Mindfulness Mode

Joel Boggess is a man whose passion it is to help others rebuild confidence and move into a fulfilling life. He’s a coach, podcaster, author and speaker. As you get to know Joel, you’ll discoverhe has a strong Christian faith, and he uses that faith to live the best life he possibly can. He’s truly mindful and is one of the most grounded and focused people you will ever get to know.  His book, “Finding Your Voice” is an Amazon best-seller and his ‘Relaunch’ podcast has received rave reviews since it’s start in 2014. Joel has recently been invited by Success Magazine to run a monthly article and has also been approved as a contributing writer for Huffington Post.

Contact Info

• Website: relaunchshow.com
• Podcast: ReLaunchShow.com/itc

Most Influential Person

• Zig Ziglar

Effect on Emotions

• Mindfulness helps people keep those emotions in check so that you channel them in the best and appropriate way.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Breathing is something we all need to very much be aware of so that when life gets hectic and things start to seem like they're spiraling out of control that we can just step back and start to focus on our own breathing. That can be a difference maker. It can lower your blood pressure and your stress. Wen you take that mindful break you can come back more recharged and ready to go.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Calming the Chaos by Jackie Woodside
• App: Pomodoro Timer

Advice for Newbie

Give mindfulness a try. Have fun, play, enjoy! When you're not focused on following the rules, but you're just focused on the moment, unbelievable things happen. Miracles happen. Don't concern yourself with following the steps outlined in a book. Understand the overall concept and start playing and practicing. Start experimenting with your own version of mindfulness and what will probably happen is you'll discover what really works for you in mindfulness and it may or may not be a carbon copy of what the 'experts' say. Give yourself the freedom to create your own program .

Brandon Beachum is a serial entrepreneur. He started his most recent business, called Resort Share, five years ago with zero capital, while living on his friend’s couch . Last year it was featured as one of America’sfastest growing companies. Brandon strongly believes in meditation and makes it a regular part of his life. One of his philosophies is visualizing his goals and taking steps forward as if those goals have already been met.  Brandon has a podcast called Positive Head.

Contact Info

• Website: positivehead.com
• Podcast: The Positive Head Podcast

Most Influential Person

• Osho

Effect on Emotions

• Mindfulness has affected my emotions in a tremendous way. I'm someone who has a great energy to achieve and do things and make things happen and connect with people but I also can tend to get frazzled or excited in a negative way. Mindfulness is the path to healing that for me.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Remembering that everything is a reflection and so if your breathing is shallow that is a reflection of how much bandwidth you have for what you can deal with in your life. You can't be upset when you're breathing deeply. Take deep full breaths and you move into a state of calm so you can deal with anything.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Oneness by Rasha
• App: Podcast App

Advice for Newbie

Take time to meditate. Everyone should meditate 15 minutes a day unless you don't have time. Then you should meditate an hour a day (Zen proverb). The greatest advice I can give to someone is, a lot of times its easier to use thoughts because we have trouble turning the brain off and that's the toughest thing about meditation for people. Instead of resisting that at first when you're just starting down the path, instead close your eyes and do visualization practices.

Solo Weekend with Bruce Langford. Vulnerability is the topic. You can't reach courage without stepping through vulnerability. This episode is the first of a new weekly weekend chat with Bruce. No guest, just thoughts about mindfulness and today's topic, vulnerability.

To be connected to people, you need to be willing to show vulnerability. Oprah Winfrey said, "All you really need in life is to be more of yourself". And of course that requires vulnerability. What is vulnerability? How do weaccomplish this in a society where many view vulnerability as a sign of weakness?

Bob Marley said, "Being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure." Brene Brown said, "Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change."

It takes confidence and courage to be vulnerable. The reverse is also true. Being vulnerable can give us confidence, courage and connection with the world and with others. In fact, vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage.

"I think I fall in love a little bit with anyone who shows me their soul. This world is so guarded and fearful, I appreciate rawness so much." Emery Allen

Here are three articles I wrote for The Good Men Project which have elements of vulnerability:

5 Things I Learned Fathering My Autistic Son

How That Old Black Accordion Connected Me To Dad

7 Ways Guys Can Spin Anxiety Out of Their Life

Tune in to Mindfulness Mode, episode 51, for a heartfelt chat about vulnerability.

Courtney Townley is a health and fitness expert with a strong background in dance. Through her business, Grace & Grit, she helps women be healthier, happier and more fit in three specific areas: food, movement & stress management. She has incredible energy and enjoys sharing her love of movement with her clients. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in dance. She iscertified as a coach and trainer in various aspects of health and fitness. Courtney is a strong advocate of mindfulness and uses mindfulness strategies on a daily basis. Courtney began working in the fitness industry nearly two decades ago. She is fully certified as a STOTT PILATES® instructor, NSCA personal trainer, ACE Health Coach, Genesis Transformation Health Coach and Precision Nutrition Health Coach. She is also a certified Booty Barre® instructor, TRX™ trainer, and is a very proud student of the Ido Portal Method. 

Contact Info

• Website: www.GraceandGrit.com
• Podcast: Grace and Grit Podcast

Most Influential Person

• My health coach, Sherri-Lynn. She talked a lot about the importance of meditation and mindfulness and fired me up more than I already was to dive deeper into it.

Effect on Emotions

• Calmed me down, I'm a very excitable creature. It really just helped me to have more choice over my emotions rather than my emotions running me.

Thoughts on Breathing

• It's the linchpin in the sense that there is no quicker way to get into a state of mindfulness than just by pausing and taking several deep breaths.

Suggested Resources

• Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
• App: A gratitude App (An alarm went off three times a day when I would stop and jot down what I was grateful for in that moment).

Advice for Newbie

The best way to start walking is by putting one foot in front of the other, so break down mindfulness into a digestible bite and even before you sit in a chair and build some sort of meditation practice, I would say just try practicing being fully present with one activity in your day for a set period of time. And be realistic on that time frame, like maybe five minutes. And be consistent, consistency is everything when it comes to building any kind of practice.

Jeff Agostinelli is a life and business coach and was trained as a Macrobiotic Chef who focuses on alternative healing. Jeff is an avid believer that eating raw foods is a recipe for better health. For more than six years, Jeff submersed himself in learning and practicing everything food and health related. Jeff then became fascinated withdigital marketing and business, and proceeded to share his expertise with others through his coaching practice and podcast called, The Next Level.

Contact Info

• Twitter, Instagram: @jeffagostinelli
• Facebook: Search Jeff Agostinelli
• Website: www.jeffagostinelli.com or www.jeffa.co
• Podcast: The Next Level

Most Influential Person

• Thich Nhat Hanh

Effect on Emotions

• It's enabled me to allow myself to be completely present with what I feel and let that be ok.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Breathing IS my mindfulness practice.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Book: True Love: A Practice for Awakening The Heart by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Book: True Meditation: Discover the Freedom of Pure Awareness by Adyashanti

Advice for Newbie

One of the keys for me with mindfulness is breathing. I did a number of 10 day Vipasana Meditation Retreats where basically all you can do for fifteen hours a day is sit there and meditate. No looking at each other, no physical contact. Men and women are separate. Really just very focused effort. As long as you're breathing, you need to be mindful. That's really all there is to it because its one of those things that's like, if you're not being mindful then, what else are you doing? Being mindful is washing the dishes and being aware that you're washing the dishes. It's listening to your spouse and listening to your spouse and breathing and being aware of what's happening in your immediate environment. Be patient, because like anything else, with practice comes one new level of understanding and then the next level and then the next level and just be ok with where you are now and know that there's not a destination. It's not to get anywhere other than to be present, to be more loving, or whatever it is that is your current focus. It's to amplify who you already are.

Jay Papasan is a writer. He spent several years editing at Harper Collins Publishers, and has written a number of bestselling books, including The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, which he wrote with Gary Keller, of Keller Williams Realty. Jay also co-authored the # 1 Wall Street Journal bestseller The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.

Contact Info

• Website: www.the1thing.com

Most Influential Person

• My partner, Gary Keller

Effect on Emotions

• When I know what I'm supposed to be doing, when I'm clear about my priorities, I'm present and I'm calm. There's just no other place to be. It's amazing how that works.

Thoughts on Breathing

• You get excited, you breathe faster, you get calm, you breathe slower. But even if you're excited and you breathe slower, you'll become calm. Understanding that has allowed me, at moments of high stress to, 'just breathe'.

Suggested Resources

• Book: The One Thing, The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

Advice for Newbie

Think big, start small. Imagine what your life would be if you were really succeeding at a high level, and then start really small. If you want something to be a habit, start with a target that is so attainable you could almost trip over it and build momentum on that success.

Hilde Larsen is a Detoxification Specialist, speaker and Certified Health Coach. Eight years ago she was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis and lyme disease. Her road to recovery has includeda healthier lifestyle and raw foods, and now Hilde is thriving, living a vibrant life of passion, devoted to sharing her success story to the world.

Contact Info

• Website: www.InspiredByHilde.com

Most Influential Person

• Eckhart Tolle

Effect on Emotions

• It has led me to acknowledge them, accept them and work through a lot of them. And to make them a part of my aware life.

Thoughts on Breathing

• I had to learn to breathe again. I was breathing so shallowly, I wasn't even aware of it. Breathing Pranayama has been a great practice for me and I've done rebirthing. I love breathing, and breathing is connecting, connecting with God. We are breath, without it, we're not here.

Suggested Resources

• Book: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
• App: None

Advice for Newbie

Find a good meditation practice. Just sit still. Close your eyes and sit still and see if you can get your mind to shut up. It's hard, but that's what I would say. Meditation, definitely.

Allan Misner is a (CPA) Certified Public Accountant and a CIA (Certified Internal Audit). He is also passionate about being physically active and healthy and believes wholeheartedly in the practice of mindfulness. As part of this focus on health, Allen is active asa Certified Personal Trainer. He has also worked in various industries including oil and gas, retail, technology, hospitality, manufacturing and for 16 years as an internal auditor.

Contact Info

• Website: www.older.fitness
• Podcast: Older+ Fitness Podcast

Most Influential Person

• My wife. When I leave my office, I drive home, get inside my head and let all the stress from the day go, so when I get home I can really be with my wife.

Effect on Emotions

• When I'm doing well (with mindfulness), I'm very calm, serene and happy.

Thoughts on Breathing

•  This is where I struggle the most and so that's why I like to use guided meditations.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
• App: Headspace

Advice for Newbie

  Mindfulness is not just about meditating and it's not just about points in time. Just easing into a couple of minutes in a ritual; it can be as simple as when I'm brushing my teeth at night to get ready for bed. When I'm done with that I should have cleared my mind and made myself ready. It's those little moments when you sit down and prepare yourself for what's about to happen that's going to help you be successful.

Manny Wolfe is a speaker, business coach, musician and author. He fully believes in giving whatever of value he can share with others. This includes voice coaching and speech consulting. Mindfulness has beena central part of Manny’s life for years and it has allowed him to chose a life of purpose and passion, doing what feeds his soul. Manny is the host of his own podcast called, The Steep Side of the Mountain.

Contact Info

• Website: www.TheSteepSideOfTheMountain.com
• Email: manny@thesteepside.com
• Podcast: The Steep Side of the Mountain

Most Influential Person

• Bruce Lee

Effect on Emotions

• I try to teach them the same things that I now practice in my life. Mindfulness specifically, checking in with your heart to bring yourself right here, right now is the best way I know of to get out of future tripping and to be able to get yourself back into a calm, action plan making state of mind.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Breath is life. We breathe differently according to what our parasympathetic nervous system is feeling. The key is that breathing can change the parasympathetic nervous system. So breathing to me is connected to mindfulness because I know that shifting the way that I breathe can change my whole physicality, change my state, and therefore change my reality.

Suggested Resources

• Book: The Japanese Art of War: Understanding the Culture of Strategy by Thomas Cleary

Advice for Newbie

Literally, physically, check in with your heart. Realize when your thoughts are drifting off, which is getting out of mindfulness, and to get yourself back to the present moment, think about your heart. Feel how its beating, feel how it feels in your chest. That will not only bring you back into the present moment which allows you to be mindful, but it also centers your thinking in what is called the heart centered capacity.

Jenny Fenig is a yogi, and a fun, spirited woman who loves helping other women find their calling, whether it’s through yoga, entrepreneurship or their own personal life journey. Jenny lefta successful, corporate six-figure job as an event planner 7 years ago and has never looked back. She rebuilt her life from the ground up as an on-line entrepreneur, using her knowledge of yoga and her corporate planning expertise to help other women get more out of life. Jenny is also host of the suitably named podcast ‘Get Gutsy’ 

Contact Info

• Website: www.jennyfenig.com
• Facebook & Instagram: Jenny Fenig ( Say hi)
• Podcast: Get Gutsy
• Free Gift: PDF - A Synopsis of how to find your calling in the world. That's what mindfulness allows you to do. www.jennyfenig.com/calling

Most Influential Person

• My sister, Julie. She passed away when I was a teenager. I was 16 and she was 12. She had cancer and I watched the way that she weathered that illness. She was a girl of faith and she's allowed me to develop my faith in mindfulness because I know that served her well during her short, yet perfectly orchestrated life. She's still impacting people today, more than twenty years after her passing.

Effect on Emotions

• I am able to really be in my body and to feel things. I wasn't always able to do that when I was younger. I allow things to pass through me and that's something I learned from Michael Singer's book, The Unteathered Soul. Allow things to pass through us, we don't want things to get stuck. Mindfulness allows things to simply flow through me.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Every breath I take; conscious, inhale, exhale. I do this so much with my clients and students now. I am grateful to be able to lead them through this practice and with my children. If you start being mindful around that, today your world will change, guaranteed.

Suggested Resources

• Book: The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer
• Book: Get Gutsy: A Sacred, Fearless Guide for Finding Your Soul's Calling and Living Your Dream by Jenny Fenig
• App: Asana (Project Management Tool)
• App: Insight Timer

Advice for Newbie

Start today, no excuses. Tune out what much of the world focuses on because I'll tell you it's not mindfulness. You'll start recognizing that [mindfulness], as you start developing a 'witness mentality'. Meditation allows you to have an 'observer' mentality. You will see that much of the world is engaging in things that are not healthy and high vibration. This is not to be in judgment of those people or think that you're better. It's simply to be that witness and to 'be the change you wish to see in the world', as Ghandi said. The more that you do this, the more you'll impact people in the world, even those who you think are not open.