1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Life presents us these opportunities to trust, to listen, to 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: be courageous, and sometimes we fall over and we land 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: in our face, and sometimes we land somewhere much more beautiful. 4 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, EMILYA Badi here. 5 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 3: You are listening to Hurdle, a wellness focus podcast where 6 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 3: connect with everyone from your favorite athletes to top experts 7 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 3: and industry CEOs about their highest ties, toughest moments, and 8 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 3: everything in between. We all go through hurdles in life, 9 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 3: and my goal through these discussions is to empower you 10 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 3: to better navigate yours and move with intention so that 11 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 3: you can stride towards your own big potential and of 12 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 3: course have some fun along the way. We are back 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 3: for episode two of this week's Turning the Page series. 14 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 3: You are just joining us. Hey, Hello, welcome, Happy to 15 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 3: have you here. The annual Turning the Page series is 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 3: when I sit down with some of your favorite guests 17 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 3: from the last three sixty five to chat about what lessons. 18 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: They're bringing with them into the new year. 19 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 3: Each guest gives us some highlights from their past year, 20 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 3: they offer up a word that they're focusing on in 21 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: the new year, and then share some advice on how 22 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 3: to move through the next fifty two weeks with grace 23 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 3: and a positive outlook. We kicked things off yesterday with 24 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 3: the one and only Kira Demato and today I am electrified. 25 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 3: I was trying to use an adjective that wasn't just excited, 26 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 3: electrified to bring my friend Minaj Dias back to the show. 27 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 3: Minaj is the co founder of Open. He's also their 28 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 3: vice president of mindfulness, plus an author his debut book 29 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 3: Still Together, sitting on my coffee table as I record this, 30 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 3: as you may know, is one of the sponsors of Hurdle. 31 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 3: I met Minaj when I was out in Los Angeles 32 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 3: at the beginning of last year, and man, we connect 33 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,239 Speaker 3: on how much has happened since that time, what's new 34 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 3: and exciting that's going on for Open? And it's kind 35 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: of funny for me as I edited and listened to 36 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 3: this through because it was. 37 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: The second time that I listened to his voice. Today. 38 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 3: I have been meditating and doing breathwork with the Open 39 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 3: app now for gosh, probably about six months, and it 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 3: is the first time through using this app that I 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 3: have been able to keep up with a regular breathwork practice. 42 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: They are currently. 43 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 3: Doing a thirty day challenge over there, and I would 44 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 3: highly encourage you to check it out. If you want 45 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 3: a free thirty days, I've got a book up for you. 46 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 3: Head on over to with Open dot Com slash Hurdle again. 47 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 3: That is with Open dot Com slash Hurdle anyway, Minaj 48 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 3: So many, so many, so many great takeaways in today's 49 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,959 Speaker 3: episodis with a theme of resilience and showing up when 50 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 3: life feels tough to make some pretty big decisions. Make 51 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 3: sure you're following along with Hurdle over on social It's 52 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: at Hurdle Podcast. I am over at Emily a Body 53 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 3: and if you're listening to this in real time, a 54 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,839 Speaker 3: few spots left for tomorrow night school setting workshop. Link 55 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 3: to join is in the show notes. Today, I am 56 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 3: sitting down with my friend Minaj ds. He is the 57 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 3: co founder and vice president of Mindfulness at Open. 58 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: How are you doing. 59 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: I'm doing great. I'm doing really good. It's nice to 60 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: be back in the hot seat with you. 61 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: Back in the hot seat. I know. 62 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 3: The last time we got together, I feel like it 63 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 3: was one of the first We're getting back into the groove. 64 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 3: We're doing this in person situations and it was just 65 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: so special. For me to have the opportunity to sit 66 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 3: down with you. I r l in uh Over in 67 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 3: Los Angeles, So this is a little bit farther than 68 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 3: I would like, but I'll take it. 69 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean it's a shame last time we had 70 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: you in our studio and it was the first, I 71 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: think an only podcast I've done in our studios. So 72 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: it's nice to be with you again and on your 73 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: on your terms this time. 74 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 2: Appreciate you. Appreciate you, so give us the rundown. 75 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 3: Talk to me about what has been going on in 76 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 3: your world since we last spoke. 77 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: Well end of January. I mean so much, right, like 78 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: so much on a personal and professional level. On a 79 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: professional level, we've been scaling our digital app, which has 80 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: been going really great. We've been recruiting lots of teachers 81 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: because we're about to open a studio in Venice and 82 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: then we're building one in Miami, which has been a 83 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: lot of fun. And then also lots of travel, Like 84 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: I've been doing a lot of interviews and podcasts this 85 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: ye us, so getting out to places like Austin and 86 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: places out in Florida. I'm going to sell like a 87 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 1: deer in the headlights, moving and navigating through the US, 88 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: So anytime I get to go anywhere, I'm super excited. 89 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,559 Speaker 1: So it's been a lot, but it's also been really, 90 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: really tiring. I think I realized that, and maybe a 91 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: lot of people can resonate with this. When you love something, 92 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: when you're really passionate about something, your body gives you 93 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: a yes straight away to most opportunities. But then you 94 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: have to really check in with yourself and notice your 95 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: energy levels. And it's something that I constantly get caught 96 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: up in, is I forget like how much I love 97 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: what I do, but then I'm also exhausted to the 98 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: point where I sometimes get burnt out, which I know 99 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: is not great for a VP of mindfulness, but that's 100 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: the reality. 101 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 3: At least it starts with being honest with yourself, right, 102 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 3: And I think that's a really important point. Is that 103 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 3: just because you have to say no to something, that 104 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 3: might not mean and that won't mean necessarily no forever. 105 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 3: It just might be you again, as you're saying being 106 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 3: honest about your bandwidth and then moving forward from there, 107 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 3: maybe it's not right now, you know? 108 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, agree, And I think it's also paying a lot 109 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: of attention to the physical feeling of your experience. And 110 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, something that I've had to really work on 111 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: over the last five years is really, first of all, 112 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: listening to my body and noticing what it's saying and 113 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: then actually taking a decision based on what I'm feeling. 114 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's that's my work, is constantly trusting what 115 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 1: my body is telling me to do. 116 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, So it seems like that was a really big 117 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 3: lesson for you in twenty twenty two. When you think 118 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 3: about the last three sixty five, what else comes to 119 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 3: mind in terms of lessons that you were really taking 120 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 3: to heart over the past year. 121 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think there's there's a lot of personal lessons, 122 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: you know, outside of my work that I've been really navigating. 123 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: You know, this last year, I lost my mother. That's 124 00:06:53,560 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: like the first close family member that I've lost. That 125 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: was a really big learning lesson for me. I think 126 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,239 Speaker 1: any time you come into contact with loss and grief, 127 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: it really begins to shape how you look at the world. 128 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: And for me, that lesson of losing my mum really 129 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: showed me one thing around you know, what's really important 130 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: in your life, And I'd like to think I'm pretty 131 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: mindful of what's really important of my life through throughout 132 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: my day, but you know, you get caught up in 133 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: things that you realize ultimately don't really mean that much, 134 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,239 Speaker 1: and you start to reevaluate where you allocate your time. 135 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: In terms of what I learned from that experience was 136 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: to really value and cherish and save the time I 137 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: have with my close people, check in on them, tell 138 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: them I love them, don't wait to do that. And also, 139 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, coming back, just recognizing how lucky I am 140 00:07:55,640 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: to have what I have, this body, this area, these friends, 141 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: these privileges. So that's probably the biggest lesson that I 142 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: learned this year was to really just hunker down and 143 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: focus on what matters. 144 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 3: Is it challenging at times to find that balance between 145 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 3: focusing maybe on what matters and what's important to you, 146 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 3: but also execute on things that you may more so 147 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 3: have to do. 148 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,199 Speaker 1: I think you get to a stage, you know, I 149 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: just turned forty, and for me, there's a realization that 150 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: the things that I have to do and the things 151 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: that I want to do, like it's probably time that 152 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: I start to make them kind of similar, right, And 153 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: we don't all have that luxury or privilege for sure, 154 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: But I think the older you get saying no, it's 155 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: probably the greatest superpower that you have because you can 156 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: really honor that. And sometimes we have to do things 157 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: because we have to make a living. You know, I 158 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: do things because of work that I may not always 159 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: choose to do. But there is a balance, for sure 160 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: between doing what has to get done and then doing 161 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: what's deeply personal and meaningful. 162 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: Definitely, definitely. 163 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 3: So when you think also about the past year, you're 164 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 3: someone who definitely has some rituals, some habits in your 165 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 3: life that are meaningful to you. What would you say, 166 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 3: is perhaps a new habit that you've picked up over 167 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 3: the last year that you've seen to be really beneficial. 168 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: Oh, well, there's been two. One is this really new 169 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: concept for me. It's called cardio. You know, my family 170 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: has heart diseases in the family, and so I had 171 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: a few health scares in the back end of last 172 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: year and this year I was like, I need to 173 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: get fit and healthy. And all I've ever really done 174 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: is lift weights or do yoga. I'm not much of 175 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: a runner, you know, I haven't done much else. And 176 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: I just started doing like cardiol I was like using 177 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: YouTube for a little while and then like different apps 178 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of research that I looked into around, 179 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: you know, stimulating your heart rate early on in the 180 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 1: day and how that influences the rest of your day. 181 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: And it had like a like I would only do 182 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: twenty or thirty minutes straight after meditating, and it really 183 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,599 Speaker 1: changed the complexion of my day. And so now integrating 184 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: that more holistically into my routine, like three days a week, 185 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: has been really beneficial. And the second thing is an 186 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 1: afternoon breathwork practice. Breathwork something that I've been teaching for 187 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: about three or four years. I used to do it 188 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,959 Speaker 1: more sporadically, you know, I would I do it every 189 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: day when I meditate, but it's a very gentle form 190 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: of practice. I would do more of an activating like 191 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: a sympathetic activating breathwork practice while in the afternoons around 192 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: three four o'clock, and it replaced like my afternoon and coffee, 193 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: and so I found that to be really helpful as well. 194 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: So those two routines are probably the ones that have 195 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: had the most impact. 196 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: On I love that phrase, the complexion of my day. 197 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 2: That's like really great. 198 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 3: I'm going to try to use that in a sentence 199 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 3: asap because so many people look to you, you know, 200 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 3: like I listened to Open regularly. I use the app 201 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 3: every single day. For me, I look to you and 202 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 3: I'm like, oh, well, this is my you know, this 203 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 3: is my guy, Like he must have it all together. 204 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: Do you feel pressure sometimes to have it all together 205 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: because you're talking about something that other people may not 206 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 3: think twice about cardio but they can't do breathwork, Like 207 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 3: it just feels like coming together, a recognition of the 208 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 3: give and take, right, Yeah, I think. 209 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: It comes with the territory. I remember once in Australia, 210 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: maybe four years ago, I was getting a beer with 211 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: a friend and someone's like, my meditation teacher drinks beer 212 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: and I was like, I mean I have one every 213 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: now and again, and it was like I was really 214 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: in my head about the whole experience. I was like, 215 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: holy shit, like doing the wrong thing. And I think 216 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:03,599 Speaker 1: over the years, I've kind of learned that it just 217 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 1: kind of comes with the territory. And how I've approached 218 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: my life is through this sense of balance and curiosity 219 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: and exploration, which are all elements of mindfulness. So yeah, 220 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: I mean I think the older I get, I have 221 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: to take care of my physical wellbeing as much as 222 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: I have to take care of my mental well being. 223 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 3: Definitely, what would you say has been one of the 224 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 3: biggest hurdles for you. I know you spoke about the 225 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 3: loss of your mother, but aside from that, what else 226 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 3: was challenging for you in twenty twenty two? 227 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: Trying to really understand what it is I want from 228 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: my life. I think that was the other big exploration. 229 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: You know, before month passed away, I had I was 230 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: in a long term relationship and then that ended, and 231 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: you know, it felt like, oh, I had this sense 232 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: of what I thought I wanted after that relationship ended 233 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: with my life, you know, I wanted big experiences. I 234 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: wanted to have freedom. I wanted to have all of 235 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: these things that I had a taste of for eighteen months, 236 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: and it's included with you know, different work opportunities and 237 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: things like that. But when Mom passed away, there was 238 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: a kind of recognition of how impermanent a lot of 239 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: those experiences are and how you know, ultimately at the 240 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: end of my life, I wish to be surrounded by kids, 241 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: my kids, my family. I want to have a peaceful 242 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: life and the way I think the things that I 243 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: was searching for and the things that I were chasing 244 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: weren't really in alignment with that. So I started to 245 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: develop more of a long term perspective and a long 246 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:49,599 Speaker 1: term mindset, whereas before I had a very narrow mindset, 247 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: And so really understanding what my heart wanted was a 248 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: big exploration. You know, do I really want these shiny, 249 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: temporary things or do I want some thing that feels 250 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: more nourishing and sustainable that might take a longer time. 251 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: And listening to the heart was a really big practice 252 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: for me, because I don't think I have done it 253 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 1: so intensely as I did the last fourteen months. 254 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, so many of us can certainly relate to that. 255 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 3: I know I can this concept of head versus heart. 256 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 3: Right For someone who hears your story and wants to 257 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 3: be a little bit more perhaps intuitive in twenty twenty three, 258 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 3: what advice would you have to offer them? 259 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: Well, first, there's two stages to that. First there is 260 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: the listening. Then there is the action that precedes that. 261 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: The listening for me always comes from the body, and 262 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: the body for me is a place that I haven't 263 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: existed in for a long period of time. And what 264 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: I mean by that is I had a lot of 265 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: anxiety you know, growing up as a child at a 266 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: whole host of mental mental health issues in my adolescence, 267 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: and there was a disconnection between my head and my body. 268 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: And as a result of that, there was a disconnection 269 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: between me and my intuition or me in this connection 270 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: to my gut as they say. And so I had 271 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: to re establish that. I had to re establish that 272 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: by noticing throughout my day what I was feeling and 273 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: not bringing my mind and my cognition into that experience. 274 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: Is to just check in, like, okay, am I feeling 275 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: anxious in this conversation as an example, and like where 276 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: do I feel that anxiety? Oh, it's in my chest? Okay, 277 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: Like what does that feel like? What does that look like? 278 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: What does that? Does it have a shape? Does it 279 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: have a color? And all of these little exercises just 280 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: build a sense of connection with our feeling world. And 281 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: when we have that sense of connection with our feeling world, 282 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: over time we can start to notice what messages the 283 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: feeling world is communicating to us. And so now you know, 284 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: when I'm in the presence of someone and I feel 285 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: really safe, I can feel that, you know, I'm like 286 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: I feel really safe with you. We've chatted a couple 287 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: of times now, so it's like, ah, it's just like 288 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: a homie. It feels like very easy and safe. And 289 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: so that's a message that my body is sending. But 290 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: for many people and myself included, we don't have that 291 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: ability to first become aware of what our body is 292 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: connecting to, so that takes a lot of work. The 293 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: second stage is to trust what our body is saying. Right, 294 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 1: if my body is saying okay, you know, leave this relationship, 295 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: or go for this job, or take this opportunity, it 296 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: takes a lot of work to encourage to actually listen 297 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: to that. So that is trial and error, and that 298 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: is really trusting your own innate talents and ability. So 299 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: for people that are listening, first listen and then when 300 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: your body is communicating to you it might not be 301 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: the message that you thought that you wanted to hear, 302 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: but then have the courage to act on it is 303 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: what I would. 304 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 3: Say, courage is a really big part of that, right 305 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 3: because I'm thinking about what you're saying and really from it. 306 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 3: A similar lesson that I had over the past year, 307 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 3: which was to really pay attention again to how I 308 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 3: feel when I leave people, and I do agree that 309 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 3: it takes a certain level of courage to admit to 310 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 3: yourself that maybe you feel different now than you used to, 311 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 3: acknowledging that, respecting that, and then like making an informed 312 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 3: decision that is what you need based on that information. Again, challenging, 313 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 3: and that is a thing that comes hand in hand 314 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 3: as we get older, right, our relationships ebb and flow, 315 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 3: and so to show up to that challenge and to 316 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 3: show up for yourself within that challenge. 317 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 2: It's it's a tough it's a tough thing to do. 318 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm that's part of the beautiful. It's the beautiful 319 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: aspect of our lives that we're constantly invited to become 320 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: bigger versions of ourselves. And I think that's that's part 321 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: of it, is that you know, life presents us these 322 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: opportunities to trust, to listen, to be courageous, and sometimes 323 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 1: we fall over and we land in our face and 324 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: sometimes we land somewhere much more beautiful. But I think 325 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: getting familiar with this part of our experience enables us 326 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: to feel like it's it's not such a leap. Next time, 327 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: you know, like we've done something hard, we know we 328 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: can survive that. So next time it becomes easier and easier. 329 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 3: Taking a break to tell you about this series first 330 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,360 Speaker 3: sponsor Future Now. 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Speaking of trustee Coviolots, I have 337 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 3: been working with my guy Brandon for goodness, it feels 338 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 3: like forever, but actually three months now, and today we 339 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 3: had a lovely conversation about how it's going to feel 340 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 3: for me to lift the heaviest dumbbells in my gym. Seriously, 341 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 3: I love Open because it offers me customized programming in 342 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 3: the palm of my hand. Plus it also keeps me 343 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 3: super accountable, whether you need tips for sleeping well the 344 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 3: night before a race, or nutrition advice after setting a deadlift. 345 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 3: Pr your coach is there to lift you up. 346 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 2: This deal. 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Now it is 353 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 3: officially January, which means most of you out there have 354 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:05,880 Speaker 3: just started working on. 355 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: A goal for twenty twenty three. 356 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 3: I will be using woop this year to track my goal, 357 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 3: which is to add in more strength training and ultimately 358 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 3: beat the nagging planter fasciitis so I can tackle my 359 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 3: next marathon. Woop is a fitness tracker that monitors all 360 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 3: the conventional fitness metrics you'd expect, but also specializes in 361 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 3: tracking personalized recovery and sleep data. Think of it as 362 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 3: a coach on your wrist, providing you with detail that 363 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 3: breakdowns of your sleep and recovery, along with how you 364 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 3: can improve both. It also suggests personalized daily activity levels 365 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 3: based on your recovery. Wop's also just released a new 366 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 3: feature called Trends, where you're able to see the progress 367 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 3: you're making on a weekly and monthly basis, whether you're 368 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 3: looking to get in shape, improve your recovery, or sleep 369 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 3: or something else. Woop has made it super easy to 370 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 3: track your progress even during those moments where you get 371 00:20:58,560 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 3: a little bit discouraged. 372 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 2: Trust me, we have all been there. 373 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: Start tracking your health, wellness and fitness at a deeper 374 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 3: level today. Head on over to join dot whoop dot 375 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 3: com slash Emily a Body to try out Whoop risk 376 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 3: free for thirty days Again. Join dot whoop dot com 377 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 3: slash E M I L y ad B A T 378 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 3: E to try Whoop free for thirty days. All you've 379 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 3: got to do is pay shipping. Let's get back to 380 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 3: the episode. To your point, you don't land somewhere if 381 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 3: you don't take off first, right, so just that journey 382 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 3: of starting can truly be a lesson than itself to 383 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 3: empower you to go after that next big challenge. Now, 384 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 3: as you said at the top of this, open in 385 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 3: expansion mode, opening up huh no pun intend studio space 386 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 3: outside of where you already are. What would you say 387 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 3: in this You know, these early phases still has been 388 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 3: one of perhaps the biggest takeaways you've had as. 389 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: A leader of the company. It's kind of remembering once again, 390 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: and I lost this for about a year. It's remembering 391 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: that people want to be seen above anything else. People really, 392 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: especially people that report to you and stuff and students, 393 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 1: they just really want to be seen. And I think 394 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: I in the last twelve months was really so caught 395 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,959 Speaker 1: up in the work of it and the stress of 396 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: it that, you know, I would show up to a 397 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,360 Speaker 1: meeting and I'd just be stressed out, and people would 398 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: look at me and they were like, he looks angry today, 399 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: or he looks grumpy today. They wouldn't know the context 400 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: behind it. And so I think the lesson for me 401 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: is to as a leader. And I think we're all leaders. 402 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: If we don't necessarily lead anyone, we have that capacity 403 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: that leads innate leadership within us. It's when whoever we 404 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: interact with is just to show up with compassion and 405 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: to show up with authenticity, and to look people in 406 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 1: the eye and to genuinely ask them how they're doing. 407 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: Because those micro moments add up to being so much 408 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: for someone, you know, for people that might walk through 409 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: this life and feel like no one really sees them, 410 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: and to have someone really just take a moment to 411 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: smile and look at them in the face can be 412 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: a tremendously uplifting moment. So I think that's a big 413 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: lesson that I learned over the last twelve months. And 414 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: the second thing is probably to really always focus on 415 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: my well being because that gets lost very easily. There's 416 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: an amazing breakfast burrito place right next to our office 417 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: that tends to get a lot of my patronage when 418 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: work is when work is busy, because I can't be 419 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 1: bothered walking an extra ten minutes to you know, a 420 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 1: sweet green And so, you know, little moments like that 421 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: where work gets tough or life gets tough and you 422 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: tend to succumb to old habits or you know, decisions 423 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: that aren't the healthiest for you can add up and 424 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: take effect on your body. And so for me, it's 425 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: just like no, like my mouth is really important. Keep 426 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: coming back. 427 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 3: What did you take from that time of being both 428 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 3: of being someone who was navigating hardship while also trying 429 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 3: to be someone that was leading a you know, a company, 430 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 3: a business. 431 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy. The lesson that 432 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: I learned is that it's okay to be honest and 433 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: tell people that you're struggling. It's okay to be really 434 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: transparent and to acknowledge where you're at. I think that 435 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: the way that I handled it was to just compartmentalize 436 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,959 Speaker 1: what I was feeling emotionally and going through the grief, 437 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,479 Speaker 1: and then just show up like nothing matters. You know, 438 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,719 Speaker 1: people then think, yeah, nothing, Maybe maybe he's okay, like 439 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: he doesn't he's not feeling the grief of his mother's loss. 440 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: But there was a period of time that people were 441 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: genuinely thinking like, yeah, he's over it. And my behavior 442 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 1: was erratic at that point, like, you know, I wasn't 443 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: showing up to meetings, and I wasn't present when I 444 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: was in those meetings, and people didn't really know the 445 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: true story behind it, because you know, I kept on 446 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: acting like nothing was wrong. But it was really amazing 447 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: to see once I was open about what I was 448 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 1: going through and I was depressed for a period at 449 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: that time as well, how people really put their arms 450 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: around me and there was a lot of compassion for me. 451 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: So I think transparency and authenticity is really important. 452 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. 453 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 3: I have a friend who at her company, her boss 454 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 3: took a leave of absence and no one ever found 455 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 3: out why the leave of absence occurred, right, and so 456 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 3: it was challenged moving forward to navigate you know the scenario, 457 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 3: not knowing and not saying that you have to share 458 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 3: the inner and outter workings of everything in your personal 459 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 3: life with everyone in your office, but just coming to 460 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 3: the table with that authenticity and even acknowledging like, hey, 461 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 3: I went through a really difficult time. 462 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 2: It's something that I'm still going to be struggling with, but. 463 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 3: I like this is how it is now right and 464 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 3: saying something like that simply just acknowledging kind of like 465 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 3: the elephant in the room. Even that level of openness 466 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 3: and authenticity can make such a major difference. 467 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: A huge difference. See. I think just telling people how 468 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: you feel, like, hey, I'm really not feeling well right 469 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: now because of this reason, just gives people some insight 470 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: into what you're going through. And I'm always really amazed 471 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: at how compassionate people genuinely are. The person that could 472 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 1: be the grumpiest person in the office or in your 473 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: personal life has that seed of caring and warmth within them, 474 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: and humanity in general, I think really has that. We 475 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: distrust that for whatever reason, but in my experience, especially 476 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: over the last year, just being really vulnerable elicits a 477 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: vulnerable response. 478 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 3: When you look back now on the last three sixty five. 479 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 3: What would you say is something that you are actually 480 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 3: the most proud of yourself for. 481 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: I'm proud that I didn't run away. There were a 482 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: lot of instances in relationships as well as at work 483 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:33,719 Speaker 1: where I was really challenged, and my innate response has 484 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: always been to just shut down and run away. And 485 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: so if I get challenged, if I feel like it's 486 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,479 Speaker 1: too hard, I'm like I'm out. And I really started 487 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: to become aware of that this year, and instead of 488 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 1: running away, I actually stepped up. You know. I really 489 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: challenged myself to go into spaces that were uncomfortable, to 490 00:27:54,880 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: be extremely vulnerable, to really trust myself and that ability 491 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: to stay in something when everything in our mind or 492 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: maybe even in our bodies telling us to leave. It 493 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: felt like it's a new experience for me, you know, 494 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: and it's been amazingly rewarding, amazingly rewarding to just have 495 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: again the faith and the courage that there is something 496 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: here worth fighting for. 497 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 2: How do you know when to choose right? 498 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 3: Because I feel like we talk so much about listening 499 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 3: to your gut, and if your gut is telling you, 500 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 3: like I don't know if this is the right thing 501 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 3: but then you found so much clarity and growth through 502 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 3: not running away and sticking it out. 503 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 2: How do you know which direction to go in? 504 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: I think that the gut is is what communicates first, 505 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: you know, like we know, emotions and feelings first really 506 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: begin in the physical body, and then our mind creates 507 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: the narrative around what we're feeling. And often what I 508 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: find is that it's a balancing act between both. Right, 509 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: Sometimes you can have a very physical, somatic emotional response 510 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: in the body, but the mind is very pragmatic at 511 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: that point, and so having a practice that enables you 512 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: to have the clarity of thinking really helps. And so, 513 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: you know, there were lots of decisions that I made 514 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 1: in this year that I sat on for weeks. I 515 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: sat on for weeks, if not months. There was one 516 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: decision that took me four months to make, and I 517 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,479 Speaker 1: questioned it, I wrote it down, I journaled about it. 518 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: I spoke to my therapist about it, spoke to my 519 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: friends about it, I listened to my body. I meditated 520 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: on all of these different things, and with this particular 521 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: decision at the end, it was a leap of faith. 522 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: It was a leap of faith. I'm like, does this 523 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: feel like it's the right thing, and I thought through 524 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: all these scenarios, I listened to my body and then 525 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: sometimes it is just a leap of faith and knowing 526 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: that if it goes wrong, you're going to be okay. 527 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 3: You have me on the edge of my seat here, 528 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 3: like trying to hypothesize what the decision is. 529 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 2: I won't. I won't broad you. 530 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 3: But when you think about twenty twenty three and what's 531 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 3: in store for you in the next three sixty five, 532 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 3: what excites you right now? 533 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: I'm excited about being in person with people again. You know, 534 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of my last three years digitally, 535 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: you know, with the pandemic and everything like that. But 536 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: over the last twelve months, we've been doing lots of 537 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: in person experiences and coming into contact with you know, 538 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: people that have been meditating with me for six years 539 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: on the app, and then you know, hearing their stories 540 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: and then seeing how this practice changes them within the 541 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: course of fifteen to twenty minutes and how their whole 542 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: nervous system resets or how they've had a moment of 543 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: realization has been so beautiful to see. But I'm also 544 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: excited about the year head there's going to be lots 545 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: of new things, lots of challenges, and I don't think 546 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: I've ever felt as bad blence and as courageous as 547 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: I do right now. And part of that is knowing that, 548 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 1: you know, I've gone through so much the last twelve months, 549 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: and I've come out the other side, and I know 550 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: what I'm capable of, and I know what my capacity 551 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: is and I know what my strengths are. So I feel, yeah, 552 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: I just feel ready for whatever life throws at me. 553 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 3: You mentioned into being able to meet people irl that 554 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 3: have been practicing with you for some time now. Do 555 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 3: you have a favorite story, perhaps from the past year, 556 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 3: about either an in person or virtual interaction that really 557 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 3: left you with something special? 558 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's it's I don't know, I hope 559 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:39,480 Speaker 1: what I sound like. I'm conceded when I say this, 560 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: but I hear it a lot because it's not me. 561 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: It's generally the practice, right, This practice of breath work 562 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 1: and meditation and music can be so transformative when you 563 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: design it in a certain way. But there was one 564 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: actually from last night, I told a class this this 565 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: this these two guys are actually a guy and a 566 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: girl came out and they were like, hey, Menaja, I 567 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: want to share with you something. I'm like, what, So, 568 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: you know, my friend, this girl, she invited me to 569 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: come to this class. You know, I'd never done breath 570 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 1: work before, but I was really curious about it. And 571 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: I had a really big experience, like a lot of 572 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 1: emotions and feelings kind of came up in that class, 573 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: and I had a realization that, you know, my friend 574 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 1: who brought me to class perhaps is more than just 575 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,320 Speaker 1: a friend. And I never even thought about it before. 576 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: And then during the subsequent classes they started coming every week, 577 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: they would have these big experiences. They would cry, and 578 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: they started holding hands together and yesterday were like, yeah, 579 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: I mean I'm in love with this woman now, like 580 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: we're together. And you know, it was after that first 581 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: class that really we bonded over like what our experience 582 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 1: was like. And it was really beautiful because like a 583 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: lot of it is like, holy shit, I own all 584 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,719 Speaker 1: this trauma, and you know, I'd been heartbroken and this 585 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: realization it was kind of nice to have the opposite 586 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: where you go through this really intense experience and you realize, 587 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 1: you know, you love this random person that invited you 588 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: to a class. So I thought that was really beautiful. 589 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 3: I love that. That's such a good story. Now we're 590 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 3: on for the rapid fire round. Are you ready? 591 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: I'm ready? 592 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 2: Okay. Do you have a favorite movie of twenty two? 593 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: Triangle of Sadness? 594 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 3: Wow, you are the person. This is the last interview 595 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 3: I'm doing in this series. Fastest answer about a movie. 596 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 3: It seems that people don't watch as many movies anymore. 597 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 1: Oh, I watch way too many. 598 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 3: Favorite meal you've had in twenty twenty two could either 599 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 3: be because the meal was outstanding or the company was 600 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 3: just beyond excellent. 601 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: Yes, my mum had a tradition where every week she 602 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: would invite all of her Sri Lankan friends to come 603 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 1: to dinner and she would make this huge, you know, curry, 604 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: sort of make it a massive curry night. And she 605 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: was amazing at cooking him. And so when she passed 606 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: and I moved back to LA, I said, I'm going 607 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: to keep that tradition up. And I wasn't much of 608 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: a curry cook. I can cook a lot of other things, 609 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 1: but not that. But I threw a little curry night, 610 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,359 Speaker 1: which I started doing every month, and I invited all 611 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 1: my homies and we ate traditionally with our hands and 612 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,239 Speaker 1: the food was incredible, the company was incredible, and they 613 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:33,439 Speaker 1: just felt that I was really connected to my mom 614 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: when I was doing that. 615 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 2: That's really really beautiful. 616 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 3: Okay, for someone who wants to start a meditation and 617 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,839 Speaker 3: or breathwork practice in twenty three, I'm sure you get 618 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 3: this all the time, give us a tip that they 619 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 3: can implement to stick with it. 620 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 1: Think big, start small is my tip. I think big, 621 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,400 Speaker 1: as in, why do I want to do this? And 622 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: don't just do it because it's trending on Twitter or 623 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: your friend told you to do it, or you know 624 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,360 Speaker 1: doctors think it's good for you. Think about why for 625 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 1: you it's really important. So it could be because I 626 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: want to be a better I want to be a 627 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: better boyfriend, girlfriend, I want to be a better lover, 628 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,800 Speaker 1: I want to be a better human, I want to 629 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: be kinder to my community, whatever it is. That's the 630 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 1: big part. And then the small part is like how 631 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: much are you willing to commit to it? And so 632 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 1: people usually have grandiose ideas right now, I'm going to 633 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 1: meditate every day for thirty minutes, and within two months 634 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: they fall off. So commit to doing five to ten 635 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: minutes every day. And this thing which is literally underneath 636 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 1: your nose, your breath, can really support you throughout your life. 637 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,839 Speaker 1: And you have to commit such a small amount of time. 638 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 1: But I'm sure as you know, like when you do 639 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 1: commit to that, you begin to understand your mind a 640 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:53,680 Speaker 1: lot better and then that changes everything for you. 641 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:57,760 Speaker 3: You get to choose one word that you're going into 642 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 3: twenty three with. 643 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 2: What is your word? 644 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,439 Speaker 1: Surrender? Ooh good? 645 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 2: One expand. 646 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you know. Twenty twenty two for me 647 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 1: was a lot of resistance. It was a lot of 648 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 1: fighting against things, and I needed to do that. That 649 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: was the year that I had to fight for what 650 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,279 Speaker 1: I really wanted. And in twenty twenty three, I just 651 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 1: want to go with the flow a lot more. I 652 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 1: want to trust that there is a grander plan out 653 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: there for me, and I want to let go and 654 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 1: I just want to see what happens if I surrender 655 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 1: as much as I can to what's in front of me. 656 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,919 Speaker 3: Okay, last question here right now, knowing what you know, now, 657 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 3: you have an opportunity to offer the minage at the 658 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,839 Speaker 3: beginning of the year a piece of advice. 659 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 2: What would you tell. 660 00:36:50,040 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 1: Him, nothing is forever, everything changes, Be kind to yourself. Yeah, 661 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: I think if you want me to expand on that, 662 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:10,560 Speaker 1: please their scent. I had a prevailing idea that a 663 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 1: decision had to be forever, you know, whether it's a 664 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 1: work decision or personal life decision. But the reality is 665 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:22,560 Speaker 1: everything changes in our life, so feelings change, emotions change, 666 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 1: people change, and remembering that just invites me to just 667 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 1: let go a little bit, you know, to be a 668 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: little kinder to myself and not be so hard on myself. 669 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 3: Be kind. I love it. How if they're not doing 670 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 3: so yet? Thank you so much for sitting down with 671 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 3: me today. How do the hurdlers follow along with you? 672 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 3: How do they keep up with you? 673 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 2: And open? Give us the details? 674 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 1: You can follow along on Instagram. It's the only thing 675 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: I think I invest a lot of way too much 676 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 1: time into follow me just it's my name, manage DearS 677 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,800 Speaker 1: or you can follow as well, so I'm Open's pretty 678 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:05,759 Speaker 1: easy to find on Instagram, and I think that's really it. 679 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 1: You can also join one of our classes in La 680 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 1: soon to be Miami, or practice with me on the app. 681 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 2: Practice with you on the app. 682 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,360 Speaker 3: I'm over at Emily a Body and at Hurdle Podcast, 683 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 3: Another Hurdle Conquered Catch you guys, next time.