something bigger

Speaker:

that's got the plan out

Speaker:

there and that we're

Speaker:

co-conspiring together, right?

Speaker:

That's how it works.

Speaker:

And when you get that,

Speaker:

you get this awakening.

Speaker:

So it's not that you have to

Speaker:

have a belief of, you know,

Speaker:

a deity or this or that,

Speaker:

but it's this higher power

Speaker:

that's controlling.

Speaker:

Like, again,

Speaker:

how do we know that Apple

Speaker:

became an Apple?

Speaker:

Like, that's just not my business.

Speaker:

That's the universe.

Speaker:

That's it.

Speaker:

Joe Dispenza called it the

Speaker:

loving intelligence, right?

Speaker:

There's this intelligence in the world.

Speaker:

Now the new age science calls it quantum,

Speaker:

calls it these other things,

Speaker:

but it's there.

Speaker:

It's real.

Speaker:

It's something that we can interact with.

Speaker:

That's not something that's

Speaker:

out of our control either.

Speaker:

It's a both and.

Speaker:

And so I love that you're

Speaker:

bringing that into your pillars because-

Speaker:

we do have to call it

Speaker:

something and you've called it faith.

Speaker:

And it's, it's,

Speaker:

it's a beautiful thing

Speaker:

because when you

Speaker:

incorporate it into the whole picture,

Speaker:

it becomes a, it becomes worth it.

Speaker:

It becomes worthwhile in the journey.

Speaker:

So I love that.

Speaker:

Well, and so many of us, right.

Speaker:

Cause we all have a past.

Speaker:

Like that's one of the

Speaker:

things I put in my book.

Speaker:

Like I have really good news about past.

Speaker:

Everybody has one, you know,

Speaker:

like everybody's like, Oh my gosh,

Speaker:

my past was so, was so awful.

Speaker:

And it's like, okay,

Speaker:

let's all move on.

Speaker:

When we talk about faith,

Speaker:

one of my biggest things is in my faith,

Speaker:

I've been able to just find

Speaker:

peace and give myself grace,

Speaker:

give myself forgiveness.

Speaker:

Let's stop with being nice to ourselves.

Speaker:

Some of us are so hard on ourselves.

Speaker:

Back to the

Speaker:

You know, the I mean,

Speaker:

all of the things that

Speaker:

we're talking about are

Speaker:

kind of forms of self-care.

Speaker:

And a lot of us are so hard

Speaker:

on ourselves that it's like, no,

Speaker:

we don't deserve fun or we

Speaker:

don't deserve this or we don't deserve.

Speaker:

And it's like, holy cow.

Speaker:

OK, let's back up a second.

Speaker:

And right.

Speaker:

Everybody has a past.

Speaker:

There's I don't care who it is.

Speaker:

They wish that they could go

Speaker:

back and do something

Speaker:

differently now that they know X, Y, Z.

Speaker:

And so it's a lot of this

Speaker:

human existence too is like,

Speaker:

just like you said,

Speaker:

like we're perfectly imperfect.

Speaker:

Like we have to accept the fact that like,

Speaker:

we're gonna mess up,

Speaker:

we're gonna make mistakes.

Speaker:

That's how we learn and grow.

Speaker:

And so we move on, you know,

Speaker:

hopefully having learned so

Speaker:

that we do things

Speaker:

differently in the future.

Speaker:

But it's such a reprieve from this loop of,

Speaker:

you know, negative talk,

Speaker:

negative feedback,

Speaker:

negative feelings that just

Speaker:

kind of goes nowhere and keeps you stuck.

Speaker:

So that was a big piece.

Speaker:

And then from, you know,

Speaker:

with all of the other

Speaker:

pieces kind of focusing on simplicity,

Speaker:

like in the fitness, it's all about like,

Speaker:

I mean,

Speaker:

ideally we want to be incorporating,

Speaker:

you know, of the three,

Speaker:

we want to focus on

Speaker:

cardiovascular training,

Speaker:

strength training and flexibility, right?

Speaker:

But it doesn't need to be intense.

Speaker:

And so like, even in my book,

Speaker:

it's like the cardio, like go for a walk,

Speaker:

which we should be doing anyway, you know,

Speaker:

flexibility, stretch,

Speaker:

like help your body feel

Speaker:

like it's being moved in

Speaker:

ways that feel great.

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

and what a great way for us to be

Speaker:

able to spot a problem

Speaker:

before it becomes a problem.

Speaker:

You know, like if you can't move,

Speaker:

my mom had had a serious

Speaker:

problem stem from a back injury.

Speaker:

And

Speaker:

She didn't know about it

Speaker:

until like she was gardening,

Speaker:

moved the wrong way and bing, bing, boom.

Speaker:

You know,

Speaker:

we had we had a hospitalization

Speaker:

on our hands.

Speaker:

And so it's like we want to

Speaker:

be able to make sure that, you know,

Speaker:

the body in motion remains in motion.

Speaker:

And it's like your body wants to be well,

Speaker:

it's designed to move.

Speaker:

And so so whether it's the food,

Speaker:

the fitness, the fun we spoke about,

Speaker:

the fellowship we spoke

Speaker:

about and then the sleep.

Speaker:

is so huge.

Speaker:

I mean,

Speaker:

people negotiate on sleep all the

Speaker:

time and say, you know, I mean,

Speaker:

and I mean,

Speaker:

even with bedtime kind of being like this,

Speaker:

this negotiable time,

Speaker:

like I love when I asked

Speaker:

somebody what time they go

Speaker:

to sleep and they're like, well, you know,

Speaker:

on this day,

Speaker:

it might be this time or on these days,

Speaker:

it might be this time.

Speaker:

It's like,

Speaker:

we need to be providing our

Speaker:

body with the time that it

Speaker:

needs in order to...

Speaker:

There's so many

Speaker:

physiological processes

Speaker:

that happen at night and

Speaker:

only while our brains are shut down.

Speaker:

And it's like,

Speaker:

we need to be able to

Speaker:

provide that time where it's like,

Speaker:

there's just no stimulation.

Speaker:

We just need to be immobile and quiet.

Speaker:

And so it's kind of like...

Speaker:

So the book is a guide, right?

Speaker:

But then I want to...

Speaker:

I'm just on a mission to go

Speaker:

around the world and help, you know,

Speaker:

hurting people find peace

Speaker:

and find hope in that, like,

Speaker:

just like we were saying

Speaker:

about this being free,

Speaker:

none of these things cost anything.

Speaker:

I mean, obviously, there's going to be,

Speaker:

you know,

Speaker:

things that you can buy like a

Speaker:

yoga class or a paddle board,

Speaker:

but you can get outside and

Speaker:

move for free.

Speaker:

And you can eat clean,

Speaker:

whole foods for very inexpensively.

Speaker:

And there's so many

Speaker:

different things that we

Speaker:

can be doing just to

Speaker:

help our body and brain heal.

Speaker:

And that's hopefully what,

Speaker:

that's my hope with this

Speaker:

book is that it gives

Speaker:

people the ideas and makes

Speaker:

it so that it's super

Speaker:

simple and not overwhelming anymore.

Speaker:

And it's that,

Speaker:

I think that's the big piece

Speaker:

here is like understanding these aren't,

Speaker:

this isn't overwhelming.

Speaker:

And yes,

Speaker:

I have a whole signature speech on

Speaker:

sleep itself, right?

Speaker:

Because it is the number one,

Speaker:

the number two,

Speaker:

and the number three longevity tool.

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

If you want to put three years of good,

Speaker:

vibrant health on your lifespan,

Speaker:

then you should figure out

Speaker:

how to nail some sleep better.

Speaker:

Like track it, measure it, do the thing.

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

Especially because we got

Speaker:

these things that are

Speaker:

keeping us distracted all the time.

Speaker:

And every single screen is

Speaker:

like high noon to your brain, right?

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

There you go.

Speaker:

If you, if you nail sleep,

Speaker:

lots of things happen.

Speaker:

So I'm glad you're sticking it in and it,

Speaker:

it didn't have to have an F in it.

Speaker:

It's like,

Speaker:

you can highlight that because again,

Speaker:

simple doesn't mean easy,

Speaker:

but it is impactful.

Speaker:

And, and yes, debunking these things is,

Speaker:

Bleep hygiene is free.

Speaker:

Yes,

Speaker:

you might need to buy a red light bulb.

Speaker:

My wife thinks I'm crazy.

Speaker:

crazy sometimes because I'm

Speaker:

walking around with like a

Speaker:

headlamp with the red light

Speaker:

on because I want no lights

Speaker:

on in my house after dark

Speaker:

because I know my circadian

Speaker:

rhythm will get shot and

Speaker:

because I've led a high

Speaker:

stress life sleep is

Speaker:

important to me but also

Speaker:

I'm a light sleeper so

Speaker:

there's certain things I

Speaker:

need in order to calm

Speaker:

myself down two hours

Speaker:

before bed no screens right so let's

Speaker:

But can we hold ourselves to

Speaker:

that knowing that it's just

Speaker:

that instant gratification

Speaker:

that people need and want?

Speaker:

But it's like when the

Speaker:

proof's in the pudding, guys,

Speaker:

like when you do this work

Speaker:

with consistency, you will feel better.

Speaker:

You will do better.

Speaker:

You will be better and you

Speaker:

will feel more whole and

Speaker:

more happy and more fun.

Speaker:

So where do people get your book?

Speaker:

So we're going to be launched.

Speaker:

So five, twenty seven, twenty five.

Speaker:

So just at the end of this month,

Speaker:

May twenty seventh is.

Speaker:

Yep.

Speaker:

Is the launch date.

Speaker:

So I'm very excited.

Speaker:

So it's going to be available on Amazon,

Speaker:

but also on my website.

Speaker:

She rises and thrives dot com.

Speaker:

Cool.

Speaker:

So.

Speaker:

Book is launching.

Speaker:

Whenever this episode drops,

Speaker:

we'll figure out how we can

Speaker:

promote that for you.

Speaker:

She rises and thrives.com.

Speaker:

Go find where she is.

Speaker:

Is that where people can

Speaker:

find out how they can work with you?

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

Absolutely.

Speaker:

We're doing group coaching,

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which ties in all of that

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community and everything.

Speaker:

I'm so, so, so excited.

Speaker:

Everything is...

Speaker:

Like I was actually speaking

Speaker:

with somebody yesterday.

Speaker:

He's handling some of the

Speaker:

promotion side of things.

Speaker:

And she was like,

Speaker:

this is so cool that

Speaker:

everything is so affordable.

Speaker:

And it's like,

Speaker:

I don't want any I want

Speaker:

everybody to have the most

Speaker:

easily accessible, just like you said,

Speaker:

like no excuses,

Speaker:

like everything can be so easy and so.

Speaker:

you know, like,

Speaker:

let's just get back to

Speaker:

basics and let's just learn

Speaker:

the basics and move on and

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make this life as amazing

Speaker:

as we possibly can.

Speaker:

Cause that's what it's here for.

Speaker:

We're supposed to learn, grow, heal,

Speaker:

help one another and love.

Speaker:

And it's like, let's do it.

Speaker:

Those are words to live by for sure.

Speaker:

I loved this conversation, Britt.

Speaker:

I loved how we are

Speaker:

connecting on these levels.

Speaker:

I no doubt think we'll be

Speaker:

working together in other

Speaker:

respects because these

Speaker:

messages are so true.

Speaker:

They're so powerful and

Speaker:

they're so impactful because...

Speaker:

I think we've gotten to this

Speaker:

complex world and we just

Speaker:

assume that our health and

Speaker:

wellbeing is complex these days.

Speaker:

We were talking about

Speaker:

regenerative medicine the

Speaker:

other day and like exosomes

Speaker:

and stuff like that,

Speaker:

but it really can be simple.

Speaker:

It really is simple.

Speaker:

you know, I loved your energy.

Speaker:

I love how you're just

Speaker:

bringing light into the

Speaker:

world and in ways that we've,

Speaker:

we've sort of forgotten in our, our ways.

Speaker:

So this has been so much fun.

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I'm so,

Speaker:

so glad that you were able to hang

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out with me for a little while.

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I appreciate you.

Speaker:

Thank you so much.

Speaker:

This is, this really has,

Speaker:

this has been a blast.

Speaker:

So I'm really,

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really glad that we were

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able to connect and make this happen.

Speaker:

So go, go check out her book,

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go check out her website.

Speaker:

She rises and thrives.com.

Speaker:

And we will,

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No doubt,

Speaker:

figure something out later on in life.

Speaker:

Fantastic.

Speaker:

Well, this is a wrap, guys.

Speaker:

Until next time, stay well.

Show artwork for Beyond the Pills

About the Podcast

Beyond the Pills
Where Timeless Wisdom Meets Modern Science For True Healing
In a world saturated with quick fixes and symptom-chasing, Beyond the Pills dares to ask: What if true healing starts from within?

Hosted by Josh Rimany, a conventionally trained pharmacist turned visionary in functional medicine, this podcast invites you on a journey to redefine what health really means. With over 220K global downloads, Beyond the Pills is a trusted source for those ready to move past the traditional model of medicine and step into a deeper, more empowered relationship with their mind, body, and spirit.

Each episode is a conversation that goes deeper than prescriptions—exploring the root causes of dis-ease, the power of lifestyle medicine, and the tools you need to take your health into your own hands.

Whether you're a health professional, conscious consumer, or simply someone who feels there must be more than medications, this podcast is your roadmap to vibrant, sustainable wellness.

🎙 What You’ll Hear Inside:

‣ In-depth interviews with leading experts in integrative health, biohacking, functional medicine, plant medicine, neuroscience, and more.
‣ Real-world strategies to support mental clarity, gut health, hormonal balance, immunity, and energy.
‣ Tools and tech for optimizing your health—from wearable devices to ancient healing practices.
‣ Spiritual and energetic insights to reconnect you with your body’s innate wisdom.
‣ Stories of transformation from patients and practitioners who have gone beyond the pill bottle and found lasting wellness.

Why Beyond the Pills?

Because health is not just the absence of disease—it’s a state of vitality, alignment, and intention.

Josh Rimany combines the best of both worlds: the credibility of clinical science with the soul of holistic healing. With decades of experience in pharmacy and a passion for root-cause medicine, Josh guides listeners toward a lifestyle that’s proactive, personalized, and purpose-driven.

Beyond the Pills is where ancient wisdom meets cutting-edge science, offering practical steps that anyone can take—regardless of where they are on their health journey.

🌎 Join a Global Wellness Movement

Listeners from around the world are tuning in to reclaim their health—naturally. With a U.S.-based audience made up of wellness seekers, professionals, and entrepreneurs, this show is creating a ripple effect in the health and wellness space.
New episodes drop regularly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you listen.

🎧 Subscribe today to:
Learn from the brightest minds in health and healing
Take control of your own wellness journey
Discover what’s possible when you go Beyond the Pills

📢 Ready to help others find this message?
Leave a review and share your favorite episode with a friend. Your voice helps amplify this movement.

Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated.
Let’s make it simple, together.

Subscribe today to unlock your next level of growth and transformation!