“We are all born to be enormous, vibrant and illuminated” Melanie Smith

It was so lovely to sit down with my dear friend Melanie Smith. Through her work as an award-winning actress, as the creator and owner of the award- winning yoga studio Yogaphoria, and as her work a coach who specializes in grief loss and recovery, she brought so much wisdom and humor to the conversation. Here are my five favorite takeaways and self-reflections from this week’s conversation with Melanie Smith.

1. What would happen if you approached everything with a beginner's

mind, with the idea that is impossible to fail, simply because you tried? Melanie spoke about not being afraid to fail, that she approached life as though she knew nothing and so was not afraid to try and begin learning something. Is there something you have wanted to try but were afraid to, in case you failed?

2. Is there an area of your life where you could close the gap? Melanie told us that she “coaches to the gap” She is not afraid to look at the areas in her life that need to be filled in, strengthened or explored to close the gap between the life she is living and the life that she desires.  Is there something you can begin doing to close the gap? Maybe it is doing some research, reading a book on the topic, or asking for help.

3. Can you begin to sit with the feelings that you often want to push away? Melanie admits that she too feels fear and anxiety at certain times in her life, but shared that she does not hook a story to the feelings. This was a big light bulb moment for me. Can you begin to make friends with both the positive and negative emotions of life, and avoid attaching a story to them? Can you learn to be a witness to your emotions, and allow them to flow in and out of your day, without ruminating on the negative feelings or diving down the rabbit hole of "would, could and should."

4. Which stories are you running in your mind over and over? The one's that are directing the way your life unfolds? Melanie kept coming back to the power of storytelling. She told us that if your life is not working, then your stories are not working. Is there a story that is serving you well? Is there a story that is holding you back? Can you focus on the stories that support your life and release the ones that derail you.

5. Can you begin to pay closer attention to what your instincts are whispering to you? Melanie spoke about our instincts and reminded us to pay attention to them as they are often winning moments in our life. I say that our instincts are never wrong we sometimes just choose not to listen to them. Can you think back to a time when you listened to your instincts, and to a time when you ignored them? Then reflect on the different outcomes.

“I approach life as though I don’t know anything, and so let’s start learning something” Melanie Smith

This episode was recorded at Melanie’s NYC apartment. Please enjoy the ambient sound of the Big Apple.

Melanie Smith is one of my dearest friends and this episode begins with us sharing how we remember first meeting. It was at Kripalu during our yearlong studies in Positive Psychology with Tal Ben-Shahar Ph.D. Of course, we both have different memories, and this led perfectly into a conversation around the power of stories.

Melanie has a rich and fantastic past, and we touch on just a few of her careers. From being a Playboy Bunny to playing Jerry’s girlfriend on Seinfeld, to opening her world renowned yoga studio in New Hope, PA – Yogaphoria. Throughout the interview, Melanie shares all the different hats that she tried on before landing the work and career that was the perfect fit.

I find Melanie one of the smartest and soulful people I know. We talk about how our surroundings will influence our trajectory in life and how sometimes when we look back, it seems like just one small choice after another, shifts and shapes our life. We talk about being fearless, having tenacity, and developing courage so that we can create a life that we are proud of.

Melanie shares the crazy and surreal group of strange coincidences that took her from Scranton to Stardom and gives us the backstory of how she landed the role of Emily in As The World Turns. She also shares how she was cast in the role of Jerry’s Girlfriend on Seinfeld, and how this episode helped her opening of her Yoga studio, Yogaphoria.

Melanie believes that everyone is heartbroken and she shares how the loss of her mother to cancer and the sudden death of her sister created the gateway for her transition into a coach who specializes in grief, loss, and recovery.

Towards the end of our conversation, Melanie dives into the power of stories and shares how she decides what is true and what is a story. She encourages us all to change, re-script and re-frame our negative stories to allow the magic that is waiting for all of us to appear.

More About Melanie

Melanie Smith is a nationally renowned teacher and coach, award winning actress and spiritual entrepreneur. She has not only spent many years coaching, speaking and presenting to thousands, but she has also graduated well over 1,000 teachers from her educational programs.

She works with mission driven, inspired people on a daily basis; Helping them to transform their lives and businesses, moving them into the most realized and abundant experience of life.

Melanie is trained in many forms of coaching, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, the Chakra system and Bio-energetics, Archetypes, behavioral finance, grief and loss recovery.  She was a founding fellow of Harvard University’s institute of coaching and is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and an ICA Master Coach.

Melanie was the founder and director of one of the countries most respected yoga and wellness centers and has been the face of many international wellness brands. She has written for several national magazines and has been at the center of some of Television’s most memorable and funniest moments.

She is also the proud mom of her greatest acheivement…her son Gideon Moses

“ With every word I speak I have a responsibility” Jeremy Newman

What a conversation I had with Jeremy Newman. I left that interview inspired, grateful and with a new determination to appreciate the good in every moment. Here are my five favorite takeaways and self-reflections from this week’s conversation with inspirational speaker, gratitude seeker and champion for possibility Jeremy Newman

1. Jeremy spoke about the responsibility that comes with what we say. One of my favorite books is the Four Agreements, and one of the agreements is to be impeccable with your word. How well do you tend to the words you use on a daily basis?

2. I loved it when Jeremy said, “Speak into existence what you want in your life.” What is something you desire? What is something that you want to do in this lifetime? Can you act and speak as if it has already happened and then embody the feeling of what it would feel like to accomplish your dreams. Act as if it has already happened and now go and do the work to make that dream a reality. Envision, Embody and Execute

3. Jeremy shared how he chooses not to consume negative media. Can you manage your media intake? Choose which resources you want to utilize to stay up to date on what is important to you. Stay educated without allowing any negativity to penetrate your inner world.

4. Jeremy spoke about what keeps him going. How by being of service to others he almost feels selfish as he gets so much back in return. What keeps you going? Who or what do you lean on in those moments of uncertainty?

5. I cannot count the number of times Jeremy mentioned his gratitude for his life, his mother, and even hitting the ground at 100 miles an hour. Jeremy does not just talk about gratitude he embodies the word, the action and the emotion. Today and everyday, I invite you to keep coming back to an attitude of gratitude. Seek out all that is working in your favor and trust that the Universe has your back

“Speak Into Existence, What You Want In Your Life” Jeremy Newman

Probably one of the most joyous and grateful people I know. Let Jeremy lift you up and remind you of the extra-ordinary in the most ordinary of days. From being a Hollywood personal trainer to being in a wheelchair, you will be both inspired and uplifted by his story.

We begin by going back to when we knew each other 25 years ago at the very first Equinox Club on the Upper West Side in NYC. We had lost touch for about 15 years when Jeremy popped onto my Facebook news feed but this time he was in a wheelchair.

While Jeremy believes there are no accidents, the fact he was living on all cylinders in his life created the perfect storm for the “accident” to occur.

Jeremy was a self-proclaimed rebel and even 56 days in jail did not change his mindset as he continued to live life on an adrenaline high. He shares his entry into skydiving and what happened on the day he decided to collapse the outside of his chute and why he chose not to pull his reserve causing him to hit the ground at over 100 miles an hour.

Jeremy died that day and when he came back to life he then had to undergo 13 hours of surgery. Jeremy was in a coma for a month and the story he shares about his journey to regain his memory and his life back is one of the most remarkable conversations I have ever had. He talks about his wake up call that occurred during a conversation with his mom Liz, and how when he changed his mind and his attitude, he changed his life.

There are so many fantastic stories in this show, along with Jeremy’s words of wisdom and life lessons. I invite you to turn off all distractions, pour a cup of tea and enjoy.

More About Jeremy

Many who have experienced serious accidents speak of their lives as if they had occurred in two parts: the before and after. As a personal trainer, gymnast, marathon runner, and skydiver, Jeremy lived his “previous life” with reckless abandon, his first love always being the thrill of a challenge. Unfortunately, no challenge would prove greater than on May 24, 1997, when he hit the ground skydiving at 100 miles an hour and it left him paralyzed from the waist down. In his competitive fervor, he brought himself to the brink of death, for which he takes full responsibility. Jeremy’s life experience since then has become a mission to inspire others, especially when dealing with the seemingly impossible.

As an avid skydiver, he was well trained, experienced, and fiercely competitive. On that fateful day, in an attempt to race a fellow skydiver to the ground, he purposely closed the end cells of his parachute, which naturally collapsed the entire canopy. He plummeted to the ground from 1,200 feet. With multiple life-threatening injuries, he slipped in and out of a drug-induced coma for over a month. As doctors made grim predictions that he would never breathe on his own, speak, or walk again, his family and friends prepared for what seemed like the inevitable – that is, everyone but Jeremy’s mother, Lynn.

Into the second month of hospitalization, he experienced a spiritual and emotional epiphany, which Jeremy attributes to his mother who visited every day. Unbelievably, he began to regain his mental and physical abilities. Doctors described his recuperation as nothing short of miraculous. He was released in 2-1/2 months and immediately returned to his clientele as a personal trainer.

The damage to his body did not prevent him from returning to competitive sports either. With borrowed racing equipment, he began competing as a wheelchair athlete in the 1998 Los Angeles Marathon. Since that time, Jeremy has competed in dozens of marathons, triathlons, and countless duathlons, 5K and 10K races. In Colorado, he relearned downhill skiing as a disabled skier. June 7, 1999 (two years and two months from the day he “hit the ground”) marked the successful completion of his participation in the 56-day, 3,600-mile Transcontinental Triathlon from Santa Barbara, California, to New York City. As one of only two wheelchair triathletes on the US National Team, he has participated in 7 World Championships. In 2004 Jeremy won the silver medal at the World Triathlon Championships in Portugal.

Jeremy has come to cherish life and recognize things he used to take for granted, such as simply taking a breath on his own. Every morning when he wakes up he says, “Thank you!”

In addition to his return to competitive sports and personal training, in 2007 he became one of the founders of Team Beachbody. Beachbody is the maker of P90X, Insanity, Shakeology and more. Jeremy is also drawn to share his life experiences as a professional speaker at corporate events, schools, and other venues where he has the opportunity to encourage and inspire the audience, whether children or adults.

Jeremy’s desire through his speaking engagements is to demonstrate how we can transform a seemingly tragic moment in our lives and create something powerful from it.

“Don’t Wait! Do Amazing Things Now” – Greg Sellar

I love the fact that through technology I could have this week's conversation with Greg Sellar. He was in Australia, and it was a Tuesday morning - while I was here in NYC on a Monday night.

Both Greg and I have a passion for Neuroscience and Positive Psychology and practically geeked out – yes I said geeked out for a couple of hours the last time we saw each other in person and discovered we both has this mutual love of learning on these topics. Here are my five favorite takeaways and self-reflections from this week’s conversation with fitness expert and status quo hacker – Greg Sellar

1. What Is Your Big Word? Greg talked about the work he did with Matt Church and the idea of your big word – for now, mine is happiness, while Greg's was performance. What is your big word? A word that is a through line for how you want to live your life, contribute to the world and move forward this year?

2. What is one thing that you can turn your attention to hack into a happier and more productive you? Greg talked about the idea of Hacking Your Life to move forward with purpose and passion. What is something that you need to hack? Is it your mindset, your time management, your fitness program?

3. What is something that you excel in that you could spread out into other parts of your life to increase your level of joy? We sometimes get stuck in a life that is no longer in alignment with our values. Greg talked about your intellectual property your IP. What are some things that you bring to your daily life, your strengths and assets that could carry over into another job? Can you use this skill to strengthen your relationships or even improve your inner dialog and self-care?

4. Do You Have a Fixed or Growth mindset? Greg mentioned the work of Carol Dweck, and we both agreed that even when you think you have it dialed in, that smaller fixed mindset can creep into the driver's seat of life, especially when we are not paying attention. Take a moment and pause and ask yourself "Am I focusing on the possibilities of life or on all of the challenges?" Don't judge the answer – simply notice. If the answer is not the one you want – take a deep slow inhale, and a deep slow exhale then softly say, "For this moment I am grateful" – then rinse lather and repeat.

5. Where Are You Coasting? Greg talked about burning the Status Quo. I love that phrase, Burn the Status Quo. Is there an area of your life that you have not tended to, been coasting in or even neglected recently? What is one thing you can do to burn up the status quo in your day to day activities and use that fire fuel that to give you traction and forward momentum towards your goals and dreams?

“Look For The Song Beneath The Words” Greg Sellar

I love this conversation with Greg Sellar, as recently we both have taken the deep dive into Positive Psychology and Neuroscience. He teaches everything that I believe in, and I am excited to share the path that Greg is taking with you today. Greg shares how he began his fitness career by following his sister out of the gym at his local Football Club (think Soccer) and into the aerobics studio next door. He was bored by the old school hydraulic equipment and was drawn in by the disco tunes of Sylvester playing next door.

We both reminisce about the amazing presenters that came out of Australia. Lexie Williams, Cathy Spencer and Rebecca Small to name a few. It was the incredible Marcus Irwin, who to this day I think is one of the top 5 fitness presenters ever, who encouraged Greg to move to the UK to expand his career.

We discuss how often we pigeonhole ourselves into one career and sometimes cannot see beyond what we are currently doing. Greg talks about how the skills that we now apply to one area of our life, can move into many other areas of the world, but first, we have to define what our message is.

Greg openly shares the struggles he had when he moved back to Australia after seventeen years away. We talk about the dangers of playing the comparison game, how sometimes it is necessary to say yes before you are ready, the power of asking for help and how to hack your status quo.

Connect With Greg Online and In Social Media

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More About Greg

Greg's not sure what happened when he turned 40. It wasn't a mid-life crisis because there was no crisis, he just thought, "enough". He'd had enough knowing that the upcoming year was going to be a carbon copy of the last. He knew his life was good, but he wanted phenomenal. If the next 40 years were going to be different, his cage needed some serious rattling.

Everyone accused him of always sitting on the fence. He had thoughts – good, bad and ugly – but kept them to himself at the risk of rocking the boat, being confrontational, or god forbid, disliked. He ended up doing stuff he didn’t like, with people he tolerated for money, and usually less money than he deserved.

He worked for other people despite the word ‘boss’ never resonating, never imagining someone else ruling his time and effort. He was happy to work with people, but working for them left him feeling bigger stages awaited. The idea of a commute, offices, and rules seemed to be written for people who were happy to accept them. That's not him.

Greg worked in the health and fitness industry for over 25 years, presenting to more than half a million people in 55 countries on behalf of companies and sponsors including Nike. Regardless of his achievements, he had recurring questions about what life was going to be like for him at 50, or even 60 and beyond. Would he be doing the same thing, and if not, what would his future look like?

In the spirit of "enough", he hacked his status quo. He literally turned his life upside down. After moving back to Sydney following 17 years in London, Greg studied coaching, leadership and mentoring, focusing on neuroscience, positive psychology and NLP. He took everything he had learned from his work, travels and the extraordinary people he'd met and decided to act.

His speaking, workshops, coaching and products are the result. No more saying yes to please others, no more beating around the bush, and definitely no more under-valuing his experience. He’s truth telling as he understands it – compulsively, immediately and repeatedly.

This week Lisa whisked us all away to Italy to help us remember the important things in life, slowing down, nurturing and strengthening relationships and listening to our intuition. Here are my five favorite takeaways from this week’s conversation with the author of I found myself in Tuscany, Lisa Condie

1. Lisa talks about the importance of travel and how sometimes when we get lost we can find our self in the process. Is there a day trip you have been meaning to take, a museum that you have been longing to visit or maybe a restaurant that serves a cuisine you have yet to taste? In the next few days can you step out of the familiar and explore a new town, a new restaurant a new culture?                                                               
2. Lisa spoke about putting her dream out into the world. Is there a dream that has become a yearning in your life?                                                
   1. Can you share your dream with three people you trust?
   2. Is there one action step you can take to move yourself closer to making your dream a reality?
   3. What do you need to learn or whom do you need to ask for help to move closer to your dream?
   4. Sign up for the lesson, reach out to that person and begin to ask for help                                                                                         
3. Lisa spoke about how the Italians cultivate their relationships with face-to-face time versus face time. How they nurture their friendships and relationships and take the time to build trust over coffee and a handshake versus contracts and a computer. Is there a relationship in your life that you could tend to? Be it with family, friends or business partners. What is something you can do over the next few days to cultivate and strengthen that partnership?                                              
4. Lisa revealed that it was not until recently that she had become her best friend. How is your relationship with your inner self? Can you have a date night? Take yourself out to dinner or a movie? Turn off the TV and take a bath and read. Shut off the noise, get quiet, and begin to tune into what you and your heart need.

5. Lisa mentioned that she recently learned to slow down and hear her soul speak? Whether you call it your intuition, a sign or just a feeling? When is the last time you slowed down, sat still long enough to hear your soul speak?  If your soul were to speak to you what would be the first thing he or she would say?