Have you ever wondered what do do with your life? Maybe you question it regularity. Maybe you are in a career, a location or a relationship that doesn't light you up. And you are considering your options and exploring new opportunities to live somewhere new, meet someone new, start a new career or business.

Life is full of options and the idea to have the ability to even entertain options or new possibilities is a privilege. But do you also battle with indecision because you are entertaining new options? This is something the common person struggles with. So we have to consider that fact that maybe to have many options is more of a curse than a blessing especially if we don't know how to manage our options. Because when we are full of options it can overwhelm us, create lack of clarity and confusion because we are not focused in on a goal. 

But what if you made the decision to go for something more concrete and specific? Decision essentially means death to an option. So what if you stopped entertaining the idea of new options? Afterall, if you are anything like me, you know what it's like to suffer with indecision, overwhelm and confusion. Why not have clarity and a sense of direction? Well you can when you make a decision to go for something. So consider the benefits of have little to no other options, how focused and clear your mind is and how that would feel!

In this episode I am discussing the concept of fuel efficiency as it relates to food as the body's fuel source for energy. For every time we eat is a chance to either energize and nourish us or rob the body of energy and it comes down to how 'efficient' the 'fuel' is. Not all calories are created equal and when it comes to plant based vs animal food, there is often a vast difference between how well the human body can utilize and absorb one or the other. 

It is a common myth that we need certain nutrients from animal products especially protein but what it comes down to is the efficiency of the food and protein source for that matter. If a food source requires more energy to break down, it will break us down, making us feel heavy and lethargic. That is why it is critical to eat foods that energize and build us up. 

Energy equals more life force and the more nutrient dense calories we consume, the more efficient our bodies run and the better we perform. There is a vast difference between plant and animal foods and how they impact our overall health and energy levels. And if the food is higher in calories, lower in nutritional value, it will always cost us energy. So why not eat for energy in the way mother nature intended? 

Often times reason we play small in life is because we are more concerned about pleasing others. Our playing small serves no one so why would we be concerned about pleasing others so much? It is because our stepping out and playing big could cost us our reputation. It could mean loss of acceptance or approval from others. And that, to the Ego, means separation from the tribe, and not being loved. 

The greatest fears we have in life is not being loved but also the fear of being ourselves. It sounds cliche to just be yourself but in reality with all the noise and cultural influences, it is hard to know who we really are to begin with.

We are taught about many subjects in educational system growing up except ourselves. And that is a problem when we get into the real world because each of us is unique and are wired in different ways that can be difficult for many to mold into society's model of success (which should not be the intention of the individual). To live successfully and fulfilled is to be free from that mold and move towards our unique calling. And when we get the right education and learn about ourselves, we can start to explore our potential and be our authentic selves and live in alignment with who we are and our mission in life. And in turn, be of greater service to others and actually have others we care about love and respect us. The courage to be ourselves with creative expression creates a ripple effect on others because you let your light shine on them. And if it's too bright for them to handle, don't worry. Love and move forward!

In this episode I am interviewing Jarryd Lee, a small town dude with big aspirations. Jarryd is a wellness and travelling enthusiast who has a love for coffee, nature, yoga and people. He shares his journey of exploring many parts of the world including Western Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and India where he stayed at the ashrams to learn about yoga and immersing himself in the practice. Jarryd also spent some time planting trees in different countries. Buckle up as we get into what his journey has been like as a yoga student and world traveller along with some education on yoga and breath work.

Jarryd loves to read, play music and study on all things wellness, culture and learn about other people. He more recently got into cold exposure therapy and shares about his regular practice of bathing in the freezing waters of the Canadian winter and cold showers. To make things a little warmer, Jarryd recently started his own local coffee brewery and shares about his ethical and harvesting practices with freshly roasted beans and perfecting his craft.

In this episode I am sharing about the benefits of getting outside and immersing yourself in the cold wintery weather. In today's day in age we have the luxury of comfort, like hot water and furnaces to heat our homes. 

Most people are afraid of the cold and love to go somewhere warm in the winter. It's a great escape strategy but the buzz is very short lived. Soon you have to come back to reality. And despite these lifestyle comforts, people are still unhappy and feel rather dissatisfied and want more. A counter-intuitive approach like cold exposure may be a great idea. 

We heard growing up: "Put your jacket on, don't catch a cold" Well, as a society, we are programmed for instant comfort and pleasure. And the instant gratification mentality can often rob us of joy, wellbeing and happiness. If you are like me, you know the internal benefits of discipline. Doing what is hard so your life will be easy is the philosophy here. When you expose yourself to uncomfortable stimuli for brief periods frequently you will very likely experience more long term happiness, satisfaction and more appreciation for the simple things in life.

All things pleasurable like food, a warm fireplace, netflix or scrolling on the internet become more of a joy and pleasure when you do something like a hard workout, go outside in sub zero temperatures with minimal clothing, cold showers and such. I have found it builds up your immunity and tolerance for harsh environments so you can thrive in the more conventional states and life actually becomes more of a joy and pleasure. It is a no pain, no gain approach in a way, except you don't live in pain, you just deliberately put yourself into a situation of acute stress and build up your mental and physical strength and resiliency. And by doing so you will feel better about yourself and ability to handle life situations better. Because who doesn't want that?

PS: This is not for the faint at heart, only for those who want to try at their own discretion. Be safe but don't be afraid!

In this episode I am interviewing a recent connection of mine, Jose Santos. Jose and I met through a high level self mastery program online and we got to know each other through the Facebook community and coaching program. Jose shares his story of going from hardcore partier and drinker to becoming devoted to personal growth and wellbeing. After a major car crash, he was left paralyzed, going from dwelling in his depression to  shifting his mindset and and gaining a new perspective on life.

Jose found meaning out of the events that led up to his accident and now he sees it as a gift and that woke him up and so he decided to move on and reinvent himself from the inside out. You could say he was reborn with a fresh perspective on life. Today, Jose is a student of life, learning the art of self mastery. He has really worked on himself and has been supported by a very uplifting community of people who challenge him to be better every day.

Recently, Jose ascended a mountain in Colorado Springs with crutches. He has not restored full use of his one leg but that didn't stop him. He is a living example of testing his limits and pushing his physical and mental boundaries, proving that the only disability in life is a bad attitude!

When it comes to fitness performance, we experience plateaus especially the more seasoned we get. If you are stuck, it could be a number of things, but in this episode I am sharing some insights that I have learned recently about frequency, intensity and over training.

You have asked yourself perhaps: "Do I back off or push harder?" There's a lot of talk on fitness motivation with youtube and people we look up to talking about it being all about intensity. That if you are stuck and not reaching your physique or performance goals, your not pushing hard enough. I am here to suggest that maybe the opposite is true and that you may be over training. If you feel burnt out and your performance and recovery is diminishing, that is a sign right there.

You might think that frequency couldn't be the solution. After all, you should take a break right? But if you are educated enough on the importance of movement, you know the worst thing you can do is to sit around all day. 

There is a fine line, a sweet spot in frequency and intensity where you increase the frequency (if you are not training five to seven days a week already) and actually lowering the intensity. When it comes to muscle building for instance, volume equals gains. And if you train more often through the week, you will likely find your performance and physique improving. This is because of more training time, more repetition and at a level of intensity that is lower so you can train more often. Save your energy for going all out once a week versus every training session and watch what happens to your performance, your physique, your recovery and in the long run, your overall health!

In this episode I am speaking with Michael Larson who is an expert in the area of parenting and currently growing his coaching business called Empowered Parenting. He is teaching young parents how to affectively communicate to their kids and break down the wall between them. He has vast experience as a social worker and in working with troubled youth to help them shift from rebellion, alcohol, drug abuse, violence and the like.

As a father of young children, Michael understands the challenges of parenthood and with his experience of growing up as a troubled teen, working with teens and his journey into personal development, he has become a far greater version of himself and has discovered his mission. 

Michael sees where society and peer pressure in youth development AND being an adult can create tension in the family. And now, seeing with new knowledge and from the work he has done on himself, he makes for a great person to link both father and child together in the family dynamic and really helping create a healthier family relationship. So get ready for some insights, tips and lessons on parenting and learn more about his Empowered Parenting program and how it may help you!

Get ready to be educated and empowered! In this episode I am speaking with a wellbeing mentor and friend of mine Daniel DeLuis. Dan is an avid practitioner and instructor of yoga who also specializes in meditation, breathwork and cold therapy!. He has run a local yoga studio for the past 16 years and continues to educate wellbeing and continue his journey of his personal and professional life.  He is a certified Wim Hof instructor who applies his teaching to others seeking to take their wellbeing and health to another level.  He shares his story growing up and discovering yoga and sharing with people the benefits he experienced which lead him to teach and run his now well established yoga studio!

Dan has travelled to many different parts of the world including his more recent excursions with the Iceman Wim Hof. He visits Spain on a regular basis where his native heritage resides. And in this episode, he dives into the fundamentals of yoga, his experience developing himself with his practice and his business. Dan is very devoted to his community but also to spread the message to the world that if we are to live well and be well, we need to turn inward for our source of wellbeing, happiness health and strength. 

In this episode I am talking about the pursuit of longevity, but not just pursuing it but doing so with a purpose. Many people strive to live long, and not just long, but healthy and happy. It is important that if you plan to live long, you have a plan, and proactively pursue it with daily lifestyle habits like eating and exercise, meditation and the like. These behaviors are common knowledge, yet we know for many, it is not common practice. And even those who practice daily healthy lifestyle habits can still miss out on what it means to truly live a quality, joyful, successful, fulfilling and meaningful life.

This is why knowing tools for longevity is not enough. A purpose for longevity is what we need. If there's no reason for you to pursue longevity, your behaviours towards it won't last long or be effective enough. Now Im not talking about your WHY necessarily in this discussion, rather, a purpose for life, something greater than yourself, something to live for that keeps you engaged. I refer to it as a mission, a calling. It is when you are inspired daily and tuned in on that mission or purpose that gives life meaning. And when you have that purpose, you want to live as long as you can and much more likely to live longer and better. Its the quality of life that counts, not how long you live!. So when it comes down to it, a purpose for longevity makes for a meaningful pursuit of longevity and you can expect to live longer and better with that purpose in mind!~