Mark Williamson says that he came from a privileged background – not in the sense that he came from wealth, but in the sense that he came from a loving family and enjoyed a happy, carefree childhood. Initially, Mark saw himself pursuing a scientific path. He studied engineering and became interested in understanding how to fix things and how the world works. This interest led him to finish a degree in electronics and pursue a Ph.D. He also worked on developing WiFi technology. However, Mark realized that he fundamentally enjoyed making connections with other humans, and he just wasn’t getting the human contact that he wanted from science or academia. So he decided to pursue another path. He went into management consulting but found that this career didn’t make him happy either. He liked the people he worked with but didn’t enjoy the job itself.  “What I realized on that journey is that it’s not just the planet that’s broken, our culture is broken.” It was during this period of his life that Mark began to develop debilitating back pain. He would wake up in the morning unable to get out of bed. He stopped running and participating in sports activities. He was told that he had a degenerative spine disease and that he might be in a wheelchair by the time he reached his forties. During this time, his wife, who was training to be an osteopath, gave him a book introducing him to the idea that emotional stress might contribute to physical pain. This led Mark to quit the job and pursue a new path.  Although Mark was on the path that would lead to him becoming the co-founder and director of Action for Happiness, that didn’t happen right away. Mark went back to school and got an MBA, but he wanted to use his skills and knowledge to do something with a social purpose. So, he spent five years working on the problem of climate change with Carbon Trust first.  It was this work that made him realize that the problem wasn’t just the environment that was in trouble, it was the culture. So Mark set out to find a way to improve the culture, which was what led him to found Action for Happiness. In today’s interview, Mark talks about thinking of success in terms of happiness, not income, discovering the things that really matter in life, and helping others do the same. He also discusses his status as a recovering people pleaser and his decision to take a break from alcohol. Listen in to hear more about Mark and his work, as well as how you can get involved with Action for Happiness.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     MARK WILLIAMSON’S LINKS: Mark Williamson - Director of Action for Happiness Action for Happiness: https://www.actionforhappiness.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graham Roberts is a coach who believes that everyone is capable of anything. He believes that to change behaviour, one just has to figure out what makes people tick, why they make the decisions that they make, and how to ignite their motivation so that they’re able to achieve their aspirations. In today’s conversation between Graham and One Year No Beer’s Jen Fairbairns, Graham talks about starting his own business and the difficult decisions that he has had to make. Graham says that beginning his own business took a lot of soul searching. At the time he was only a little over a year into being a father, and going out on his own was a leap of faith. “The real strength of humankind is the ability to be authentic with the conversation that’s going on inside.” Graham works with organizations to transform the way that they work, and with world-class athletes to help them understand what they’re capable of achieving and how to go about it. According to Graham, authenticity is the key ingredient to success, and more importantly, to happiness. He sees it as a privilege when the people he works with make the space for him to be there with them and listen to them.  Graham believes that it’s important to put yourself in a position to explore and challenge your perspectives on the world. Graham himself does this by participating in adventure racing. He describes a recent event that he took part in – Rat Race’s Race to the Wreck in Namibia. He talks about the difficulty of biking through sand, the panic attack that he had on the fourth day of the race, and what he learned from the experience. Graham also talks about the advice that he would give to people who are working to give up alcohol. He talks about the importance of being fair with yourself, breaking a large goal into smaller, more manageable chunks, and why it’s important for people to understand that they do have choices. Listen in to the episode to hear more of what Graham has to say about changing behaviour and living honestly and authentically.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     Graham Robert’s Links: Ispire Motivational Coaching Ispire on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you quit your job to spend more time running ultramarathons? Just ask Chase and Nikki Parnell. Together, they’ve made big lifestyle changes and turned their love of running into a family activity.  Previously, Chase worked as a lawyer in Bend, Oregon. He was always interested in distance running and got into running ultramarathons about 8 years ago. He describes running as his passion. However, while Chase was still working as a lawyer, he was also a big drinker. Between that and the stress and hours of his job, his efforts to scrape by eventually came crashing down. He decided it was time to make a life change. Chase had heard Andy interviewed on a podcast and was inspired by the dialogue, and that encouraged him to get into the OYNB community. Chase quit drinking, and he also quit his job.  Chase’s wife, Nikki, is also a runner. Chase got her interested in ultramarathons, and she’s found ways to not only get involved in running and in the ultramarathon community but also ways to include their children as well. Nikki says that they enjoy it and that it’s good for them to see their parents show up and say yes to something that’s difficult.  “It’s fun to discover what you can and can’t do.” – Chase Parnell Chase says that abstaining from alcohol has improved his training. Although Chase is relatively new to One Year No Beer, he says that just waking up without a mild hangover in the mornings is a big improvement.  In today’s interview, Chase and Nikki talk about their Treeline Journal, where they write about running, marathoning, and their family. They discuss managing their relationship now that they work together and run together, what their goals are, and how they fit into the ultramarathoning community. Listen in to hear more about what Chase and Nikki are doing and how giving up alcohol has made a difference in their lives.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     Nikki and Chase’s Links: Treeline Journal: https://treelinejournal.com/about-us-chase-parnell-nikki-parnell/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which is better for health and weight loss, paleo or veganism? Is one diet really better than all the others? Or is weight loss more about mindset and what works for you as an individual, rather than about finding the one correct diet plan? And what is it that causes disordered eating or just a seeming inability to lose the weight that you want to lose in order to look and feel your best? Today’s interview will address some of those questions. Today’s guest is Adele Tevlin, who has devised a revolutionary weight loss program and created a coaching business to help business executives manage their weight for life. Her goal is to help bridge the gap between what people know and what they actually do.  “There’s always something in the background that’s holding us back from achieving our level of greatness.” Adele knew from an early age that she wanted a career that would allow her to help people. At one point, she was gearing up to follow in her mother’s footsteps and attend dental school, but she realized that wasn’t quite the way that she wanted to help people. So, Adele studied neuroscience in college. Additionally, she had a background as a ballet dancer, which meant that she spent time around women who had eating disorders. She was curious about why some people struggle with mental health issues while others are resilient to them, and she brought this curiosity into her life’s work. In today’s episode, Adele talks about actionable ideas that can help people eat better and lose weight, like planning ahead so that they don’t end up overeating or grabbing unhealthy food just because it’s fast and easy. She discusses the importance of identifying your own blind spots and finding healthy food options wherever you happen to be, as well as the importance of choosing a diet plan that works for your individual body and circumstances.  Adele also discusses why it can be so difficult to make needed changes, even when someone has a lot of pain that could be addressed by making those changes. She posits that for some people, the pain points still might just not be high enough, and explains how narratives or imprints that people have about themselves may affect how much effort they’re willing to put into losing weight and how successful they are, as well as how people can address those negative imprints.  Adele talks about how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is action-oriented and focused on the present and the future, and why she finds CBT to be a useful tool in helping people address weight loss and other issues. She also discusses the idea that successes come with a cost, the lasting effects of trauma in childhood, and the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. Listen in to hear more details about Adele’s philosophy and work. OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     ADELE TEVLIN’S LINKS  Weight Loss Website: https://adelewellness.com/ Elevating Leadership: http://ceoblueprint.co/home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can changing your morning routine change your life? And what do you have to do to not only grow on a personal level, but also get out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, and achieve your larger goals? Those are the things that you’re going to hear about from today’s guest Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning and a new book, The Miracle Equation. Hal starts by talking about his first book, The Miracle Morning. However, as Hal explains, the idea for the Miracle Morning wasn’t really a book idea at all to begin with. The idea originated after the crash in the US economy in 2007. Hal says that his own life went into a spiral along with the economy. So, he began looking up habits and rituals of successful people. Much of the information he came across referenced morning routines, but Hal himself wasn’t much of a morning person. But he decided to give it a try.  “The miracle is always inevitable when you live by the miracle equation.” Hal came up with a list of six practices. At first, he was going to try only one, but then he decided to see what would happen if he tried all of them. He anticipated needing to put this change into practice for six to twelve months before seeing any results – but he saw dramatic changes in only two months. His wife dubbed the practice his “miracle morning” and the six practices became the acronym SAVERS: Silence (meditation), Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (journaling). It took Hal three years to finish writing The Miracle Morning. Hal also talks about his newest book, The Miracle Equation. As he describes it, the concept of the miracle morning is the process for daily personal development, but that by itself is not enough to get a person out of their comfort zone so that they can achieve larger goals. The process for doing that is what Hal lays out in The Miracle Equation. Hal explains the rearview mirror effect – how people can come to believe that they can’t accomplish a thing because they look in their personal “rearview mirror” and see that they haven’t achieved that thing before. He also talks about the importance of having faith in yourself, the four steps to effective affirmations, and what to do when you’re stuck dwelling on something in the past that you can’t change. Listen to the interview to hear more about Hal and The Miracle Equation. OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com     HAL ELROD’S LINKS  The Miracle Equation: https://halelrod.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode of the One Year No Beer podcast, Chris Barez-Brown joins the show. Chris is the founder of Upping Your Elvis, a movement designed to bring more energy into the workplace and to help individuals level up their performance in business and in life. Chris is a speaker, the author of four books, and a regular writer for publications like GQ Magazine and the Harvard Business Review.  Chris started out his adult life in the army, but says that his military career didn’t last long because he quickly realized that he was more of a lover than a fighter. So, he went to college and earned a degree and started pursuing the things that he thought he was supposed to want – a job with an expense account, a car, a chance to climb the corporate ladder. And then he found that those things didn’t make him happy either, so he made a drastic change. Now, he says he’s on a mission to help others love their lives as much as he does.  “The important thing is it’s always all about making sure every individual has a bit more awareness, a bit more choice about how they show up.” Upping Your Elvis is about a belief that when you have the right energy, things go smoothly and life is fun and easy. And if you don’t have the right energy, the opposite happens. Chris says the first thing that’s important to do is make people aware of their own energy and help them understand how it works. Then they need to figure out the things that enhance and improve their energy – this can include anything from nutrition to exercise to time management. Finally, people have to learn how to prevent their energy from being depleted.  In today’s interview, Chris also talks about his own experience going alcohol-free. Chris says that he’s currently at around 100 days without alcohol. While he’s gone without alcohol for short periods before, Chris says that going alcohol free for an extended period is a different experience that’s had unexpected benefits. He also talks about the change in perspective that can be achieved by identifying and breaking a big habit, such as drinking alcohol. To hear more about Chris’s work and life, listen to today’s episode.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  CHRIS BAREZ-BROWN’S LINKS Upping Your Elvis: https://www.uppingyourelvis.com/ Clear Your Head in Just 60 Minutes: https://www.uppingyourelvis.com/talk-it-out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re interested in a fun and versatile way to work out, you might be interested in the kettlebell. And if you are interested in learning about the kettlebell or improving your skill with the kettlebell, then today’s guest is somebody that you need to know about.  Taco Fleur is a certified kettlebell trainer and the creator of Cavemantraining, one of the most well-known kettlebell training programs out there. In today’s episode, Taco talks about how he got into kettlebells and what it is about kettlebells, specifically, that he’s so attracted to.  “But overall for ourselves, we enjoy the kettlebell more. It’s just so versatile.”  Taco also talks about teaching beginners to work with kettlebells, and what kind of exercises and routines are appropriate for those just getting started. He also explains how beginners can find out what type of kettlebell they should choose for themselves. He talks about where Cavemantraining started, how long it’s been around, and where it’s going next.  Taco also talks about his relationship and history with alcohol, and whether he’s up for another alcohol-free challenge. Listen in to hear more about Taco’s background, his work with Caveman training, and what type of kettlebell routine he would choose to do if he could focus on only one routine for 30 days in a row.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com    TACO FLEUR’S LINKS  Cavemantraining Cavemantraining on YouTube Cavemantraining on Facebook Cavemantraining on Instagram Cavemantraining on Pinterest Cavemantraining kettlebell training group on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has something that they’d like to fix about themselves, whether it’s related to their drinking habits or substance use, their professional status, their diet and exercise habits, or some other areas of their lives. But how do you get started on fixing something that’s important for you to change in your life? Today’s guest may have the answer.  Today’s guest is Shaa Wasmund. She is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and author. In 2015 she was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to Business and Entrepreneurship’. She’s also been named one of the top 20 most influential entrepreneurs in the UK by the Sunday Times. “If you own your own business, your business can never outgrow you. You can’t have business growth without personal growth.” Shaa avoids alcohol and other substances scrupulously, with the exception of an occasional small sip of champagne for toasts at weddings. In today’s interview, Shaa explains her feelings about alcohol and other substances and why she avoids them.  Today’s interview also covers Shaa’s latest book, How to Fix Your Shit. Shaa talks not only about the messages and lessons in the book, but also about her struggle to get the book written in the first place, and the difficulties involved in pursuing a creative project and seeing it through to the end. Shaa discusses her online educational company, which focuses on teaching consultants, coaches, and others how to leverage their knowledge and skills into becoming 6-figure experts. She explains the importance of self-worth and being specific about what you want to do with your career and professional life. Listen to the episode to hear the whole conversation and learn more about what Shaa has to teach.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  Shaa’s Links Shaa’s Website: https://www.shaa.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, One Year No Beer’s Jen Fairbairns is joined by Grant Flynn of Social Fit Edinburgh. Social Fit is a free group that’s giving back to the community by encouraging fitness through mini and mega missions, meet and eats, and buena vida sessions that are open to all who are interested.  In today’s interview, Grant discusses his background and interest in fitness and related activities, and he also shares some of the background on how Social Fit Edinburgh got started. Grant explains that in the beginning, the group was just three individuals jogging – the larger social aspect and variety of activities came later.  “We’ve got what we’ve got, and often what we’ve got is enough.” Grant and Jen discuss how people find Social Fit and the role that social media plays in getting their message out to the public. They talk about wanting more people to feel included and about the inclusivity goals that are core to Social Fit’s mission. Grant also shares his thoughts on how to get people into fitness activities when they feel those activities are out of their comfort zone, and what words of encouragement he would use for someone who wanted to get involved but didn’t know where to start.  Listen to the episode to learn more about Social Fit Edinburgh, including what kind of feedback Grant is getting on the project, what different types of people are getting involved in the experience, and what Grant’s plans are for the future of Social Fit. Grant and Jen also talk about how Social Fit Edinburgh supports sobriety and about getting Social Fit members together with OYNB members for a group walk.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com    GRANT FLYNN’S LINKS Social Fit Edinburgh on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/socialfitedinburgh/about/?ref=page_internal Social Fit Edinburgh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialfitedinburgh/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Jerry Lyons. Today, Jerry is the author of a popular children’s book that offers an important message that children of all ages need to hear. But that wasn’t always Jerry’s life.  Jerry grew up in a working-class Irish family and played football, and as he explains, there was always alcohol around. So Jerry became a heavy social drinker for over 30 years of his life. But eventually, Jerry began to get tired of the drinking. He wanted a break. He saw the ad for One Year No Beer after trying Dry January. He decided to do a 90-day challenge on his own, without joining OYNB. After completing it (and on April Fools Day) he opted to drink again and felt bad dealing with the resulting hangover. That was when he decided to take the plunge and join OYNB.  “I look back and I think did drinking affect what I do? It definitely did, it definitely did.”  Listen to the episode to hear more about Jerry’s journey, which has now reached over 500 days without drinking. Hear him explain how going alcohol-free improved his health and boosted his mental health and emotional stability. And listen in to hear Jerry’s surprising discovery of talent that he didn’t even know that he had – the ability to write a children’s story. In today’s episode, he’ll talk about how he came to write that story, why its message matters so much, and what’s next on the horizon.  OYNB LINKS    OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/  OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/  OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/  OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/  OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/  Email: info@oneyearnobeer.com  Let’s Do This! by Andy Ramage: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Do-This-motivational-psychology/dp/1783253282/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=andy+ramage+lets+do+this&qid=1567684584&s=gateway&sr=8-3 JERRY LYON’S LINKS  Spot the Different: https://www.spotthedifferent.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices