Why Your Struggles & Mistakes Are Guiding You To Become Your Best Self | S3, Ep 22. - The Big Dawgs: with Manning Sumner

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
And then life shook me when he took his life away.
And when that happened, I had tosit with myself for a long time
to understand what's happening. So eating habits, mental health
became more of like numbing mechanism.
And I joined the gym because that was the place where I felt

(00:21):
like I didn't have to be anything but just let go.
I also. Did a lot of drugs.
And so I went to a A and I realized there was a just a
disconnect. I didn't know where my higher
power was. So I started singing.
It's called kirtan and it's likea direct connection to the
divine, something greater than myself.

(00:42):
As I progressed, bodybuilding became something that I was
infatuated with and just the beauty of the aesthetic look of
perfection, right, And how that relates to modeling on a stage.
A lot of people sit with their thoughts instead of actually
acting it out because making mistakes is part of becoming who
you are. Like there are no losses,

(01:04):
there's only lessons. So every time you do make a
mistake, it actually makes you stronger and because you learn
from it. And the whole trick is just
don't make the same mistake twice.
I'm Manning Sumner, I've lived my life by 1 motto no days off.
No days off has never taken a day off on you.
It's a commitment to becoming your best self.
Get ready to be inspired to do the same.

(01:26):
This is the big Dogs with Manning Sumner.
So, ladies, you're on the big dogs.
Yes, Welcome, welcome. You're all big dogs as far as
I'm concerned. So, so real fast.
I'm gonna show you how all this came together.
So you kept popping up on my timeline like like all the time

(01:48):
that. Was great, but.
It was kind of weird though at the same time.
It's like, who is this chick keep popping up on that?
You know what I mean? It was like very weird.
And I would, you know, I don't really, I don't really scroll
that much on Instagram. So I was just kind of OK, OK, I
watched a couple of your videos,but when I watched a couple of
your videos, I was like, wow, she's good.
Like she's good. She's legit like you talk very

(02:09):
well. Thank you speak very well.
Thank you. You explain confusing things in
an easy way for women to understand, and then you have a
very targeted audience, which isis the name of the game, and
it's very smart. So I was like, I was like,
you're checking all the boxes, You know, I'm saying you look
good, you're knowledgeable, and then you have a knowledgeable, I

(02:31):
mean, you have a niche audience.So I was like, that was kind of
cool, but I didn't really think anything of it.
You have a bunch of followers. I was like, she probably gets a
bunch of DMS, you know, I'm justgonna leave it alone, whatever.
So I didn't really think anything of it.
Then my boy Matt sends me a textand he's like, yo, you need to
hook up with my and hook up justmeaning like me, my girl Regine,

(02:53):
You know she's awesome. Y'all two would hit it off blah,
blah, blah, And I thought that was real random because I just
met you, but I didn't put two and two to get.
I had just met her a week beforehe text me that, but I didn't
even put two and two together because I didn't know what you I
didn't know who Regine was right.
I mean I I met you, but I didn'tlike put anyway put it together.

(03:13):
So then like, you know, went online like we all do and we
stalk the person. So I'm like, I'm like.
Then I'm like, no way. Doesn't.
Matter. And then it gets even weirder.
Then I'll click on your story and you 2 are dancing together.

(03:33):
You come in, you come in becauseyou introduced me to routine.
So it was like. No, I wasn't invited dancing.
Well, yeah. Well, that's all.
Listen, we got me and her. But but isn't that funny though?
So then, so then, so then I had that connection.
So I see you all dancing. I'm like, that's weird.
I'm like, they know each other. Somebody else, then you make a

(03:54):
comment on my gym. Yeah.
And so I was like, oh, I literally, I literally was like
telling my wife this. I was like, I slid into Adm.
She responded. My wife thinks it's hilarious.
And and then you responded and then, you know, now we're all
here. So.
And then it was crazy because I was already going to do a
podcast with you. Yeah, I had one set up with you.

(04:16):
And then I was just like, what if we just saw?
Because I've done these round table ones and they're fun.
They they're more relaxed. You don't feel like you're in an
interview, you feel like more inopen talk.
So I just figured let's bring 3 badass ladies together.
Let's let y'all talk it up. So that's how we got here.
Now let's just go around the room and talk a little bit about
just give. Like if you had to give a 32nd

(04:38):
minute elevator pitch of who youare, go all.
Right. I'm Don Don Feinberg.
I own Ahana Yoga. We're in the Design District.
We've been around for eight years.
And I was a professional dancer for a long time.
And then I ruptured my Achilles tendon and I found yoga.

(05:00):
I also did a lot of drugs and I went to a A to get cleaned up.
And they kept talking about a higher power, which definitely
was Jesus. And I'm Jewish.
I there was parts of it that I didn't resonate with.
And then I found kirtan, which is in yoga, it's called bhakti,
which is devotion. And we started singing and we

(05:22):
sang and I was like, this is I found God.
And now everything started to make sense and I was introduced
to my singing teachers and it wrapped around yoga perfectly.
And so our yoga studio is based on creative movement like
Ashtanga, Vinyasa, breath flow, but with a really strong
spiritual background. So we can help elevate people

(05:45):
and get them out of, you know, any type of addiction, be it
anything. I'm OK like with people that
drink and stuff like that, you can do whatever you want and
come to our yoga studio. But when you, it just helps to
have spirituality with a yoga practice.
And I see a lot of yoga studios take out that spiritual
component because it's more marketable, and we do the

(06:08):
opposite. Nice.
Yeah, that might have been a minute and 1/2.
That was awesome, Dawn. All right, Regine, you're up.
Dawn. All right.
Thank you for sharing. Regine Santa Maria.
I work at a gym. It's called DVC and it's at a
design district. I've been there for over six
years. It's gonna be 6 years.

(06:29):
And I am a licensed massage therapist as well, so I focus in
Thai massage and I'm a mother oftwo, so back.
Boys, right? Yes, two boys, they're my
sunshine. So a little bit about myself
when it comes down to where we all kind of relate to each other
in this sense. So Wellness or sports or all

(06:52):
these things. I've been part of my life since
I was young. I suffered from asthma, so the
doctors were like, you need to put my mom telling my mother you
need to put her into any sport that is going to help her
breathing. So ideally swimming.
And she wanted me to be a model.So she was like, OK, so her
health or the way she's going tolook.
And at that point, I mean, Venezuelans, the way that we

(07:13):
are, our culture is like model, right?
So at that point, she's OK for her health.
So it all started with swimming.So it was part of my lifestyle
as then and as I progressed, bodybuilding became something
that I was infatuated with and just the beauty of the aesthetic
look of perfection, right? And how that relates to modeling

(07:36):
on a stage. So I was like, oh, I could do
that. And then got pregnant, married,
competed first before I became apersonal trainer.
And it was just kind of like, I,I think, I think I could teach
people how to train. I mean, if I can do it.
And I'm so like OCD with it. So like when it comes to like

(07:57):
not perfection, but I used to bea perfectionist back then.
So for me it was just like, how can I get, or if I can change
myself, how can I help somebody change themselves too?
So that became part of my journey, became a personal
trainer. And as long as long as I've
known since 2009, I was licensedmassage therapist.

(08:17):
So that was before training. So it was all within the
Wellness part of it, right? And I became a personal trainer.
It works with life. LMT so a licensed massage
therapist and I'm pretty freaking nervous as you can

(08:40):
tell. I love it.
I love it. I.
Love. It you are so good computer.
Download Say what you. Have to start it's.
Alright, that's awesome. But that's true.
You know that? That's human, remember?
We're not live, so that's one thing to think about.
We're not live, So no. What I mean by that, and I used
to do this too, when I would shoot these, I'd feel like I

(09:02):
just have to keep talking. I have to keep talking, right.
Even though I knew we weren't live.
Yeah. So one thing to remember while
we're all here, if you need to just take a deep breath.
Breath. Just stop talking and gather
your thoughts. Just do it because we can edit
it. It's not a big deal.
All right? And you're doing great.
Yeah. All right.
So. Listen, this is the second
podcast I've ever done. Yeah, OK.
So. Life is about getting

(09:23):
uncomfortable, Yes and yeah. You are constantly challenging
your clients, all of y'all, yes,to get uncomfortable, yes right.
And then sometimes I think we get so into telling our clients
what to do, we forget to sometimes apply it to ourselves,
you know what I mean? Yeah, always.
Anna. Hello.
Hello. My name is Anna Capusoli.

(09:46):
I was. Saying I was saying it right.
Capusoli. I was trying to make sure I was
know the Anna part because, you know, sometimes we were like
Anna and you know, whatever. You know that that shifted for
me when I came to the US, right?Because.
Southern boys, we say Anna like this.
Yeah, Anna, Anna, Anna. You don't even understand.
And my name is Don. But I've decided just like a

(10:07):
week ago to tell everybody when I get like Starbucks or
whatever, that it's Don. Wow.
It's Don. Because they're like, because
I'm like Don. Don.
Dawn, Dawn. And they're like Donna and I'm
like, I'm like, fuck it. I'm done.
Yeah. So I let go of that.
I was like, you know, whatever fits, you know, I am who I am.

(10:30):
You know, it doesn't define me. But thank you for having me.
Of course. This is a pleasure.
I've been seeing your growth. And then we'll talk about that a
little bit because I admire deeply how much you've owned up
to your vision. Cause at the end of the day,
this is a vision, you know, it'smore, it's a legacy, but it is
your heart. So thank you ladies.

(10:52):
So I come from Venezuela and I moved to the US when I was 9.
A little bit about my story is Isuffered tons about mental
health, physical health, everything depression, suicidal
body dysmorphia, seeking this perfectionist as a little girl,
right? I up to I, we came to from the

(11:13):
Venezuela and at the age of 10 Istarted working because I was
growing up with a single mom older brother.
So I up to this responsibility to become a man right?
To become the the head of the house.
So from that point on, I startedputting more pressure on myself
to learning more and neglecting more of me.

(11:35):
So eating habits, mental health became more of like numbing
mechanism. And I joined the gym because
that was the place where I felt like I didn't have to be
anything but just let go, you know, as the, the place where I
was able to feel physical pain and not so much mental pain.
So I on into 14 years old. I, I even said my age was like

(11:58):
16, 'cause you weren't allowed to work out at 14.
So I was like, yeah, I am older.We came friends with the owner
and I started lifting from that point on.
I started having a lot of seizures, a lot of I was
fainting like 5 to 10 times a day.
My period was gone. I had tons of health issues and
every doctor here, here, so in Miami, so every doctor was like,

(12:23):
oh, you know, we just got to putyou on medication.
And I used to tell my mom, huge believer not to take anything.
You know, I believe we're all medicine.
And she's like, no, you have to.They're saying this.
I'm like, no, but they don't even know what it is.
They've done so many studies andthey don't know why I'm having
seizures. And then the more I question
because I've always, always a curious child, which got me in a

(12:44):
ton of trouble, so much trouble.I started doing my research and
I was like, OK, nobody's asking me about food.
And I literally hate food. Back story in Venezuela,
everyone wants you to be Miss Universe, right?
So I was in an Academy of modeling when I was three years
old. I was on a diet since I was
three years old. I learned how to walk in heels

(13:04):
before walking in shoes and the two.
No. She went to swimming.
I went. Swimming.
They didn't put me in sports, they put me in an Academy.
We had another yoga instructor on here, Vanessa.
Vanessa that. Was Miss Venezuela?
Miss Venezuela. But she said like the like she
had to be. Like, yeah, you had to be.
There was no option. There was no option.

(13:26):
They even tell you when you're akid they're like OK you gotta
get your nose done when you headache 18 you gotta you gotta
do your boobs. Wow, you gotta fix yourself
because you're not OK basically.Right, because it's super.
Women are beautiful. They're gorgeous, you know, and.
So it's weird. You're like fixing something
that's not wrong. Correct.
And to an S who standers right. So from that point, my mindset

(13:49):
as a child, you don't comprehend, but my mom kept
telling me don't eat this, you're going to get in weight.
Don't eat this, you're going to be fat.
So immediately as a child that my dad didn't want me, right?
My I was very neglected. I'm like, I have to prove my
worth like mom, like I need her to love me.
So when I was see food, I'm like, I hate it, I hate it, I
hate it. All of a sudden I'm having

(14:11):
severe health issues because I'mnot even nourishing my body.
So I hit 18 years old. I get married at 18 and I see
this whole bodybuilding world. At that point, I'm already doing
hair and makeup. That was like kind of like my
first business. I'm doing hair and makeup,
whatever. I get married and I see
everybody just so fit. I went to a bodybuilding show,

(14:32):
had no idea what was bodybuilding, ever knew what was
bodybuilding? And I go in there, I'm like, Oh
my God, these women like what? And I'm like, I'm like goo Gaga
everywhere. I'm like just women, like, man,
whatever. I'm like, wow, you girls look
amazing. And they look at me like I'm
freaking weird, right? Because I love beauty, you know?

(14:54):
Like I was in a culture of beauty, but I admire beauty
because I knew it took so much deeper into what you see outside
makeup. You're there to put a lipstick
on, to feel good, a lipstick to just feel good 'cause we can't
find that inner work, right? We don't know how to tap into
that feeling for ourselves. We weren't taught that right?

(15:15):
We're taught to seek outside so we can feel worthy, we can feel
happy or love. So everywhere that I would do
what what I was doing working, I'm like, I'm looking outside
for all these factors. Maybe I should just start
competing. I'm already training.
I started doing my own diet. I had a friend that was
competing and she was becoming apro.

(15:36):
I'm like, what do you do? She's like, well, you got to eat
chicken. I'm like chicken, like I don't
want to eat chicken. I used to boil my food.
I used to blend it all together because I hated food.
Well, my God, it was disgusting.I don't know how I did looking
back at my life. I'm like, she was nice.
I'm never doing that again. You know, learn.
But all of that until like it's very long story, which thank you

(15:59):
so much for holding space led meto where I am today because I
had to learn and seek help for myself.
I couldn't afford a therapist. I couldn't afford medication.
I was illegal for 10 years of mylife.
We worked as immigrants for 10 years.
So I just was survival mode constantly.
Survival mode for me was not like, oh, you need to feel this

(16:22):
way. No, no, no, fuck feelings at
that moment. It was what do I need to do to
continue put moving forward to put a plate on my food of my the
photoplate on my table and then pay the the bills.
You know, you're thinking about how to pay, how to survive.
So I'm doing 3 jobs trying to make sure that my mom doesn't
work so much. And that just created more

(16:43):
health issues. The industry of bodybuilding.
What does it do? You're there to be judged and
you're seeking for approval. And then you think that if you
look a certain way, you feel worthy, right?
Love, right? So the Oh my God.
Your metabolism. So then any coach, then I did my
first show. I went to Vegas.

(17:04):
I was like, fuck, I'm going to do the bigger show.
They're like, no, you need to beknown.
I'm like, don't know me, It's OK.
I'm going to go myself by myself.
I get there, 30 girls, everybody's stunning.
I'm like super slim. I've always was so skinny and I
was like, OK, we got this girls.Mind you, I come from modeling.
I used to dance also as a as a kid.

(17:25):
So then I'm like owning it. I'm like, OK, this is runway.
We got this. All of a sudden I placed fourth
and I'm like, what? I didn't even have muscle and I
can do this like that. So it opened up a whole journey
for me. I became very addicted to the
feeling. And I started hiring coaches and
they're like, well, for you to look like that, you got to take
this. For you to look like that, you

(17:46):
got to take this. I'm like, really?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got to take that.
So then I go into hormones and steroids and then I'm like, OK,
then the mind fuck became real, you know?
Because when you're not on the steroids, what happens to your
body? You start being like, even
worse. I was like, Oh my God, I got to
wear big shirts. I feel fat.

(18:06):
I don't see my veins. Like your mindset shift to
something that's so unreal, you know?
And then your health, it's not realistic.
It's not realistic at all. You're putting this whole fake
perception of like, oh, this is what healthy looks like.
No, well, you're, you're lookinglike that for one day.
I got out of stage and I would gain 2030 lbs in my life.

(18:27):
I've gained weight. OK, So then I'm my body
shifting. I'm feeling all these things and
I'm like, Oh my God, I got to goback.
So the feeling of not being likethat perfect, which I didn't
feel perfect because let's be honest, you can be in shape, you
can be on in stage. Did you ever feel like you were
ready? No, you never feel like you're
ready. You always feel like you need to

(18:47):
give more, that there's more time, that you need more, and
you go into this toxic cycle with yourself.
So Fast forward, I keep saying back and forth.
Sorry, how long? So let's frame it for a second.
How long did you were you in thebodybuilding scene and
competing? 10 years. 10 years.
OK. And then when did you make the

(19:07):
decision decision to get out of that?
So closer to me hitting 28I was 26 I was dating a coach of mine
and the. First husband didn't.
Work out. No, no, no.
Not at all. Just throwing that out there.
No, no, first husband, we got divorced and I got engaged.

(19:28):
Then that didn't work out and I said OK, bye bye.
And then I continue. I believe in love, you know, if
I feel like once you find it, you know, So by the age of 26, I
got a rude awakening, right, 'cause I was battling this whole
life of. I started social media in 2019
and I started building a brand online.

(19:48):
And I'm like, OK, I was doing atthe time hair and makeup in
person and I was training in person.
I was already studying nutrition.
I study human like women's hormones, gut health because of
my own illnesses. And the coach that I was having
at the time, which we were dating, he had severe mental
health issues. So that wasn't quite working.

(20:09):
And then life shook me when he took his life away.
And when that happened, I had tosit with myself for a long time
to understand what's happening. Like what?
What's happening? Like, where is my focus headed?
Like where? Where am I with my faith?
Where am I with myself? Why am I so trying to save

(20:32):
everybody around me? And I'm just lost and I'm like
depressed and I'm just going through it and I'm like, where?
Where am I headed? What am I doing all this for?
Like, why do I keep fighting? Like, why do I keep rushing life
and what am I doing? What am I running away from?
And then life shook me in a way that I needed to go more

(20:52):
inwards. And I stopped competing right
after that grief and I started deep healing, which that's
another subject. We can't.
Go into done because Anna bringsout a lot of stuff that I feel
like you've also dealt with as far as deep healing things like

(21:12):
that. Take me back to you mentioned
drugs because I think that is something that a lot of people
can relate to because I personally went through it and
with family members and things like that.
So talk to us about that transition of going from seeking
drugs to now seeking Wellness ina way that is almost like and

(21:35):
and and hear me on this, it's kind of similar.
And what I mean by that is like,I find, yeah, I find that breath
work and cold plunging and saunaand yoga like it damn there
gives you the feeling of drugs, but obviously in a very healthy
and and Wellness way. So talk a little about that
transition and like how you, I guess, found yourself through

(21:56):
yoga. Would you say it?
That's kind of what happened. I think it was like, so my
parents got divorced when I was really young.
And it's funny that like all these connections between
because you guys are Venezuelan.Yeah.
I'm going to tell, I can't believe I'm going to say this on
this podcast, but you're, you'rebringing out some deep stuff.

(22:17):
You know, my mother, she passed,but she was Colombian.
And I'm putting a lot of pieces together here.
So my grandmother, my Weda, she was a prostitute.
She was like a high paid escort at 13.
She had my mom at 13 and and herparents died of polio.
So she became a prostitute and my mom brought her value down

(22:41):
because you know, being a mom. So they were in Colombia, but
she put my mom in a convent in Venezuela and left her there.
It was like an expensive conventfor aristocracy or something.
And so my mom was raised in a convent in Venezuela.
And what's interesting is that she, she got shipped to Miami
when she was 16. And, and she, I just found this

(23:05):
out 'cause she passed away and my, my aunt, my Tia, my Tia
Carada, she came and she was like, she's telling me all these
stories about my mom that I didn't know.
And my mom was stunning. She goes, you know, your mom won
Miss New York, which, and I was like, what?
Because my mom was like never wanted to to that pretty
whatever, at least I thought. But she was hot.
She was smoking like, you know, whatever.

(23:27):
And I and they were like, they found out that she was 17 and
you had to be 18 to win Miss NewYork.
And, and I was like, damn. Wait, she won New York?
I was 17 years old. Yes.
She hadn't been smoking on. That's kind of scary.
Actually. I have a daughter now that's
mind blowing. She but they couldn't give her
the thing or something because she was 17 like then they found
out she was 17 and so. She so she was disqualified.

(23:49):
Yeah, exactly. She was disqualified, but she
never told me that story. She kept all of that, but
you're. So I then was I put I was put
into dance at like 13 by accident.
It was kind of an accident. I went with my friend up for a
play date and I picked up the routine and they were like
you're in and. What style?
It was like jazz. It was like Dolly Dinkle School

(24:10):
of dance or something, you know,whatever.
And can't remember dance exchange, dance exchange.
And they needed a fourth person.And I was like, you know, Latin.
So I was like, no problem. And I got it, you know.
And then they were like, you're in.
And they just kept roping me in.And I remember one conversation
my dance teacher had with me because she can't became like my

(24:30):
mom and she was like, you can either do sports or You Can
Dance. And I was like, OK, I'll dance,
you know. So it was Just Dance the whole
way through and dance for me waslike my breath.
It was like air because I was soI love my parents so much and
they were split and I was a latchkey kid and my dad ended up
getting custody. It's the whole thing.

(24:51):
And anyway, so I just danced to live.
You know, it was like what I didto live.
And then I got scholarships and all this stuff.
I got a scholarship to college. And then I got picked up in a
dance company. But being that I was 13 when I
started dancing, my body wasn't like, oh, like my bone structure

(25:11):
had already. I couldn't put my leg up to here
and hold it, you know. So everything was kind of broken
in me, but I just did it anyway.So then I ruptured my Achilles
tendon and I couldn't dance anymore.
But in the oh, no, no, no, actually I finished college.
I got picked up in a dance company.
And then there was like this really hot tattoo artist and and

(25:33):
and inter romance. Yeah, he was so hot.
And I was like, Oh my God, you're so hot.
And I didn't I didn't think he like looked at me because he was
dating this girl that was like abartender and she had like black
hair and I was always like this,like always kind of looked like
this. And and she, yeah, I wasn't
like, you know that. What?
Does that mean first of all I look like?

(25:54):
This cloth looking I was like the surfer look and right.
Which is hot, so it's. Beautiful, but I.
I when you say. But seriously, why do you say it
like that? Because, well, if you saw this
girl, you would know what I'm talking.
Well, she had like a huge tattooon her back.
She had black hair. She was like, so you're.
Saying you were the opposite of what?
Yeah, I was. Like the sun and she was like
darkness and. Just make sure you're not well,
that's a good thing, yeah. Yeah, but I also had all these

(26:16):
like, you know, you never think you're hot, but like, anyway,
whatever. He he was like, he was like,
I'll give you a tattoo. And I was like, OK, right here.
But hold on, hold on. I want to hear this for a
second. You you said you never think
you're hot, and you said true. It's true.
You really y'all really think that?
Yeah. It's like there's never a moment
when you're getting ready and you look in the mirror and.

(26:36):
You're like, you know what? I feel like it took, it took a
lot of practice. Never, never, never, never
really. Never isn't.
That a damn shame. You know what happens?
It's so sad. There's so much going on on the
exterior that we forget, right? To just look in the mirror and
realize you see yourself every single day and people are like,
do you not look at yourself? I had so much attention since I

(26:59):
was little. It was, it made me shy.
That's how much like I would walk in a room and I would just
look down, right, because I, I couldn't, I had so much like
build up of anxiety just to lookup and somebody look at me.
And I have to say, and I just, Ijust hideaway and even until now
until I'm 39 years old. And this year, well, you know,

(27:21):
this year has been like that, that boom year for me.
Like, you walk into a room, you look up, you say hi.
If it's far away, you still say hi.
You have presents. Yeah, you own it.
Yeah. So I think and also experiences
too like. It's just interesting, 'cause
like, obviously we're our, we're, we're our worst critic,
right? But there's still, you know,

(27:43):
I'll look at myself like I look good.
Well man, my. Whole life I've still given
myself props, you know what I mean?
Like I think. I think it's different like like
growing up, like I grew up with a Latin mom, you know, And it's
like, it's like. And by the way, I want you to
finish your source. I didn't even.
Catch. That's OK.
It's OK. I could get back there.
But like, my grandmother, my widow was a prostitute.

(28:06):
So it's like, where does that get you?
You know what I mean? Not great, you know, like, it's
like beauty. Yeah.
No, she was. Kind of a job title.
She was gorgeous just but it's adouble edged sword.
It's like, you know, it's like people aren't looking at you for
your brains or what you have to bring to the table.
They're looking at you as a piece of ass, right?
So. They're getting judged.

(28:27):
Immediately, yeah. And you're, you're getting
judged. And and I remember my mom, I
said to my mom one day I was like, mom, they I was walking
down the thing and they were screaming and clout calling and
doing all this. And she was like, you have to
start worrying when they stop calling you and calling at you.
And I was like, all right, got it.
Got heard. Yeah.
So. And I wanted to say one more

(28:48):
thing, like, do I ever look in the mirror and be like, damn,
you a good girl? No, But I've always known how to
work it. Okay, well that's still.
Good. Like getting into the MTV Music
Awards with Eminem and being like, like, I've never seen it
before in my life, you know whatI mean?
But I'm like, you know, never waiting in line.
Yeah. Because I can, like, work it.

(29:10):
But it's not one of those thingswhere I look in the mirror and
I'm like, damn. You're just smoking.
Yeah, I think we wear so many different hats, but at the same
time, the way we grew up, it wasalways comparison factor, right?
For me, exactly. It was always like, you have to
look like this, and it's always seeking something again, that is
not who you are, right. So that's the world with them.

(29:32):
Yeah, always comparing. And I saw this one time.
It's like we're not meant to seeourself as much as we do.
Like we're always picking on something.
We're finding something that's not the same as the other
person, so we label it. It's not good or we're not
perfect. So I think nowadays, the other
day I was having a conversation with my partner and he's like,

(29:53):
why are you so? Why are you back up so much?
Like I've had such a journey in this whole social media platform
where at first it was just fitness, everything was how you
look and all of a sudden you start attracting people that you
don't want, right? So I'm like, Oh my God, I've
always ran away from that. You know, I always covered.
I always was like very to myselfbecause I didn't want that type

(30:15):
of attention that we can't we get, right?
We just get it. So then all of a sudden I'm
like, oh, I'm going to start speaking.
And it became a thing that oh, OK, now I want to speak and I
don't want to show my body. But then the brand itself.
So there's this back and forth, forth into like, how do we show
up and how do we allow ourself to just be, you know, who we are
that is completely, perfectly beautiful as it is, not because

(30:38):
we look a certain way, but because who we are.
Does it make sense? Yeah.
Yeah. And I feel like that's what
shifts the outside. Like if you see me from three
years back, you'd be like, what did you do?
And it's like I started going inwards.
I started looking like my physical, my face.
I healed my body. I had PCOSIBSI had severe

(31:02):
gastrointestinal issues. I had so many health issues that
I stopped and I went vegan. I started healing my body
holistically. Are you?
Still vegan. Yeah, I got it.
I've been like, I'm a like, I'm obviously my yoga.
I feel like I need to. I've been like, like, like made
to go vegan, vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, like like so many

(31:23):
times and it makes me, I get so sick.
When I mean, it's not for everybody.
I. Can wake.
Up and eat a steak. I could eat a steak for
breakfast, lunch and dinner and when I don't I get like a cold
sore or I'm. Like, yeah, but let me just make
sure this is clear. I went vegan because I studied,
meaning I went deep into my roots and in what sense my gut
health. I don't process meats at all.

(31:44):
They don't digest well with me. They actually create a lot of
inflammation, intestinal inflammation.
So when I started studying, like, what was making me sick?
Food, food that I was eating that wasn't bad.
I was eating chicken, steak, ground Turkey, all that.
It was making me sick. So when I took those away, my
body started to heal. So everybody, this is what I do,
like what I tell my clients. I don't do any plans.

(32:07):
If I don't test you, I don't do any plan because.
Kind of testing you do I do. Full hormonal panel so we test
over 100 biomarkers, heavy metals, your heart, your
everything, everything, everything estrogen,
testosterone, every hormone so and then for gut health, I do a

(32:27):
microbiome test, which is done through the stool.
It's the most accurate and most effective way to see what foods
are causing intestinal inflammation, your acid levels
and all that so. What's your blood type if?
You don't mind me? OO Yeah, which you meant.
Supposedly O is more like meats.Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that's 'cause I'm O positive.
Yeah, we're like carnivores. Yeah, yeah.

(32:48):
So. My brother's A, A, A or AB and
he can't, no, he can't do it. He's more, more carbs of itself.
Yeah, like not necessarily vegan, but like, I'm like pretty
heavy carnivore. But I've tried to get him to do
it and he can't do it. And then vice versa.
I tried vegan one time and I wilted away into nothing.
I was like, it was the skinniestI've ever been.

(33:08):
I was like, this is horrible. And I was like, gassy.
I was like talking. Was like this is.
Terrible so. But I love what you said,
though. It's so true.
Yeah. That's why I've always shield
away from nutrition advice. Yeah.
Yeah. Because it is literally so
different for everyone. Everybody has a different story,

(33:31):
has a different genetic, you know, so and you what works for
somebody doesn't work. I mean, look at us like we're
complete opposite in diets, but I think we're doing all right
so. Oh, we're doing awesome.
Everybody looks great, you know,but that's what I say.
It's always like, find out what what works for you.
I'm not here. You don't see me ever doing a
video like you have to be vegan,like no, because that's not what

(33:53):
I believe. I believe, like most of my
clients are not vegan, right? So it really depends on what you
are inside, how your body's functioning.
And till this point, everybody has unbalanced hormones,
everybody has some sort of gut health issues, meaning your
second brain which intakes that you have mental health issues.
How many people have mental health issues?

(34:13):
Most of us, right, because it's not something that is easily
talked about. Men, men are so close to share
because they have to continue building this persona of like,
we don't feel, you know, we're good speaking.
About feeling I'll get back to Yeah.

(34:33):
So you got the beginning of my life.
So it dance was like air, right?And then I met this tattoo
artist. He slapped a tattoo on my back
and I moved to San Francisco with him and he.
Oh, so you won? He stole them away from the.
Doctor girl tattoo it. Was.
Yeah. There you go.
Yeah, there you go. Yeah.
Yeah, the surfer loved one. Yeah.

(34:54):
So I moved, actually, he was living in San Francisco.
He he was a really famous tattooartist and and he was in Philly
for a second. He moved me out with him.
And the first night I was out there, he OK, wait, let me just
back up. I was born.
This might freak you out. I was born in 1974.
OK, that's a Mario boatlift. OK, so that and it was also like

(35:17):
cocaine Cowboys. So I grew up with like.
Say. Mario Boatlift is when at Cuba.
No SO. Cuba in 1974 they took all of
the convicts and mental like. Oh, OK, yeah, I knew that.
I didn't know that was the name.Of the Miami to.
Miami. That, of course, was.
Born. Oh wow.
So. That's how Miami was born so.

(35:38):
Yeah. So that was like, that was so my
so growing up, I grew up in Miami and there was like parties
and just like cocaine everywhere.
I grew up around drugs. Like it wasn't a big deal to me.
But then I went to San Franciscoand the first night I was there,
he, he, he smoked crystal meth. And I had never seen that before

(35:58):
in Miami, but I was like, sure, you know, like, like, And so I
smoked it and I was like, it felt great.
I was like, holy shit, I'm not hungry.
I feel hot. Wow, I was like.
Let's go. I I'm like, no, there was no
like, I wasn't like, oh, I'm so tired.
I'm so hungry. Like it was like all like, yeah.

(36:20):
And I have ADD and I was like laser focused.
I was like, I could solve the world's crisis right now.
And then I didn't sleep. And then I didn't sleep.
And then the next fucking day he's doing it again.
And I didn't know anyone there. And so I ended up doing it for
two years. Straight.
Anyway, I got myself out of it. I moved back to Miami and I just

(36:40):
stopped just like that. Cold Turkey.
Cold Turkey. That's.
Wow. My mom was there and she was
just and I was like. She had some support like.
Yeah, but I stopped. I was like, that's it, you know,
and and then in Miami it was like there's still cocaine
everywhere. And I was like keep at like like
just no can do, you know, like anything white outweigh.

(37:01):
Yeah, and then, and then I went,I met my husband.
I went to a A 'cause I was always a partier, you know, I
was like, we got in a fight. I would go hit the bar, I would
end up doing coke. I'd come back home, whatever.
And he was like Don, he was a doctor and he was like straight
laced, like super straight laced.
And I was like, Oh my God. And he's like, you better clean
it up or I can't handle this. And so I went to a A and I

(37:26):
realized there's a just a disconnect.
I couldn't, there wasn't. I didn't know where my higher
power was. I couldn't find my higher power.
So I started singing. It's called kirtan and I and I,
it was like, I call it like a phone line to God and I just
start singing. And it's like a direct
connection to the divine, something greater than myself.

(37:47):
And so I started incorporating that into yoga.
And so yoga became way more thanjust a physical practice, but
something that was steeped in spirituality.
But what I have noticed and whatI've heard of you guys saying
about bodybuilding, which I think is pretty interesting, is

(38:09):
this addictive? And I try to, like, really be
aware of this in yoga, too, likethe addictive personality type,
changing the drug of choice, Right.
And then it being like, the gym or the yoga class or like, you
know, it, instead of it being like where you grow, it becomes
another crutch. Yeah.
And so I'm finding that I had a 12 year period where I practiced

(38:35):
yoga two days a week, 6-2 hours a day, six days a week.
It's called Mysore. And it was almost like my drug,
like it kept me above water. And now that I'm a surfer now
I'm like, I'm like I surf a lot.And I got injured surfing and I
realized that it's a total body experience that we're missing in
yoga. Is the posterior chain, is

(38:56):
everything posterior? Because I would paddle and I
would get injured in my rotator cuff because my back body isn't
strong anywhere near as strong as my front body.
And so I was like, OK, I'm not stop, not take yoga one day and
go to the gym like which was radical to me.
And I was like, and then it became like, if I want to surf
hard, like I like to surf, I have to go three days a week to

(39:18):
like, that's How I Met Justin because I walked into the gym
and he was like, I was like, I just need my posterior chain.
I was like, I don't even know what to do to make it happen.
I was like, it's just asleep. And I and so and then I realized
like, like yoga was like a drug and it not in that good way, you
know, like I had A and then through coming to the gym and

(39:40):
having more play within the different modalities, it becomes
less addictive in one kind of pigeonholed way.
And I could become friends with like Regine at was like meeting
Regine is just an amazing. And how did y'all meet?
Where did y'all meet? We shared a client.
No. No, before that.

(40:02):
Yes. Tommy.
OK, so missed on. Not the club girl.
No, you didn't make me dancing. We.
Do need to go cacao dancing withher anyway so.
Without the cocaine. No, this is cacao.
It might have some magic in it, but that's OK.
Yeah, it has a little boost. I like cacao.

(40:24):
Yeah, it's very natural. What are we talking?
About cacao, Wow, it's not Marshall hot.
Cat No. This is the chocolate ceremonial
cacao. Like Cocoa?
No. Yeah, no, yes.
But no. Chocolate.
Cocoa. Yes.
I can't believe you're never. Cacao.
Cacao. Cow.
OK, I'll bring you some ceremonial cacao.
See, like the commercial right now, Like cacao?

(40:46):
2 scoops for you. Yeah, yeah.
But if you're OK, is. It like caffeine, yeah.
It's like hot chocolate, it's a hot opener.
It's a what it's. A heart opener cacao.
So it's a mushroom. No.
It's a cacao. Let's step it back a second.
It's like hot chocolate, OK. It tastes like hot chocolate,
really dark hot chocolate, all right.
And but it is like super organicand it's from the cacao plant,

(41:11):
bean plant. Yeah.
And it's oftentimes used like tohave like you're consciously
drinking like you're very like, like you're drinking
intentionally. Intentionally inward, it's
bitter, it's not sweet and it's so beautiful 'cause the, it's
like a little seed that comes inthis beautiful plant.
It's like a fruit, right? So it comes like a little seed.

(41:35):
And from that you make this and it's, they call it heart opener.
Because you've done that today, right?
I would. Have brought.
It. Yeah.
You didn't bring the coke. Oh my God.
How cool you were going to be with that?
I don't know. I'm.
Cool with everything, it's all good.
OK, so I met you. At.
DBC, you were training with another trainer, you were

(41:58):
training with Kat. Yeah.
So anyway, so I met her. She was so like her personality.
So I'll going and she shows up and she's like, I'm in a rush
and, you know, talkative and this and I'm I'm very back then
six years ago, I was very structured, very like to myself.
My clients don't talk to me. I'm not here to talk to anybody.

(42:19):
I'm here to train my client. I mean, it was.
Like why do I like? Why do I like?
So see, like I can see that likeeasily if that was your
personality, like easily, sorry.But no, hey it.
Is I love it. Which is it?
It works. No, but I will say yes though,
like it's actually, it's actually how you should be in

(42:42):
that environment. Correct.
And I think a lot of people don't act professional and
that's why they don't elevate inthat space because they're not
locked in like you were. So part of that is a good thing.
So don't look at it. As a no, I to me, when it comes
down to like the judging side ofit, like, oh, I was this way.
I was a certain way. No, for me, it's professional,

(43:03):
it's work ethic. But for me, when it comes down
to any environment where I've ever been, it's my presence.
What am I showing up for? Am I showing up for a
conversation with people or am Ishowing up for my clients who
are paying me hourly? Exactly.
It's a professionalism. Correct for.
Me, people knew me for that and I was a perfectionist in very

(43:25):
OCD and detailed, and I mean, where work is very specific when
it comes down to these things, the details matter and
everything is from the moment that you walk in from their
shoes to this to that. So again, it's when I would see
her, I was like, man, I want to climb like that.
That's cool. What a compliment.
Girl. And that's and let me tell you

(43:47):
when I met her with when she came in the legacy is the exact
same thing. Like, just like a no, seriously.
Like you have a very when you sothere's certain people that walk
in a room and make it either better or worse.
Yeah, and you make it better. Oh my gosh, you guys, you.
See so going with the conversation.

(44:09):
There's the tissue anyways. So, yeah, so very structured.
And I would see her and my my coworker, which I love.
And I mean, I was, I was so likeinto my training and my clients.
And then I would see her when she would walk in and I'm like,
man, I really love that. I love how you can just show up
anywhere and be yourself where Iwas supposed to be a certain

(44:32):
way. And this is the way it is.
So I met her through her and I would see her here and there.
And then I started taking yoga classes.
I would go to to her studio. Yeah.
And, you know, I really wanted to be her friend.
But still, you know, very distant.
And then, you know, I'm like. We don't just pop in and like,

(44:54):
can we be friends? So why can we just be like that,
you know, Like, you know. I have to feel in I I'm very
about energy. Yeah, right.
And I'm very sensitive when it comes to that.
And so I held space and then we had a common client of ours,
which I love to death. And we were working together and

(45:17):
I think that just the combination of everything,
strength training, she would come and train with him and then
we just became friends. And then now looking back, like
everything, you plant so many seeds and wherever you go,
people are just, they're meant for you to meet them for any

(45:38):
reason or whatever reason. It was.
And I met Don six years ago on and off, like, you know, very
seldomly, you know, here and there.
But what's led to this year, which has been something so
beautiful and I'm so grateful toher, is that this year my
intention was like, at the beginning of the year was so

(45:59):
broken after divorce and all these things, right?
I know I get so emotional. Anyways, my intention was to
hold myself accountable and showup for myself in a more
spiritual way through practice of yoga, meditation.
And so I went to an ashram in the Bahamas and I went by

(46:19):
myself. I was like my sister-in-law and
my brother are very spiritual. And so I wanted to kind of step
out and be like, no, I'm going to the Bahamas to go drinking
and I'm going to, you know, isolate myself.
And she's like, no, go back to yourself.
And if I can teach you somethingis don't run away from yourself.

(46:40):
You've been doing all this work.Go back to the center, right.
And so I went to the Bahamas. I meditated, I did kirtan, I
mean yoga by the beach. And I was like, God, I mean,
I'm, I'm all about faith. And it was just what I really
wanted. And I arrived there and my my

(47:01):
intention at the beginning of the year was like, I really want
yoga to be part of my life and moving forward.
A couple months passed by and I got a text message from Dawn.
And I was with you that night was coming from Fort Lauderdale.
I'm driving. And I got a text message and I'm
like, OK, I'm driving. And I was like, shit, OK.

(47:22):
Now I got to look at what Dawn has to tell me.
She's like, I want you to come. And I was like, I don't know if
I can be away for that many days, which what we're talking
about is a yoga teacher training.
It's 9 days in Costa Rica, right?
So she hosts this. And so I was driving and I'm
like, God, this is a sign. This is what I wanted.

(47:42):
I planted the seed. I manifested something.
I have an intention. This is what you want me to
follow, right? And so I was like, Don, if I can
make it happen, I will. But you know, and she's like,
what if I tell you there's like a little Angel, you know this
and that? And I was like.
There's no way this. Lady is telling me this.

(48:03):
There's no way done. Somebody, one of my yoga
students who's so interesting, he gives scholarships once in a
while and he just out of the blue, he was like, I'd like to
give a scholarship to one of to a student and of course is like
a business person. I'm like, how do I, I don't know
the word like, how do I parlay this?
And you know, like Instagram like like a raffle or like, you

(48:26):
know, let's like, like. Like how do I who do I select
and like yeah. And like, how can I how can I
market this right, you know, to my but and so I was like, we're
gonna it's such a good promotion.
I mean, you get more likes and more follows and more, you know,
you have people lighting their hair on fire and like, you know,
we're like whatever, we go viraland and regime.

(48:48):
She said it quick. But we shared this with this
client. Can we say it?
I don't like to say any. Okay, so one of our mutual
clients, he's the basketball player, was so dear to my heart
too. And I love him.
I still love him so, so much. And he would come and he had
insomnia and he would call me and we would practice like five

(49:11):
days a week, you know, and just similar to to regime when I was
raised, like to teach privates, I'm not allowed to take my hands
off of somebody for the whole hour.
Like I'm assisting them the entire hour.
So it kind of surprised me in the workout world where where
trainers would be on their phoneand I'd be like, Oh my God.
And I'm like, what? I'm like what?

(49:32):
What? What?
Like you? Know.
Like I get it, I get it. If I'm like hey can you take a
story of me so I can post dating?
But like, who are you talking tobesides my biceps?
Like. Yeah, I know.
Where my posterior chain is like, can you fucking figure it
out for me? Yeah.
And touch it and like I could. Hold on, say that out loud one
more time for every single damn.Trainer out there, God he.

(49:56):
Is how can you be on your phone?Or eating.
Oh God. Well, I never had an eater.
I never had. Somebody eat.
Somebody eating. Like eating your trainer eating.
Yeah, but. That's the bodybuilder, yeah.
Every three hours I gotta eat. I'm sorry.
So, so I have like I've taught alot of NBA players and like

(50:18):
there was a like a hot two yearswhere I was like Bah, Bah, Bah,
Bah, Bah. And, and I was always amazed by
how elegant they are moving wise.
You know, so much like, like, like I did a lot of ballet.
It was like very like a ballet dancer.
But with this client that we shared, he would come to me and
be like, don't yo, Don, I just did my I just did arms, Don, you
know, like that really. Come on, Don.

(50:41):
And I'd be like, I don't even know what you're talking about.
You just did arms. Like, what does that even mean?
So I'm like, I have to get to the bottom of this.
And I so I was like, Regine, is there any way that I could be
with, with so and so? Yeah.
And do what he's complaining about.
So I know what I should do, whatI shouldn't do yoga wise.

(51:01):
Which is amazing. That's very smart of you yeah
cuz most people. What I don't like is when
practitioners don't speak to each other.
So like, I'm working with a professional athlete right now,
and he's also working with a physical therapist, an
osteopath, a chiropractor, a massage therapist, and I'm in
touch with all of them. Correct because.
You have to know what they're doing so you don't do something

(51:24):
that's like doubling what they're doing or or not
supporting that or against and. So that's very smart.
It was at a time where I also like didn't know the workout
world as well as I do now now. You got them good.
Hey. And so Regine was like, yeah, of
course, calm. That's great.
And so. Yeah, yeah.

(51:46):
So I just wanted to say that. And then I was like, I felt so
carinoso, like, I, I love this person so much.
And I wanted to protect him so much, you know?
And I was like, who's training him?
I'm gonna beat them up. And then it was, I was never
jealous. I was mad at someone of his
other trainer. I was mad at somebody once.
That hurt his feelings and I just wanted him to have a lot of

(52:09):
love because I feel like. For the record, I've probably
heard a lot of feelings trainingprofessional athletes.
Yeah. Sometimes their feelings need to
be heard. Yeah.
Exactly. Exactly.
Exactly. You know what I mean?
In a good way. In a good way.
So I needed to cut through the bullshit.
I was on the other. Side yeah like is it really arm
say right you. Know yeah, yeah, cause a lot of

(52:30):
times they're full of shit. Yeah, exactly.
You don't want. Right, correct.
No, and that's a true statement.I wanted to like see and then I
then I saw Regina in action and I was like, she's got the heart
and she's got the, the like, like whip and it was like a
perfect combination and. I was.
Like, yeah, like, and I was just, it made me feel so like, I

(52:52):
felt like, like, whatever we could do for this athlete was
like, like the that now it's up to him, you know what I mean?
But we were doing our best, and that meant a lot to me.
And I think you're such an amazing trainer.
And I love the fact that you're,like, perfectionist when you're
at work and you're training somebody.
It should be that. That should be the main focus.

(53:12):
Thank you. Yeah.
So you gave her the retreat? For free, yeah.
So that's how this all came. Yeah.
So she. And when was the?
I didn't. Make it a viral Instagram thing.
I never even. Oh, you didn't like put her on
glass? No, because.
She was like. Obviously they make her talk.

(53:33):
She. Was like, if I can't, if I can't
make it, I will. But she said something and I was
like, and then and then that person.
And then that person came and was like, I want to get
somebody's scholarship. And I was like, bro, she's a
single mom. She's got two kids.
She's got a great practice. She loves yoga.
Do you want it? And I was like, I was just like.
And then she's like. I started crying.

(53:55):
When was this though? When did you go?
No, I hadn't get in. 2. Weeks you haven't even gone yet.
This Yeah. Congrats.
Yeah, enjoy it. I'm looking.
For Costa Rica is amazing. Amazing, beautiful, amazing.
I haven't been there yet. Yeah, I love it.
Yeah, it's so nice. Being able to spend time with
you and learning from you, because this is something that
I, I intentionally wanted to do this year and who's best?

(54:18):
Somebody who also not just does the yoga practice, but also the
spiritual side of it, which I'm into that, right?
And I appreciate that so much. And just to be able to go to
these classes and be able to learn from you and the beautiful
mentors that you've assigned as well.
I think it's, it's, I mean, everything just makes sense,

(54:39):
right? And for me, what's happened with
training too, it's been such bigtransition because before was
like all in or nothing, right? Like perfection.
You got to do this or there's noother ways of it was all like
you're coming in, you're puttingall this hard work and guess

(55:01):
what, you're going back home andthen you're going back to a
broken self, right, Because that's where we find ourselves
in the gym is OK, let's run awayfrom our problems.
Let's de stress here and let's work on what we know.
It's quick to fix since we've been young, right?
And so with yoga practice and, you know, also doing a lot of

(55:21):
other things within the process of being divorced and what not,
everything just correlates, right?
Everything just sinks in together.
And it's more an inside job now,an inside work where even now
when I train my clients, they'relike, oh, you just came from a
retreat. I can tell.

(55:42):
I'm like, no judging. We are here to.
Breathe. Let me tap in.
How are you doing? How are you?
Feeling I don't know if I like Reggie and I'm like oh damn it,
OK, strong, OK, let's go hard. And I'm like, oh shit, no, hold
on a second. Let me.
Hey, how are you feeling today? Oh no.
So now you're a soft ass trainer, is that no?

(56:04):
I'm like a completely different person when you to put me in the
gym completely. I'm always like, oh, you know,
with my clients, every, every mindset, 'cause I, I coach
mindset, right? So holistic health and mindset.
And when they see me, we're talking about emotions that
we're healing inside. I'm like, you come visit me to
Miami. I'm like, remember you like me,

(56:27):
OK? But once we step into these
doors, I'm somebody else. Like something possessed me.
I don't know. I'm like, Oh my God, I become
like, if you stop, you start over again, OK, Just saying, you
know, completely. Changed the way I went into the
gym when I became a gym owner because I used to like, think

(56:50):
that the weights were like my enemy.
So I used to like, like, literally a switch would go off
and it was like going to war. It was like, you step in the gym
and it's like, oh, you're not winning today.
And then I was very obsessive with like if I said I was going
to do 4 sets of eight, then it was always four sets of 9 or 10.
I said I was going to do 30 seconds and sprints.

(57:11):
I did 35 seconds. Everything was like to outdo
myself and to beat myself. But then I started like snapping
members and snapping at people because I was in my thing and I
was justifying it because I was in my thing.
Like, no, I'm working out. This is just how I act.
And then I was like, wait a minute, I own the gym.
I can't act like this, you know,because you get people start

(57:34):
talking about saying that dude is a Jackass, he's rude, he's
mean. And it was just because I, it
was only when I was working out,but you're working out for an
hour or two hours in your own gym.
You're, you're interacting with a lot of people.
So quickly. I had to totally change that
personality. And actually now it makes
working out so much more fun. Like now I actually enjoy it
instead of it being like, you know, killing myself.

(57:57):
So even though I still try to kill myself but but I do it in
laughing at members and high fiving and like having a good
time so. So what got you into this
business? Well, I always say I could throw
a football before I could walk. So my I literally threw a
football out of my crib before Icould walk.
So you're relate to my. Son.

(58:17):
Yeah, so. And my dad, I used to call
dumbbells dumb bars like it likeage 4, you know, be lifting like
I was born at my dad was a natural bodybuilder.
He ate boiled chicken and rice like six to seven times a day.
That's all they knew to do back then in the 70s.
And my dad was like, I mean, he still is yoked, but he was like

(58:39):
just jacked. And so he kind of introduced me
to that, introduced me. The hard work would wake me up
at 5:00 in the morning, make me run in front of the car.
I'd be crying in front of his car.
And you know, like, but not in like a child abuse way.
I know you gotta be. Careful.
Right, I'll be arrested. But back then, back then, it was
just like I'm from the South. That's just what we did, you

(59:01):
know, So and I to this day, I give my dad and my mom
obviously, but all the credit inthe world for discipline.
Yeah. Like, I know I wouldn't have the
discipline I have today if it wasn't for the things that we
make in our bed chores, like allthis stuff that I find sometimes
people don't even do anymore. So and then and then I was

(59:22):
really into sports. So played every single sport you
can think of from tennis to football to baseball to to
everything you know. And then and I also was into
like theater and dance and all that too.
But it wasn't cool in the South.Like, you know, like like I was
the star. I was the dancing Santa Claus in
fifth grade. Like no, third grade, 3rd grade.

(59:45):
I still have videos of it. Actually the funniest all time
story of me in a play was I was doing my thing and my pants fell
off in front of the entire like parents.
I was like 5th grade so my pantsfell off.
Everyone is pointing laughing. I mean my boys weren't out.
I had underwear on, obviously. I wouldn't like.

(01:00:08):
I wouldn't like that, but my pants literally fell off.
Yeah, but I was such AI mean. That sounded so arrogant.
But I was so good at like actingand stuff and like on.
I made it. I acted like it was part of it,
like it was supposed to happen. Yeah.
And then everybody stood up and clapped and saw him that.
But it was so embarrassing. Like, you know, at the time,

(01:00:29):
yeah. And so that was one of my
stories. And then there was, I don't
know, theater stories, but but so then I kind of like, you have
to make kind of a choice, you know, like you're gonna be
football or you're gonna, you know, play the saxophones like,
well, football. So, yeah, you know, from the
South. But what was the question?
How did you get into? That how do you get into?
I mean, I think that's so then Iwas, I played football at Auburn

(01:00:53):
University. So I broke my back in high
school, my junior in high school, hairline fracture, my L5
S 1. And then I rehabbed myself back,
healed myself through a chiropractor, didn't get
surgery, earned a scholarship toAuburn.
And then I broke it again. And this time it was a full
fracture. The same.
Same exact spot and everything because I healed it.

(01:01:14):
There was a calcium deposit overit, so the hairline fracture
healed, but then I did it again and it broke completely in half.
Oh my God. Yeah, it was miserable and I was
in pain 24 hours a day. I was in pain.
So I had to, like, really make adecision that I really want to
keep beating up my body, or did I want to heal and do something
different? So I went into a dark
depression. I went from 240 lbs to a 22 inch

(01:01:37):
neck like super jacked to 185 lbs like messing around with
ecstasy and drinking and you know, just we like I had never
took more than a sip of alcohol before the age of I was a virgin
until 21. Like, you know, I was like very
strict, you know, so it threw myworld upside down.

(01:01:58):
But then I that only lasted for like 3 months.
It wasn't like, it wasn't like literally three months.
That's nothing. Yeah, it's nothing.
It's almost laughable, right? It's like you did drugs for
three months, cute. You did three extra C pills, so
you're so cute. So that's like.
It was part of your. Process, right well you.
Experienced. Yeah, you know that experience,

(01:02:18):
so. Yeah, no, no crystal meth in my
life. Sorry.
In the drug world, Alright, but no, but and then three months,
you know, and that was like something inside of me was like,
look, this isn't you. Like something just clicked and
I really just absolutely dove into exercise science,
kinesiology, health promotions, everything in that degree

(01:02:39):
started training more athletes on the football team than the
own strength coach. So I, I actually had more people
under me than the strength coachat Auburn.
And I was, I was training them and I just realized I had a
knack of leadership. Like I'd always knew that
because I was the leader back inhigh school too, But this was
more because I'm, I'm now a red shirt, red shirt junior at

(01:03:01):
college and I've got like seniors and like star players
that are going to the NFL looking at me like, what do we
do today, coach? You know, and I was younger than
them. So that was like really.
So then I went to Sanford University to be a strength
coach and he was actually my personal trainer in Birmingham
when I was in 9th grade was the head strength coach.

(01:03:21):
So he basically kind of just gave me the football team in the
tennis team, I think, or I thinkit was yeah.
And so I started training them and then I got a random call
from a buddy of mine. Ibrahim Rahman was here in
Miami. He was a six foot four gorgeous
black man doing a model modeling.
Good friend of mine. We grew up together.
Him and TJ Slaughter were reallygood friends of mine.

(01:03:42):
Both like like 2 good looking black like like black guys are
like why are you so good lookinglike this?
Rear green eyes like crazy. So and I was like, you're a
model in Miami and he's like, look, I can get you on as a
stunt double in Bad Boys 2. He's like, all you have to do is
shave your head. And this one I had here, so
known the last one, I had nice blonde locks.
So I shaved my head and literally packed my car and

(01:04:05):
drove to Miami, like left everything.
And I actually had a job and stuff.
And I'll never forget coming over and seeing the Miami Beach,
like welcome to Miami Beach. And I was like, oh, I'm never
leaving here. Like, you know, and I literally
called my mom. I was like, I'm never leaving.
And yeah. And then the rest is history.
So I mean, there's a lot obvious.
There's 20. So I've been here for 24 years.

(01:04:26):
So now I've 8 gems and, you know, a water line and all kinds
of stuff. But so there's a lot of stuff in
between. But that's what I guess got me
into it. Yeah.
The short answer, yeah. That's beautiful.
You know what? And it's right now all of us
talking on how we met. I think I was four or five years

(01:04:46):
ago, I went to one of your locations, used to have in
Wynwood. Somebody was like, oh, you come
to classes. I'm like, you know, I don't do.
Hey, you know, I don't do those things.
I just lift. I don't do.
Hey everybody. Says stuff like like people like
that come from y'all's background, like oh classes,
like I don't even do classes andI and I invented it.
I created. It yeah, yeah, it's so hard.
They're so good. So then I was like looking at

(01:05:08):
the console, I'm like, if he keeps his up, it's going to do
real good. Mind you, I will go to like the
4:00 AM class or 5:00 AM something ridiculous you weren't
even in. So I was like, I didn't know who
you were. But I saw and I've always had
this mindset of like business. I love businesses and just
people creating something from their thoughts of whatever it
is. It comes to you, this is yours,

(01:05:29):
this is coming something. I mean, now they can copy it.
But back in the day, you just created this, right?
So I went to one of your locations.
I was like, wow, this is really freaking cool.
And now here I am talking to you.
So this is amazing. Yeah, super cool.
I think I actually were you. I've been meaning to ask you on

(01:05:49):
it, of course, on a podcast. So during COVID, weren't you on
that? All the gym owners we were
talking to like some mayor or something.
Yeah, I was the guy that everybody was saying you can't
talk to the mayor like that, like.
I was on that. I was on that Zoom thing with
you and I was like, thank God. Thank God because.
I was the only one that let themreally.

(01:06:11):
I had like other gym owners texting me like bro calm down
you can't talk to the mayor. Like, no, I was very happy.
I was like, hell no. They're trying to RIP 12 years
of my life away. I've been building that
particular location for 12 years.
I had Coral Gables and I had Kindle and I had three other
gyms under construction during that time.

(01:06:31):
So I was about to lose everything.
Everything. So I was going ham on that guy,
like ham. And I was also doing stuff a lot
behind the scenes that nobody knew about.
Like I was writing letters. I was digging in.
I was my like, it's hard to talkabout, like how it's going hard
in the paint because they were really about to ruin our lives

(01:06:54):
over. I knew for a fact.
Bullshit. Yeah, the whole thing was
bullshit. Yeah, I.
Go there but. We, the design district, thank
God they let me. They were so awesome because we
can only do things outside and it could, it had to be, but.
You could eat inside if you said.
Private. It had to be private and so they
let me do like gorilla classes and we I would schlep like big

(01:07:17):
ass speakers me with my soundboard.
And before COVID I was like the diva like I did a lot, a lot of
events and like I had a sound team end of this team, end of
that team. And then COVID hit and I was
like bullshit. And so I would take my speakers
and the cart and my thing and I would like link it up and like
just blast it and they would protect me in the district.

(01:07:38):
But I was like, this is crazy what they're doing.
And I remember you speaking on on zoom and I was like, and my
husband, I said this before he'sa doctor and he was, it was like
a he was like, Don, this just has to roll through, you know,
like it had, it's like a cold. It has to just it has.
And thank God he had that same approach as me because yoga for

(01:08:00):
me, like I said, was like my air.
So I had to keep practicing no matter what.
And I'm like, if I'm gonna practice, y'all can practice.
But my husband was like, it's OK, you know, practice.
And if you get it, you, the whole family will be together.
You're not isolating. You know, it's whatever it is
gonna roll through us. And I just remember you being

(01:08:21):
very vocal. And I was like, he's saying the
right stuff. This is the right thing.
And that was like my who you were and still are to me was
that guy who I was like championing.
So yeah. Yeah, it was frustrating though,
because like, I mean, it's so nice to hear you say that
because I actually got a lot of hate from a lot of.
People, I'm sorry, I would have actually.

(01:08:42):
Like a lot. I would have a lot of people
that I respected and I was like,what?
I was like, y'all really think this?
And it was, it was just there was a lot of people.
Yes. During that season that are no
longer in my phone, you know that are no longer in my life
because of the way they acted during that time.
And I won't I won't let them. I won't let that slide.

(01:09:04):
Like I just, I can't. I would have, I had I known you
better, I would have been like, you're the best.
You said everything right. That was totally accurate and.
Well, and by the way, it wasn't.And all of this was not emotions
and feelings. What I did the day that they
shut us down South, March 17th, 2020.
I'll never forget it. I went home, I got a bottle of

(01:09:26):
wine, slammed it down on my desk.
I shut, I told my wife shut. And by the way, my son was born
in February 2020 so I just had anewborn baby in the house.
I slammed my door and said I'm not leaving until I figured this
shit out. And I read damn near 178 pages
on the CDC website that completely contradicted

(01:09:51):
everything that we were being told.
Yeah, on their own website. Wow.
And I was like taking notes. And I was like preparing because
one of the things too, I felt atthat time, and I'm sure you felt
the same way as we almost felt as leaders in the community and
having members of your spot, they're looking to us as like,
what do we do? And so I had at the time 2000

(01:10:14):
ish members and they're all saying, what do we do, right?
Like they're not like they don'tknow what to do.
They're literally like, what do we do?
So I was like, all right, if I'mgoing to be talking stuff
because you have a gut feeling of intuition and things like
that. But at the end of the day, you
want to kind of be somewhat factual.
So I just felt a responsibility to educate myself on what was at

(01:10:37):
least what was what has happenedin the past and how things have
been handled because all of a sudden to change protocol and
act in this certain way with no,no reasoning didn't make any
sense to me. Like, no, I don't want to go
down the COVID training, but butit was, you know, but.
You survived. Yeah, no, I mean, I think I
always tell people that 2020 wasa season that you really got to

(01:11:03):
know yourself, those around you,the world.
Like it opened. It was like I call it a lot of
people said it was the Great Reset.
I'll call it the Great Awakening.
Like, I feel like it was an awakening of decisions that we
had to make during that time on our freedoms, on our health.

(01:11:24):
Our relationship. Our relationships, like
everything and it was and, and to this day, it's so sad.
The relationships that I lost because of that.
It's it's, it is sad. It's not something that I like,
celebrate. It's sad, but it's also
relieving because now, you know,it's kind of like the curtain

(01:11:47):
we're pulled back on how people really feel, you know, cuz
they're gonna definitely let youknow how they how they feel.
Yeah. Like, yeah.
But but we're here. That's five years later.
It's passed us. Thank God.
Yeah. Yeah.
But so let's talk a little bit about because I know there's
going to be a lot of females watching this and you know, you

(01:12:11):
3 ladies are very powerful in your own right, in your own
lanes. And what do you find to be the
most misconceptions out there that because we are consumed
with information like there is amillion, not that you're one of
a you're one-of-a-kind, obviously, but there's a million

(01:12:31):
versions of you out there givingadvice and probably out there
saying you have to be vegan, youknow, or whatever.
So and there's a lot of people out there, yoga experts and what
have you and a lot of women personal trainers and Thai
Massat, like there's so many voices.
What do you find that's kind of cringy in the terms of like what

(01:12:52):
you find is not accurate or in your opinion is misconceptions
in the world of a woman becomingtheir best self?
That's a great question. I think for me, when you ask
that question, it went automatically into who we're
supposed to be, right? In a world where yes, a lot of
women are leading, a lot of women are stepping into their

(01:13:12):
power. The feminists how the masculine
should be. It puts his hat on that you need
to do it all right, in the senseof like, you know what, you're
strong, you don't need anybody. You need to do this on your own.
You need to figure this on your own and you're like stepping
into his role and teaching the new generations where ace

(01:13:32):
isolate yourself and carry all on your own.
So I think for me, one of when you pop that question was, hey,
you know what, even if we can doeverything on our own, we don't
want to like, let's just be honest.
Like we don't want to like we need to be owned into, yes, we
have the skills to learn something new to provide, to do
whatever role you want to do, but also opting into you as a

(01:13:56):
woman, right? What does that look like for
you? And allow true partnership,
allow true friendships to be just as it is.
And then the part of the information is the
one-size-fits-all, right? It doesn't.
Everybody's unique, everybody's facing something different.
Like for you, even sharing that for me, and immediately I was
like, wow, in a world where we see the outcome like you made

(01:14:18):
it, you have it all. You didn't lose your essence,
like you didn't lose yourself. Maybe you did.
You broke down, you got back up.But at the end of the day, you
went through it, right? And that's what, like, where it
comes to me is like, not one-size-fits-all.
You don't have to aim to be perfect.
Just gotta go through it. Don't dismiss where you're

(01:14:39):
facing. You don't have to be like her.
You don't have to be like me. You don't have to just figure
out your own path and your own experience, Right?
So that's where and show up and show up, Yeah.
And yeah. And even those silence wins,
right? Yeah, because we don't talk.
I. Think that they're not seen and

(01:14:59):
people are not noticing or whatnot, but those little
efforts that you create and you do every single day, they add
up, right? Most of our wins are silent.
And so, yeah, most of it and nobody, yeah, Yeah.
Well, that's. We need to celebrate more wins,
yeah. Well, and I think we talked
about even like the sight of perfection or this, everything

(01:15:21):
we went through was necessary. Like it's not bad that we went
through that. It's not bad.
Like whatever you went through and whatever you face and
whatever we own up to how we didthings, it got us here.
It was so necessary. So instead of looking at the
experiences of life as being thewrong, the Oh no, that was a
mistake. No, that was a lesson.

(01:15:41):
We needed to experience it in order to get here.
Like if it wasn't for my pain, for my suffering, for my
darkness, I wouldn't be here having a beautiful community and
having a business where I can connect with so many women
around the world. So at the end of the day, I
believe that your pain becomes your gift.
We need it. So stop railing off because your
life doesn't look like hers or because you don't look like

(01:16:03):
that. We all started somewhere.
We all have a path to embrace. There's not one size fit on.
That's what it truly means. It means experience life as it
is, show up in whatever way it is, figure out yourself.
If you go down the drain, just OK, what am I feeling?
OK, let me get back up. What am I doing?
Reframe, rewire, but own it, youknow, become responsible for

(01:16:27):
your life. I think the biggest lesson that
I learned in my life is I didn'twait for anybody to come change
it. I didn't wait for people to come
in my door and say, hey, here's the life.
Figure it out, right? We talk about beauty, right?
We talk about I face beauty as abad thing because people will
look at you like, oh, you're beautiful.
You can get anything in life. Why can't I get it?
Because I'm smart? Why can't I get it because I

(01:16:48):
have a skill? Why can't I get it?
Because I'm worthy of it, right?Only because of looks.
So instead of seeing, Oh no, I need to be this way, live life,
just live it. That's what we're here to do is
experience it. Because of your experience, you
got all of this right? It wasn't gifted.
You earn it by showing up, by facing your truth, by going

(01:17:10):
through it, right? So I think nowadays people are
finding them to be I need to be perfect or excuses.
Let me not make a mistake or letme not post this because and I
face that the whole perfectionist right Well.
Perfection causes paralysis. Correct.
Every single time you sit. Yeah.
Wanting something right then it causes you not to post, not to

(01:17:31):
talk, not to do. It actually makes you stuck.
And part of the reason why you become who you are is through
action, correct? And a lot of people sit with
their thoughts instead of actually acting it out because
making mistakes is part of becoming who you are.
Like, there are no losses. There's only lessons.

(01:17:52):
So every time you do make a mistake, it actually makes you
stronger. And because you learn from it.
And the whole trick is just don't make the same mistake
twice. Yeah.
Learn from it. Well, I've fallen to that
category of second guessing myself.
Perfectionist. My Do I sound well?
Yeah. I mean, this has been a process.
Our friendship has been. So it's so funny.

(01:18:14):
Yeah, we. Met.
Years ago, so we met through my ex because he was very well
known. He had a supplement company.
He had a very, a lot of good things going on for him.
And then we I saw her in the gym.
What is it? What gym?
Let's not say your name. OK, So I saw her in the gym no

(01:18:35):
problem. And immediately I'm like, Oh my
gosh, she's hot. Like always thought she was so
hot and she's so hot. She's so beautiful.
So then I say to him, I'm like, can we sponsor her?
I'm like, I don't know who she is.
She just looks good, you know, and she's training weird as
fuck. Like she doesn't train like, you

(01:18:56):
know, like your normal bicep curl.
She will grab a freaking kettlebell and throw it around
and swing my background and kettlebell.
Kettlebell Steel. Steel Club, Yeah, I mean.
Silver cool who? Grant weed it's.
Maybe. I think.
So he used to train the anatomy Mesa.
Yeah, he was just here yesterday, so.

(01:19:17):
Yeah, he's all those are my favorite.
Yeah, my. Favorite.
Tools. Yeah, yeah.
Knew me and recognized me, she said.
You train weird so. For me at that stage, I mean, I
don't know. I love it.
What was? I mean, I was so vamping.
Yeah, right. She's throwing shit around.
She's when you walked that. Was fun when she walked in the
gym for the first time. I saw you in person.

(01:19:37):
I saw you from far away and I was like, is that GI Jane?
Yeah, like I get called a. Lot yeah.
So then I I went up to her and I.
Was like, yeah, no, I know. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
It's beautiful. So I went up to her and I was
like, hey, I don't know what youdo, but we want to sponsor you.
She's like, OK, so then that's the kind of how I started.

(01:19:57):
But we never really connected deeply as we have recently, you
know, like in the past two yearsor so, a year.
Yeah, like it's, it's been so beautiful the way we connected
because life happens, you know, and, and I think growing,
getting older, it we start nourishing relationships more,
you know, for what they are and not for what they do for us or

(01:20:19):
anything or what we, what we're supposed to show up as.
It's just to be, you know, to have a deep connection is so
sacred, so. And also alignment.
I think that was a good like an interesting comment that and we
kind of like went on a really cool little.
Conversation. Conversation.
But what's cringey? That's what you said.
Yeah, like what's cringey in? The industry, you know, like

(01:20:41):
when you see stuff out there that you're, I want to say
peers, but you know, maybe people in the same space and you
see it because that happens withme.
I mean, I see it. I'm like, oh God, why are they
telling these young kids this? You know, so I'm just curious
like. I've got a lot of.
I've got a few of those. OK.
Thanks. Let's let's hear it.
I think, OK, first I'm like. Audience.

(01:21:04):
I'm like yoga. Yoga is huge.
It's almost like saying like theocean.
Like, you know some. People are like, oh, you do yoga
and they already like, they're like, there's so many
preconceptions about what that is, you know, So that's number
one. Number two, Instagram has, has
really ruined yoga. Like yoga is not about doing a

(01:21:26):
handstand or, you know, aloe haschanged the face of yoga aloe.
So I started a clothing line to to combat aloe, but no.
And what I find, and you're talking about women
specifically. Yes.
Yeah. What I think is this is my kind
of thing where I'm at right now because I'm on in in this level

(01:21:50):
in my career that I get to know these women that are have a lot
of a big following or have this amazing body and they're almost
like superstars in their own field.
I'm now friends with them and the demystification of the women
woman's body, which I think is so interesting because you have

(01:22:12):
somebody that looks like these girls, right?
And then you'll have like some another girl just hate on them.
Just be like, she's just built like that like like, oh, she
just got it like that or I'm notgonna do that And and I'm and
we. Do just wake up like this?
Yeah, exactly. Well, this is.
I mean don't work at all. You just wake up like.
That, and it's the same thing inthe yoga world.
Like there's girls that will do handstand presses and stuff and

(01:22:35):
they're like, oh, well, she's just like that.
Yeah. But no, you know, if you do want
to do a handstand in a yoga class, which handstands are not
part of the yoga practice? So you better lock it in when
you're in yoga. If you're gonna it better be on
point. You gotta drill it.
If you wanna look like this, yougotta work at it.
And that is also not yoga. Yoga is the union of your body,

(01:22:57):
minds and spirit. So people throw around the
ideals of yoga and there's so much to work through in terms of
like, there's so many levels of what yoga is.
It's not like a bicep curl. There's like like 600 spans of
what yoga is. And what I find is so

(01:23:18):
significant is yoga is spiritual.
And the thing that makes me likecrazy, it makes me like wanna
RIP somebody apart is that is that they're taking out
Sanskrit, which is like all the yoga poses are in Sanskrit,
which is like, you know, the word asana and like you've heard

(01:23:38):
that word before. You know, it's Asanan to the
Asanan. And all of these there's they're
words that are so every pose ends in asana.
So asana means seat. So like when you sit in
meditation, you find your seat, right?
Like you, Yeah, stillness. And you find your seat, every
single pose you can reach enlightenment because every pose

(01:23:59):
has a seat. So like Trichonosina triangle
pose, we all know that pose, right?
Yeah. So it's called Trichonosina
because you should be able to breathe and find your seat
within each posture. And they want to take the word
out like, like take. They want to make a triangle and
not that makes me like bananas. And they're doing teacher

(01:24:20):
trainings and they're not teaching the words of the poses.
And so if you want to know what makes me cringe and crazy, it's
taking out the essence of the practice.
Listen, those names are so hard.No, you don't want to see me in

(01:24:40):
yoga. No.
But it's it's like so these words my my teacher is a
philosophy Sanskrit teacher. I meet with her once a week.
She's as close to enlightened aspossible and all of so Sanskrit,
there's five places on the top of your mouth and you can hit it
with different parts of your tongue like Indian people speak
like their tongue world is back in their mouth.

(01:25:01):
So your tongue can hit five different places on the tops of
your mouth like almost like acupuncture.
And it's like leaders of the Lost Ark.
You can unlock the codes of the universe is by the different
ways that you put your tongue onyour mouth.
It's crazy. Wow.
Yeah. That one before.
So like, just think about this like.
Fascinating. Like Marilyn Monroe and happy

(01:25:23):
birthday to JFK, right? Like she's like happy birthday.
So that's how we speak in our culture is like, hi, Manny, how
are you? You know, but all of your life
force. Is out.
All of your life force is flyingout.
Yoga. We're training to bring it back
in and control it and bring it in here.

(01:25:44):
And then it's beautiful, actually direct where your life
force wants to go. It's very intentional, very
intentional. It's.
Intentional and it's layered and, and people should have,
they should be practicing yoga all the time if they're going to
teach yoga, they should have. I had a two year apprenticeship
like like. Well, it's the same thing that's
happening. Well, not the same thing, but

(01:26:04):
it's very similar in what we're seeing in the training world
also like everybody. 'S.
Everybody's a trainer. You can get a certification for
2999 at the local expert readingonline, digital, like whatever,
you know what I mean? And it's ridiculous.
And, you know, I went to school for it and have multiple

(01:26:24):
certifications, you know, and it's like, it is frustrating.
But I will also say it's the reason why we get paid what we
get paid and they get paid what they get paid.
So it's, you know, that's something I would, I would lean
into knowing that you are a professional, knowing that you
are there's a separation betweenan amateur hour and a real true

(01:26:45):
practitioner of yoga, you know, So lean into that, you know,
like lean into the fact that you're the OG, you know what
you're doing, you know, just. Share.
More highlight that and so that you're not messing up your own
chakra. Is that in the way?
Yeah. You know, I love that, but I

(01:27:07):
would love like even sharing that is so powerful, you know,
because I think we're in a worldwhere there's a lot of
everything that what makes a difference is sharing.
You know, the more. We share content value on
Instagram. I have to kind of, I have to do
that more. Well, your story, yeah.
So both of you have to tell yourstory more because your story
story is your power and everything.

(01:27:29):
Like the moment you're vulnerable with your audience,
then they will connect with you.Like Anna does a good job of
sharing where she's been, not just where she is.
So by taking people back to the things she had difficult with,
people now can resonate with her, can say, oh, she's been

(01:27:50):
through it. Oh, oh, OK.
She's authentic. I didn't just wake up looking
like this. Because if she's only speaking
to who she is now, yeah, then this bitch is going to be like,
man, that bitch looks, you know,So you know what I mean?
That's how that sounds, you know?
So oftentimes you got to tell your struggle, not just your
wins, correct? And we haul Instagram is the

(01:28:13):
highlight reel of our lives. Very rarely do we show the sides
of us that are the dark side because that's not cool.
And then also it's very hard in this world too, to show your
vulnerability because you're judged on the fact that when you
do that, people think you're seeking attention, correct?
So there's this double edged sword.

(01:28:33):
Do I do it? Do I?
But at the end of the day, who gives a shit, correct?
Who cares what people think because they're going to think
what they want to think anyways.And your tribe, your people,
people that resonate with you will find you will find them,
they will find you. And then all of a sudden you'll
have your 10,100 thousand, what million, whatever it is, people
that want to know more from you because they like, it's like

(01:28:56):
walking into a gym, Everybody you guys walked in the gym where
you're like the vibe is kind of weird.
Like you're like, I don't know about this place or you walk in
the gym like legacy and you're like, you know, yeah, this got
about. But I'll be honest, there's
people that walk in the legacy that don't like it.
And that's OK. We're not for everybody.
We're not for everybody, but we should be who we are for

(01:29:17):
everybody. So be your 1000% authentic self
and then you will attract those people that are meant for you.
But if you fake it, if you act like somebody that you're not,
then you're gonna attract the wrong people.
It's gonna fail. And then it's gonna affect your
life in a negative way instead of being a positive light.
Yeah. And I love that you share that
because I'm sorry, that's an alarm.

(01:29:39):
I think you're you're about. To start class.
Oh, I thought that was like this.
Is yeah, the time is. 444. OK, so it's.
Yeah. Yeah.
My God, the time there's a long there's a.
We should have shot this on a Saturday.

(01:29:59):
So we could have, we should havedone the Joe Rogan 3 1/2 hour.
We probably could have easily done that easily.
But they're about to start classso, and we can, we can do a Part
2 if we want to. But this was fun.
I want to end with this 'cause Iam with this all the time and I
asked all my guests this. So if there's anything that you
wish the world knew about you but don't, what would that thing

(01:30:23):
be? Oh, your meal.
Oh, can you say it again, please?
Can you say that? Again, oftentimes we we want
people to know something about ourselves that we keep hidden
and it's because of either fear of their reaction or we're some

(01:30:44):
weirdo or whatever. And it can be, I mean, it could
be that you love to dance naked in the living room.
I don't know, but or it could besomething deeper than that.
But there I believe that people have this authentic self in them
that they want to let out, but for some reason they just don't.

(01:31:05):
And so it's it would be cool to find out what that thing is for
y'all. For me is vulnerability showing
up? We just talk about showing up
authentically, right? And filling up this hat of, OK,
I'm a coach, I'm an educator, I'm a nutritionist, specialized
in this is what I need to talk about.
But I've been having this face off where I just want to show my

(01:31:27):
heart where I want to be more vulnerable when I want, I want
to just show the real of every single day where I'm constantly
struggling. I am in depth with my clients,
but I'm also running a business where I'm becoming a mess and
I'm broke and then I'm OK, I need to get back up.
And then I go my balcony and I cried and I'm like, OK, this is

(01:31:49):
one step further. Let's keep moving.
So just showing more of me. I think that's the part that I'm
facing off right now that I'm like, I don't even know what
blogging is because I'm always strategizing what I need to talk
about and how do I, how am I going to show up and what do I
need to wear? And I just.
I want to be able to just be. And Messi is in.

(01:32:09):
Yes. No seriously, it's I saw the
other day that Messi is in. Like what I mean by that is like
what you find that you're not showing is actually what people
want because they hack people. We all struggle.
Like this week sucked for me. Like this week was just hell.
Like hell, kind of somewhat talking about not going into

(01:32:30):
detail or anything, but being like, you know, just the feeling
that this was a tough week. And like, I think people look at
us sometimes online and they're like, oh, he's a superhero, you
know, she's, you know, Wonder Woman or what have you.
And they don't realize that we all go through everybody is
fighting a battle, everyone in their own way, whether it be a

(01:32:51):
mental battle, a physical battle.
And sometimes it's both. Sometimes it's one or the other,
But and that's why we have to meet each other better with
grace, correct? Like instead of just constantly
judging everybody, you know, like when you meet someone and
they don't respond in the way that you expected in them
respond, how about take a deep breath and realize maybe they

(01:33:11):
just broke up with their girlfriend.
Maybe their grandmother just died.
Maybe they you know what I mean?Like maybe they're going through
something that's not about you. And that's what I find that
people just are so consumed withthemselves.
They're they're not giving otherpeople grace in in moments like
that. So alright, Regine, you're up.

(01:33:31):
So for me, I think my. Biggest battle is not showing up
as myself. It's just opening up to everyone
and letting people hear my voicebecause I do have a voice.
But I think I've been so hidden in my own head as well, my life

(01:33:52):
or whatnot, that the platform has helped, slightly helped, but
also for me is like, I have two beautiful sons.
So no matter what I do, I'm still going to be judged.
I'm going to be looked as. Is she a leader?
How is she leading us? You know, besides, she's a

(01:34:14):
professional. She's this, but then she wants
to wear this. So I don't know, Mom, you
contradict yourself and then youdo this.
So for me, it's like showing up,owning it and.
Just. You know, hearing my voice and
letting the world hear my voice and that it's not about
perfectionism and it's not about, you know, all these ideal

(01:34:34):
things because I do show certainthings in my Instagram and I
kind of just, you know, when I do show real life, people are
like, Oh my God, I want to see more of that.
But then my kids are like, don'tpost me.
So then it's it just it's like aconstant battle.
But I think just being more freeand and just getting off your
head would be like my biggest thing right now.

(01:34:55):
So yeah, this is you have plentyof help.
Listen, we've tried. We've tried y'all be.
Like, you know. We.
Haven't tried no I it's either. We do or we don't.
No. And then I guess the student is
ready for the. Teacher when it when it's ready.
Yeah, yeah, right. So the teacher's always going to
be there. But if you're not ready, but,

(01:35:17):
but hold on, you're never going to be ready.
OK, so there you. Go.
No, you're not going to be ready.
Of course you. Have to jump.
Exactly. And don't worry if there's.
Water in the pool. Or not just jump.
Because. You're not going to drown,
you're going to jump. I know, I know.
It's a great thing. But thank you.
The the question was. It what?

(01:35:37):
Do you want the SO? If there's anything that you
feel like you wish the world knew about.
You but they don't. What would that be?
Motherhood is super hard for me like.
I had my first, you know, as I said, I was like addicted to
drugs and that was always like kind of like where I went like
if I I would either like really go hard with like in my dance

(01:35:59):
career. And then when that, you know, I
would just, you know, lose control, you know, I, I needed
that break. And when I became a mom, there
was no escaping that, you know, And so that was so I think
people see my, my life and my myhusband's a doctor.
I have beautiful kids. Like they're gorgeous.

(01:36:20):
How many kids do you? I have two kids.
I have a 16 year old boy. So when you were like post, I'm
like now his friends are lookingat my Instagram and I'm like, Oh
my God. Like, you see, no, that's a
that's a big deal. Yeah, I do like mom like.
Yeah, yeah, I'm trying to like I'm.
Trying to embrace wearing. Like a Brazilian.
Bathing suit. And then I'm like.

(01:36:40):
I'm like, oh shit. Like yeah, but that's such a
dilemma. But like.
Working, you know, being a. Business owner and.
Being in yoga, there's I could talk forever about it, but it's
called rajasic. That's like the personality
type. That's like very action moving
forward, you know, to be a mom, it's all Temosic, which is like
the person that sits and watch the sun sunrise and being a mom,

(01:37:02):
there's a lot of that he knows. And I couldn't, I couldn't do
that with my son. Like I, I was like, what am I
supposed to with you? And I couldn't like, you know,
soften into it. So I, I think there's, it was
easy for me to do the masculine like I wanted to work, you know,
but my husband was the breadwinner.
So I had to stay home and take care of my son and then figure

(01:37:25):
that just out and it was really tough.
And so I think I want would wantthe world to know that my kids
are awesome and they they, my son works for me at Ahana on
Sundays. You know, my daughter sings
kirtan. And so it looks one way.
You know, my my husband started singing kirtan with us and but

(01:37:45):
for 12 years, he wouldn't sing, you know, like.
And so it's like there's so muchthat happens in the life of
somebody that is, is married with two kids and you're the one
in the spotlight and your familydoes not want to be, you know,
so it's like, how much are you going to, you know, messy is in
my hair. A messy is in.

(01:38:07):
But it's like you don't want to be be exposing your your family.
Yeah, no, for sure. Yeah, yeah, No, there's a fine
line between Google came. To my house and I was like, sure
you could film us like 7 in the.Morning they came with like
freaking massive like video cameras and I was like I was
like, I'm gonna ask you to divorce me.
I was like, oh shit, you know, like, so it's like that dance

(01:38:30):
of, of being like my personalityis like, you know, and that
being magnetic, like you guys said, thank you so much that I
don't realize that myself. But it's like, how do you
balance that with in Miami, everybody knows me to go out to
dinner with my husband and my husband is like, what about
you're with me? And somebody's like, oh, Don,
you know, And I'm like, Oh my God, no, no, no, no.

(01:38:52):
And I'm like, no, I just laughed.
I was everywhere we go. It's like, no, no.
No mama's like. Oh my God, do.
Not go anywhere with you it so Ilike couldn't like I had to
cancel my membership with the. So house because.
It became like too much so I think so House.
Well, sorry. Yeah, like it.
It just we're still a member so.It's love so house like that

(01:39:13):
that I'm not like victimized andI don't feel like.
A victim of it at all, but it's like they're the the they're
they're juggling and there's stuff that happens behind the.
Picket fence. That like I wasn't my trajectory
was not to be like in the nuclear family mom, you know,
and that struggle of like fitting into that conservative

(01:39:34):
lifestyle was like putting on a fucking tight ass shoe, you
know, like I could have been in a circus, you know, and they're
like, this is comfortable, you know, So it's like like it looks
really nice on the outside, but I've had a lot to do.
I have had to. Do a lot of work to make it
work, which is like admirable too.
Thank you. My trajectory would be dead

(01:39:56):
pretty much right now and so. I feel people see me like from
the outside and they're, they think it's like locked in, you
know, and it's constant work forme to lock it in.
Well, I think that's the ridiculousness of.
Of Instagram and social media isthat everybody does again, they
see we want them to see they seethe highlight reel so they don't

(01:40:18):
see the nights where the one year old is screaming until 3:00
in the morning, then you have tobe up at 4:00 and like they they
don't they because you're not sharing it because you don't
want to share that stuff And well, I'm like my struggle is
like, what do I cook for dinner and I'm like and I'm like.
Like seriously, my husband like expects dinner, right?
And I'm like, are you fucking kidding me?
Like really? Like, like I don't, I can't make

(01:40:39):
anything. I don't know how to make
anything. I grew up with a single dad.
We had to make out. You know what I'm saying?
Like I don't know what to make. And I'm like, I get panic
attack. I'm like, Oh my God, it's 5:30.
I have $2000 in Ubereats and we're all.
Sodium. Sodium intake like this, you
know what I mean? Like so it's like, what am I
going to be on Instagram? Oh, and I want to shake up
tonight. Like I don't know, these people
don't want to hear that shit. You think no, but you change

(01:41:02):
the. What are you doing?
And. The process you think they don't
want. To hear what she just did.
Yeah, would literally. Go viral.
You know why? Because.
It's made of so many women, likemy wife would.
Absolutely love what you just. Said because she is probably
dealing with the same thing, which by the way, I could care
less if if she cooks or not thatI don't put pressure on her like
that. But I do know that she feels

(01:41:23):
that way. I do know that she wants when I
come home to have a nice meal because that's nice thing to do
like and she's a wonderfully nice person.
Yeah. And so are you.
So it's not that you don't want to you're just like, Oh my God,
how like, you know, what am I going to do?
Because I didn't know and, you know, I'm like immobilized.
But I think there's a lot of, I think what we have to.

(01:41:43):
Realize is that. Again, it goes back to there's
an audience out there for everybody.
Yeah, like so the people that look at it.
And we'll use. Cringe because we use that and
look at it and cringe at you. Who gives a shit?
They don't. They're not your audience.
They're not your tribe anyways. But the people that celebrate
you and say, Oh my God, girl. Like, I Oh my God, that was me
tonight, you know? And they start to like, and you

(01:42:05):
start to get a little like, oh, what did you cook?
And then there's like, all of a sudden you're building
relationships with strangers that become friends.
Yeah, you're releasing because that's what community it is.
It's connected. We will try with the things that
we go through. I'll give it a.
Shot so yeah. Yeah, in a world where we need.
More connection, yes. Well, ladies.

(01:42:25):
Thank y'all this is awesome. Appreciate.
It Yeah.

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Why Your Struggles & Mistakes Are Guiding You To Become Your Best Self | S3, Ep 22.

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Why Your Struggles & Mistakes Are Guiding You To Become Your Best Self | S3, Ep 22.