Mel Wells is with us today and I loved her BIG TRUTH, "We all learn best by watching what others do rather than by listening to what they say."
We took this truth and talked about:
-How people can use social media for a range of things from judgment to self-love
-How diet culture shatters people's ability to see their greatness
-Her take on the body positivity movement
-Hunger, cravings, and how food decisions can reflect your relationship to your life
She also let me ask her a ton of questions about her former life as a soap opera actress in the UK and what it was like when she came here to the US and started auditioning. It was fascinating, enjoy!
About Mel Wells:
Mel Wells is a Certified Health Coach, Eating Psychology Coach, International Speaker and the Bestselling Author of widely acclaimed, ‘The Goddess Revolution’.
She is Hay House’s youngest author and has been featured in Forbes Under 30, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, BBC Radio 1 and more, as a leading women’s expert in her field.
Mel dedicates her time to helping women worldwide ditch the dieting for good, make peace with food and love their healthy bodies. Mel coaches women via her famous online Academy, and luxury Goddess Retreats in Bali and Thailand.
Mel empowers women to stop dieting for good, and challenge their entire belief system around food and their bodies, by working on the relationship they have with themselves.
Mel lives in Bali, and flies back to London regularly for speaking events and retreats.
Today's Sunday Sermon is all about listening and the myriad ways better listening touches our lives.
Listening to yourself
Listening to life
Listening relating to trust
Relating to surrender
Because we don’t know what to trust if we’re not listening
We don’t know what to surrender if we’re not listening
Listening is a function of paying attention
Paying attention and listening require that we slow down
That we pause here and there
That we cultivate the ability to create space between our thoughts…
And in the space between our thoughts, that is where miracles are born :)
I'm pleased to introduce our first ever musician to the show today - Trevor Hall. Trevor's BIG TRUTH was threefold, "Not trying to figure it all out, being comfortable with the unknown and surrendering into that space."
We talked about:
-His most recent album release which was both innovative and unconventional
-His path as a professional musician (This was fascinating to me! He signed a record deal at 18, and produced two albums in four years that never saw the light of day. I didn't even know that was possible...)
-The meaning of his latest album title, "The Fruitful Darkness"
-Some of his favorite artists and tours
-How music breaks down walls and barriers
We also kept it real and geeked out on our favorite TV shows. I think his is really going to surprise you. Enjoy!
About Trevor Hall:
Raised on an island in South Carolina, singer/songwriter Trevor Hall realized at a young age that music was more than just a passion - it was, rather, his life’s art. At sixteen, he recorded his first album, soon after which he left South Carolina for Idyllwild Arts Academy in California where he studied classical guitar and was introduced to the practices of yoga and meditation, which would greatly influence his life and his music.
Hall’s music, a blend of roots and folk music, is imbued with a deep love of Eastern Mysticism. This powerful symbiosis fostered a deep connectivity with his growing fan base and Trevor quickly matured into a leader of the burgeoning conscious musical community. Along with numerous pilgrimages to India, he has also completed a series of sold-out tours and collaborations with artists such as Steel Pulse, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Matisyahu, Michael Franti, Xavier Rudd and Nahko & Medicine for the People.
His previous full-length album releases, Chapter of the Forest (2014) and KALA (2015), debuted at #3 and #2 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart respectively and were supported by extensive tours around the US and Australia. Beyond his intention to spread love and healing through music, Hall also collects donations to support children’s education in India and has continuously donated to charities and relief funds.
The Fruitful Darkness is Trevor’s first independent release — supported by his fans know as THE VILLAGERS — has become the #1 Music campaign of its kind in 2017 — after a decade plus recording for established labels such as Geffen and Vanguard. “There have been many hurdles and triumphs along the way” Hall reflects. “This album conveys the deep vulnerability of journeying through the unknown, as opposed to playing it safe.” Besides the change in infrastructure, the album itself explores completely new sonic terrain and is being released unconventionally, in three song installments on specific lunar dates. The first three tracks dropped worldwide this September 15th on iTunes.
Today we have Julie Santiago with us and she had two BIG TRUTHS to share with us.
The first she called universal, "We all know who we are and what we want."
The second she called personal, "I want my life to be super simple."
So we dove into both. Specifically:
-How she is simplifying
-The paradox of control - we have so much control and so much is out of our control
-The drive to be known, to know ourselves, and to be understood
-Being complete without kids
-Navigating personal growth while being in a long term relationship when your partner isn't necessarily on the same path you are
She also shared what it was like growing up in Louisiana in a Lebanese family. This is a really juicy one that took a lot of twists and turns. Enjoy!
About Julie Santiago:
Julie Santiago is a former Wall Street Trader turned writer, speaker, teacher and guide for women who are ready to break out of the box and start living their Truth.
She graduated from John Hopkins University with honors and is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Transformational Life Coach, and Kundalini Yoga Teacher.
She has led thousands of amazing women through her virtual communities, live events and in-person transformational retreats. She incorporates a variety of modalities including yoga, meditation, coaching, holistic wellness, and spiritual philosophy to guide women on their path to awakening.
Today's Sermon is based around an experience I had earlier this week. If you’re on Instagram and you ever watch my stories, you know I go to the beach most mornings out of the week. It’s where and how I connect, and make time to attune myself to nature, who for me and I believe for all who are willing to pay close attention - is my greatest teacher.
She is a master at using what she has.
She doesn’t take more than she needs.
She’s extremely mysterious but always reveals exactly what you need to know in a way you can receive and understand it.
I get a lot out of time in nature, especially by the ocean. Especially lately in Point Dume, here in Malibu. So listen in to some reflections I had during and after climbing up the highest peak and walking out to the furthest cliff.
Today's guest, Lisa Romano, is an expert in helping people overcome faulty childhood programming that narcissistic abuse and codependency creates. We got all up in emotions, mindset, how you think about yourself if you've had either of these experiences, gaslighting, and other struggles this kind of dysfunction contributes to. Even if you haven't experienced either of these things, you may find this conversations useful as we also covered things that impact almost everyone at some point - attachment theory, developing a healthy sense of self, releasing unhealthy fears, how to communicate with narcissistic and codependent people in your life, and how other parenting dynamics impact children (especially before the age of seven!). This is one to listen to more than once and definitely share with loved ones who you know are working through these things as well. Thank you!
About Lisa Romano:
Lisa A. Romano is a Certified Life Coach who specializes in mentoring and coaching abused adult children from dysfunctional homes, who feel stuck in their lives and who are seeking to move beyond their painful pasts. Romano also coaches adults who find themselves feeling dissatisfied with their lives and who are finding it difficult to understand what beliefs or thought processes are preventing them from living a fulfilling life. She is also a bestselling author, popular Youtube Vlogger, radio show host, and speaker.
In this episode, Lisa shares:
1. Mapping the brain
2. How we "ice skate" over our pain and what happens when we do
3. Smart parenting to not pass these things onto your kids
This episode was inspired by a recent post I made on Facebook about real, deep body love and acceptance. The responses to the post inspired me to being writing a piece around it during a writing workshop I attended recently in Mexico. And then, days after I'd made the post, as women were still chiming in, I realized this conversation is only just beginning. There is a lot to unpack and explore here. It's tender and personal, but also shared because we've all grown up in this culture with it's heinous messaging about and towards women and their bodies. If you are someone with a history of body issues or disordered eating, please check in with yourself first before you listen as it could be triggering. And if you'd like to add to the conversation, visit the show notes page to chime in on the Facebook thread or email us directly at hello@wildsoulmovement.com. Lots of love on this one. xo, E