In today's episode, I sit down with Melissa Martin and Sandy Vo, co-founders and creators of Ladies Aligned. We got deep into both of their stories, how they met and how tough times can lead to becoming more connected. Their Ladies Aligned community provides women with unwavering support, devotion and commitment to growth for everyone that is involved. They are on a mission to help women live their best lives so they can build an empire and have massive impact.  More about Melissa Martin: I am a wealth-mindset & business expert. Multi-passionate entrepreneur & network marketer, public speaker, writer and the host of the Boldly Courageous podcast. After 15 years of experience working in the financial service industry i found myself unemployed and in over $100k of debt. Feeling as though i had hit rock bottom and contemplating bankruptcy, i made the decision to dive into personal development work. I hired coaches. Took courses & attended several leadership seminars to finally connect to the truth of who I am. A person who's value is more than just her net worth. All of those experiences have paved the way to where i am currently. Running multiple businesses and living a life filled with purpose. I thrive on helping women transform. Teaching them how to birth a new money mindset & discover their self worth. More about Sandy Vo: I'm your modern day meditation teacher. Public speaker. Conscious branding biz strategist. Host of the dear self & co. Podcast and co-founder of ladies aligned. After living with crippling depression and anxiety, learning the practice of meditation through the guidance of a meditation master has helped to transform my life. Drawing upon my own experiences of healing through burn out & mental dis-ease. My calling is to trailblaze the path for women leaders to find joy in the home within themselves. My mission is to help more women forge the way to honor their highest expression through sacred self-care. I am a creative visionary who now serves in multiple conscious businesses guiding purpose-driven women to slow down. Connect to their gifts and thrive in life. Business & relationships. I believe the whole universe exists in that sweet spot where your gifts are. Connect with Ladies Aligned: Website - https://www.ladiesaligned.com Instagram - @ladiesaligned Connect with Melissa: Podcast: Boldly Courageous Instagram: @themelissamartin Connect with Sandy: Website: https://www.sandyvo.com Instagram: @isandyvo Connect with Doug Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com/gift     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic is bringing forth lots of changes and challenges for everyone. One challenge that is not being talked about nearly enough is mental health. So, this week I sit down with psychotherapist and EMDR specialist Dr. Mcayla.  We chat about navigating the quarantine from a mental health perspective as well as handling triggers, trauma and toxicity. She shares her compelling story of how she got involved in this line of work as well as discussing a lot of the "buzz words" we hear when it comes to mental health.   Dr Mcayla provides easy and efficient tips that can be implemented during this time to make sure that we are keeping our mental health in check.  She also provides insight on how much our past dictates the way we handle situations in the present as well explaining how to "do the work" so that we can reprogram ourselves on a subconscious level and be freer from our childhood blueprints. Dr Mcayla is a Licensed Psychotherapist, a Brain Training and MindSet Expert and Certified EMDR Specialist but also just a person who is extremely passionate about what she does and helping people to live better lives. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with EMDR, it’s not just a fancy name for some “New Age” therapy rather, an amazing cutting edge form of treatment to help people reprocess Core Beliefs and is the inspiration behind much of the work she does today. Connect with Dr Mcayla Website - www.drmcayla.com Instagram - @drmcayla   Connect with Doug Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com/gift   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I have the honour of hosting a couple that is without a doubt one of the most profound life transformers on the planet.  Their impact can be felt globally through their ‘Transform App’ and ABC show ‘Extreme Weight Loss’ They are Chris and Heidi Powell.  However, in today’s show, our main focus won’t be on their success, but rather on their adversity journey. The trials and tribulations they’ve had to encounter and fight through in order to be who they are today.  Numbing the pain and suffering with Vicodin – Chris’ background story. In 2006. A young Chris was pumped up with big dreams on how he wanted to make a difference and impact on people’s lives. This saw him invent a nutrition product, which he’d later on patent and borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund. Chris then outsourced the manufacture of his product in China. Soon enough, he was going to start making an impact. This however, was never meant to be. When his product finally arrived from China. It was not at all what he had in mind. Its quality and design were all wrong and of poor quality. This broke Chris mentally. He would soon after this, develop an anxiety disorder. When it rains, it showers. Two months prior to the failure of Chris’ dream Nutrition product. He had a back-disc problem which saw the doctor prescribe Vicodin as a way of numbing the physical pain. When his investment tumbled into pieces, and Chris was emotional and psychologically broken, he found out that Vicodin was not only a remedy to his physical pain, but his emotional pain as well. Thus, began an addiction journey that would last two years. Chris totally withdrew from the world. He never wanted to be around people unless he was high on Vicodin. It was all grey clouds and loneliness when he was alone and sober. But under the influence of Vicodin, Chris would change to all smiles and life of the party. Chris convinced himself that no one wanted the boring sober Chris. Alongside his closest and most caring companions who were also drug addicts, Chris built his entire lifestyle under this philosophy. And, because he was deep in debt and totally broke because of his newly found addiction. Chris’ friend, who was hooked on oxytocin allowed him to stay with him rent free. A new start Chris’ roommate leant towards suboxone as a way of trying to fix his addiction on oxytocin. What resulted was a traumatic experience of Chris driving his nearly dead roommate to hospital in order to be treated. Driving back home. Chris couldn’t help but reflect on the events that nearly took his roommate’s life. Constant reflection and self-examination would see a broken Chris seek refuge in a neighbour’s house for 2 weeks, where he solely underwent his detoxification.     Heidi’s story. Newly divorced, and still suffering from her own personal issues and insecurities, Heidi found herself searching for fulfilment in other people through relationships and connections. Heidi was ever scared of being left alone to her thoughts, which would always torment her because she knew she would always have to face the truths and facts in her broken life. Heidi was a people pleaser and couldn’t say no to any requests, because she was afraid of being deemed valueless by ones she turned down.   She would later on go to see her therapist because of the identity crisis she underwent after the divorce with her husband. Her therapist suggested that she attends a self-improvement seminar as a way of fixing herself.   Meeting Chris To deal with her personal identity problem, Heidi decided to attend the entire seminar with no makeup on. While at the seminar fate would have her bump into Chris, who Heidi was not even in the tiniest bit interested in. What followed after their first encounter at the seminar was a string of communication between the two. The following day, after Chris granted her a present in the form of his Nutrition idea to make a difference in people's lives, Heidi couldn’t help but feel Chris’s dream to help people and make a positive impact worldwide. They only kept getting closer and understanding each other from that moment. Heidi knew she could help Chris get to where he wanted, whilst Chris taught Heidi that it’s ok to have dreams that you want to achieve in life. While he was still recovering from his addictions and loss in the once gigantic self-confidence and belief he had in himself, Heidi believed in Chris until he was able to believe in himself again.   You’re definitely in for an inspiring ride in today’s interview. Stay tuned and find out more about the obstacles that Chris and Heidi have gone through in their lives, and how it has helped shape them to be the victors they are today. Get to also find out about how Chris started his ABC Show ‘Extreme Weight Loss’ and what personal strategies and philosophies that has propelled their success in every project they’ve undertaken.   Timestamps (1:25) Chris’ adversity background story - struggling with his addictions (6:44) Making a turn and starting a new drug-free life (8:05) Lessons Chris learnt from his Vicodin addiction (12:09) Heidi’s adversity background story (25:23) How Chris started his Weight Loss show (31:16) Inspiring and transforming their clients into changing their lives (39:31) How Heidi slowly built trust with Chis’ client’s (42:56) Purpose and diversifying their approach towards helping people (47:51) What’s next for this dynamic couple?   Quotes I was oblivious of my constant reliance on Vicodin. I cherry picked all the reasons why I should be doing what I was doing. Because deep down inside, i didn’t think I could live without it - Chris on his early addiction and dependence on Vicodin I built a support system of friends who were drug addicts. Some of the most amazing, wonderful, caring and loving people I’ve ever known in my life, and we were all drug addicts. We kept feeding ourselves that story (that we’re nothing without the drugs) to feed our addictions and keep us going.   I found myself, because of my own issues and insecurities, searching for fulfilment in other people. I tried to numb the pain that I had been through with relationships and connections. Whether good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. You build your identity around a foundation, even if there’s major cracks in it. - Heidi on building her identity around the foundation of her first marriage although it was toxic for her.  I lost all of the belief that I had in myself and Heidi believed in me, until I could learn to believe in myself again. And that saved my life.  If you’re a trainer and you want to create change in someone’s life, whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional, the bottom-line is they don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. And this goes across the board. The one thing that we’re trying to achieve over time, is getting our clients to believe in themselves, and their abilities. And the vehicle that we use to get there is integrity. This involves starting every big transformation journey very small.   Quotes from the lessons Chris learnt from his addiction experience. I realized that I was not invincible. I now understood how easy it is for anyone to slip into an addiction.  I learned how to take responsibility for the choices that I make. Addiction got the best of me because I wouldn’t take responsibility for my choices and actions. All humans must have a purpose in life. If I have no purpose, then my vices will get the best of me.   Connect with Chris and Heidi Powell   Website - https://transformhq.com/  Facebook - https://web.facebook.com/TheTransformApp/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheTransformApp Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TheTransformApp/ Pinterest -  https://www.pinterest.com/TheTransformApp/ The Transform app - https://transformhq.com/the-transform-app/   Connect with Doug Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com/gift         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope you’re all doing alright despite the current global pandemic we’re all going through. Joining me on the show is Miss Jordan, a Divine Channel and free-spirited spiritual facilitator. Her purpose is to help humanity awaken to an elevated way of being. She’s also a soul transformation and mindset breakthrough coach who takes pride in helping people activate their online dormant DNA. I met Miss Jordan while at a mastermind retreat, where she put us through an awakening exercise that made me think more about spirituality than I usually do. In the show, we get into how there’s a lot of propaganda and spiritual bypassing surrounding the theme of Spiritual awakening. From the online gurus to spiritual teachers, there’s a lot of individuals out there who boast of the fact that they vibrate at a higher frequency than everyone else. Miss Jordan gives us her own opinion of what it really means to be spiritually woke, and the individual power that comes with it. Sleeper Living In the world we live in, it’s very common for a lot of people to react to the social conditions and settings they’re in. Such people tend to be less self-aware, barely take the chance to pause and reflect on the current situation before they respond to it. Such individuals are the sleeper living. To be more self-aware, means that we should all take a step back and weigh our options on how we can best handle a situation before we merely let our thought, emotions and opinions on the situation. Reflecting on the emotions of love and fear in regards to the situation at hand can greatly help us control our reaction towards different situations. The role of all our experiences   Accepting all our experiences, whether past or present, good or bad, is vital into our self-awareness and ultimately spiritual growth. A lot of individuals through advice from third parties try to rewrite or dismiss traumatic childhood experiences that have left them scared for life. Freedom however, is in the total opposite of this. We should learn to embrace and understand our past. How our past and current negatives experiences such as depression, addiction and trauma affect us is dependent on how we choose to reflect, view, perceive and respond to it. It is only by doing so that we can choose our desired outcome from the experience. Miss Jordan’s Journey Miss Jordan had a tough start in life. Her identity was based on her opinion of how she should act and behave in order for people to like and accept her. She was stuck in this self-prison for the most part of her life growing up. This, however, all changed when she decided to dive into self-development as a way to be her true self. Miss Jordan realised that she was slowly redefining her life and reality by surrounding herself more with people, places and ideas that created the thoughts and emotions that she cherished. As she took a deeper dive into herself and her experiences, Miss Jordan found herself drawn towards helping other people with difficulties such as the ones she experienced earlier on in her life. And so, it was really never a choice that she made on being a spiritual teacher or helper. All Miss Jordan did was be her best self through self-reflection and understanding. It was this practice that led her to the path that she’s currently on. Stay tuned in the show as I also share my past personal experience into how I escaped the rabbit hole of a hard past life characterised by drugs and negative emotions. My decision to make a stand and change into a more reflective person and how it all saved me from a fate that was most certainly an early grave. Timestamps (1:00) How I met Miss Jordan (3:15) What it means to be spiritually woke (6:22) How being self-aware relates to spiritual growth (10:43) My growth journey into being more self-aware over the past decade (12:15) the role of our past experiences in shaping our awareness and reality (20:33) Reflecting on my big awakening and turning point in life (24:56) How Mis Jordan embarked on her spiritual awakening journey (33:25) Miss Jordan’s role as a Medium (36:05) Miss Jordan’s Sun analogy of viewing the world through different lens (41:28) How you too, can make the shift into spiritual awareness (50:30) Miss Jordan’s gift to you Quotes If you enter into the world of self – discovery and spirituality from a centre grounded space of pure intention of understanding your belief system and the energy you emit to the world, you can’t help but start to live in a little bit of a different reality and carry a higher energy frequency. You can call it enlightened, woke, or whatever word you want to place on it. But basically, I think it all comes down to creating an awareness of self and the world your experiencing. This alongside, staying committed to a desire to discover and understand more. It’s the small commitment to being relentless in understanding the truth of who you are on a soul level and designing how you choose to experience your life. You can only align with the frequency that you project. The key is creating an awareness around the fact that it’s about self-alchemy and self-love vs seeking a solution outside yourself. Books, resources and other tools are great, but they’re only aids to our own self-discovery and creation. I’ve had all kinds of titles, A seer, medium, witch. I don’t preach a spiritual belief system of one understanding. I believe there’s a higher power, and whatever you want to call it – you higher self, God divinity, the universe – I believe it’s all the same essence. Its just we us individuals view this essence through different lens. Everything is energy, once you realise this, then you can choose the frequency in which you want your energy to align with other energies. Connect with Miss Jordan Website - https://www.themissjordan.com/ Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/themissjordan/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missjordantheunicornway/ Connect with Doug: Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com/gift   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amberly Lago has one of the most incredible stories out of anyone I have ever come across. Between surviving all forms of abuse, a near deadly motorcycle accident, addiction, CRPS and so much more, she has used her pain to catapult herself into a space of helping others overcome fear and limiting beliefs to live their best life. In this episode, she shares her story of how she had thought she lost everything, but really ended up gaining everything as well as the lessons learned from going through so many traumatic experiences and coming out on the other side with grit, grace and gratitude. Amberly Lago is a leading expert in the field of resilience, transformation, and health and wellness. She is the best-selling author of “True Grit and Grace” and empowers people around the world by sharing the story of how she turned a tragedy into triumph. She is a former professional dancer and athlete bringing a new perspective on what it takes to persevere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I really enjoyed doing this interview with Brock Johnson, many of you may recognize him as the son of Chalene and Bret. But, he is much more than that. From a college football player to social media expert to all around good guy he provides a TON of value for kids, parents and entrepreneurs on how to navigate through college while also pursuing his dreams with some fun along the way. We chatted about how his parents set the stage as role models, life as an entrepreneur and his favorite Johnson tradition and much more. Brock Johnson is a 22-year-old college student-athlete with a passion for helping others create connections and grow their brands using short-form video and storytelling! As Co-host of the Build Your Tribe Podcast, instructor of multiple online courses, viral Tik Tok creator, and a 6-figure online entrepreneur, Brock has helped thousands of entrepreneurs learn to build their business, even with limited time and money. He has a speciality in social media storytelling and his mission is to help you grow your brand, and effectively market using Stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode we go deep on a subject of "adversity" that is not talked about too much, sex. Not so much the sex itself, but why it can be extremely beneficial to wait until you have found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with to have it.  Rob Kowalski has gone a complete 180 and went from one of the most sought out male strippers and entertainers to someone who has been abstinent from sex for over 6+ years until he finds the one he wants to marry. Listen in as he talks about his rock bottom moment, practical reasons why waiting does work and his mission and vision behind the organization he co-founded, CityFam. Whether or not you agree with him on the subject, I think everyone will get some value out of this. His video on waiting to have sex before marriage is the number one most viewed on YouTube in its category. Bio: Rob is a self-proclaimed reformed bad boy. Once the biggest stripper and nightclub promoter in his hometown of Baltimore, he had a radical life-changing encounter with Jesus that transformed him forever. His testimony from life of excess to redemption has inspired millions of people from around the world already. His mess has become his message. More on Rob: IG: @robbkowalski Website: https://robbkowalski.com/ Youtube: Rob Kowalski Book: Why Waiting Works CityFam Connect with Doug more here: Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I sit down with mental health coach and self love expert, Tara Kemp. Tara's story really intrigued me as she has experienced true transformation of her relationship with herself and food and now is helping to inspire others to do the same. Her wisdom and knowledge with doing the "inner work" is something that is extremely inspiring and can be easily be implemented. We spoke about loving yourself and embracing the good along with the bad and why it's important. We also dive into the buzz word of "Inner Child," how it relates to nutrition and healing and also how what you put in your body is a direct reflection of your love and compassion for yourself. You will learn through all of this that connection through mind, body and spirit is crucial for healing. Tara's Bio: I’m a health and lifestyle coach, mental health advocate, self-love expert, writer, researcher, and speaker. I’m all about helping you to find a healthy relationship with yourself. I’m here to support you in doing the inner work: exploring who you are and building self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-compassion. I believe in the beauty of our wholeness. This means that I guide you to embrace your dark parts just as much as your light. I help you to release the stories that keep you small so that you can step into your full power. Intertwined into all of this is your relationship with your body and with food. As a society, we are largely disconnected from both. But both are incredibly important components in the venn diagram of your overall health and wellness. I’ve worked in the fields of nutrition and lifestyle medicine for 7 years. But while I still care deeply about nutrition, over the past few years I’ve shifted my focus to mental and emotional health.  I discovered that the problem usually isn’t a lack of education around how to eat or live healthfully. There is certainly a lot of confusion and conflicting opinions about “what to eat,” but ultimately, the science clearly shows that eating more plant foods and less refined/processed foods is associated with better health. It’s also well-known that moving your body, keeping stress levels low, and keeping a consistent sleep routine are also important. Most people know what they want to do for themselves, the struggle is just in actually doing it. The complexity and challenges that hold you back from executing what you know is best for you come from the psychological and emotional world in which you live inside your mind.  In order to be sustainable, lifestyle change must be founded in self-love. When you heal your relationship with yourself, you lay the foundation for true inner peace. I am here to witness your journey. To hold space for you as you move through it. To inspire you to ask the tough questions. To be a guiding light helping you to trust that the work is worth the outcome, even when you can’t see it up ahead. To help you look at yourself with acceptance and unconditional love. More about Tara: IG: tarakemp_ Coaching: Tara Kemp Coaching Connect with Doug more here: Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with one of the "chillest" guys I have crossed paths with. His name is Aaron Alexander, many of you may know him from his hit show, "The Align Podcast."  He holds nothing back as he shares authentically about his upbringing, career transition, community and his new book to help others stay "Aligned" in all areas of their lives.  Aaron Alexander CR, LMT, CPT is an accomplished manual therapist and movement coach with over 13 years of professional experience. He is the founder of the Align Method™, an integrated approach to functional movement and self-care that has helped thousands of people out of pain and into health. He hosts the top-rated Align Podcast featuring the biggest names in movement and wellness. Aaron’s clients include Hollywood celebrities, Olympic/professional athletes and everyone in between. He teaches workshops and speaks at events all over the world. More about Aaron: Podcast: Align Podcast Book: The Align Method Website: www.alignpodcast.com Connect with Doug more here: Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special "Corona Virus" edition of the podcast, I sit down with my friend and coach, Chris Harder to discuss tangible and efficient tips that we can all implement RIGHT NOW to bring more peace within ourselves about this current pandemic. We dive into his top 5 "must do's" to survive and THRIVE and position yourself ahead of the curve with the crisis we are in. We also cover his inspiring transformational story of losing EVERYTHING during the 2008 financial crisis to now living a life of abundance with his wife Lori. He gets vulnerable and explains his tips on how he dropped his ego and let personal development and fitness become a catalyst for his purpose to help others.  Chris Harder is an entrepreneur, investor, avid philanthropist, and podcaster. After an 11-year career as an executive and partner in the banking industry, he retired from banking in 2011 and partnered with his wife, Lori, to start and scale four different multi-million dollar businesses, along with investing in several other successful startups. Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, MSNBC, CNBC, and Yahoo Finance, Chris is the host of the top-rated podcast, “For The Love Of Money,” (www.ForTheLoveofMoney.com) aimed at helping entrepreneurs bust through their limiting money-mindset beliefs in order to become unapologetic about their pursuit of wealth and success. Chris also the founded the Elite Entrepreneur Mastermind, helping seven-figure business owners scale their business through carefully curated collaboration, along with the Fast Foundations mastermind, helping entrepreneurs in their early stages of business. Chris’ core belief and motto is that “when good people make good money, they do great things!" More about Chris: Podcast: For The Love of Money Training: Free Coaching Course IG: @chriswharder Connect with Doug more here: Instagram: @dougbopst Facebook: Doug Bopst Website: www.dougbopst.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices