Life in Focus Podcast

 

Episode 17 of Life in Focus has us chatting with Sarah Fragoso. Pioneer of the Paleo movement, I first became aware of Sarah through her first series of podcasts which she co-hosted with Chrissy Gower. Together this duo taught me much about how to negotiate the world of paleo as a mother and a woman. Flash forward 6 years and Sarah remains a force to contend with. Her message like the Paleo movement has evolved beyond food to a much larger set of life concepts. So if Paleo’s not your thing, don’t worry, because this podcast is more about life, and how to synch up with what you want out of it than food or nutrition.

 

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What we talk about in this episode:

* Parents fear that they will be responsible for messing up their kids. We need to understand that we can make mistakes and it won’t necessarily have dire consequences.

* “Happiness […] isn’t a state you have to feel like you’re in all the time [whereas] being joyful  is more, for me, like an action.”

* Being joyful is a choice, it’s an action to be practiced. It’s a hard, but worthwhile skill to be honed.

* The last 1/3 is all about how to identify what’s missing for you, what brings you joy and happiness.

 

Ready to create a life that is “right-for-you” ? Click HERE  to start the INSIGHT Builder Email Series  and create focus in how you live.

Sarah on Sarah:

I am a mom to 3 boys and I homeschool the two youngest ones. The oldest boy is now in college so one down, two to go. I’m also a total badass wife who never complains and I’m always cheerful first thing in the morning, greeting my husband with a hot cup of coffee and a smile (This part is a big fat lie but it’s fun to pretend so let’s just go with it.) My husband and I co-own a gym together, JS Strength and Conditioning, in Chico, CA. I love to train my clients, however, the majority of my days are spent at home with my boys focusing on laughing more than yelling and loving more than loathing. I also happen to be a national best selling author of several books about Paleo nutrition; however, “Paleo” does not define me. Not even one tiny bit, it’s just a chapter of my life – and a great jumping off point for folks not wanting to die from eating crap, lack of sleep, and letting stress rule their lives. I  [also] founded the Everyday Paleo website several years ago.

As I get older, I realize that every year I am redefined, every moment shapes me, every experience molds me into something that I never thought I could be and sometimes in ways I don’t want to be, and often in ways I wish I was before; but that’s what makes me – me. My biggest goal in life is to leave a mark. I want to die rest assured that my kids know just how much I love them. I want to live my life being true to the people who love me the most, like that husband of mine who puts up with me like no one else ever could. I want people to remember me because I helped. I want people to be happier and I want to be happier too, so

 Want more Sarah?

On the web:

The JASSA Method – A Guide to Sustainable Fat L...

 

Welcome to Episode 16 of Life in Focus! Meet the Doc, Doctor Kirk Parsley. The Doc is a former navy seal, entrepreneur, physician and a functional health specialist. Best known for his work on sleep, he is a staunch advocate for the importance of proper rest, recovery and SLEEP in military and first responder fields. Actually, Doc will tell you why sleep and stress mitigation are necessary for everyone, from adults to small children.  Look him up on any search engine and you will find page after page of interviews, articles and a great TedX Reno talk on sleep.

Clearly that topic didn’t need to be revisited here. Instead, Doc and I did discussed resilience, what it takes to overcome adversity as a former serviceman, why everyone needs to be challenged in order to grow and how our current societal and educational models lead us to accept less than we can achieve.

Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate/review it on iTunes if that’s how you stream it and SHARE IT with the world!

 

Take home:

* The executive centers of our brains continue to evolve through our early 20’s. What we do, what we engage in during that period of life has a direct influence on how we problem solve. Consider that with regards to the kids who enter the military straight out of school…

* What is resilience? How much is tied to nature vs. nurture? Does is require adversity to develop?

* Seal Ethos: “You can do anything as long as you are willing to pay the price.”

* “Thriving is reaching for whatever you’re passionate about, regardless of how many obstacles stand in your way.”

* “When most people aren’t really living their passions or living their dreams, it’s 100% fear based.”

 

Ready to create a life that is “right-for-you” ? Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

 

 

About Kirk Parsley:

Doc’s story is a great one, it merits being told in its entirety, and honestly he does a far better job than I could in this department. Learn more about him right here.

 Want more Doc?

On the Web

In Your Sleep

On Twitter

 

Welcome to Episode 15 of Life in Focus! Our guest this week is a professional podcaster, until recently the voice behind Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint and Ben Greenfield’s podcasts, Brock Armstrong is also responsible for producing the Dave Asprey, Abel James and Katy Bowman’s podcasts to name a few. Brock was also the very first person to interview me in a podcast.

Although it’s just plain fun to put the man behind everyone else’s podcasts in the spotlight, the reason we wanted to host Brock is that he is a true renaissance man. A former ballet dancer, actor, musician in a Celtic band, and renaissance fair banjo player, his current titles include podcast producer and host, audiobook engineer, videographer, web and email developer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, athletic coach, and wannapreneur. Clearly, Brock is a man who knows that you can reinvent yourself countless times in your life.  His philosophy? “Whoever dies with the most stories wins.”

 

 

Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate/review it on iTunes if that’s how you stream it and SHARE IT with the world!

Take home:

* On trying new things: There is always another opportunity out there, so there’s no real risk in trying new things.

* If you want something, ask for it. The worst that can happen is nothing changes.

* “Don’t get so hung up on the outcomes or the goal that you are afraid to make mistakes or fuck-up.”

* “I feel confident in myself as a human on this planet who has every right to do what any other human does.”

* Check out Brock’s AMAZING Canadian Celtic 90’s videos. 1, 2 and because they rock 3.

 

Ready to create a life that is “right-for-you”? Start by slowing down long enough to check in with yourself and get answers to some really important questions like ‘What do I want?’

I’ve create the Art of Nothing 7 -day challenge to help you restore that balance and regain control. Grab it today  for FREE right HERE and start building that definition.

 

About Brock:

Brock Skywalker Armstrong produces and co-hosts the twice weekly Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast and narrates the audio versions of the popular Marks Daily Apple blog posts. He also engineers the Primal Blueprint and Primal Endurance podcast, Endurance Planet podcast,

 

Welcome to Episode 14 of Life in Focus! It’s a premier, a big movie event, as we get to talk with Caroleen and Tjard Reimann the oh so determined and dedicated couple who produced the first crowd funded feature length documentary about the Paleo lifestyle, We Love Paleo.

I got to meet power couple Caroleen and Tjard at Health Unplugged 2014, where they were showcasing their documentary, We Love Paleo. Caroleen and I hit it off, chatting away in French, and have stayed in touch since then.

On August 31st, 2015 they finally premiered their documentary in London. I decided it was a perfect time to reach out and see what it takes to create an international documentary. Beyond the process, I was interested in knowing more about how it impacted their couple, what they learned from pursuing what is Caroleen’s passion, and where they’re going from here. I’m very fortunate that both of them were willing to be open and candid about the pains and joys of bringing this baby to life.

Correction: Caroleen said that CJ Hunt’s film was released in 2009.  The Perfect Human diet came out in 2012.

Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate/review it on iTunes if that’s how you stream it and SHARE IT with the world!

Take home:

* “If you shoot for the stars you might hit the moon” 

* Following your passions is rarely a solitary endeavor. Are the people in your life willing to sacrifice for your dreams too?

* Sometimes going after a dream can become all consuming, as we get mired in the details and the efforts required to achieve our goals.

* Listen carefully, for  an exclusive on the documentary and what’s coming next for We Love Paleo

* Scroll to the bottom of the post for a preview of the documentary

Ready to create a life that is “right-for-you” ? Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

 

About Caroleen:

Caroleen, founder of Beyond Features, has writing, producing and directing experience that spans almost a decade. The We Love Paleo documentary is not her first crowd-funded effort, with her short film “Insomnia” (2013) successfully raising over 100% of the pledged amount and now in the process of being made available on iTunes. Caroleen holds a Bachelor of Communications degree from the University of Quebec, Montreal (her hometown), and has extensive training in the film industry. Both her husband (Tjard) and herself have been adhering to the Paleo lifestyle since late 2011.

About Tjard:

 Tjard is the design ‘eye’ behind the look and feel of all things Beyond Features. With a career in Design, Media & Entertainment that spans almost a decade, it isn‘t surprising he landed where he did. As the recipient of a full scholarship, this ex-drummer went on to complete a master’s degree in Media Management, Communications & Design from Cologne‘s Applied Sciences Fresenius University, earning a ’Best of Class’ mention. A successful 3-year stint in broadcasting allowed Tjard to gain precious skills in sound design and video editing, though now he works in the wonderful world of web as a designer and producer.

 

We Love Paleo everywhere you can get it!

We Love Paleo online

We Love Paleo on Twitter<...

Welcome to Episode 13 of Life in Focus where you get to meet the astounding and ever evolving Lee Selman.

BE WARNED: There is a lot of laughing and giggling in this episode. If you don’t like to hear people laugh, don’t listen. Also Christopher talks and asks questions… It’s a great episode!

Lee is the co-founder of Paleo Treats and ManRabbit (the artist duo with Carla Naden that produced the beautiful piece featured in this post) and a half a dozen other ventures that are no longer part of her day to day interests. Lee has done everything, or almost everything it seems. From waiting tables, to camel handler, and trekking the Sahara with nomads to creating a t-shirt company, Lee approaches life with a fundamental belief that if someone else has done something she can too! With that kind attitude there is no stopping this woman.

Lee, who is lives here in San Diego with her husband Nik Hawks (Episode 8), took the time to sit with us while we talked about entrepreneurship, love, being a woman and the origin of the name ManRabbit (you’ll want to hear this one!). Truth? We recorded about 40 minutes of conversation before realizing that the wrong mic was picking up sound (totally Chris’ fault and he’ll never get to live it down!), so we got to interview her for twice as long as the usual Life in Focus guest; lucky us!

If you like the podcast PLEASE go to iTunes and rate/review the podcast. The more people rate it, the more likely we can share our great shows with others! Also, share it with your friends and circles…

Take home:

* “How can anyone really fail at anything, if you’ve tried? Failure is like you’re dead.”

* Building something great takes time – as long as it works for you, don’t give up!

* Selfish isn’t always a bad thing, sometimes it just means valuing your own time.

* “Every single person has something that they should be pursuing.”

* Never let yourself be boxed in!

You don’t need to know exactly what you want, to get where you need to be, but you do need to understand what is right for you. Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

 

About Lee Selman:

An adventurous spirit, Lee is a professional camel handler by trade and spent time running an expedition company in West Africa in the Sahara. When she’s not running the numbers or strategizing for Paleo Treats Inc she creates art with a partner under the name ManRabbit. She also practices filipino street fighting with stick, sword and knife with Blackline Fight Group in Carlsbad, CA. under the tutelage of Roy Harris.

 

Where to get more LEE:

Paleo Treats

ManRabbit

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Linkedin

 

We have a real treat for Episode 12 of Life in Focus and her name is Hilary Bromberg.

Hilary is a mover, a shaker, an author, speaker, evangelist, thought leader, sustainability expert, strategist, marketing expert and entrepreneur. Hilary is a FORCE OF NATURE. She is someone who has boldly crafted the life that was right for her, not once, but three times.

She has authored two books, one of which is still in the making, birthed two eco-conscious, socially responsible and value based companies  – Barefoot Provisions and Egg – and speaks eloquently about returning to our roots, reconnecting with what matters, and living in tune with who we are. I had the pleasure of talking with Hilary about the incredibly bold moves she has made in her life, the price you pay for just doing what seems right, and what it takes to make choices that are right for you. We also talk about parenthood and how that responsibility can shift how we craft our lives.

Like the podcast?  Rate and review on  iTunes and share it with your friends.

Take home:

* Right for you can and will change a lot throughout your life, you can make the change every time you need to.

* It’s always a path, we are always growing and changing.

* You don’t need to know how you story will end to start it! Have a vision of where you want to go and move towards that.

* Fear and misery are signals for change that you can choose to listen to or allow to overpower you.

* About overcoming your fears and making changes: “We are incredibly resilient. We’re creatures of habit, so we expect and want to do the same thing again and again and again, but we can adapt to almost anything.”

You don’t need to know exactly what you want, to get where you need to be, but you do need to understand what is right for you. Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

 

About Hilary Bromberg:

“Hilary Bromberg — a thought leader in sustainability and ancestral health — is Strategy Director / Principal at egg, a boutique Seattle-based brand communications and product development firm that works exclusively with sustainable brands. She is also a founder of Barefoot Provisions — a consciously curated online store for the primal foodie.

Hilary spent most of her life in the Northeast, where she was educated by Quakers, who literally taught her how to hug trees, and then at MIT and Harvard, where she was trained as a cognitive neuroscientist, and also picked up a degree in literature along the way.

After conducting far too much research in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, she moved to NYC, where her background gave her an uncanny grasp of branding and marketing. After working as a strategic consultant, she became disillusioned with modern civilization and moved out to a high-desert yurt in New Mexico, where she got deep into all facets of primal living, and wrote a dystopic novel, A New You.

At egg, she has worked to build a diverse set of sustainable brands, from Nature’s Path and Earthbound Farms, to Traditional Medicinals and Energy Star. Hilary speaks widely about sustainability, ancestral health, culture change,

We have a real treat for Episode 12 of Life in Focus and her name is Hilary Bromberg.

Hilary is a mover, a shaker, an author, speaker, evangelist, thought leader, sustainability expert, strategist, marketing expert and entrepreneur. Hilary is a FORCE OF NATURE. She is someone who has boldly crafted the life that was right for her, not once, but three times.

She has authored two books, one of which is still in the making, birthed two eco-conscious, socially responsible and value based companies  – Barefoot Provisions and Egg – and speaks eloquently about returning to our roots, reconnecting with what matters, and living in tune with who we are. I had the pleasure of talking with Hilary about the incredibly bold moves she has made in her life, the price you pay for just doing what seems right, and what it takes to make choices that are right for you. We also talk about parenthood and how that responsibility can shift how we craft our lives.

Like the podcast?  Rate and review on  iTunes and share it with your friends.

Take home:

* Right for you can and will change a lot throughout your life, you can make the change every time you need to.

* It’s always a path, we are always growing and changing.

* You don’t need to know how you story will end to start it! Have a vision of where you want to go and move towards that.

* Fear and misery are signals for change that you can choose to listen to or allow to overpower you.

* About overcoming your fears and making changes: “We are incredibly resilient. We’re creatures of habit, so we expect and want to do the same thing again and again and again, but we can adapt to almost anything.”

You don’t need to know exactly what you want, to get where you need to be, but you do need to understand what is right for you. Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

 

About Hilary Bromberg:

 “Hilary Bromberg — a thought leader in sustainability and ancestral health — is Strategy Director / Principal at egg, a boutique Seattle-based brand communications and product development firm that works exclusively with sustainable brands. She is also a founder of Barefoot Provisions — a consciously curated online store for the primal foodie.

Hilary spent most of her life in the Northeast, where she was educated by Quakers, who literally taught her how to hug trees, and then at MIT and Harvard, where she was trained as a cognitive neuroscientist, and also picked up a degree in literature along the way.

After conducting far too much research in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, she moved to NYC, where her background gave her an uncanny grasp of branding and marketing. After working as a strategic consultant, she became disillusioned with modern civilization and moved out to a high-desert yurt in New Mexico, where she got deep into all facets of primal living, and wrote a dystopic novel, A New You.

At egg, she has worked to build a diverse set of sustainable brands, from Nature’s Path and Earthbound Farms, to Traditional Medicinals and Energy Star. Hilary speaks widely about sustainability, ancestral health,

 

Episode 11 of Life in Focus features Zach Horvath. Zach is the co-founder of San Diego based company Live a Great Story.

If you follow this blog you will have come across Live a Great Story before, right here. I first saw their posters and fell in love with their messages last Fall, and was curious about the people behind them. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Zach not only worked in the same neighborhood as Life in Focus, but lived there too.

Live a Great Story is a clothing brand. It is also a philosophy its creators live by, and a movement. Zach and his team believe everyone has a story to tell, and that when you come across an inspiring one you should share it; so that’s exactly what they are doing. To me live a great story is the essence of the Life in Focus way, so I’ll collaborate with these guys and spread their message as much as I can. In this week’s interview we talk with Zach about his journey to building this company, what living a great story means to him, and how it all comes back to doing what’s right for you!

 

If you like the podcast PLEASE go to iTunes and rate/review the podcast. The more people rate it, the more likely we can share our great shows with others! Also, share it with your friends and circles…

Take home:

* Wisdom comes at any age. Just listen to what 25 year old Zach has to say about how to approach life and this becomes very clear.

* If you follow your path authentically, you’ll have a great story to share.

* Share your story with other to inspire and grow as a community.

* You don’t have to approach your dreams in one motion, you can slowly approximate them, giving yourself the opportunity to try them on and overcome your fears.

* With regards to moving forward in life “Whatever result happens you’re going to be a better person [for having lived through the experience…] You have to fail to get to move forward. Nobody succeeds without failing!”

* It’s about asking yourself “How can I do it?” instead of “Why can’t I?”

You don’t need to know exactly what you want, to get where you need to be, but you do need to understand what is right for you. Sing up for the FREE  Insight Builder Email Series and start building that definition.

About Zach Horvath:

Zach Horvath is the founder of LIVE A GREAT STORY, a lifestyle brand dedicated to building a community focused on spreading inspiration. After traveling for 7 months in Europe, Zach returned to the states energized by the experience of connecting with people of all backgrounds, ages and cultures from around the world. Building on the many stories he collected from this trip, he began spreading the simple #liveagreatstory message to inspire people to “Do you, better”. A year later the LIVE A GREAT STORY brand has spread across the world and inspired thousands of people to move forward in their own story… and they’re just getting started. Head over to LIVEAGREATSTORY.com to learn more or hang out with them on your favorite social media platform.

Be Part of the Live a Great Story movement:

On the Web

On Twitter

On Facebook

This week’s episode features Dan Edwardes. Dan is a founder of Parkour Generations, one of the foremost international parkour organization, as well as a co-creator of A.D.P.T™ and Movement Fitness Specialist™ certifications.

Despite my recent fascination with the art, philosophy and practice of this skill, in Episode 10 of Life in Focus Dan and I address finding purpose and meaning in what you do, and  discuss how it ties into happiness. He shares his own journey from being  a Cambridge scholar, to studying martial arts in Japan and Asia and eventually getting into parkour, where he has made a thriving career of teaching and promoting this art of movement internationally. We explore how to know what’s right for you when you don’t have a specific direction, examine the nature of fear, and discuss how to move beyond it to thrive.

If you have ever wondered how to move forward with life when you’re not entirely sure where you want to be in the end, this is the episode for you!

If you like the podcast PLEASE go to iTunes and rate/review the podcast. The more people rate it, the more likely we can share our great shows with others! Also, share it with your friends and circles…

Take home:

* You don’t always need to know where you are heading to end up right where you need to be.

“If you enjoy the process of what you do, and it is right for you, it will lead you exactly where you need to be.”

* Pursue a purpose rather than happiness.

“If you pursue a purpose, happiness will ensue from that. […] Happiness just ensues as a result of  being purposeful and feeling, therefore, that you are achieving something and are worth something.”

* Fear is a construct of the mind. It is not the danger itself, but the anticipation of it and the revisiting of what could have been.

* To conquer fear is to master your thoughts.

* Once you realize that you always have a choice in any situation, you’re probably pretty wealthy; wealth is found in being free mentally.

You don’t need to know exactly what you want, to get where you need to be, but you do need to understand what is right for you. Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and start building that definition.

About Dan Edwardes:

Dan Edwardes is a founder and director of Parkour Generations, the world’s leading parkour organisation with operations in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Co-creator of the global A.D.A.P.T™ and Movement Fitness Specialist™ Certifications and the groundbreaking Mov’ Programs, Dan is also an expert in several fighting arts and author of The Parkour and Freerunning Handbook.

It’s simply impossible to condense any individual’s life into a biography on a single page. How to know what to pick out and what to exclude..? Some of the most important aspects of any life, those things that really shape who we are, happen in just one moment and are impossible to explain in a few sentences. I’m someone fortunate enough, or crazy enough, to pursue the things I love and to make them fill my days. I’ve always been blessed with incredible friends and am surrounded by some of the strongest,

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Life in Focus Podcast, where we talk about what it means to thrive, and the difference between doing what’s right, and doing what’s right for you.

This week we interview Dr. Theresa Larson, founder of Movement Rx, physical therapist, coach, author, speaker and warrior! Theresa has been actively working with athletes, veterans and strong humans to reclaim their bodies, move with health and build the foundations to become “warrior strong.”

What does it mean to be warrior strong? This is one of the things we talk about at length in our interview with Theresa. I will say this much, Theresa presents a definition of strength that goes beyond muscle, beyond our conventional definitions of courage or ability, to include mind, heart and soul. She candidly shares her own story of strength and courage in this episode, and shows us how making a choice that was right for her, to the disregard of her peers and superiors, saved her life and paved the way for her new book Warrior and the movement by the same name.

Enjoying the podcast? Help spread the word,  go to iTunes and rate/review and of course tell your friends the podcast.

Take home:

* Sometimes courage means you take what seems to be the “easy way out” to end up doing the harder thing.

* One definition of strength is having indomitable will – what is yours?

* When you don’t find what you’re looking for in life, build it yourself!

* Perfectionism can take different forms, and rarely leads to excellence or fulfillment.

* Want to know if you’re an unhealthy perfectionist? I’ve got a definition for you! Want to know how to chip away at it? Theresa has some tips.

* Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a show of strength. If you need help ask for it, it’s like having a physical injury, get help being healthy!

Strength is about making choices that are right for you and having the courage to stand by those choices, regardless of what others believe. Grab your FREE copy of the Focus Map and learn what those choices need to be for you.

About Dr. Theresa Larson:

Theresa Larson was a Marine Lieutenant commanding an entire platoon in Iraq while internally struggling with an eating disorder. Her courageous journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect”. She is now the founder of Movement Rx, a physical therapy and wellness company that offers support to wounded warriors and individuals with health and movement issues, and she travels all over the world as a speaker for CrossFit. She is a Lululemon ambassador, and works with nonprofits including Team Red White & Blue, Linderkids.org, Resiliency Project, and the National Eating Disorder Association. Theresa hopes that through sharing her story, she will help inspire others to empower themselves, embrace their inner warrior and re-define and acknowledge their strength.