Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Akshay Nanavati: Fearvana

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I chatted with Akshay Nanavati, Marine Corp Vet, adventurer, and entrepreneur.

Today we have Akshay Nanavati joining us. He is a marine corp veteran, he is also an adventurer and an entrepreneur. This guy has an incredible story. He overcame a drug addiction. He was in the Iraqi war, suffered from PTSD and had a serious battle with alcohol and drug abuse, which left him at the brink of suicide.In today’s episode, Akshay shares this, his story, and how he turned these life challenges into his new book, 

F

earvana:

The revolutionary science on how to turn fear into health, wealth, and happiness

. Fearvana explores the science of how to transform the seemingly negative forces of fear, stress and anxiety into health, wealth and happiness. Weaving together inspiring stories, in-depth research, practical insight and actionable strategies, "Fearvana" helps readers turn their greatest obstacles into their most powerful allies. Jack Canfield, the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul Series and The Success Principles said “Fearvana is without a doubt, one of the few books that really does stand out as a must read book.”Akshay has explored the most hostile environments on the planet, started a nonprofit, and built a global business helping people live limitless lifestyles. Combining years of research in science and spirituality with his life experience.

Show Notes

  • Hear more of Akshay’s backstory and how the movie Black Hawk Down shifted his life towards joining the Marines. [2:56]

  • Why Akshay enlisted in the US Army, despite being a citizen of India and having a rare blood disease. [4:42]

  • How a diagnosis with PTSD after returning from Iraq and uncontrollable drinking led Akshay to the thought of taking his own life. [6:20]

  • The biggest lesson that Akshay has learned was that although he falls many times, the key is getting back up. [8:13]

  • Find out what inspired Akshay to write his book, Fearvana: The revolutionary science on how to turn fear into health, wealth, and happiness. [9:27]

  • Recognizing that 95% of cognition happens in the subconscious brain and that we are pretty much a product of our past behaviors. [14:56]

  • Understand how to stop yourself from going down the spiral of negative thinking, by recognizing the patterns. [18:00]

  • How to deal with depression by preparing for obstacles you know will show up, using Akshay’s LMNOP method. [22:14]

  • Akshay shares the combination of strategies he used to quit drinking overnight, which starts by labeling your emotions. [26:34]

  • Hear as Akshay shares what an authentic life looks like for him, and what it means to pursue worthy struggle. [36:17]

More About Akshay

Akshay Nanavati — https://twitter.com/existing2livingFearvana — http://fearvana.com/Black Hawk Down — http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265086/Man’s Search for Meaning by Vicktor Frankl — https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X/

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Zach Benson: An Artist's Life

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Zach Benson 

Today we have a completely different show for you. We’ve got Zach Benson joining us. He is a TEDx speaker, full-time entrepreneur, and dancer and he has been a round four finalist on the hit show, So You Think You Can Dance.

What’s so cool about today’s show is that I’m always talking to people who have a certain level of success in their life, they hit a turning point, they recognize, “I have to think about what success means, what does it mean on my terms?” We’ve talked about all this ideas, we have had incredible people on, but here is somebody who out of the gate just went for it. Zach followed his dreams, hit a lot of road blocks, didn’t give up and kept persevering. It is really fun to listen to someone who had the courage, managed the fear, dealt with the rejection, and just kept going. Really interesting conversation, so I hope you enjoy it

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Hear has Zach shares his story of how he found dance at the age of 15, and how it really opened up a lot of doors for him. [2:19]
  • Find out why Zach’s parents encouraged him to study hard, but to also pursue his dreams of dance at the same time. [4:44]
  • Zach shares exactly what allowed him to preserver, especially after facing countless “no’s” and not walking into instant success. [6:47]
  • Discover why Zach decided to quit dance, and how he was able to find his passion again to pursue his dance dreams. [7:15]
  • Find out how Zach had to face the brutal facts of reality, being rejected from So You Think You Can Dance multiple times. [9:42]
  • Understand why it is more important that people tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. [10:52]
  • Discover more about Zach’s life, as he dances around the world in different countries, creating awesome memories with his students. [11:47]
  • Find out how Zach decides where to travel to next, by simply typing a destination into Google. [12:36]
  • Learn more about Zach’s experience on the show So You Think You Can Dance and the behind the scenes events. [15:45]
  • Understand what an authentic life means to Zach, and his daily habits that helps him keep aligned. [18:41]
  • Find out why Zach’s biggest piece of advice is to remember that happiness is a choice, and that mentors in your life are the key to your growth. [22:40]

More About Zach

Zach Benson — http://www.zachbenson.co/Zach’s TEDx Talk — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aVNY8PIoFASo You Think You Can Dance — http://www.fox.com/so-you-think-you-can-danceZach on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/zach.benson.33Zach’s email — [email protected]

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

Miguel Ruiz: Mastery of Love

What is it that you are working to master? Is there something in your life that you are actively pursuing? A marathon? An instrument? Becoming a great leader? Your relationships?

The Mastery of Love

In this episode, Laura Coe talks about a book she has been totally preoccupied with: The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz.

“To become masters of love, we have to practice love. The art of relationship is also a whole mastery and the only way to reach mastery is with practice.”

Practice love?

Tune in to hear more.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Mastery of Love about?

The idea, from Don Miguel Ruiz, that love and relationships are a mastery, and the only way to reach mastery is with practice.

Related episodes

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Joe Wilner: Find Your Calling

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Joseph Wilner, licensed therapist, life coach, and drummer for the band, Yes You Are. 

Today we have Joseph Wilner joining us. Joseph is a licensed therapist and a life coach who also happens to be a drummer. When he turned 30 years old, Joe decided to honor a life-long passion of mine and commit to becoming a professional drummer. Although this may seem like an unorthodox career transition, he has decided that despite all the time and effort he put into going to school and following the path and making money and setting up a private practice, he needed to listen to that deep intuition and calling he felt within him to honor his dream of being a drummer, so he join the band, Yes You Are.

Joe shares amazing advice for those of you who are trying to get yourself to a new place, figure out what your dreams are, follow up on those dreams, and do what it is that you feel is deep in your heart and meaningful to you. If you just want to hear an awesome story of somebody who took the leap, I know you are going to enjoy today’s show.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Understand what it means to follow your calling and why Joseph connects it to his life mission. [3:43]

  • Find out why Joseph believes that if we don’t follow our calling, we are almost destroying ourselves and our truth. [7:00]

  • Learn how to separate out the “smart choice” from the choice that actually has a passion behind it. [10:14]

  • Understand what to do when you don’t even know where to start to follow your dreams. [14:07]

  • Recognize that there is not just one path to follow in life, and that we simply have to make a choice. [16:22]

  • Find out what it means to acknowledge your dreams, to explore dreaming for your life again. [18:16]

  • Why kids have a lot more grit than adults do, not taking no for an answer when they want something bad enough. [20:59]

  • Understand why sometimes shame is a more powerful limiting feeling than fear itself. [24:11]

  • Discover the value of having a coach that can walk you through the process of realizing your dreams. [29:10]

  • Joseph shares his essential exercises that help you to uncover your purpose and calling. [31:07]

More About Joe

Joseph Wilner — http://youhaveacalling.com/

eCourse, Becoming Unstoppable — http://youhaveacalling.com/becoming-unstoppable OR http://youhaveacalling.com/get-started

Joe’s Band, Yes You Are — http://weareyesyouare.com/

Yes You Are on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/yesyouareofficial/

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Conquer Fear, Fear, and More Fear, a personal story

I ask them a question; what is the biggest challenge that you're having in your life right now? I asked my list of subscribers and I was really surprised, the number one answer by far was fear, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of getting started, fear of not finishing, fear of approvals, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear, fear of every single sort.It made me think, here I am in a very personal moment, I’m starting my next project, and that next project is going to be my second book.  I'm facing those fears. Most of you have jobs. Most of you do things with your lives that are outside of this self-development, self-help. This is all that I do, right? I write and blog and podcast and coach people on this concept all the time. The idea might be that I'm at a point where those things don't get in my way.Trust me, those voices came up, “Why is this happening? This is what I do. Shouldn’t I be above this, pass this, on the other side of it?” That's why I wanted to talk to you today about this.What's so cool is that the noise, the voice, the conversation in my head, it didn't have the impact. I didn't listen. I know that that's part of the game now. An expectation that that voice comes and I'm ready to face this voice and look him right in the eye, not care, not think because I'm having a thought that it needs to mean something, that I let that thought ramble around in my head all day until I'm destroyed. Just notice it, let it go. Notice it, let it go. Notice it, let it go.

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Deepak Ramola: Life Lessons Applied to Daily Life

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Deepak Ramola, Founder & Artistic Director of Project FUEL. FUEL stands for: Forward the Understanding of Every Life Lesson.

Today on the show we have Deepak Ramola joining us. Deepak is the Founder and Artistic Director of Project FUEL, which is started when he was only 14 years old. At FUEL, life lessons are continuously collected, documented, thought about deeply, and then turned into interactive and performance activities. This ensures that you don't just hear someone's lesson in words, but that you actually get to experience it tangibly, and apply it practically in your own life.

Deepak is an eternal optimist and believes in enriching the human experience by helping people meet their highest potential. I don’t know where he gets this from, but it was like I was talking to the oldest soul I have ever met. I had goosebumps multiple times during the episode, and I know it will have a big impact on you as well. So tune in for just a wonderful spirit, a wonderful human being, and listen as Deepak shares with us this beautiful story, and all that he has achieved at the young age of only 25.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Discover what inspired Project FUEL and how his mother taught him to learn from simply living life. [3:53]

  • Find out why Deepak turned down a book deal when he was only 17 years old. [6:37]

  • Learn more about how the process at Project FUEL works to collect life lessons from people around the world. [7:25]

  • Understand how Project FUEL makes life lessons experiential by turning them into exercises or experiences. [9:21]

  • Hear as Deepak shares a life lesson of understanding the lives of refugees through the exercise of blowing up a balloon. [14:03]

  • Find out how Deepak comes up with his experiential examples, through a combination of research and practicality. [16:49]

  • Get more information on how to donate to Project FUEL, and why you need to give your life lesson first. [19:35]

  • Learn why Deepak’s goals with Project FUEL is to make each life count and to create a culture that values learning. [21:06]

  • Deepak shares what an authentic life means to him, and how it is about shining a spotlight for those to come. [24:20]

  • Find out how to stay uplifted and keep the light shining within you when life is trying to pull you down. [25:43]

More About Deepak

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

Laura Coe and Damian Mark Smyth — The Art of Authenticity podcast

Damian Mark Smyth: Do Nothing and Find Peace

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Damian Mark Smyth, author of, Do Nothing, and founder of Rethinking Business. 

Today we have Damian Mark Smyth joining us all the way from the UK. Damian and I had an awesome conversation about a topic that I feel so strongly about. It’s one of those people that you meet where your philosophies are so aligned. We talked about this inside out approach, that so many of us are looking to be happier, we look for more things on the outside world to make us feel better; chasing money, chasing success, and all of that.

On top of it all, there are the thoughts in your head, the things that you think are also what are causing your unhappiness because you believe them to be true. Once Damian recognized this in his own life, he was able to make so many changes. He is the author of the book, Do Nothing, which is all about this idea that you do not have to do anything with thoughts. What matters is what is going on within you. Everything you need, all the happiness you need, all the answers you need, they are already there.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Learn more about Damian’s background and how he transitioned into the life he is now living. [2:29]

  • Understand how listening to the signs in his life, Damian was able to completely change it around. [6:25]

  • The impact that your thinking has on your life, and the choice you have over your thoughts. [12:39]

  • Hear examples of why Damian believes that there is an intelligence in the system, or universe. [16:26]

  • Damian shares more about his book, Do Nothing, and what inspired him for the idea of the book. [18:50]

  • Find out how Damian experiences aligning with the universe and his true self. [24:33]

  • Discover the process of working through life’s chaos by understanding that your thoughts govern your feelings, not your circumstances. [28:53]

  • Learn why self-awareness and understanding your own purpose is what an authentic life looks like to Damian. [32:10]

More About Damian

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

Joseph Sanok: Build a Private Practice that You Love

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Joe Sanok, founder of the Practice of the Practice.

Today on the Art of Authenticity we have Joe Sanok joining us. Joe is the founder of the Practice of the Practice, where he helps counselors create thriving practices that build their businesses by 50 to 500%, taking their income, influence, and impact on the world up to the next level. If you’re interested in learning how to take a small practice and build it or a larger practice and get through those growing pains, Joe has developed a coaching counseling practice to help you do just that.Today we jumped into the conversation and we heard about some of the things that Joe would suggest for those starting a practice, plus why he decided to spend his time this way. He also shares about what decision happened in his life that led him down this path. Joe had a very difficult time in 2012 facing multiple family emergencies, medical issues, and it got him thinking about his life, the meaning, and what truly mattered to him. Tune in for today’s story, and lots of amazing tips along the way.Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Hear as Joe shares the radical story of a series of family and personal health stories that rocked his life. [2:43]

  • Learn what it meant for Joe and his family to get into survival mode, and how they had to unlearn those bad habits. [4:55]

  • Understand the importance of slowing down and taking time to work through the stress of your life. [7:41]

  • Find out what it means to take ownership of the decisions you can make, and let go of the situations you can’t control. [10:47]

  • Hear how Joe and his wife need to take the time to go through a healing process post-survival mode. [12:20]

  • Learn more about the ideal life that Joe intentionally designed for himself and his family. [15:14]

  • Understand more about the purpose behind Joe’s business, Practice of the Practice. [16:22]

  • Discover practical tips to move your practice beyond the $40,000 mark. [20:03]

  • Find out what an authentic life means to Joe, and the habits he implements to stay aligned. [22:33]

More About Joe

Downloads:

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Change Your Thoughts: Psychology and Philosophy Agree on How

Sharing the platform again with Mike Bundrant. He is the head of the INLP center, coaching if you are looking to take your coaching to the next level, if you are thinking about becoming a coach, check it out.

How do Philosophy and Psychology intersect on the question of where truth exists and how do we know if we have experienced it?

Join me and Mike in this discussion!

by Carlos Mendiola

The Art of Authenticity podcast with Laura Coe

Suzanne Falter: A Heroic Story of Bravery and Faith

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, I had a thoughtful conversation with Suzanne Falter, internet marketer, writer, blogger, and coach for healing trauma.

Today on the podcast we have Suzanne Falter joining us. On this show, we have done a lot of episodes about people who have had success and have found a purpose in their life. That is really the main topic of the show. However, today we are going way over to the other extreme. This is a story of somebody who had a ton of success but found herself in one of those life crisis moments that we all deeply fear. After losing a relationship that she had been in for years, and recognizing her sexuality, Suzanne made the choice to completely change her career. If all of that wasn’t enough for a single person to handle, in 2012 Suzanne also suffered the loss of her daughter, Teal.

Although this sounds like a conversation that will be sad and overwhelming, this is really a story of inspiration and joy. Suzanne goes there in this interview as she takes us to the day her daughter died. She shares the whole story with so much recognition of what she has and how she took this difficult moment and turned it into a life-changing event. She completely turned her life in a different direction and for Suzanne, this became a deeply spiritual moment of connecting with her daughter.

So tune in, and stay open. Suzanne is someone who I deeply respect and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to hear her story and to share it with all of you.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes

  • Hear Suzanne’s story of the intense life events that led up to her changing her entire career and life perspective. [4:09]

  • Suzanne shares the story of her daughter’s death and how it impacted her to begin a new purpose in her life. [9:37]

  • Find out how Suzanne discovered a new connection with her daughter after she died. [14:14]

  • Discover how life was guiding Suzanne to really learn how to surrender and realize that her purpose at that time was to rest. [20:17]

  • Suzanne shares her advice on practicing self-care, and how taking three years to care for herself made an incredible difference. [29:25]

  • Understand why fear is a major factor that hold us back from just being our authentic selves. [33:01]

  • Find out why Suzanne believes that an authentic life is one that is lived with great joy. [33:56]

More About Suzanne

by Carlos Mendiola