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Tag: How to Become Your Greatest Version

Playing Safe Can Actually Hurt You: 5 Ways To Take Risks That Will Pay Off

Millennials may be the most risk averse generation to date, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing.

According to a recent study, 34% of millennials describe their risk tolerance as “conservative” or “somewhat conservative.”

But can we blame them? They’re the first generation in modern history that isn’t wealthier than their parents. They’re chained to tens of thousands in student debt, they’re reluctant to spend what they have, and they struggle to make a living doing what they enjoy.

While playing it safe may seem like the best thing to do, it may actually be hindering millennials from getting ahead. After all, risk-taking is an essential part of building a business, progressing in a career, and making a mark on the world.

32-year-old Alexi Panos has a solution to combat risk aversion, and to start, it’s absolutely free: invest in yourself. Panos is a leader in the personal development industry, author of the book 50 Ways to Yay, and star of a successful YouTube channel.

I caught up with Panos about how empowering yourself can help you take game-changing risks on the latest episode of Unconventional Life, “The Shortcut To Awaken You To Greatness w/ Millennial Thought Leader Alexi Panos.”

Panos’ journey to self-empowerment began at the age of 15 when signed a recording contract that enabled her to tour the world. She traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the United States, quickly gaining fame and recognition.

Soon, she was scouted by a modeling agency and was invited to be the host of major TV networks and web platforms, including HGTV, MTV, AOL, E News, and the History Channel.

Although she was ascending the summit of material success, she says she wasn’t happy. “Is [material success] what we really want?” she says, “Or is that just a symptom of feeling empty? I think we have to chase that — like we have to almost go after that and get a slice of it to recognize that we don’t want it.”

Upon this realization, Panos decided to take a big risk: uproot her life and make a major life change. She moved to LA and spent all of her savings on a podcast geared to help people to “awaken, revive, and transform” their lives.

Though she wasn’t making money for over a year, she says the personal rewards were worth it. She was inspiring others to empower themselves, pursue what they really wanted, and take risks that paid off.

“It’s not about me anymore, it’s the message and I’m willing to put me on the line for that message to be a ripple effect,” Panos says.

Now, Panos has attained financial freedom and abundance doing fulfilling work she loves. Below, she shares 5 ways to begin taking risks so you can step into the next level of impact and live according to your higher desires.

1. Stop trying to be a people pleaser. The desire to be liked by everyone can have you playing a small game trying to avoid stepping on toes. Accept that your message is inevitably going to offend people, and that’s actually a good sign. All of the world’s greatest leaders were considered radical in their time, yet they remedied injustices and are still remembered today.

2. Be willing to rock the boat. If you really want to shake up the status quo, you have to be willing to rock the boat. That might mean boldly sharing your voice or unfiltering your message. Panos says, “If we’re not willing to rock the boat we’re not really doing anything that great or anything that different, so do we wanna just blend in and do what everyone else is doing so that we stay safe?

3. Get vulnerable and share your story. Opening up about your personal experience can seem terrifying and intimidating. However, it tends to be what people resonate most with and are inspired by. The more transparent and honest you are, the more impactful you will be. “When I share that I’m human and that I mess up all the time, but I learn through that mess up, people love that,” Panos shares.

4. Shatter what you think is possible. Don’t let society’s notion of what’s possible limit you. For decades, it was believed that breaking a four-minute mile was impossible — until Roger Bannister broke the record and set a new standard for racing. Whatever it is you think you can’t do is only a mental construct that can be uncreated. Approach your limits with the mindset that you can transcend them, and you will.

5. Say yes to your intuition. The best guide for discerning when to take risks is our own inner voice. Check in with yourself and ask if you feel fully satisfied where you are or if something greater is calling to you. You may feel fear around making the decision to take a risk, but remember that on the other side of fear lies something spectacular. Panos says, “I just had this unwavering trust that it was gonna work out and I had no idea how it was gonna evolve, but I just knew I had to keep saying yes.”

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018
4 Steps To Make Peace With Your Inner Critic And Get Out Of Your Own Way

We’ve all got one — and it can seem like it will never leave us alone. Just when you’re about to launch that new product, or give that important presentation, or interview for that job you really want, it comes knocking at your door.

I’m talking about your inner critic. That voice inside your head that nags at you, tells you you can’t do it, and reminds you of all the times you’ve failed.

Meet Joel Brown, a guy who’s appeared on magazine covers and TV shows, worked with Tony Robbins, and spread the knowledge of self development all over the world. He’s the founder of Addicted2Success, a motivation site with an audience of over 80 million viewers.

He’s just like you — except he’s made peace with his inner critic. He’s a testament to the kind of success that’s possible when you finally get out of your own way.

“We are all designed in a certain way and born into this world for a purpose. A lot of us really just get in our own way all the time,” Brown says.

If you’re looking for all the details, on how Brown got his start just four years ago check out this week’s podcast episode, “Making Peace With Your Inner Critic w/ Addicted2Success Founder Joel Brown”

Brown dropped out of high school in 11th grade, and never attended college. If anyone’s got reasons why they can’t make it big, it’s him.

Yet he hasn’t let any of that stop him. He says the secret to his success has been having the courage to look at his limiting beliefs and heal them.

“My body doesn’t just hold organs and blood, there’s also an emotional body,” Brown says. “Once you understand that you can start clearing away things and your true calling comes through.”

Brown’s true calling has emerged in the form of his blog and podcast and producing the movie RiseUP, which has inspired millions to look inward and overcome their mental blocks.

Below, Brown shares his top 4 steps to create a mental framework that cuts through the excuses and empowers you.

Step #1: Bring curiosity to your negative beliefs. Naturally as human beings we are skeptical. Approach your negative beliefs objectively — get curious about why they are there. Don’t identify with them or make yourself wrong for them, but rather see them as a natural response to your life experiences and allow them to be there. Perhaps you’ve struggled to make the money you want, so you’ve developed the belief that making money is hard and unlikely.

By bringing curiosity instead of resistance or judgement there is space for those beliefs to have a voice and ultimately begin to complete and disappear.

Step #2: Feed your positive beliefs. “Turn the noise down on negativity and turn the noise up on empowering beliefs,” Brown says. Tune into the thoughts that encourage you and give them more attention — what you focus on grows. If you’ve got a belief that you’re charismatic and great at making friends, reinforce that for yourself. Take it a step further by imagining yourself networking with people who uplift you. You’ll open up this avenue for yourself in real life by truly believing it’s possible.

Step #3: Be committed to mastery. Be willing to become a master at whatever is important to you- overcoming a limiting belief, creating a breakthrough in your business, or initiating a daily routine. When you live your life with the framework of mastery you have the opportunity to sit in the student chair and prioritize your own learning and growth over anything else.

Each day focus on a 1% shift- it could be waking up with gratitude, taking a short walk, reading a chapter in a book, making an important phone call, or saying yes to something that feels out of your comfort zone. Before you know it day after day you will begin hacking away at anything that stands in your way.

Step #4: Create a 10-year vision gameplay. Envision what you’d like your ideal life to look like in 10 years. Dream big — don’t underestimate what you can accomplish in a decade! Start with the 10th year, defining every aspect of your life from personal relationships, to business, finances, health, recreation and travel. Then, write down everything you would need to have done in the 9th year to get there, in as much detail as you can. Break it down for yourself month by month if you can. Repeat by going backwards in time each year until you get to the present moment. Commit to this vision and to actually taking the steps you’ve listed to get there — it is possible.

5 years ago, Brown went through this process, and today, he’s already living his 10 year vision and then some.

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018
One Millennial’s Open Conversation About Body Image As An Actress Turned Health Coach

In today’s world, we face a tremendous amount of pressure to conform to body standards. We are constantly bombarded with messages to ‘lose 10 pounds fast’ or ‘get in shape for bikini season.’ The implication of these messages is that we are not skinny enough, not in shape enough, and not sexy enough, as we are.

It can be challenging to navigate these ideals while honoring yourself and your unique body. No matter what your body looks like, you have probably experienced some form of self-scrutiny or questioned if you have the “right” body. You simply can’t avoid the matter in a body-conscious world.

Unfortunately, the body image conversation is often a silent one, between a woman and herself. It is generally considered taboo to voice the concerns you might have about your body and your relationship to food, especially as a woman entrepreneur or in a highly competitive workplace when you are being evaluated constantly.

Until now, that is.

One millennial is stepping up and giving a voice to the silent struggle billions of women know so well. She had a particularly rough journey with her body as a former TV actress–but now, she’s a women’s health coach and the youngest author at publisher Hay House, with her book, The Goddess Revolution, launching in June.

Meet Mel Wells, creator of The Green Goddess Life, who I spoke with on this week’s podcast episode, “The Anti- Diet: How To End The War On Your Body w/ Hay House’s Youngest Author Mel Wells.”

At age 18, Wells began her acting career and found herself immersed in a competitive environment that led her to make tough decisions. “When you’re in a world where you and your body is the difference between you getting the job and you not getting the job, you put immense amounts of pressure on yourself,” says Wells.

For her, this meant going on crash diets and, ultimately, developing body issues as she tried to stay employable. One time, her producer met with her to discuss her body size. Wells reflects, “I was completely overwhelmed and turned to using food to control elements or numb feelings.”

It took witnessing her dad get cancer to finally wake up to the reality of the damage she was doing to her body. Watching her dad fight for his health, Wells says she was confronted with the potential consequences for abusing her own body and resolved to become a health coach.

Through working with clients, she was able to heal herself and put together a method that works to resolve body issues, encourage healthy eating, and restore body freedom.

The Goddess Revolution seeks to take over as the new ‘anti-diet’ by sparking a new way of thinking that will help women end the war on their own bodies. By attacking modern issues like ‘fitspiration’ and the obsession with perfection caused by celebrity glorification and magazine airbrushing, Wells hopes to break the cycle of negative talk that keeps women from feeling fulfilled and fully self-expressed.

For any woman, it is important to learn to honor yourself by honoring the relationship you have with your body first. When you have that strong foundation established you can more easily stand up for yourself in the workplace and say ‘no’ to objectification and discrimination in your career based on your looks.

Relieving the pressure of body image starts by loving yourself. When you love yourself by loving what you are creating in the world, you can overcome any adversity.

At age 26, Wells has certainly made waves and evolved into her true self despite challenges. Consider these three powerful lessons for navigating your own path.

Lesson #1: Just go for it, even if you don’t feel completely ready yet. Wells says the best advice she ever got was to “start before you’re ready.” That means to summon the confidence to take action even if you don’t have everything figured out. Everyone makes mistakes, but they tend to be the best reflections for improvement.

Lesson #2: Use your personal story to your advantage. The lessons you have learned along your own journey are the best source for credibility and experience. People will connect to your story and want to work with you because they know you’ve been where they are and have overcome it. Don’t be afraid to share any mistakes you’ve made as they can actually testify to how far you’ve come and show people there’s hope no matter where you are.

Lesson #3: Don’t let your age stop you. When you’re young, it’s easy to perceive age to be a limiting factor to your success. Wells can empathize: “when anyone starts business in the coaching world it can be daunting to assume anyone wants your advice,” she says. But the notion that you’re not old enough to achieve what you want is simply false. Don’t apologize for your age; let your experience and results speak for how qualified you are. You never know, your young age may become your biggest asset someday.

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018