“The best teachers are those to whom the material they teach did not come easily.” Nataly Kogan is a TEDx speaker, the CEO Of Happier.com and a recognised expert on the subject of happiness - so I’m super pumped to be able to get her onto the Stay Grounded podcast. Nataly’s story is an inspiration too. Born in the USSR, Nataly and her parents became refugees when she was just 11. Making her way through numerous refugee camps, Nataly eventually arrived in the USA - excited about her ‘American Dream’. Driven by the belief that she’d be happy if she accomplished a long list of goals, Nataly pushed herself to the top. She achieved huge success in her business and professional life, but after two decades of hustle, she burned out. Worse still, she hadn’t found the happiness she imagined, but instead hit a wall. This was the trigger that made Nataly quit her high-profile executive career and start seeking out the small, micro-habits that when practiced daily, can fundamentally change the quality of your life. And it’s these micro-habits that Nataly shares in this podcast. “Happiness is a practice, not a feeling.”  Nataly and I first met at an entrepreneur’s retreat in the spring of 2017 and we instantly hit it off. Out of all the people I met that weekend, she was my favorite! Thanks to our shared commitment to spreading happiness, we had a lot to talk about! And I was blown away by Nataly's insight and perspective. I loved how her entire message hinges on small, simple practices that make a huge difference - and her ideas are all scientifically-backed too. Nataly’s goal is simple, but audacious. She’s here to inspire millions of people to make tiny, tiny, tiny changes to their routine that will help them live a fully, happier, more meaningful life. And in this podcast, you’ll discover some of her most powerful (and easy to try practices). It’s a big claim, but I stand by it. This podcast contains ideas and insights that could change how you feel - for good. So brew a coffee, grab a notebook and pen, and prepare to be wowed.  “You cannot give what you don’t have.You can only give what you have.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Putting yourself first is not selfish Quite the opposite. You must put your health and happiness first before you can be of help to anyone else.” - Simon Sinek With the New Year just around the corner, it’s a perfect time to reflect and think about the year ahead and get clear on what you want to leave behind.  You got it! It’s that time for New Year’s Resolutions and goal setting!  But goals can be hard to achieve when you lack foundations that inspire success and enable accomplishment.  In this episode, I reflect on the key success strategies discussed by Allen Brouwer in his podcast interview.  Allen is a high performer and has achieved some incredible successes in a very short space of time. What’s fascinating about Allen’s accomplishments is they’ve been built on the back of some very powerful self-care habits. So in this episode, I reflect on the importance of filling yourself first - to empower yourself with the energy and mindset that enables success. I hope you hear something that helps you make 2018 a good year for you.  In this episode I talk about: The power of the words - I’ll never let myself feel this way again. (1:16)How accountability can be used as a tool for positive change. (2.00)The reason the first step is the most important step. (2:40)Why I promised to donate $500 to a cause I didn’t believe in. (4:00)Why front-loading your day helps you be the best version of yourself. (5:33)My two non-negotiables that set me up for a great day. (7:52)Why Allen’s gratitude tip has made me a lot happier. (8:07)How to get off the hamster wheel of negativity. (9:38)My biggest takeaway from Allen. (11:19)How I’m putting reflection on its head. (12:17)“Instead of thinking about where you want to be, take a couple of moments to think about how far you’ve come”  Enjoyed this reflection? Make sure you listen to the full interview with Allen Brouwer: [Ep. 3] From Rock-Bottom To Forbes 30 Under 30 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“There’s no such thing as natural born talent.” Rewind to December 2014 and my guest today was at rock-bottom. With a negative bank account he couldn’t even afford to buy his fiance a Christmas card. But it was in this lowest of places that Allen Brouwer found the clarity he needed to transform his life. Faced with the cold realization that he’d been a ‘wantrepreneur’ playing at business, he decided to stop pointing the finger elsewhere and take 100% responsibility for his life. Now, just three years later, Allen has created remarkable success from nothing. He became a self-improvement junkie who studied the world’s top-performers and frantically implementing everything he learned. His investment in himself paid off. He co-founded BestSelf.Co - a winner of Shopify’s first Build a BIGGER Business competition. He made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2016, and is a sought after scale and growth coach. “Know that anything you want to do is 100% possible. The only limitation you have is in your own mind.” We all have dreams for a better life and Allen is proof that you can create a life you feel proud of - regardless of your start point. I find Allen’s story of rapid turnaround so inspiring because he’s entirely self-made. All of his current success tracks back to the habits and decisions he decided to implement that Christmas in 2014. And now you can do the same. That’s because in this podcast, Allen shares, in detail, the habits that have empowered him to become his best self. Covering everything from his unique gratitude practice, to his non-negotiable morning routine, to the importance coffee has to his day, this podcast will inspire you to cultivate the basics that can change your life too. “Changing your frame into a positive mindset triggers you to act with 100% belief.” Some questions I ask:What advice do you have for people who may be at rock bottom and want to turn that into fuel? (8:07)How did you go about fostering positivity on a daily basis? (9:30)What role do routines play in your life? (18:32)What are some of the non-negotiables that you distill your day down to? (20:59)How does gratitude weave into your life? (30:09)How do you #StayGrounded - and keep your head considering how rapidly your life has changed? (39:13) In this episode, you will hear about:The trigger moment when Allen decided to change his life and become 100% accountable to himself. (7:50)Advice for turning rock-bottom into fuel for change and transformation. (8:07)Why everything changed when Allen looked at his life in 30-minute chunks. (12:25)The role that routines play in Allen’s life. (18:32)A list of non-negotiables that Allen distills his day down to. (20:59)How Allen was able to cultivate a habit of being so intentional with his time. (30:09)Allen’s most recommended book. (31:40)Allen’s advice for picking yourself up when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. (35:13) How to contact AllenDownload a free PDF version of the SELF Journal at www.bestself.coSave 10% in the Best Self store with the code JavaPresse10Follow Allen on Facebook - www.facebook.com/akbrouwer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” - Frank A. Clark In the search for happiness, you will encounter struggle and challenge. It’s an inevitable, unavoidable fact of life. Struggle and fear is something we inherently want to avoid, because it doesn’t feel good, but by avoiding a core human emotion, we can lose out on the fullness life has to offer.  It’s why I loved chatting with Akshay Nanavati - bestselling author of Fearvana. Akshay’s approach to fear is an absolute game-changer. Instead of avoiding fear, Akshay’s created a revolutionary method that proactively embraces the struggle and uses fear as a tool for happiness and success.  Akshay convinced me that the narrative around struggle needs to change. Rather than being an experience to avoid, struggle can become a North Star for personal growth. Akshay’s insights have had a profound impact on my life and in this Coffee Break episode I share my personal reflections from this powerful interview. In this episode I talk about:Why I’ve decided to define what I’ll gladly struggle for. (2:40)The reason struggle is a requirement for happiness, fulfilment, and personal growth. (3:37)The importance of learning from people 10 steps ahead of you. (5:06)My thoughts on what it means to ‘earn your life’. (7:30)How I’m using Akshay’s music hack to use emotions and moods intentionally. (8:27)How a deeper awareness of our emotions can help us become a better person. (9:01)What becomes possible when you can intentionally reframe your emotions. (10:40) “You can’t change what’s happening to you, but you can change the way you react to it.” Enjoyed this reflection?Make sure you listen to the full interview with Akshay Nanavati:[Ep. 2] The Fear-Fueled Route To Happiness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If you don’t seek out struggle, it will find you anyway.” Today’s guest persuaded the Dalai Lama to write the foreword of his new book - FEARVANA: The Revolutionary Science of How to Turn Fear Into Health, Wealth and Happiness. Akshay Nanavati is used to living life at the extremes. Akshay has battled with drug addiction in high school, was diagnosed with PTSD after serving as a marine in Iraq, and is now obsessed with all kinds of extreme sports ranging from marathon running to cave diving to skydiving. It means his story is riddled with struggle, pain, and survivor’s guilt. While the demons still haunt, Akshay has manifested a way of life that transforms fear into a powerful tool for growth and happiness. By actively seeking out and immersing himself in the struggle, Akshay has architected a revolutionary path to success and fulfilment for himself while sharing his message with millions around the world. And in this episode he shares some practical strategies that you can use to revolutionize your relationship with fear and emotions. “The biggest mistake when it comes to happiness is that we live in a world that has us think that happiness is an end result.” We all seek happiness, but Akshay has found a route along a path that many of us would be reluctant to walk. Instead of allowing agonizing experiences to define his life, he’s found a way to use them as a key to unlock success and fulfilment. In this episode, Akshay explains the importance of a ‘worthy struggle’ and argues that we should all proactively seek out ‘Spark Moments’ (or instances of inspiration) to create more happiness. He explores the value of intentional living and the importance of taking control of your emotions so you can decide how you want to feel. Akshay has some brilliant insights and I was in awe at the value of everything he shared when I listened to the episode again. I’m so pumped for you to listen to this podcast as we explore an approach to fear-based living that could change your life. “Being conscious and proactive about how, when, and what emotions you want to experience is a game-changer.” Some questions I ask:How do you cultivate a practice of consistently having Spark Moments? (6:31)What does your daily routine look like? (13:09)What role does gratitude play in your life? (18:01)What have been some of your biggest Spark Moments and in what format did they come? (22:19)Do have a process for reflecting and collecting your Spark Moments? (25:05)You have some powerful motivators pushing you. Do you have a daily practice that helps you stay focused and keep the demons away? (33:22)How do you #StayGrounded? (45:00) In this episode, you will hear about:How Black Hawk Down got Akshay off drugs almost overnight. (3:42)Why pain is a very strong motivator for behavior change. (5:03)Why Spark Moments are the key to a fulfilled life. (5:55)What Fearvana means. (7:04)Akshay’s definition of happiness - and how to find it. (11:19)The power of simplicity and the benefit of removing decisions from your day. (13:11)Why Akshay used to struggle with gratitude and what it taught him about life. (18:15)The two things that all growth has in common. (24:30)The reason Akshay was inspired by someone who started at a blank wall for 24-hours. (26:20)The importance of NOT judging your emotions.The role guilt plays in Akshay’s life and how it’s become a powerful motivator. (30:08)How Akshay persuaded The Dalai Lama to write the foreword in his new book. (42:40) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome To The Stay Grounded Podcast “You measure yourself by the people that measure themselves by you” - Phil Knight Today I’m super excited to let you in on something new that I’ve wanted to do for AGES. One of the driving forces behind JavaPresse is the search for contagious happiness. Now happiness means different things to all of us. There’s no real formula, just different ideas. But those ideas can inspire us, which is why I wanted to start the Stay Grounded Podcast. I think happiness is at the core of our human experience. It’s a feeling we all crave and look for - and it’s also something we’re really good at complicating. (I know I am!) For example, we’ll push off the things we love to another time. We end up prioritizing the wrong stuff because of work pressures and other responsibilities. But when we’re hungry for joy, we dull our perception of the little things. Joy is light - and even in the depths of despair there’s always a glimmer that can pull you back into yourself. It’s why I wanted to create this podcast. I wanted to spark conversations about happiness - and the many routes to the feeling we all want to be filled with. That’s the thing with happiness… There is no set formula, just different paths and different perspectives. But when we hear other people’s stories, we can feel inspired to find something new in our own lives. I want you to know that I’ve found some incredible guests for the podcast. There are people who’ve created good from unspeakable tragedy. People who’ve walked away from everything to follow their passion. People who have overcome addiction to inspire others. Remarkable, simple stories that all have the same ending… happiness everyday :) So I’d love you to listen in and when you do it’s my wish that you’ll hear something, which unlocks more joy in your life. #StayGrounded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.