WEBVTT

1

00:00:02.340 –> 00:00:07.304

<v ->No, do the intro separate so we can just dive right in.</v>

2

00:00:07.304 –> 00:00:10.097

<v ->Okay.</v>

3

00:00:10.097 –> 00:00:12.330

Is it okay if I change these earphones?

4

00:00:12.330 –> 00:00:13.353

<v ->Yeah, go for it.</v>

5

00:00:26.500 –> 00:00:28.050

<v ->Okay, one sec.</v>

6

00:00:28.050 –> 00:00:30.213

Make sure it’s recording correctly.

7

00:00:32.490 –> 00:00:34.350

Next chapter.

8

00:00:34.350 –> 00:00:35.850

Okay wait, say something one more time.

9

00:00:35.850 –> 00:00:36.690

<v ->Yeah, how about now?</v>

10

00:00:36.690 –> 00:00:37.680

Okay, great.

<v ->We’re good?</v>

11

00:00:37.680 –> 00:00:40.440

<v ->Yeah, I’m so not used to noise cancelling.</v>

12

00:00:40.440 –> 00:00:44.100

It makes me feel like I’m in a bubble, so this is awesome.

13

00:00:44.100 –> 00:00:44.933

<v ->Cool.</v>

14

00:00:45.960 –> 00:00:48.810

Oh Michelle, I am so excited to talk to you.

15

00:00:48.810 –> 00:00:50.820

Thank you for being here today.

16

00:00:50.820 –> 00:00:53.040

<v ->It’s such an honour to be here.</v>

17

00:00:53.040 –> 00:00:54.030

I’m so stoked too.

18

00:00:54.030 –> 00:00:55.470

I love everything you’re doing.

19

00:00:55.470 –> 00:00:56.370

<v ->Oh, thank you.</v>

20

00:00:56.370 –> 00:00:58.080

And I love everything you’re doing

21

00:00:58.080 –> 00:00:59.430

and there’s so many directions.

22

00:00:59.430 –> 00:01:03.030

And I find myself saying this with so many of our guests,

23

00:01:03.030 –> 00:01:05.790

like there’s a lot we can talk about today.

24

00:01:05.790 –> 00:01:07.710

So I’m going to try to keep us focused,

25

00:01:07.710 –> 00:01:09.780

but I was wondering if we could start with something

26

00:01:09.780 –> 00:01:11.910

kind of fun, a little lightning round.

27

00:01:11.910 –> 00:01:13.050

Would you be up for that?

<v ->Yeah.</v>

28

00:01:13.050 –> 00:01:14.110

Yeah, let’s do it.

29

00:01:14.110 –> 00:01:15.960

<v ->Okay, I’ve got five questions for you.</v>

30

00:01:15.960 –> 00:01:17.670

<v ->Okay.</v>

<v ->First one,</v>

31

00:01:17.670 –> 00:01:20.220

three staples in your kitchen

32

00:01:20.220 –> 00:01:23.640

that you couldn’t imagine living without.

33

00:01:23.640 –> 00:01:24.540

<v ->Okay.</v>

34

00:01:24.540 –> 00:01:27.840

Nutritional yeast, nooch, vegan fairy dust,

35

00:01:27.840 –> 00:01:29.550

whatever you want to call it.

36

00:01:29.550 –> 00:01:30.813

Okay, that.

37

00:01:31.980 –> 00:01:33.420

I’m going to have to say pasta.

38

00:01:33.420 –> 00:01:37.290

I know it’s not the most wellness inspired one,

39

00:01:37.290 –> 00:01:39.900

but it’s such a great base for so many things.

40

00:01:39.900 –> 00:01:43.020

And let’s go ground flax seeds,

41

00:01:43.020 –> 00:01:45.180

ground flax seed meal that you can use instead of eggs

42

00:01:45.180 –> 00:01:47.550

in like almost any baking recipe.

43

00:01:47.550 –> 00:01:48.900

Those are my three essentials.

44

00:01:48.900 –> 00:01:50.460

<v ->Good ones and I know this is supposed</v>

45

00:01:50.460 –> 00:01:51.293

to be a lightning round,

46

00:01:51.293 –> 00:01:53.553

but I have to have some follow ups for that.

47

00:01:53.553 –> 00:01:55.020

<v ->Yes, I want to know yours.</v>

48

00:01:55.020 –> 00:02:00.000

<v ->Okay well, nooch is like a big one for me right now.</v>

49

00:02:00.000 –> 00:02:01.590

I get kind of on these kicks and right now

50

00:02:01.590 –> 00:02:04.040

I’ve got this kale salad that I just put

51

00:02:04.040 –> 00:02:07.110

nutritional yeast and white beans

52

00:02:07.110 –> 00:02:10.350

and toasted pumpkin seeds.

53

00:02:10.350 –> 00:02:14.040

Well, I have to massage the kale with some olive oil.

54

00:02:14.040 –> 00:02:15.360

I just do,

55

00:02:15.360 –> 00:02:17.310

but that’s like my favourite right now.

56

00:02:17.310 –> 00:02:19.650

But somebody sent me,

57

00:02:19.650 –> 00:02:21.750

and I have it right over there ’cause I have to order it.

58

00:02:21.750 –> 00:02:26.750

A specific type of nooch that I didn’t realise

59

00:02:27.810 –> 00:02:32.700

there are so many, that it could taste different,

60

00:02:32.700 –> 00:02:35.340

the different kinds of nutritional yeast.

61

00:02:35.340 –> 00:02:37.140

And this one I am loving so much.

62

00:02:37.140 –> 00:02:41.610

So do you have a specific type that you found that you like,

63

00:02:41.610 –> 00:02:42.810

like a brand?

64

00:02:42.810 –> 00:02:44.070

Do you notice a difference?

65

00:02:44.070 –> 00:02:45.960

I didn’t know if that was just me.

66

00:02:45.960 –> 00:02:47.010

<v ->It is not just you.</v>

67

00:02:47.010 –> 00:02:50.640

I actually have a big huge like supersized mason jar

68

00:02:50.640 –> 00:02:51.473

on my counter with nooch.

69

00:02:51.473 –> 00:02:54.120

And so I’ll fill it up and oftentimes I’ll get it

70

00:02:54.120 –> 00:02:57.720

from bulk bins at the store ’cause it’s sustainable.

71

00:02:57.720 –> 00:02:59.700

And often more affordable and nutritional yeast

72

00:02:59.700 –> 00:03:00.630

can be really expensive

73

00:03:00.630 –> 00:03:02.790

if you get those little tiny containers.

74

00:03:02.790 –> 00:03:05.460

But the interesting thing is that when I fill it up

75

00:03:05.460 –> 00:03:07.650

with different brands, they’re like different colours,

76

00:03:07.650 –> 00:03:09.120

different size flakes.

77

00:03:09.120 –> 00:03:11.760

And then some of them like are loaded with B12,

78

00:03:11.760 –> 00:03:13.230

some of them have none of it.

79

00:03:13.230 –> 00:03:16.140

Like, it really does depend on the brand that you get.

80

00:03:16.140 –> 00:03:17.940

I haven’t done, I should do a taste test.

81

00:03:17.940 –> 00:03:19.320

I’ve done like vegan turkey taste,

82

00:03:19.320 –> 00:03:20.490

like all these different taste tests,

83

00:03:20.490 –> 00:03:23.010

but I never considered doing nutritional yeast.

84

00:03:23.010 –> 00:03:24.180

That’s a really good idea.

85

00:03:24.180 –> 00:03:25.324

<v ->Yeah.</v>

<v ->And what’s your favourite?</v>

86

00:03:25.324 –> 00:03:29.280

<v ->Well I hadn’t realised. It’s called Noochy Licious.</v>

87

00:03:29.280 –> 00:03:30.340

<v ->Okay, I’m going to write that down.</v>

88

00:03:30.340 –> 00:03:31.878

<v ->Yeah, I’ll give them a shout out.</v>

89

00:03:31.878 –> 00:03:34.500

And I forgot the guy’s name at the moment,

90

00:03:34.500 –> 00:03:36.277

but he actually emailed me and said,

91

00:03:36.277 –> 00:03:40.410

“I’ve got this Noochy Licious and I want to send you some.”

92

00:03:40.410 –> 00:03:43.530

And I’m thinking it’s nutritional yeast,

93

00:03:43.530 –> 00:03:45.210

like it’s all the same.

94

00:03:45.210 –> 00:03:47.550

And I literally was blown away.

95

00:03:47.550 –> 00:03:49.320

So I haven’t emailed him back yet,

96

00:03:49.320 –> 00:03:50.220

but I’m going to let him know

97

00:03:50.220 –> 00:03:53.760

that I really appreciate his Noochy Licious

98

00:03:53.760 –> 00:03:55.320

and it’s got a fun name.

<v ->That is awesome.</v>

99

00:03:55.320 –> 00:03:57.630

There was a brand that just came out

100

00:03:57.630 –> 00:03:58.920

with these little shaker,

101

00:03:58.920 –> 00:04:01.380

so it’s like a spice bottle, but filled with nooch.

102

00:04:01.380 –> 00:04:03.060

And I thought that’s brilliant.

103

00:04:03.060 –> 00:04:04.950

Although really I want to like take the cap off

104

00:04:04.950 –> 00:04:06.927

and dump the whole thing on my favourite plate.

105

00:04:06.927 –> 00:04:08.880

But to have like a little shaker that you could use

106

00:04:08.880 –> 00:04:10.260

like you would Parmesan cheese

107

00:04:10.260 –> 00:04:11.610

or something like that is so cool.

108

00:04:11.610 –> 00:04:13.290

<v ->Yeah, that works.</v>

109

00:04:13.290 –> 00:04:17.250

So just, yeah, my other ones are definitely chickpeas

110

00:04:17.250 –> 00:04:19.650

because I can’t live without chickpeas.

111

00:04:19.650 –> 00:04:22.350

And, oh, the other follow up question for you is,

112

00:04:22.350 –> 00:04:25.290

is there a specific type of pasta that you use?

113

00:04:25.290 –> 00:04:26.123

Now I’m curious.

114

00:04:26.123 –> 00:04:30.480

<v ->Oh, controversial as well in the health sphere, but yes.</v>

115

00:04:30.480 –> 00:04:33.000

I’ve been vegetarian since I was eight years old.

116

00:04:33.000 –> 00:04:35.490

And for a bunch of the years of being vegetarian,

117

00:04:35.490 –> 00:04:37.860

my diet was just all the white foods

118

00:04:37.860 –> 00:04:39.630

and pasta was one of those.

119

00:04:39.630 –> 00:04:41.490

Also lots of dairy, cheese,

120

00:04:41.490 –> 00:04:44.340

all the stuff that quickly I dropped when I went vegan.

121

00:04:44.340 –> 00:04:46.590

But pasta was the one thing that I sort of held onto

122

00:04:46.590 –> 00:04:47.790

as a base for lots of foods.

123

00:04:47.790 –> 00:04:51.900

And because I’ve eaten it like almost every day of my life,

124

00:04:51.900 –> 00:04:54.930

it’s so hard for me to turn to the alternative pasta.

125

00:04:54.930 –> 00:04:56.670

So I do, especially now that I have a kid

126

00:04:56.670 –> 00:04:59.820

and I really want to set like good examples

127

00:04:59.820 –> 00:05:02.820

and make sure that his palette is familiar and loving,

128

00:05:02.820 –> 00:05:07.110

like bean pastas and quinoa pasta and lentil pasta,

129

00:05:07.110 –> 00:05:10.050

all the different types and getting colourful with them.

130

00:05:10.050 –> 00:05:15.050

But I’m a semolina like basic white pasta girl myself.

131

00:05:15.930 –> 00:05:18.960

<v ->I am so glad you’re not afraid to admit that.</v>

132

00:05:18.960 –> 00:05:19.793

<v ->Yeah.</v>

133

00:05:21.030 –> 00:05:23.130

I have a lot of things that I could feel shameful for

134

00:05:23.130 –> 00:05:25.423

and instead I just choose to fully embrace them.

135

00:05:25.423 –> 00:05:26.877

There’s plenty of room

<v ->I love that.</v>

136

00:05:26.877 –> 00:05:29.760

<v ->For health and also having the things that we love.</v>

137

00:05:29.760 –> 00:05:30.593

<v ->Thank you.</v>

138

00:05:30.593 –> 00:05:31.530

Very well said.

139

00:05:31.530 –> 00:05:32.363

I love that.

140

00:05:32.363 –> 00:05:33.390

Okay, cool.

141

00:05:33.390 –> 00:05:37.290

Yeah, so for me, Banza, the Banza pasta,

142

00:05:37.290 –> 00:05:38.700

I really do like it.

143

00:05:38.700 –> 00:05:42.240

<v ->And they also came out with pizza crust, I believe,</v>

144

00:05:42.240 –> 00:05:44.730

and I can’t remember if they’re made from cauliflower

145

00:05:44.730 –> 00:05:46.638

or something, but they’re really good too.

146

00:05:46.638 –> 00:05:47.471

<v ->Is it?</v>

<v ->Banza is great.</v>

147

00:05:47.471 –> 00:05:48.390

<v ->Well they surprised me.</v>

148

00:05:48.390 –> 00:05:50.550

The one thing that happened once was that

149

00:05:50.550 –> 00:05:54.090

I saw a mac and cheese from Banza,

150

00:05:54.090 –> 00:05:56.583

that you could buy and I bought it.

151

00:05:57.900 –> 00:06:00.090

I guess I live in a bubble because-

152

00:06:00.090 –> 00:06:01.410

<v ->Did it have dairy?</v>

153

00:06:01.410 –> 00:06:02.940

<v ->It literally was dairy cheese.</v>

154

00:06:02.940 –> 00:06:04.253

<v ->Yeah.</v>

<v ->And I had no idea.</v>

155

00:06:04.253 –> 00:06:07.410

I mean, I read the ingredients and it didn’t even,

156

00:06:07.410 –> 00:06:08.340

isn’t that funny?

157

00:06:08.340 –> 00:06:11.090

Like it didn’t even occur to me that it would be dairy.

158

00:06:12.219 –> 00:06:14.520

<v ->And there’s so many amazing brands out there</v>

159

00:06:14.520 –> 00:06:15.900

that are fully plant-based

160

00:06:15.900 –> 00:06:17.850

that I do the same thing sometimes.

161

00:06:17.850 –> 00:06:18.683

I’m just like, oh my gosh,

162

00:06:18.683 –> 00:06:21.000

I thought this brand was totally plant-based.

163

00:06:21.000 –> 00:06:22.210

You do it enough times though and you’re like,

164

00:06:22.210 –> 00:06:23.790

okay, I’m going to just check everything.

165

00:06:23.790 –> 00:06:24.960

Even though a brand is like,

166

00:06:24.960 –> 00:06:26.850

we’re all plant, it says it on the package.

167

00:06:26.850 –> 00:06:27.683

That’s the other thing.

168

00:06:27.683 –> 00:06:29.940

Sometimes I’ll pick up a package that says plant-based

169

00:06:29.940 –> 00:06:31.410

and it has animal products in it.

170

00:06:31.410 –> 00:06:33.420

<v ->Right, yes.</v>

171

00:06:33.420 –> 00:06:34.890

The marketing is tricky.

172

00:06:34.890 –> 00:06:35.863

<v ->It is.</v>

173

00:06:35.863 –> 00:06:36.696

<v ->You got to read the ingredients.</v>

174

00:06:36.696 –> 00:06:39.570

Okay, finally, moving on to number two.

175

00:06:39.570 –> 00:06:43.950

What’s your morning self-care ritual or routine?

176

00:06:43.950 –> 00:06:45.300

<v ->Oh my gosh.</v>

177

00:06:45.300 –> 00:06:46.834

I need your help here.

178

00:06:46.834 –> 00:06:50.370

This has been a goal of mine actually for like two decades,

179

00:06:50.370 –> 00:06:52.210

at least a decade and a half

180

00:06:53.313 –> 00:06:54.150

you read the books,

181

00:06:54.150 –> 00:06:57.180

everyone who’s successful and it’s super awesome

182

00:06:57.180 –> 00:07:01.320

has a great morning routine. So I’ll construct them,

183

00:07:01.320 –> 00:07:03.960

I’ll craft them and I’ll follow them and it’s light for me.

184

00:07:03.960 –> 00:07:04.860

It’s like working out.

185

00:07:04.860 –> 00:07:08.280

Like I’ll do it a bit and then I will always slide off.

186

00:07:08.280 –> 00:07:11.070

So to be totally honest and transparent,

187

00:07:11.070 –> 00:07:14.400

I’ve just leaned into my morning routine.

188

00:07:14.400 –> 00:07:16.590

Well I have a kid, so I get my kid ready and everything

189

00:07:16.590 –> 00:07:18.603

and then I jump into work but for me,

190

00:07:19.500 –> 00:07:22.080

it’s calling me like I’m itching

191

00:07:22.080 –> 00:07:24.270

to like get started into the day

192

00:07:24.270 –> 00:07:27.510

and to fight that is such a mental challenge for me

193

00:07:27.510 –> 00:07:28.590

that that’s how I start.

194

00:07:28.590 –> 00:07:32.550

And I put my routine stuff and more of the like relax

195

00:07:32.550 –> 00:07:35.370

and decompress at the end of the day

196

00:07:35.370 –> 00:07:37.380

’cause I just feel like, okay, I’m accomplished.

197

00:07:37.380 –> 00:07:38.820

I’ve done the things that I need to do

198

00:07:38.820 –> 00:07:40.590

and now I can truly relax.

199

00:07:40.590 –> 00:07:42.210

So it was kind of a journey

200

00:07:42.210 –> 00:07:47.130

of like trying to work with my mind and how myself works.

201

00:07:47.130 –> 00:07:50.253

And even though it’s different from everyone,

202

00:07:51.630 –> 00:07:53.340

I just kind of leaned into it.

203

00:07:53.340 –> 00:07:54.300

But tell me yours.

204

00:07:54.300 –> 00:07:55.380

I always want to get inspired

205

00:07:55.380 –> 00:07:58.050

and I do little snippets like every once in a while

206

00:07:58.050 –> 00:08:00.960

I’ll do a few weeks of like a strong morning routine.

207

00:08:00.960 –> 00:08:01.890

It does feel good,

208

00:08:01.890 –> 00:08:05.040

but it’s like it’s fighting my natural urges.

209

00:08:05.040 –> 00:08:06.073

<v ->Yeah, well you know what,</v>

210

00:08:06.073 –> 00:08:08.311

I don’t think that there is a right or wrong

211

00:08:08.311 –> 00:08:11.490

and I think there are a lot of people in that scenario

212

00:08:11.490 –> 00:08:15.210

and I used to be in that place too

213

00:08:15.210 –> 00:08:19.290

of I was ready to jump out of bed and jump right in.

214

00:08:19.290 –> 00:08:21.943

So what could possibly be helpful

215

00:08:21.943 –> 00:08:25.590

is literally a five minute just intention setting.

216

00:08:25.590 –> 00:08:28.570

It could be as little as five minutes of being still

217

00:08:29.874 –> 00:08:31.830

of a five minute guided meditation,

218

00:08:31.830 –> 00:08:34.012

a five minute just laying in bed,

219

00:08:34.012 –> 00:08:36.127

getting present and saying,

220

00:08:36.127 –> 00:08:38.400

“I’m excited and grateful to start this day.”

221

00:08:38.400 –> 00:08:40.080

Like it could be as small as that.

222

00:08:40.080 –> 00:08:42.810

And then, yeah, like you said, having your relaxation

223

00:08:42.810 –> 00:08:44.460

and doing some other things in the evening.

224

00:08:44.460 –> 00:08:46.290

So I don’t think there’s a right or wrong

225

00:08:46.290 –> 00:08:48.400

and just getting present I think

226

00:08:49.860 –> 00:08:52.770

five minutes before jumping into action

227

00:08:52.770 –> 00:08:57.120

of just being still and kind of getting present.

228

00:08:57.120 –> 00:08:59.970

<v ->In case anyone else struggles with the morning routine,</v>

229

00:08:59.970 –> 00:09:03.767

which inevitably is helpful when you can do it.

230

00:09:03.767 –> 00:09:07.410

There was an app that I used for a while

231

00:09:07.410 –> 00:09:10.440

and I keep going back onto it because it would basically,

232

00:09:10.440 –> 00:09:13.080

in the morning it would have you set your list,

233

00:09:13.080 –> 00:09:15.030

your routine, like drink a glass of water,

234

00:09:15.030 –> 00:09:16.170

take your five minutes,

235

00:09:16.170 –> 00:09:19.200

like set your three most important tasks for the day,

236

00:09:19.200 –> 00:09:20.790

whatever, you put it in the order

237

00:09:20.790 –> 00:09:23.400

and then it gives you this really satisfying like ding.

238

00:09:23.400 –> 00:09:27.510

So if you are someone that like me who just wants to jump in

239

00:09:27.510 –> 00:09:29.520

and start being productive and doing the things

240

00:09:29.520 –> 00:09:32.190

and it’s really tough to fight your urges.

241

00:09:32.190 –> 00:09:34.994

Those like, oh, I can check the box here

242

00:09:34.994 –> 00:09:36.750

and I am getting things done.

243

00:09:36.750 –> 00:09:37.830

I am being productive.

244

00:09:37.830 –> 00:09:39.603

Like, self-care is productive.

245

00:09:40.440 –> 00:09:41.580

That’s really helpful.

246

00:09:41.580 –> 00:09:43.590

It was really helpful and I stuck with it

247

00:09:43.590 –> 00:09:46.920

that was like my longest spurt and I feel inspired.

248

00:09:46.920 –> 00:09:49.170

After this, I’ll wake up tomorrow

249

00:09:49.170 –> 00:09:52.740

and I’m going to set up another routine.

250

00:09:52.740 –> 00:09:55.230

But the other one that is really helpful for me,

251

00:09:55.230 –> 00:09:59.677

I have a ADD brain, like my brain has a mind of its own.

252

00:10:01.590 –> 00:10:04.650

And so being intentional and taking the time to just like,

253

00:10:04.650 –> 00:10:08.280

before I start, think about what I want my day to be

254

00:10:08.280 –> 00:10:12.180

and then setting the three most important tasks.

255

00:10:12.180 –> 00:10:14.640

And oftentimes it ends up being more than three

256

00:10:14.640 –> 00:10:15.473

’cause I can’t help myself,

257

00:10:15.473 –> 00:10:17.460

but making sure that I look at what I need to do

258

00:10:17.460 –> 00:10:19.740

and pick the most important three

259

00:10:19.740 –> 00:10:23.700

’cause otherwise I find myself often just being productive

260

00:10:23.700 –> 00:10:26.130

but I’m not on the most important things.

261

00:10:26.130 –> 00:10:27.300

<v ->Yeah, that’s good.</v>

262

00:10:27.300 –> 00:10:28.620

Okay.

263

00:10:28.620 –> 00:10:29.453

Number three.

264

00:10:29.453 –> 00:10:33.150

A pivotal time or moment in your life

265

00:10:33.150 –> 00:10:37.233

when you were at the right place at the right time.

266

00:10:39.240 –> 00:10:41.130

<v ->Ooh.</v>

267

00:10:41.130 –> 00:10:41.963

Okay.

268

00:10:43.256 –> 00:10:46.230

Well, this is a weird one,

269

00:10:46.230 –> 00:10:50.160

but I feel like all of us being here is really lucky.

270

00:10:50.160 –> 00:10:52.560

Like that there was that exact right time,

271

00:10:52.560 –> 00:10:55.350

an exact right place that we’re now here is super crazy.

272

00:10:55.350 –> 00:10:56.820

For me, that’s like a little extra.

273

00:10:56.820 –> 00:11:00.270

I was adopted and so I was an accidental pregnancy

274

00:11:00.270 –> 00:11:02.640

one football day.

275

00:11:02.640 –> 00:11:04.590

My birth parents didn’t even know each other

276

00:11:04.590 –> 00:11:08.311

and I didn’t find them until way later in life

277

00:11:08.311 –> 00:11:11.553

so that definitely impacted my life a whole lot.

278

00:11:13.590 –> 00:11:15.390

I think the thing

279

00:11:15.390 –> 00:11:19.833

in terms of kind of creating a big direction in my life,

280

00:11:23.610 –> 00:11:25.860

so many things are accidental.

281

00:11:25.860 –> 00:11:29.406

Like, so many people I’d meet or bump into

282

00:11:29.406 –> 00:11:31.500

launched different interests

283

00:11:31.500 –> 00:11:34.080

or like the reason I became vegan

284

00:11:34.080 –> 00:11:36.420

was I met someone on the street

285

00:11:36.420 –> 00:11:37.650

and went to an event that they held

286

00:11:37.650 –> 00:11:40.200

and watched a documentary and that inspired me.

287

00:11:40.200 –> 00:11:41.553

So there’s a lot of that.

288

00:11:43.410 –> 00:11:44.243

Let’s see.

289

00:11:46.350 –> 00:11:49.530

And then, yeah, if anyone has like family or kids,

290

00:11:49.530 –> 00:11:50.850

like that’s kind of crazy

291

00:11:50.850 –> 00:11:52.380

’cause like how did you meet your partner?

292

00:11:52.380 –> 00:11:53.880

It was so incidental

293

00:11:53.880 –> 00:11:56.400

and that became the person that’s then like your best friend

294

00:11:56.400 –> 00:11:58.814

and your partner in life and creates some other, like,

295

00:11:58.814 –> 00:12:01.200

like that’s pretty crazy.

296

00:12:01.200 –> 00:12:02.033

<v ->Okay, so well</v>

297

00:12:02.033 –> 00:12:04.500

you might have to tell that little story then.

298

00:12:04.500 –> 00:12:07.290

<v ->Which one?</v>

<v ->How you met your partner.</v>

299

00:12:07.290 –> 00:12:08.820

<v ->Well I met my partner in college.</v>

300

00:12:08.820 –> 00:12:11.880

So it was just like the college, I grew up in California,

301

00:12:11.880 –> 00:12:13.920

sunny, beautiful California.

302

00:12:13.920 –> 00:12:15.060

I love California.

303

00:12:15.060 –> 00:12:18.570

And somehow I went to college in Cleveland, Ohio

304

00:12:18.570 –> 00:12:20.430

at Case Western Reserve University,

305

00:12:20.430 –> 00:12:22.140

which at the time I wanted to be a veterinarian

306

00:12:22.140 –> 00:12:25.080

and they have a really strong like pre-med programme

307

00:12:25.080 –> 00:12:26.520

and I went there.

308

00:12:26.520 –> 00:12:27.990

So that was really random.

309

00:12:27.990 –> 00:12:30.030

And then I was friends with his-

310

00:12:30.030 –> 00:12:32.490

you know, it’s just like the dorms were near each other.

311

00:12:32.490 –> 00:12:34.410

We became friends by happen chance.

312

00:12:34.410 –> 00:12:35.910

Like we even had friends that,

313

00:12:35.910 –> 00:12:39.030

like my husband now dated one of my friends back then

314

00:12:39.030 –> 00:12:41.550

and I sort of was with one of his friends.

315

00:12:41.550 –> 00:12:43.590

So it’s just all happenstance.

316

00:12:43.590 –> 00:12:46.080

And then at the end of college I graduated early

317

00:12:46.080 –> 00:12:48.033

and I stayed an extra,

318

00:12:49.470 –> 00:12:52.440

like I went back to move out of my apartment and everything

319

00:12:52.440 –> 00:12:55.980

and I had a few weeks where a friend of mine said

320

00:12:55.980 –> 00:12:57.870

I was just going to go home and like start working.

321

00:12:57.870 –> 00:12:59.640

And he said you should stay here longer

322

00:12:59.640 –> 00:13:03.060

because this is going to be the only time in your life

323

00:13:03.060 –> 00:13:04.830

where you truly have no responsibilities

324

00:13:04.830 –> 00:13:06.660

because it’s after college, you’re done with college

325

00:13:06.660 –> 00:13:09.510

and you haven’t started work or a career path or anything.

326

00:13:09.510 –> 00:13:14.250

And that advice to me ended up being the greatest gift

327

00:13:14.250 –> 00:13:16.320

’cause it truly was like the only few weeks

328

00:13:16.320 –> 00:13:18.900

in my whole life that I think I’ll not have had carried

329

00:13:18.900 –> 00:13:21.270

like the weight of everything in the world on my shoulders.

330

00:13:21.270 –> 00:13:22.800

I was just free.

331

00:13:22.800 –> 00:13:26.160

And in that time, Dan and I connected, my husband

332

00:13:26.160 –> 00:13:29.430

and he was finishing up college and when he finished,

333

00:13:29.430 –> 00:13:31.020

he moved back to California with me

334

00:13:31.020 –> 00:13:32.770

and ever since we’ve been together.

335

00:13:34.710 –> 00:13:36.360

<v ->I love those stories.</v>

336

00:13:36.360 –> 00:13:39.210

Okay, so let’s go with the next one, which is,

337

00:13:39.210 –> 00:13:42.330

what’s an interview you’ve done on your podcast

338

00:13:42.330 –> 00:13:44.600

that really maybe surprised you

339

00:13:44.600 –> 00:13:46.593

in one way or another and why?

340

00:13:48.000 –> 00:13:49.773

<v ->Okay, let’s see.</v>

341

00:13:53.400 –> 00:13:54.233

Okay.

342

00:13:56.010 –> 00:13:57.593

Oh my gosh.

343

00:13:57.593 –> 00:13:59.490

We’ve done so many interviews.

344

00:13:59.490 –> 00:14:04.490

We did one on with Dan Buettner on “The Blue Zones”

345

00:14:08.070 –> 00:14:11.553

and I just found that so fascinating.

346

00:14:12.690 –> 00:14:16.110

So there’s these zones, areas of the world,

347

00:14:16.110 –> 00:14:17.040

little pockets of the world,

348

00:14:17.040 –> 00:14:19.920

communities where a lot of the diseases

349

00:14:19.920 –> 00:14:23.490

that everyone else is experiencing just almost don’t exist.

350

00:14:23.490 –> 00:14:25.890

The rates of heart disease are almost non-existent.

351

00:14:25.890 –> 00:14:29.719

Diabetes, all these things that we struggle with as a world

352

00:14:29.719 –> 00:14:31.860

don’t exist in these populations.

353

00:14:31.860 –> 00:14:36.695

And so he studied them and identified these blue zones

354

00:14:36.695 –> 00:14:40.380

and then studied them to figure out why,

355

00:14:40.380 –> 00:14:41.697

like, why these diseases didn’t exist.

356

00:14:41.697 –> 00:14:44.160

And a lot of it had to do with what they were eating

357

00:14:44.160 –> 00:14:48.960

their lifestyle, eating a lot of plants, not eating animals,

358

00:14:48.960 –> 00:14:51.120

like all these things, that is so fascinating

359

00:14:51.120 –> 00:14:53.403

but it was what I didn’t realise,

360

00:14:54.385 –> 00:14:55.650

I didn’t know that,

361

00:14:55.650 –> 00:14:57.750

like the person who invented that concept,

362

00:14:57.750 –> 00:14:59.970

I’d heard of it so many times, like is here

363

00:14:59.970 –> 00:15:02.223

and like did all that research himself.

364

00:15:03.960 –> 00:15:06.330

So bringing him on the podcast and like learning like,

365

00:15:06.330 –> 00:15:10.230

oh, Dan Buettner created this whole phenomenon

366

00:15:10.230 –> 00:15:13.500

that’s now kind of driving a lot of the health awareness

367

00:15:13.500 –> 00:15:15.570

and knowledge today is so cool.

368

00:15:15.570 –> 00:15:17.580

It’s like the power of what one person can do

369

00:15:17.580 –> 00:15:21.960

who just has an interest to learn and explore

370

00:15:21.960 –> 00:15:23.640

and gain knowledge.

371

00:15:23.640 –> 00:15:24.900

It’s pretty cool.

372

00:15:24.900 –> 00:15:26.910

<v ->Yeah, he’s amazing.</v>

373

00:15:26.910 –> 00:15:28.950

Okay, I’m going to have to make a note.

374

00:15:28.950 –> 00:15:30.511

Get him on this show too.

375

00:15:30.511 –> 00:15:31.680

<v ->Yeah, yeah.</v>

376

00:15:31.680 –> 00:15:33.240

He was a good podcast guest.

377

00:15:33.240 –> 00:15:35.640

<v ->Okay, well last one, one more podcast one.</v>

378

00:15:35.640 –> 00:15:38.970

Who is someone you have not yet had on your podcast

379

00:15:38.970 –> 00:15:40.950

that you’re dying to interview?

380

00:15:40.950 –> 00:15:42.540

<v ->Ooh, okay.</v>

381

00:15:42.540 –> 00:15:45.597

Oh, we just had Peter Singer who’s like one-

382

00:15:45.597 –> 00:15:47.130

<v ->Oh.</v>

<v ->I love him so much.</v>

383

00:15:47.130 –> 00:15:48.380

He was great.

<v ->Wow.</v>

384

00:15:49.302 –> 00:15:54.302

<v ->I would love to have Jane Goodall.</v>

385

00:15:56.340 –> 00:15:57.173

<v ->Mm, yes.</v>

386

00:15:57.173 –> 00:16:00.180

<v ->As a kid she was such a hero to me</v>

387

00:16:00.180 –> 00:16:05.180

and she’s just done so much and she’s been around for a bit.

388

00:16:06.720 –> 00:16:09.060

So I just think it would be really, really special

389

00:16:09.060 –> 00:16:09.893

to have her on.

390

00:16:09.893 –> 00:16:11.490

And I’m also so curious to pick her brains.

391

00:16:11.490 –> 00:16:16.200

Like obviously her focus is chimpanzees and wildlife

392

00:16:16.200 –> 00:16:18.240

and protecting our planet,

393

00:16:18.240 –> 00:16:21.390

but she also has really strong feelings about what we eat

394

00:16:21.390 –> 00:16:23.490

and how we can eat sustainably and healthfully

395

00:16:23.490 –> 00:16:25.830

and in alignment with our world.

396

00:16:25.830 –> 00:16:27.720

And I would love to like learn more

397

00:16:27.720 –> 00:16:30.540

about her philosophy around that and where she stands

398

00:16:30.540 –> 00:16:33.810

and encourage her to do more advocacy

399

00:16:33.810 –> 00:16:35.313

on the plant-based front.

400

00:16:36.150 –> 00:16:37.620

<v ->Yes, I love that.</v>

401

00:16:37.620 –> 00:16:39.450

Okay, fabulous.

402

00:16:39.450 –> 00:16:41.010

Okay, I’d love to shift.

403

00:16:41.010 –> 00:16:46.010

Can you share what you believe is your life’s purpose

404

00:16:46.770 –> 00:16:48.423

and how you came to realise it?

405

00:16:50.760 –> 00:16:52.860

<v ->I believe my life’s purpose</v>

406

00:16:52.860 –> 00:16:57.060

is to help create a kinder world

407

00:16:57.060 –> 00:17:00.123

in the greatest capacity that I can.

408

00:17:02.010 –> 00:17:05.520

And I came to that, I think it started early,

409

00:17:05.520 –> 00:17:07.623

I think it’s always kind of been in me.

410

00:17:11.640 –> 00:17:13.230

When I was eight years old

411

00:17:13.230 –> 00:17:16.200

is when I kind of decided to stop eating animals.

412

00:17:16.200 –> 00:17:17.490

It really wasn’t then

413

00:17:17.490 –> 00:17:19.650

that I thought I could impact the world.

414

00:17:19.650 –> 00:17:21.630

But once I learned about factory farming

415

00:17:21.630 –> 00:17:23.880

and just like started to become aware

416

00:17:23.880 –> 00:17:25.650

of a lot of the really terrible things

417

00:17:25.650 –> 00:17:26.580

that are happening in our world

418

00:17:26.580 –> 00:17:28.110

that none of us are paying attention to,

419

00:17:28.110 –> 00:17:30.180

we’re just like going and grabbing a Starbucks

420

00:17:30.180 –> 00:17:33.900

and driving around and playing games and watching TV

421

00:17:33.900 –> 00:17:36.450

when there’s suffering happening.

422

00:17:36.450 –> 00:17:38.190

There’s really terrible things

423

00:17:38.190 –> 00:17:39.540

and we just don’t even look at it.

424

00:17:39.540 –> 00:17:42.810

And a lot of us have such power to make a huge impact

425

00:17:42.810 –> 00:17:45.450

that we just either don’t know about or haven’t tapped into

426

00:17:45.450 –> 00:17:48.750

or are just avoiding or don’t pay attention to.

427

00:17:48.750 –> 00:17:50.880

So I think there’s so much change

428

00:17:50.880 –> 00:17:52.440

and shift that can happen.

429

00:17:52.440 –> 00:17:54.844

So much suffering that can be relieved

430

00:17:54.844 –> 00:17:58.320

if people just like wake up a little bit more.

431

00:17:58.320 –> 00:18:01.140

And so that’s what I’m trying to do

432

00:18:01.140 –> 00:18:04.920

is just like tap on what we all already want,

433

00:18:04.920 –> 00:18:06.930

which is just to be good kind human beings

434

00:18:06.930 –> 00:18:07.980

and enjoy our lives

435

00:18:07.980 –> 00:18:10.950

and have other people enjoy their lives too

436

00:18:10.950 –> 00:18:13.830

and have a planet that lasts.

437

00:18:13.830 –> 00:18:16.260

So to just kind of be a resource

438

00:18:16.260 –> 00:18:18.363

to help people find easy ways to do that.

439

00:18:19.620 –> 00:18:20.550

<v ->Amazing.</v>

440

00:18:20.550 –> 00:18:22.920

Can you talk a little bit about the evolution

441

00:18:22.920 –> 00:18:26.010

of your career, of your entrepreneurship,

442

00:18:26.010 –> 00:18:27.840

how that all came to be?

443

00:18:27.840 –> 00:18:30.750

<v ->Yeah, so I’ve always been a huge animal lover</v>

444

00:18:30.750 –> 00:18:32.040

and that’s how it started.

445

00:18:32.040 –> 00:18:34.320

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to be a veterinarian

446

00:18:34.320 –> 00:18:36.330

’cause I just thought that was the way I could plug in

447

00:18:36.330 –> 00:18:40.350

and help animals but I did not go that route.

448

00:18:40.350 –> 00:18:41.280

And I realised like,

449

00:18:41.280 –> 00:18:44.340

there’s lots of people treating people’s pets.

450

00:18:44.340 –> 00:18:47.850

But when I learned about the advocacy work

451

00:18:47.850 –> 00:18:51.390

and basically became aware

452

00:18:51.390 –> 00:18:55.200

of like how much change can happen on a far greater scale

453

00:18:55.200 –> 00:18:58.410

than individually helping individuals, individual animals,

454

00:18:58.410 –> 00:19:00.810

then I started shifting my thinking to like,

455

00:19:00.810 –> 00:19:04.353

how could I apply myself to really make a huge impact?

456

00:19:05.400 –> 00:19:08.970

And a big thing is just like being a support for people.

457

00:19:08.970 –> 00:19:10.470

Like showing people an example.

458

00:19:10.470 –> 00:19:12.030

Like there is a way to live healthier.

459

00:19:12.030 –> 00:19:13.710

There is a way to live kinder,

460

00:19:13.710 –> 00:19:15.240

there’s a way to live more sustainably

461

00:19:15.240 –> 00:19:17.040

and it doesn’t have to be harder or not fun.

462

00:19:17.040 –> 00:19:18.813

It can be amazing.

463

00:19:20.040 –> 00:19:22.680

And so I started down that path.

464

00:19:22.680 –> 00:19:25.920

In the early days, I guess I would’ve considered myself

465

00:19:25.920 –> 00:19:27.510

like an animal activist.

466

00:19:27.510 –> 00:19:31.360

I’d go to protests for things that I believed were wrong

467

00:19:32.430 –> 00:19:37.260

and whatnot but I’ve evolved away from that.

468

00:19:37.260 –> 00:19:38.883

I’ve found that like the most,

469

00:19:40.740 –> 00:19:44.220

I have much more impact when I’m just being a kind,

470

00:19:44.220 –> 00:19:48.390

happy example and supportive of people

471

00:19:48.390 –> 00:19:50.310

and being super non-judgmental

472

00:19:50.310 –> 00:19:52.770

and instead of like kind of the in your face approach,

473

00:19:52.770 –> 00:19:55.950

just like sharing amazing food

474

00:19:55.950 –> 00:19:58.200

and being a source of inspiration

475

00:19:58.200 –> 00:20:01.260

that people can choose if they want.

476

00:20:01.260 –> 00:20:03.090

So that’s kind of been the evolution.

477

00:20:03.090 –> 00:20:06.930

And then I worked for different non-profits for a while.

478

00:20:06.930 –> 00:20:09.480

So that’s kind of the initial career path that I took.

479

00:20:09.480 –> 00:20:12.600

And I was actually, I got laid off from a job

480

00:20:12.600 –> 00:20:15.840

and that’s when I decided to start World of Vegan.

481

00:20:15.840 –> 00:20:18.570

Also by happenstance a friend met me in a cafe

482

00:20:18.570 –> 00:20:19.920

and I was trying to figure out

483

00:20:19.920 –> 00:20:20.903

what company do I want to work for,

484

00:20:20.903 –> 00:20:22.590

I’m not really sure.

485

00:20:22.590 –> 00:20:23.423

And he was like,

486

00:20:23.423 –> 00:20:25.440

why don’t you just start your own?

487

00:20:25.440 –> 00:20:28.590

And I didn’t have that belief in myself

488

00:20:28.590 –> 00:20:31.377

to even consider doing that or think that I could.

489

00:20:31.377 –> 00:20:34.380

And I really didn’t believe it would stick or stay

490

00:20:34.380 –> 00:20:37.620

or that I’d be able to make that my full-time career.

491

00:20:37.620 –> 00:20:39.960

But I thought, okay, I’ll take a couple of months

492

00:20:39.960 –> 00:20:41.040

and just start something.

493

00:20:41.040 –> 00:20:43.140

So like in my parents’ basement,

494

00:20:43.140 –> 00:20:45.060

basically I started World of Vegan.

495

00:20:45.060 –> 00:20:47.100

I had no HTML knowledge,

496

00:20:47.100 –> 00:20:50.280

I just created a website and started doing that

497

00:20:50.280 –> 00:20:51.810

while doing freelance work on the side

498

00:20:51.810 –> 00:20:53.700

with like photography and stuff.

499

00:20:53.700 –> 00:20:56.580

And it blossomed into something where every single month

500

00:20:56.580 –> 00:21:01.580

after that, I somehow made more income

501

00:21:01.620 –> 00:21:03.540

than I was on my other job.

502

00:21:03.540 –> 00:21:06.930

And I hustled, I worked a lot,

503

00:21:06.930 –> 00:21:09.750

but the point was it was not a sacrifice.

504

00:21:09.750 –> 00:21:12.270

Like I was able to do even more by myself

505

00:21:12.270 –> 00:21:15.240

and it just continued to grow.

506

00:21:15.240 –> 00:21:16.830

I never expected to have a team.

507

00:21:16.830 –> 00:21:20.490

And now we have like an incredible team at World of Vegan.

508

00:21:20.490 –> 00:21:22.020

We just relaunched our site at World of Vegan,

509

00:21:22.020 –> 00:21:24.510

which is so cool ’cause it’s a huge investment.

510

00:21:24.510 –> 00:21:27.840

And I never really invested in what I was doing

511

00:21:27.840 –> 00:21:29.700

because I didn’t think of it as a business.

512

00:21:29.700 –> 00:21:31.320

I just thought of it as like a passion

513

00:21:31.320 –> 00:21:33.960

a project to help the world and help people.

514

00:21:33.960 –> 00:21:37.320

And so now I’m shifting to try and think of,

515

00:21:37.320 –> 00:21:41.370

okay, this is a thing and it’s amazing

516

00:21:41.370 –> 00:21:42.720

and I’m trying to learn

517

00:21:42.720 –> 00:21:46.380

how to think more like an entrepreneur and a business

518

00:21:46.380 –> 00:21:48.875

and how can we make the most out of

519

00:21:48.875 –> 00:21:51.000

the opportunities that are now here

520

00:21:51.000 –> 00:21:53.310

that we’re reaching people.

521

00:21:53.310 –> 00:21:56.970

So how can we create great change with what we’ve now built?

522

00:21:56.970 –> 00:21:58.050

So it’s pretty cool.

523

00:21:58.050 –> 00:22:00.660

It’s an exciting pathway as an entrepreneur.

524

00:22:00.660 –> 00:22:02.010

<v ->That’s so amazing.</v>

525

00:22:02.010 –> 00:22:05.970

What year was it that you started World of Vegan?

526

00:22:05.970 –> 00:22:10.080

<v ->I started in 2015, but I actually started,</v>

527

00:22:10.080 –> 00:22:12.660

so the earlier version was called Vegan Break,

528

00:22:12.660 –> 00:22:14.070

Bite-Sized Vegan Videos.

529

00:22:14.070 –> 00:22:16.020

And I did that like at the beginning of YouTube.

530

00:22:16.020 –> 00:22:19.860

It was like, I think 2009, 2008-2009,

531

00:22:19.860 –> 00:22:21.480

I started creating videos just to try

532

00:22:21.480 –> 00:22:24.420

and basically be a friend because at that time,

533

00:22:24.420 –> 00:22:25.253

if you were vegan,

534

00:22:25.253 –> 00:22:26.910

you didn’t know other vegans a lot of the time.

535

00:22:26.910 –> 00:22:29.149

So you felt very alone.

536

00:22:29.149 –> 00:22:31.770

You’re around your family, like no one gets it.

537

00:22:31.770 –> 00:22:34.560

So it was just that like online resource for people

538

00:22:34.560 –> 00:22:38.070

and it started very small, but it was very fulfilling

539

00:22:38.070 –> 00:22:40.740

because there wasn’t a lot of other content out there.

540

00:22:40.740 –> 00:22:42.180

And boy have things changed.

541

00:22:42.180 –> 00:22:44.160

Now everybody is a content creator

542

00:22:44.160 –> 00:22:47.040

and there’s so many resources out there

543

00:22:47.040 –> 00:22:49.680

and so many more people are stepping into

544

00:22:49.680 –> 00:22:51.090

living helpfully and compassionately

545

00:22:51.090 –> 00:22:53.670

so it’s really cool to see that progress.

546

00:22:53.670 –> 00:22:54.503

<v ->So cool.</v>

547

00:22:54.503 –> 00:22:57.690

I remember starting Sexy Fit Vegan as a website

548

00:22:57.690 –> 00:22:59.970

and a blog in 2013.

549

00:22:59.970 –> 00:23:01.022

<v ->Oh my gosh.</v>

550

00:23:01.022 –> 00:23:01.855

<v ->Yeah.</v>

551

00:23:01.855 –> 00:23:03.270

And I had no idea what I was doing

552

00:23:03.270 –> 00:23:06.540

or how that was ever going to turn into a business.

553

00:23:06.540 –> 00:23:08.160

I just felt called to do it.

554

00:23:08.160 –> 00:23:11.662

And so yeah, I can totally relate.

555

00:23:11.662 –> 00:23:15.720

Who do you envision

556

00:23:15.720 –> 00:23:18.510

when you think about who you built this for?

557

00:23:18.510 –> 00:23:21.390

And can you just tell us a little bit more about

558

00:23:21.390 –> 00:23:23.340

what people can find on the website

559

00:23:23.340 –> 00:23:26.283

and how it can help them of all walks of life?

560

00:23:27.489 –> 00:23:31.440

<v ->I’ve really built it for kind of myself when I was younger</v>

561

00:23:31.440 –> 00:23:33.270

and transitioning to be vegan.

562

00:23:33.270 –> 00:23:37.680

So I decided I wanted to go vegan when I was in college.

563

00:23:37.680 –> 00:23:39.180

And at the time,

564

00:23:39.180 –> 00:23:41.370

like I was so passionate about helping animals,

565

00:23:41.370 –> 00:23:43.290

as soon as I realised what was happening

566

00:23:43.290 –> 00:23:45.030

in the dairy and egg industries and everything,

567

00:23:45.030 –> 00:23:47.940

I was like, okay, even if it’s going to be bad for my health,

568

00:23:47.940 –> 00:23:48.960

which I thought it would be,

569

00:23:48.960 –> 00:23:51.738

and even if it was going to be like terrible for me

570

00:23:51.738 –> 00:23:55.023

and a huge sacrifice, I was going to do it.

571

00:23:56.190 –> 00:23:59.010

And over time, I realised holy moly,

572

00:23:59.010 –> 00:24:00.960

this is actually so much better for my health

573

00:24:00.960 –> 00:24:03.090

and it’s so delicious and it’s not a sacrifice.

574

00:24:03.090 –> 00:24:06.420

But that took like a decade to like really learn how to cook

575

00:24:06.420 –> 00:24:08.460

and get all this information.

576

00:24:08.460 –> 00:24:10.950

And it’s kind of like when you take a course on something,

577

00:24:10.950 –> 00:24:13.440

instead of it taking 10 years to learn yourself,

578

00:24:13.440 –> 00:24:16.440

you can learn it in like a day or a week.

579

00:24:16.440 –> 00:24:18.360

You just accelerate the knowledge

580

00:24:18.360 –> 00:24:22.590

and it prevents a lot of the pain points

581

00:24:22.590 –> 00:24:23.910

of making the transition.

582

00:24:23.910 –> 00:24:26.940

So I created World of Vegan

583

00:24:26.940 –> 00:24:28.980

to help alleviate those pain points,

584

00:24:28.980 –> 00:24:30.990

make it easier for people to transition

585

00:24:30.990 –> 00:24:33.570

in the direction that they already know they want to go in

586

00:24:33.570 –> 00:24:36.900

and make it really fun

587

00:24:36.900 –> 00:24:41.900

to make it not, like I always say vegan is not a diet.

588

00:24:43.230 –> 00:24:47.820

This is not a thing you’re making yourself do.

589

00:24:47.820 –> 00:24:51.420

This is like an amazing compassionate lifestyle.

590

00:24:51.420 –> 00:24:56.420

And to focus on all the vibrant ingredients and foods

591

00:24:56.610 –> 00:24:59.880

and recipes and choices that we can be making

592

00:24:59.880 –> 00:25:01.830

that feel so good.

593

00:25:01.830 –> 00:25:03.510

Not only because they’re fueling our body

594

00:25:03.510 –> 00:25:05.670

in really helpful ways,

595

00:25:05.670 –> 00:25:07.320

but also because they’re standing for something

596

00:25:07.320 –> 00:25:08.886

that means something to us.

597

00:25:08.886 –> 00:25:12.180

It feels so satisfying going to sleep at night

598

00:25:12.180 –> 00:25:15.270

knowing my choices were aligned with our planet

599

00:25:15.270 –> 00:25:19.770

and our ecosystem and the best choices that I could make

600

00:25:19.770 –> 00:25:20.670

with what I know

601

00:25:20.670 –> 00:25:23.580

to make sure I’m treating my fellow human beings well

602

00:25:23.580 –> 00:25:26.370

and animals well, kindly.

603

00:25:26.370 –> 00:25:29.910

So it just, yeah, across the board felt good.

604

00:25:29.910 –> 00:25:31.230

<v ->Yeah.</v>

605

00:25:31.230 –> 00:25:34.440

I remember listening to you get interviewed

606

00:25:34.440 –> 00:25:36.780

and you talking about being an introvert

607

00:25:36.780 –> 00:25:38.526

and this is interesting

608

00:25:38.526 –> 00:25:40.980

for somebody who’s in front of people

609

00:25:40.980 –> 00:25:43.740

and kind of putting yourself out there

610

00:25:43.740 –> 00:25:46.980

as the face of this and being an example.

611

00:25:46.980 –> 00:25:50.460

And I can relate ’cause I’m an extreme introvert myself

612

00:25:50.460 –> 00:25:55.460

and that interesting dynamic of feeling

613

00:25:56.970 –> 00:26:01.970

called to be in front of the camera and sharing

614

00:26:02.250 –> 00:26:05.730

and at the same time really preferring not to be

615

00:26:05.730 –> 00:26:08.291

in the limelight whatsoever.

616

00:26:08.291 –> 00:26:10.290

<v ->Yeah.</v>

617

00:26:10.290 –> 00:26:11.937

<v ->How do you navigate that?</v>

618

00:26:11.937 –> 00:26:14.820

How has that kind of shaped how you do things?

619

00:26:14.820 –> 00:26:16.110

How you think about what you do

620

00:26:16.110 –> 00:26:18.693

and your career and business?

621

00:26:19.710 –> 00:26:20.970

<v ->It’s really interesting</v>

622

00:26:20.970 –> 00:26:23.310

because a lot of online content creators

623

00:26:23.310 –> 00:26:27.150

that I’ve met over time are also introverts

624

00:26:27.150 –> 00:26:28.410

and are also like,

625

00:26:28.410 –> 00:26:31.380

I meet them out at events and as public figures

626

00:26:31.380 –> 00:26:33.690

for different organisations or companies

627

00:26:33.690 –> 00:26:36.210

and we’re out there doing the work

628

00:26:36.210 –> 00:26:39.243

even though it is super draining and exhausting.

629

00:26:40.590 –> 00:26:42.690

For me, when I was in college

630

00:26:42.690 –> 00:26:44.970

and I decided I didn’t want to be a veterinarian.

631

00:26:44.970 –> 00:26:47.220

I wanted to just help create a kinder world.

632

00:26:47.220 –> 00:26:50.310

I thought based on what I had seen modelled

633

00:26:50.310 –> 00:26:51.870

that the only route to do that

634

00:26:51.870 –> 00:26:53.850

and to really make an impact on people

635

00:26:53.850 –> 00:26:55.800

was to become a public speaker.

636

00:26:55.800 –> 00:26:58.200

And there’s nothing that I dreaded more

637

00:26:58.200 –> 00:27:00.120

than getting up on a stage and speaking.

638

00:27:00.120 –> 00:27:01.140

It wasn’t just dread.

639

00:27:01.140 –> 00:27:04.470

Like, when I get up on a stage, my mind goes blank

640

00:27:04.470 –> 00:27:06.843

my mouth is dry, I have to poop.

641

00:27:07.800 –> 00:27:09.870

Tony and I, my podcast co-host and I

642

00:27:09.870 –> 00:27:12.000

always talk about how there’s like the nervous poops

643

00:27:12.000 –> 00:27:15.150

when you go on, like before something, you’re nervous

644

00:27:15.150 –> 00:27:16.290

or you go on TV.

645

00:27:16.290 –> 00:27:17.790

Immediately right before the show

646

00:27:17.790 –> 00:27:20.250

you’re always like, ah, I got to poop.

647

00:27:20.250 –> 00:27:22.320

But like, just all the things in your body

648

00:27:22.320 –> 00:27:24.090

just being like making it so hard

649

00:27:24.090 –> 00:27:26.460

to push through those to deliver a message.

650

00:27:26.460 –> 00:27:27.660

And I tried, I did.

651

00:27:27.660 –> 00:27:29.250

So I pushed myself in that direction

652

00:27:29.250 –> 00:27:32.580

because I knew there’s not a lot of voices out there

653

00:27:32.580 –> 00:27:35.790

like, I need to do this. And so I will just learn.

654

00:27:35.790 –> 00:27:37.290

I signed up for Toastmasters

655

00:27:37.290 –> 00:27:40.080

to learn how to give speeches better.

656

00:27:40.080 –> 00:27:41.070

<v ->Yeah, me too.</v>

657

00:27:41.070 –> 00:27:43.410

<v ->Oh, it was paralysing, it was petrifying,</v>

658

00:27:43.410 –> 00:27:45.810

but also, you get more comfortable doing it

659

00:27:45.810 –> 00:27:48.033

but it didn’t feel me.

660

00:27:49.200 –> 00:27:51.540

I always walked away feeling like

661

00:27:51.540 –> 00:27:54.930

I did not communicate myself as well as I wish that I had

662

00:27:54.930 –> 00:27:58.170

so it didn’t feel good, but I did it.

663

00:27:58.170 –> 00:28:00.810

And when I worked for nonprofits,

664

00:28:00.810 –> 00:28:03.720

I would speak with the news or I would host events.

665

00:28:03.720 –> 00:28:08.520

I was a very public figure and I stepped into those roles.

666

00:28:08.520 –> 00:28:12.000

But today the options are so vast.

667

00:28:12.000 –> 00:28:14.520

Like if you don’t want to be in front of an audience

668

00:28:14.520 –> 00:28:15.720

of 1,000 people,

669

00:28:15.720 –> 00:28:18.780

you can be in the comfort of your own office

670

00:28:18.780 –> 00:28:21.540

with like your nice candle flickering next to you

671

00:28:21.540 –> 00:28:23.940

and no one here

672

00:28:23.940 –> 00:28:26.100

and you can still talk to 1,000 people.

673

00:28:26.100 –> 00:28:27.900

In fact, you can talk to a million people,

674

00:28:27.900 –> 00:28:30.030

you can talk to 10 million people.

675

00:28:30.030 –> 00:28:34.140

You can find the ways that you can use your voice

676

00:28:34.140 –> 00:28:35.430

or if it’s not your voice,

677

00:28:35.430 –> 00:28:38.280

whatever gifts that you have to share

678

00:28:38.280 –> 00:28:39.720

or things that you want to share.

679

00:28:39.720 –> 00:28:42.120

There’s infinite ways to do it.

680

00:28:42.120 –> 00:28:47.120

And I think a lot of the online resources and creativity

681

00:28:47.430 –> 00:28:50.801

really suited my introvert life well.

682

00:28:50.801 –> 00:28:51.993

<v ->Yeah.</v>

683

00:28:51.993 –> 00:28:54.420

<v ->Because yeah, you can do it in your pyjamas.</v>

684

00:28:54.420 –> 00:28:56.310

You don’t have to interact with a human being

685

00:28:56.310 –> 00:28:59.040

and that like, I don’t feel tired after doing that.

686

00:28:59.040 –> 00:29:00.450

I feel like I want to stay up all night

687

00:29:00.450 –> 00:29:03.360

and jump up the next morning and do it again.

688

00:29:03.360 –> 00:29:08.360

So I’ve really leaned into that

689

00:29:08.580 –> 00:29:10.320

but I’ve also still tried to push myself

690

00:29:10.320 –> 00:29:11.670

outside of my comfort zone

691

00:29:11.670 –> 00:29:13.080

’cause that’s where growth happens

692

00:29:13.080 –> 00:29:15.240

and you do see it become so much easier.

693

00:29:15.240 –> 00:29:17.310

I did not used to be able to talk in front of a camera,

694

00:29:17.310 –> 00:29:19.470

like my early YouTube videos.

695

00:29:19.470 –> 00:29:22.920

Oh, they’re so painful to watch because I was so nervous

696

00:29:22.920 –> 00:29:25.200

but now, the nerves are gone.

697

00:29:25.200 –> 00:29:27.583

So on the one hand like push through

698

00:29:27.583 –> 00:29:30.082

like your own boundaries

699

00:29:30.082 –> 00:29:34.110

and try and challenge yourself, but on the other hand,

700

00:29:34.110 –> 00:29:35.760

like this is your life

701

00:29:35.760 –> 00:29:38.910

and you want to do things that really fuel you

702

00:29:38.910 –> 00:29:41.280

and don’t leave you permanently exhausted all the time.

703

00:29:41.280 –> 00:29:42.690

That’s a road to burnout.

704

00:29:42.690 –> 00:29:46.200

So finding things that align with your natural tendencies

705

00:29:46.200 –> 00:29:47.943

is I think really important too.

706

00:29:48.810 –> 00:29:50.670

<v ->Yeah, and I think you’re absolutely right.</v>

707

00:29:50.670 –> 00:29:54.539

And that’s also a component of being healthy

708

00:29:54.539 –> 00:29:57.900

from a holistic standpoint.

709

00:29:57.900 –> 00:30:00.810

What would your definition of holistic health be?

710

00:30:00.810 –> 00:30:02.810

It’s something I’d like to ask, I guess.

711

00:30:03.840 –> 00:30:04.683

<v ->Interesting.</v>

712

00:30:05.910 –> 00:30:10.910

I think, well, personal wellbeing, considering everything,

713

00:30:11.490 –> 00:30:14.280

like all the parts, like it’s not just food,

714

00:30:14.280 –> 00:30:15.450

it’s not just one thing,

715

00:30:15.450 –> 00:30:20.390

it’s just yeah, considering everything.

716

00:30:22.320 –> 00:30:24.013

<v ->Well, so considering everything,</v>

717

00:30:24.013 –> 00:30:29.013

what components of holistic health have come relatively

718

00:30:29.250 –> 00:30:33.600

or come relatively easy for you, and then vice versa,

719

00:30:33.600 –> 00:30:37.800

which components have been the most challenging for you?

720

00:30:37.800 –> 00:30:39.060

<v ->Okay.</v>

721

00:30:39.060 –> 00:30:41.100

One of the things that’s really important to me

722

00:30:41.100 –> 00:30:43.473

is removing stress from my life.

723

00:30:45.240 –> 00:30:47.370

I have IBD, I have ulcerative colitis,

724

00:30:47.370 –> 00:30:48.930

which is an autoimmune condition.

725

00:30:48.930 –> 00:30:52.440

And one of the things that can trigger it is stress.

726

00:30:52.440 –> 00:30:54.990

And it’s kind of scary because a lot of times

727

00:30:54.990 –> 00:30:56.970

you can’t control stress in your life

728

00:30:56.970 –> 00:31:01.590

but it’s very interesting how mindset is so powerful.

729

00:31:01.590 –> 00:31:03.125

And I’ve just found like

730

00:31:03.125 –> 00:31:06.540

there’s a lot you really can control in terms of stress

731

00:31:06.540 –> 00:31:09.360

and what you allow yourself to take on and what you don’t.

732

00:31:09.360 –> 00:31:10.920

Some things are unavoidable,

733

00:31:10.920 –> 00:31:13.890

but like my motto is now just like, it’s what it is.

734

00:31:13.890 –> 00:31:15.300

Like get a parking ticket.

735

00:31:15.300 –> 00:31:16.553

It’s what it is.

736

00:31:16.553 –> 00:31:20.441

Everything comes crashing down, it’s what it is.

737

00:31:20.441 –> 00:31:24.150

You work with what you have and whatever happens.

738

00:31:24.150 –> 00:31:28.380

And that in itself has removed stress a lot from my life,

739

00:31:28.380 –> 00:31:32.940

which for me it has a very tangible relation to wellbeing.

740

00:31:32.940 –> 00:31:34.500

But I think in general,

741

00:31:34.500 –> 00:31:38.430

even looking at longevity and mental health

742

00:31:38.430 –> 00:31:42.929

and wellbeing, stress is so important.

743

00:31:42.929 –> 00:31:45.850

It’s important to not have in a bad way

744

00:31:46.763 –> 00:31:48.810

but to push ourselves toward it in a good way.

745

00:31:48.810 –> 00:31:50.553

So that’s one thing.

746

00:31:52.020 –> 00:31:53.460

On the food front,

747

00:31:53.460 –> 00:31:57.690

it’s like the basics of wellbeing and health.

748

00:31:57.690 –> 00:32:01.710

And I think everyone’s kind of got to find their own,

749

00:32:01.710 –> 00:32:05.013

like what aligns with them. It’s different for everyone.

750

00:32:06.990 –> 00:32:09.780

Eating the perfect, optimal healthy diet

751

00:32:09.780 –> 00:32:12.720

might be super aligned with someone

752

00:32:12.720 –> 00:32:15.360

and that is the best way that they can live

753

00:32:15.360 –> 00:32:17.610

and they get up and feel so good

754

00:32:17.610 –> 00:32:19.110

and they’re going to live the longest life.

755

00:32:19.110 –> 00:32:22.500

But if that’s a struggle for you every single day,

756

00:32:22.500 –> 00:32:25.770

that’s maybe not the perfect way for you.

757

00:32:25.770 –> 00:32:29.823

Like for me, I’ll eat pasta.

758

00:32:31.200 –> 00:32:34.410

I’ll eat things, but then I’ll also infuse a lot of health

759

00:32:34.410 –> 00:32:39.360

and that’s been the way that food is like my best friend

760

00:32:39.360 –> 00:32:41.340

and in no way my enemy

761

00:32:41.340 –> 00:32:44.490

and also brings no stress into my life.

762

00:32:44.490 –> 00:32:46.440

I love it, I love eating healthy food,

763

00:32:46.440 –> 00:32:50.850

but I also, I don’t hold myself back from things.

764

00:32:50.850 –> 00:32:55.260

So for me that, like finding a very comfortable

765

00:32:55.260 –> 00:32:57.693

and healthy balance, a lot of it is like,

766

00:32:57.693 –> 00:33:00.330

it’s just tuning in and being thoughtful

767

00:33:00.330 –> 00:33:04.248

about all these different aspects of like, it’s meditation,

768

00:33:04.248 –> 00:33:06.960

something you want to incorporate and all these things.

769

00:33:06.960 –> 00:33:09.240

Trying them, seeing how they fit with you

770

00:33:09.240 –> 00:33:10.505

and how they resonate

771

00:33:10.505 –> 00:33:13.500

and trying to find ways that feel good.

772

00:33:13.500 –> 00:33:15.360

And if it’s not feeling good,

773

00:33:15.360 –> 00:33:16.734

it doesn’t mean that it’s wrong.

774

00:33:16.734 –> 00:33:19.230

Meditation is so painful in the beginning

775

00:33:19.230 –> 00:33:22.110

when you’re not used to it. It doesn’t mean that it’s wrong,

776

00:33:22.110 –> 00:33:26.640

but maybe there could be a different approach

777

00:33:26.640 –> 00:33:28.410

that feels better for you

778

00:33:28.410 –> 00:33:31.110

so that it doesn’t feel like you’re fighting yourself

779

00:33:31.110 –> 00:33:31.943

in them.

780

00:33:33.450 –> 00:33:37.080

<v ->Yeah, I think what you’re referring to in some sense</v>

781

00:33:37.080 –> 00:33:40.110

is the relationship you have, like with food for example,

782

00:33:40.110 –> 00:33:41.940

you have this relationship with food

783

00:33:41.940 –> 00:33:43.470

where you’ve found the balance

784

00:33:43.470 –> 00:33:45.450

that really just works for you.

785

00:33:45.450 –> 00:33:48.990

And there’s some people that are salt, oil, sugar free

786

00:33:48.990 –> 00:33:52.833

and I am pretty much sugar free, but like I said,

787

00:33:54.270 –> 00:33:56.790

I like to massage my kale with olive oil.

788

00:33:56.790 –> 00:33:59.490

I like to incorporate some of those things,

789

00:33:59.490 –> 00:34:02.610

but it’s done consciously and it’s done mindfully.

790

00:34:02.610 –> 00:34:05.550

And I think that’s the key.

791

00:34:05.550 –> 00:34:07.950

Taking the stress out of eating

792

00:34:07.950 –> 00:34:11.940

because food is not inherently good or bad.

793

00:34:11.940 –> 00:34:13.830

Food’s just food.

<v ->Yeah.</v>

794

00:34:13.830 –> 00:34:16.320

<v ->I love how you talked about kind of letting go</v>

795

00:34:16.320 –> 00:34:18.870

of the things that you don’t have control over

796

00:34:18.870 –> 00:34:22.050

because fighting that is just putting up resistance

797

00:34:22.050 –> 00:34:23.190

that’s causing stress

798

00:34:23.190 –> 00:34:26.130

that is going to end up harming our health.

799

00:34:26.130 –> 00:34:28.773

So that makes a lot sense.

800

00:34:28.773 –> 00:34:31.050

<v ->Yeah and I guess on many fronts,</v>

801

00:34:31.050 –> 00:34:34.680

but especially the food front, if you find your why,

802

00:34:34.680 –> 00:34:37.110

like why do I care about food?

803

00:34:37.110 –> 00:34:39.060

Like do I care about like

804

00:34:39.060 –> 00:34:40.800

living to see my great grandchildren

805

00:34:40.800 –> 00:34:42.930

or do I care about being able to run the marathon

806

00:34:42.930 –> 00:34:45.210

like the fastest or do I care about,

807

00:34:45.210 –> 00:34:46.980

making sure that I’m protecting our planet

808

00:34:46.980 –> 00:34:48.510

and eating as sustainably as possible

809

00:34:48.510 –> 00:34:51.000

or do I care about making sure that no animals are harmed

810

00:34:51.000 –> 00:34:51.960

in the process?

811

00:34:51.960 –> 00:34:54.810

Once you figure out what you really care about,

812

00:34:54.810 –> 00:34:57.390

then the choices that align with that feel good,

813

00:34:57.390 –> 00:35:00.629

you feel really fulfilled by them.

814

00:35:00.629 –> 00:35:02.730

It has another meaning beyond

815

00:35:02.730 –> 00:35:04.380

just the food on your plate.

816

00:35:04.380 –> 00:35:06.750

And then those choices don’t feel hard, they feel easy.

817

00:35:06.750 –> 00:35:10.320

So it’s like these little mind shifts that we can have

818

00:35:10.320 –> 00:35:12.930

that make the things that could feel so hard

819

00:35:12.930 –> 00:35:15.840

with one approach instead feel really easy.

820

00:35:15.840 –> 00:35:16.673

And yeah.

821

00:35:16.673 –> 00:35:18.930

And another thing is just having sources of inspiration,

822

00:35:18.930 –> 00:35:20.490

like listening to podcasts

823

00:35:20.490 –> 00:35:24.030

or for Tony and I hosting the Plant Powered People podcast

824

00:35:24.030 –> 00:35:26.130

every guest that we have on

825

00:35:26.130 –> 00:35:28.170

I leave inspired to do another thing

826

00:35:28.170 –> 00:35:30.870

and it’s not, oh I’m going to make myself do this

827

00:35:30.870 –> 00:35:33.180

’cause it is January 1st and I want to be healthy.

828

00:35:33.180 –> 00:35:34.230

Like, it’s not that at all.

829

00:35:34.230 –> 00:35:35.970

It’s just like, oh my God, I cannot wait.

830

00:35:35.970 –> 00:35:37.020

Like right now

831

00:35:37.020 –> 00:35:39.453

I cannot wait to go make a massaged kale salad.

832

00:35:40.744 –> 00:35:42.660

I’m craving it.

833

00:35:42.660 –> 00:35:45.876

So surrounding yourself by sources of inspiration

834

00:35:45.876 –> 00:35:49.200

and things that will just draw you

835

00:35:49.200 –> 00:35:52.890

towards what is aligned with what you deep down want

836

00:35:52.890 –> 00:35:54.930

is really, really helpful.

837

00:35:54.930 –> 00:35:55.893

<v ->Cool.</v>

838

00:35:55.893 –> 00:35:56.726

Side note about kale,

839

00:35:56.726 –> 00:35:59.269

because I’m literally like on this kale kick

840

00:35:59.269 –> 00:36:04.269

and I know there is a point that you can eat too much.

841

00:36:04.290 –> 00:36:06.690

I mean, you can eat too much of anything, right?

842

00:36:06.690 –> 00:36:09.900

Lately, I’ve been eating it for breakfast and lunch

843

00:36:09.900 –> 00:36:11.670

and then if I need a snack in the afternoon

844

00:36:11.670 –> 00:36:13.743

I’m like, oh my gosh, am I eating too much kale?

845

00:36:13.743 –> 00:36:16.980

Like that sounds ridiculous, but yeah.

846

00:36:16.980 –> 00:36:18.753

<v ->Well, you are not green yet.</v>

847

00:36:19.980 –> 00:36:22.680

I’m curious if your pee ever turns green, but

848

00:36:22.680 –> 00:36:23.513

<v ->I’ll let you know.</v>

<v ->Yeah.</v>

849

00:36:23.513 –> 00:36:24.630

I can’t imagine too much kale.

850

00:36:24.630 –> 00:36:26.520

It’s so cool because it could be in so many forms

851

00:36:26.520 –> 00:36:28.635

like oh, kale is so good.

852

00:36:28.635 –> 00:36:29.820

<v ->Kale’s good.</v>

853

00:36:29.820 –> 00:36:32.910

Especially when massaged with olive oil.

854

00:36:32.910 –> 00:36:33.840

<v ->Yes, yes.</v>

855

00:36:33.840 –> 00:36:38.370

<v ->So, was there any aspect or component of holistic health?</v>

856

00:36:38.370 –> 00:36:41.763

I know you also mentioned about embracing imperfection,

857

00:36:42.675 –> 00:36:44.790

it’s a focus for you.

858

00:36:44.790 –> 00:36:47.100

Can you talk a little bit about that?

859

00:36:47.100 –> 00:36:49.740

<v ->Yeah, so this is something that comes to play a lot</v>

860

00:36:49.740 –> 00:36:53.160

within the vegan and plant-based space.

861

00:36:53.160 –> 00:36:55.650

And there’s a lot of like nitpick

862

00:36:55.650 –> 00:36:56.790

are you sure?

863

00:36:56.790 –> 00:36:59.640

Nitpicking, like is it vegan?

864

00:36:59.640 –> 00:37:00.870

Is it not vegan?

865

00:37:00.870 –> 00:37:01.980

Oh my God, I can’t eat this.

866

00:37:01.980 –> 00:37:04.590

I need to get the ingredients on all the menu items

867

00:37:04.590 –> 00:37:05.820

at a restaurant.

868

00:37:05.820 –> 00:37:09.210

And ultimately again, it comes back to what’s your why.

869

00:37:09.210 –> 00:37:11.640

If your why is protecting animals,

870

00:37:11.640 –> 00:37:13.350

it does not make a difference

871

00:37:13.350 –> 00:37:17.280

whether your brussel sprouts were,

872

00:37:17.280 –> 00:37:20.130

I don’t know how to give an example that’s healthy.

873

00:37:20.130 –> 00:37:22.560

Were fried in the same oil as an animal product,

874

00:37:22.560 –> 00:37:23.790

but you know what I mean?

875

00:37:23.790 –> 00:37:25.200

If it touched an animal product,

876

00:37:25.200 –> 00:37:27.570

it doesn’t make a difference for your why.

877

00:37:27.570 –> 00:37:30.510

But is is it vegan if it touched something?

878

00:37:30.510 –> 00:37:33.240

But the point is a lot of people put these labels

879

00:37:33.240 –> 00:37:35.400

and then try and be perfect within the labels

880

00:37:35.400 –> 00:37:38.250

and that adds a source of stress, frustration,

881

00:37:38.250 –> 00:37:40.320

wanting to give up, feeling not good enough.

882

00:37:40.320 –> 00:37:42.450

All of these things that are not great for our mental health

883

00:37:42.450 –> 00:37:44.520

and the longevity of doing what you want.

884

00:37:44.520 –> 00:37:45.540

A lot of people abandon it

885

00:37:45.540 –> 00:37:48.060

’cause they feel like they can’t do it perfectly.

886

00:37:48.060 –> 00:37:51.870

And so I think if you just take a more holistic approach

887

00:37:51.870 –> 00:37:56.870

and gentle approach of just trying to evolve as a human

888

00:37:57.690 –> 00:37:59.790

and make the best choices that you can with what you know

889

00:37:59.790 –> 00:38:01.560

and constantly be learning.

890

00:38:01.560 –> 00:38:02.730

And when you find out like,

891

00:38:02.730 –> 00:38:04.410

oh, I bought this product from a company

892

00:38:04.410 –> 00:38:06.570

I thought was vegan, and they’re not, interesting.

893

00:38:06.570 –> 00:38:08.040

You don’t have to beat yourself up about it.

894

00:38:08.040 –> 00:38:09.480

We’re not perfect human beings.

895

00:38:09.480 –> 00:38:11.640

We’re not robots and that’s not going to help anything.

896

00:38:11.640 –> 00:38:14.070

The point is just finding these ways

897

00:38:14.070 –> 00:38:17.130

to live in alignment with what we believe

898

00:38:17.130 –> 00:38:19.920

and what’s good for us and what’s good for our world

899

00:38:19.920 –> 00:38:21.960

with the best that we know.

900

00:38:21.960 –> 00:38:23.910

So it’s been a big sort of like

901

00:38:23.910 –> 00:38:26.880

through line in the work that I do at World of Vegan

902

00:38:26.880 –> 00:38:29.400

just because there are a lot of different approaches online

903

00:38:29.400 –> 00:38:32.583

and some of them are a little bit more hard lined,

904

00:38:33.540 –> 00:38:35.160

a little bit more hard lines

905

00:38:35.160 –> 00:38:36.870

where you are vegan or you’re not vegan,

906

00:38:36.870 –> 00:38:38.880

you can be in this club or you can’t,

907

00:38:38.880 –> 00:38:41.100

and we really don’t take that approach.

908

00:38:41.100 –> 00:38:42.780

If you just want to try eating plant-based

909

00:38:42.780 –> 00:38:44.790

for one day a week or whatever,

910

00:38:44.790 –> 00:38:47.400

like any positive choice is a win for you

911

00:38:47.400 –> 00:38:48.720

and it’s a win for our world.

912

00:38:48.720 –> 00:38:53.675

So yeah, we try and remove this idea of perfection

913

00:38:53.675 –> 00:38:58.675

so for yourself, you try and remove the idea of perfection

914

00:38:58.800 –> 00:39:00.480

and then also for everybody else,

915

00:39:00.480 –> 00:39:03.000

like there’s so much judgement . They’re not doing it right.

916

00:39:03.000 –> 00:39:04.200

You’re not this enough.

917

00:39:04.200 –> 00:39:06.390

Like you don’t care about thIS.

918

00:39:06.390 –> 00:39:09.780

And it’s so silly because all of us are flawed.

919

00:39:09.780 –> 00:39:12.060

Like we all have things that we could be doing better.

920

00:39:12.060 –> 00:39:14.280

So just the reminder to ourselves

921

00:39:14.280 –> 00:39:16.650

to just shine that light on ourselves, instead of worrying

922

00:39:16.650 –> 00:39:19.080

about what someone else isn’t doing right.

923

00:39:19.080 –> 00:39:21.570

If we have the capacity to be worrying about that

924

00:39:21.570 –> 00:39:22.590

and doing something about it,

925

00:39:22.590 –> 00:39:23.767

let’s look at ourselves and say,

926

00:39:23.767 –> 00:39:25.710

“well, what could I be doing a little bit better?”

927

00:39:25.710 –> 00:39:28.350

And I guarantee you every single person

928

00:39:28.350 –> 00:39:31.680

can find something that we can be doing better.

929

00:39:31.680 –> 00:39:33.450

<v ->That’s for sure.</v>

930

00:39:33.450 –> 00:39:35.670

Michelle, it’s like everything you’re saying

931

00:39:35.670 –> 00:39:38.310

it feels like a breath of fresh air.

932

00:39:38.310 –> 00:39:39.660

<v ->Aw.</v>

<v ->It really does.</v>

933

00:39:39.660 –> 00:39:41.940

I think it’s beautiful and inspiring

934

00:39:41.940 –> 00:39:45.330

and I think our audience is going to take so much away

935

00:39:45.330 –> 00:39:46.163

from this interview.

936

00:39:46.163 –> 00:39:48.030

I feel like I could talk to you for hours,

937

00:39:48.030 –> 00:39:51.000

but I really, really appreciate you being here.

938

00:39:51.000 –> 00:39:54.390

We’ve got the Plant Powered People podcast,

939

00:39:54.390 –> 00:39:56.040

worldofvegan.com.

940

00:39:56.040 –> 00:39:57.660

Where else can people connect with you

941

00:39:57.660 –> 00:40:00.180

and get your resources?

942

00:40:00.180 –> 00:40:01.013

<v ->Awesome.</v>

943

00:40:01.013 –> 00:40:03.390

I’m most active on Instagram and my Instagram handle

944

00:40:03.390 –> 00:40:06.023

is just vegan, so you can find us there.

945

00:40:06.023 –> 00:40:07.655

<v ->That is amazing.</v>

946

00:40:07.655 –> 00:40:09.120

That is amazing.

947

00:40:09.120 –> 00:40:12.000

<v ->Yeah, you start content early enough</v>

948

00:40:12.000 –> 00:40:14.670

and I highly recommend when there’s new social platforms,

949

00:40:14.670 –> 00:40:17.100

get those keywords ’cause they’re really helpful.

950

00:40:17.100 –> 00:40:19.950

But yeah, I’m doing lots of stuff on Instagram.

951

00:40:19.950 –> 00:40:21.210

A little less active on YouTube,

952

00:40:21.210 –> 00:40:22.560

but we’re on all the social media.

953

00:40:22.560 –> 00:40:25.470

Just socialmedia.com/worldofvegan,

954

00:40:25.470 –> 00:40:30.150

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, all the things.

955

00:40:30.150 –> 00:40:33.840

<v ->Yeah, and we’ll put all those links in the show notes.</v>

956

00:40:33.840 –> 00:40:34.770

Thank you so much.

957

00:40:34.770 –> 00:40:37.290

This has been such a pleasure having you here.

958

00:40:37.290 –> 00:40:38.610

<v ->Oh, it was such an honour.</v>

959

00:40:38.610 –> 00:40:41.220

And thank you for creating so much good in the world

960

00:40:41.220 –> 00:40:42.720

and inspiring so many people.

961

00:40:42.720 –> 00:40:43.553

So thank you.

962

00:40:43.553 –> 00:40:44.386

<v ->Yes, you too.</v>