571: Mimi Bouchard on What It Really Takes to Transform Your Health, Career + Life

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Katie: Hello, and welcome to The Wellness Mama Podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com and wellnesse.com, that’s Wellnesse, which is my personal care line. And this episode is all about what it really takes to transform your health, your career, and your life. And I’m here with Mimi Bouchard, who is a tech CEO and personal development enthusiast. She’s also considered a thought leader, sharing her expertise in both the health and wellness industry and also her practices and teachings around motivation, success, personal development, and relationships.

She underwent a pretty profound transformation herself, and this is a lot of what we talk about today. She also founded an app called Superhuman, where she uses her pragmatic and science-backed approach to self-development to revolutionalize what it means to meditate. And since meditation is something that is very often cited by guests on this podcast as something that they do every single day and that is very important to their life and happiness, I thought this would be another great option to consider.

We talk about how she got into meditation, what her purpose is, and how she considers it her job to help people feel more alive, and how she didn’t actually like meditation for a long time because of the definition she’d been given of it, how she overcame an eating disorder and changed her body through these types of meditation, and how she uses what she calls mental rehearsal meditations to reprogram the mind toward where she wants it to go. We’ll also talk about things like learning to answer the question, who am I, and why that can be so tough. How she uses journaling to improve her life, her own personal 80/20 for health, and so much more. So, I think you’ll enjoy this episode, let’s join Mimi. Mimi, welcome. Thanks so much for being here.

Mimi: Thank you so much, Katie, for having me. I’m so excited for this conversation.

Katie: Me too. And we’re gonna get to talk a lot about some topics that are really important to me and that I don’t get to talk about as much, because a lot of times, the focus is strictly on physical health, and you are an expert in many of the areas that are very, very complementary, but different to that, and I think equally or more important. But before we jump into that, just to start broad, for anybody who may not be familiar with you already, can you just kind of give us a background of how you got into this work that you’re doing now?

Mimi: Yeah, absolutely. So, my name’s Mimi Bouchard. I am a meditation teacher. I own the app Superhuman, the meditation app. And we launched just over a year ago, and it has been crazy the influence that these meditations have had on people all over the world already. It’s just been like the snowball effect. So, I am incredibly proud of the work that I do. And I really think that I present it in quite a different way. It’s pragmatic, not very spiritual meditations, that are designed to literally transform your life, and better your life.

And I always like to say that my purpose with all of this is to help people feel more alive. I think that all of us have struggled in points in our life, you know, with feeling numb. And we are in a society where there are so many things that make us feel numb, from unhealthy foods, to too much screen time, to negativity in the news, constantly. There is so much around us that make us feel numb, and my mission and my purpose is to help people feel more alive, and connect with that aliveness inside of us, because that’s what life is all about.

So, a little bit about me. I actually live in the Bahamas right now, but I’m originally Canadian, lived in London for most of my early 20s, and have always been very into personal development and mindfulness, and transformation and personal development. And I launched my app a couple years ago and it’s been a roller coaster since. And yeah, it’s just been an incredible journey. I’ve been very into this work since I was quite young.

My first personal growth book, I received from my mother when I was 17 years old, and it’s just been an obsession since. I’ve always been very interested in the human brain and our habits, and why we do what we do, and why so many people live a “average existence,” when inside of them, all they want is to be spectacular. And I try to help people find that within them. So, that’s a little bit about me and my work, and my why.

Katie: Well, that was awesome. And I’m glad you touched on meditation early on, because I think this is the thing that, of the almost 600 people I’ve had on this podcast, a high percentage of them have mentioned meditation as one of their non-negotiables that makes their life better. And I think now, there’s been enough talk of meditation that everybody is at least familiar with it as a concept, and thinks of it as something they probably should be doing.

But I also hear from a lot of people that have a lot of trouble integrating it as a habit, or actually doing the process of meditation, or maybe they have misconceptions of it’s supposed to be that you just think of absolutely nothing for, you know, hours at a time, or it seems like there’s a lot of mental hurdles when it comes to actually creating the habit of meditation. So, I’m sure you’ve run into this, because you’ve helped so many people with it. Can you maybe start broad and give us the overview of why meditation to begin with, and then we’ll jump into how do we actually make this a part of our routine?

Mimi: Yeah. So, I’ll start this by saying I am not your traditional meditation teacher. I have never done it conventionally. I actually used to tell people that I’m not the kind of person that meditates. For years, I wouldn’t meditate. And even when I was in this personal development work, I wouldn’t do it. It wasn’t me. My brain works too quickly. I don’t wanna think about nothing. I want to feel invigorated and energized. And I just, I didn’t like the connotation, you know, of the word meditation.

So, when I launched my app, I was actually super close to not even calling it meditation. It’s really more self-improvement audio, functional audio, that you can listen to at any time of the day, to make you feel significantly different, to change your state of being, because your state of being creates your life, and we can get into that more later.

But the reason that I’m so passionate about this work, of my specific unique type of meditation, is because, A, it’s different to anything else out there. It’s truly all about visualizing. You think about something the entire time you’re in this meditation. It reprograms your mind in a way that’s backed by science. So, one of the scientific theories that I really dove into with my team of scientists that I worked with when I was developing the app was the Pavlov dog theory. I was so interested in how we condition our minds as human beings.

And the Pavlov dog theory, everyone knows about it. It’s Pavlov rings the bell, the dog salivates. And it was conditioned over time to salivate when the bell would ring, because it was offered food, and then Pavlov started not offering food, and then ringing the bell, and the dog would still salivate. So, obviously, it would have this physical reaction, before even seeing the food, because it was conditioned. It was a physiological response.

So, I was thinking, okay, wait a second. I’m obsessed with transformation. I’ve transformed my life in countless ways. And we can also get into that later. I’ve changed pretty much every single department of my life, and I’ve created an incredible existence for myself, and I’m super proud of it. And I’m always just so excited to share about how I did that, because it’s actually a lot more easy than you think.

But going back to the point, so, I was trying to think, okay, how do I translate that into actionable tools, that people can use every day? So, back in the day, when I would tell people I wasn’t into meditating, I started recording these voice notes of myself on my phone, little motivational pep talks. And I would listen to them in the morning when I was getting ready, while I was walking to the gym, while I was even, you know, working, I would just listen to them in the background, just to wire my brain to think and feel and believe different thoughts. And it ended up working like the Pavlov dog theory. I was conditioned.

And then the more I listened to these pep talks that I would record for myself when I was doing everyday activities, like getting ready in the morning, walking to the gym, the more I did that, the more I realized, oh my goodness, I’m feeling significantly different, even if I’m not listening to this audio. So I created it, and I hired a whole team of audio engineers to help me create this epic movie moment-like music.

I spent hours and hours recording hundreds of meditations for this app, and created 15 different categories. So, specifically, you have cleaning meditations, cooking meditations, walking meditations, workout meditations, every single type of meditation under the sun. You have, like, legs up wall meditations, to de-bloat and help your circulation, and reduce inflammation. The legs up wall pose is so good for that.

So, I just started getting so creative in this flow of, wow, I can create a meditation for every moment, and you don’t even need to be in that meditative zone to feel the difference. I truly believe that true change and transformation happens in those little, mundane, everyday moments of your life. It’s not in those big, aha moments. It’s really in those small, everyday habitual experiences.

So, to answer your question, this work is so important to me, because it changes lives, and it’s so much easier to do than you think. And even if you’re like me, and you don’t like traditional meditation, try Superhuman meditations, because they’re radically different. They’re energizing. They keep you focused. And you can do them while multitasking. We’re all busy. A lot of people listening to this podcast are mothers. We do not have as much time as we want for ourselves. And I’m not yet a mother, but hoping to be in the coming year or two.

I am a business owner though, and I work a lot, so I know the time restraint problem. But the beauty about these meditations is that you can literally do them anytime, anywhere. And, of course, I’m talking about my products, and I believe in it fully, but even if you don’t want to do my meditation app, I always tell people, just try to visualize and feel like you are where you wanna be, while doing these everyday activities, these everyday moments. Even record voice memos to yourself, to listen to, because the more that you do that and the more you’re reminded of your potential in these everyday, mundane moments, the more you do that, the more you transform.

And then one day, you’re gonna be walking to work and you’re not even gonna have to play a walking meditation to feel radically different, to feel confident, powerful, excited about life, abundant. And I can tell you some crazy stories that have happened to me and the thousands of my members on the platform of how we’ve created our dream life. I don’t even like using the word “manifest,” because I think it has a different connotation to it. I’m very science-backed. I’m not overly spiritual.

I like to just get it done. I’m action-focused. But I have manifested so much in my life, from wealth to relationships, to living on an island, to literally having it all. You know, my best body. I used to be 20 pounds heavier. I used to struggle a lot with body image issues and eating disorder. And I simply feel like I cracked the code. And that code is you need to become the kind of person that has what you want before having what you want.

You need to literally change your self-image, and become that person before it happens. That’s the only way to get there. And it can be effortless. It can be so much easier than you think. I’m writing a book right now, and the whole gist of it is talking about how it can literally be effortless. You just need to change the core of who you are first, adjust it to be more aligned with who you wanna be, and then all the outside layers… Let’s, you know, envision an onion. The core bulb is your self-image, and the other layers on top of it, that’s everything you’re producing in your life.

You just gotta change the one thing at the core, and then you see this, like, domino effect in every area of your life. And I’m living proof. My 10,000-plus members on the app are living proof. It’s radical what can change in your life when you change your self-image, when you change how you think, feel, and believe.

Katie: Yeah. Like you, I’m very action-oriented, and love the science side of things. And the past couple of years, have kind of gone on a deep dive myself into understanding the role of the subconscious and just how powerful it is. And I think it was Carl Jung who said, “Until we make the subconscious conscious, it will rule our lives and we’ll call it fate.” But I think people often underestimate, and it often gets, like, kind of wraps into the realm of the woo, or things that make it more esoteric and hard to understand.

But the stats on this are actually really, really solid. The idea that, you know, as we become adult, 70% to 90% of our thoughts are repetitive and pre-programmed, 70% to 90% of our actions throughout the day are just repetitive, that we do subconsciously, without even paying attention. And when you actually take a little bit of control, and kind of curate what’s going on in your subconscious, it has a really dramatic effect on your actions.

And, to your point, I love that idea of becoming the kind of person who has whatever it is that you’re trying to work toward. And then you already are in the state of being that becomes that, versus, I think, often, we try to, like, externally force that thing. I think of it even in relation to things like weight and diet. You know, people wanna, like, externally force that change, versus letting the change come from the inside out.

Mimi: Yeah. Oh, and I can speak so much on body stuff. I tried every single diet in the entire world, and I’ve maintained my healthier, newer body for the past two years. So, I know that this works, because now, I’m the type of person that literally…and I used to hate the people like me now, back in the day, because I was like, “Oh, how can she just eat whatever she wants and not gain weight? Like, I can’t do that. How does she not think about food all day?” Because I used to be that girl. I was thinking about food all day long, writing down everything I would eat, obsessively think about what my next meal was gonna be, how my body looked in this.

I completely changed the narrative in my mind. And this was really important when I was overcoming my binge eating disorder. Back in the day, I would use my meditations, and do this mental rehearsal thing, where I would literally visualize myself getting the craving to overeat, and then stopping that pattern, that neural pathway, stopping it in its tracks.

In my mental rehearsal meditation, I would feel the trigger. I would feel what it would feel like in my body to have that craving, and then I would practice just snapping out of it, making a different decision, and feeling more in control of that addiction. And it changed my life. I can tell you another example, you know, with body and weight loss, because I know it’s such a big topic for so many of us. You know, when you become the kind of person that has the body that you want, you start acting like them. And when you start acting like them, you do not obsess over food.

If you wanna have a bite of something, an intuitive eat, which is what my…my diet is intuitive eating. I eat whatever I want, and I know when to stop because I literally just listen to my body. There’s nothing emotional attached to it. And when you become the kind of person that can do that, that maintains this physique effortlessly, you don’t even have to think twice about it. You never think about food anymore, and you just effortlessly live in this body, and it’s possible.

And it’s possible in every other area of your life too, literally. It’s possible. If you wanna be someone that makes more money, and you wanna be more successful, do what I did. Just start showing up like the version of you that is more abundant, that has a certain amount. I have seen incredible synchronicities happen in my life. And listen, I don’t know if this work has more to it than simply changing your self-image, which then naturally is, like, the placebo effect. You start changing your actions.

I don’t know if it’s that, or if there’s a lot of energy involved, because I also kind of believe in like energy attracting like energy. There is a lot of enticing research to show that our energy, our physical energy, which is made up of how we think and how we feel, that can attract certain experiences into your life. And I don’t wanna get too woo here. And I don’t really know exactly what I believe on that front either. All I know is that it works, but I’ve seen some pretty wild synchronicities happen, like, to the number. When I first manifested, created my first six-figure month, it was to the number that I was trying to create in my life.

And just last week, I hit another crazy milestone when it comes to the money and abundance side of things. I did my first 6 figures in 48 hours, and I was like, “Whoa. Okay.” And it didn’t even feel weird when it happened. And this is the thing, when you do this work, and these crazy things happen to you, you’re not even fazed. I just, like, barely even, like, thought about it. I was like, “Cool. Yeah. Obviously, that’s happening. It’s who I am. It’s what I do. It’s the kind of, it’s the meaning that I am, who I show up as. This is what happens in my life, because it’s who I am.”

And when it happens in a way that you least expect, which is usually how it happens, you cannot control how, you can control the what, I believe. You know, you’re not surprised, because it’s just natural. It’s just meant to happen. And when you get into that energy through doing this work, that’s when just the craziest stuff starts happening.

Katie: Yeah. That’s so fascinating. And I think the corollary for me in my own personal life is, like I said, I had all the physical parts dialed in, and I was eating kind of similar to your story, like, a perfect diet. And I was taking all the supplements, and I was kind of neurotic about trying to do everything perfect, but I was ignoring kind of the emotional-mental side. And then when I got that piece in line, everything else resolved itself, without any changes.

In fact, I was eating more food. I was actually nourishing myself. But it shifted, and I realized, for years, I had been trying to, like, sort of deprive and punish and hate myself into the body that I wanted. And when I shifted and actually started appreciating and loving where I was, my body caught up to that. And I think that that mental shift is so profound, and it’s so hard to communicate if you haven’t experienced it, but it really is dramatic and profound. And I would guess within your app, you have ones that kind of work through the body image stuff as well?

Mimi: Oh, yeah. Yeah. I have literally “Stop Binge Eating” meditations. Like, every type of meditation you could think of, in any scenario.

Katie: And that’s also fascinating on the money side, because I feel like this is also an elusive thing for a lot of people. And certainly, in today’s world, there’s a lot of stress related to money, especially with the last couple of years, and inflation we’re seeing in a lot of places. And I’ve seen this as well. And, of course, I do think it’s, like, you know, hard work lines up with it, too. It’s not like we just do nothing and it happens, although there are cases of that, I’m sure, happening as well.

But I feel like just like many people have hang-ups and struggles related to body image and weight, many of us have childhood beliefs and hang-ups related to money. And I found that in myself as well, is there were, like, kind of underlying beliefs about, like, money being bad or it, you know, being dangerous to have money, or, like, all these different things. Walk us through some of the other areas that you, like, have meditations, and kind of these mental rehearsals. Is that what you called them in the app?

Mimi: Yeah. Visualization, mental rehearsal, different tools for different topics, but just to kind of touch on your point there, I was brought up…my parents told me rich people are unhappy. That was the belief. Because my parents…I have two artist parents, that their parents had a little bit of money, and they rebelled, and they, like, hated, you know, the concept, like, you know, I guess it was a deep, inner thing for them, and they’ve both done their own healing since, my parents, but I was always taught growing up that rich people are unhappy.

And that was something I had to really work towards letting go of, because I feel like part of my purpose in this world is to be abundant. It’s one of my core, you know, things that I really feel aligned with experiencing. I don’t know what it is about it. I’m super proud to talk about money. I think it’s a very positive thing to talk about. But yeah, it’s really removing those old beliefs that you’ve been conditioned to think from your childhood, and it’s totally possible through this work, like, what you were just mentioning, visualization, mental rehearsal.

You need to just get really clear on who you wanna be. I call it the future self, or the higher self, or the ultimate self, or the best self. I use those terms synonymously. And in my meditations, a lot of them are future self-focused, and you can really relate this to any of the goals that you have. I obviously have very specific meditations on the app, too. Like, act like your future self while you’re grocery shopping, or like, something random like that. Also, the mirror meditations on Superhuman are amazing when it comes to self-image and body issues, by the way.

You basically sit in front of a mirror and half the meditation, your eyes are closed, and then you get into this certain state, and then you open up your eyes to see yourself through a new lens, conditioning yourself to literally see your reflection differently. Those are very deep and more therapeutic. They all have a different intention. Every meditation on the app, anything you’re doing, it can be casual, chilling meditations playing in the background. We’re about to launch a just music category, where it’s just frequency music, that, and frequencies have…there’s so much research to prove that it can literally affect your brain in a certain way, to make you more focused, to make you feel different, to change your state.

We’re also launching motherhood meditations in the next two months. So that’s a huge one, and it’s going to be everything to do with that. I’m actually, since I’m not a mother myself, the first new voice on the app, Dr. Mallory, she is my naturopathic doctor, and a mother herself, and she has a very warm, motherly energy. She’s gonna be the first new voice coming on the app after mine. And it’s gonna be everything from, you know, resetting quickly after a tough morning, or, you know, dealing with body changes, figuring out your new identity as a mother. You know, and then, for pregnancy and breastfeeding, so many topics on there.

But to answer your question, you know, we have meditations for every goal that you have. The average user on the platform have a goal to improve their life significantly. And a lot of the content is designed for that on there. It’s to change your state. And whether it is simply just chilling out and reducing anxiety and overthinking in the middle of the day, whether it’s a morning meditation, when you have 2 minutes or 10 minutes, we have meditations ranging from 1 minute to 40 minutes.

You know, whether it’s an evening meditation, to just completely reset, to have a deep night’s sleep, to have, you know, a positive, early, energized morning the next day, there’s literally a meditation for everything. And even around the holidays, we launch… Because we launch a new meditation every day of the week, so there’s so much room for variety. Even during the holidays, you know, I launched a cooking meditation that was, you know, for cooking with family around the holidays, where everyone’s talking about…or there are prompts in there to help everyone talk about their favorite memories together.

And just, like, for connection, you know, we have relationship meditations. And the exciting thing is that there is just, like, no limit to how many meditations we can have on there. The goal from, like, a business perspective is in the next five years, to integrate so much AI into the app, where we’re literally targeting you with what you need in the moment. So we’re gonna get the app synced to your calendar, and, like, when you have two minutes before picking up your toddler from school, and you’re in the car waiting, you know, you can just pop this on. So that’s kind of the end goal. But to kind of overall answer your question, there are a few topics we don’t cover in the app.

Katie: Got it. And you touched on something that I think is really, really important. And that’s kind of the idea of the who am I question, which I think for most people, can actually be one of the most difficult questions to answer if you don’t just default to a resume of who you are in relation to other people or your accomplishments. I know that’s one that I still am continually learning how to answer, but I think many of us, that can be some of the most important work we do, is delving into that inner realm of who am I? And also, to your point, where am I going?

And as a mom myself, I also think of this in relation to parenting, because often, like, if we’re gonna create a business, we make a business plan. We have projections. We know details down to the line, yet when it comes to parenting, which I would argue is much more important than any business we can create, how many of us actually take the intentionality of that, and actually know and map out, like, create a family manifesto, or a plan of where we’re going? What are the things I actually wanna impart to these children, and how am I gonna do it? And how do we create a culture that actually does that?

So I love that you touched on that, and I’m curious to hear from your perspective anything related to learning to answer that question of who am I?

Mimi: That is such a good question, and that’s where you gotta start. And even if you’re experienced in this personal development world, or you’re just starting and you’re just starting to understand the different things you can do, like meditating, like journaling, it’s so important, number one, step number one, who do you wanna be? Who are you? Designing who you are at the core, and getting a clear idea of who your future self is as well, to improve your life.

For me, writing, journaling has been the catalyst to getting clarity. And whenever I’m feeling unclear, I sit down, lock myself in a room, and journal and write. That’s why I created the writing meditations also on Superhuman, because I think a lot of people have trouble coming up with these prompts to journal about. You know, people ask, “Okay. I have my notebook, I have my pen. What do I do now?” Like, what do I write about? So we created a whole playlist of writing meditations, where it’s just guided journaling sessions, and I give you five minutes in between each question, or depending on the topic…

So, those are really amazing. We have so many on getting clarity in your life. But again, you don’t need to use my app to do this work. You can see massive success without it too. You just have to be a little bit more disciplined to put yourself…you know, sit yourself down and do the writing meditations yourself. So, I’ll give you some prompts. Like, when you think about the essence of you, what do you find? When you think about who you are at the core, just get familiar with yourself, what do you think?

And a big tip here is to give yourself a day, maybe it’s a Sunday, or a day where you don’t have the kids, and don’t distract yourself. It’s gonna be uncomfortable. But put the TV away, put your phone in airplane mode, tell everyone you’re having a “you” day, and simply just be. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, whether you’re…even you can clean, but just do something without a screen in front of you, without serious distraction, and start to hear that inner wisdom, that inner voice.

And it’s different for everyone, but specifically for me, putting pen to paper has really helped me understand who I am, because it allows you to keep just being in that flow, and, you know, you’re doing something, but yet you’re in that flow. So, I would write. And even if it is a brain dump, and you’re not even doing a guided journaling session, and you’re just writing, and just don’t let yourself stop. Just like in creative writing courses. Just write, who am I? Like, just literally say that, on a piece of paper. “Who am I?”

“Who do I wanna be? What parts of myself do I wanna improve? What parts of myself do I love and I wanna hold onto?” You know, who are the people in my life that I feel really good around? Who are the people that I don’t feel great around? You know, we are all an average of the five people we surround ourselves with most. Who do you wanna be? You’re an average of the five people you surround yourself with most. And ultimately, you are 100% responsible for your life.

So, with that thought in your mind, what do you wanna design? It’s an exciting time. That principle, you are 100% responsible for your life, that’s the first chapter of the book, “The Success Principles,” by Jack Canfield. That was the first personal development book I ever read, at 17 years old. And it was like the Bible to me. It’s so easy to read. It’s so clear, so concise. There are, I think, 67 chapters, 67 principles. And they’re so simple. And we know them. But they are incredibly influential.

The number one chapter, you are 100% responsible for your life. And once you live by that notion, and you understand that you’re not a victim, you create everything in your life, it’s not saddening, it’s empowering. It’s so exciting to know that you literally are 100% responsible, which means you can create whatever you want. And there’s an opportunity for everything that you desire out there. So, get clear, sit yourself down. Don’t wait for it to come to you. Sit down, force yourself to figure it out.

And it’s gonna be ever-evolving. Don’t worry, you know, about marrying to an idea of who you wanna be, of who you are. You can change it. I’ve changed my self-image, my identity, dozens of times. You can consistently evolve. And getting that clarity is the first step, because how can you visualize these meditations, how can you decide who your future self is, if you haven’t gotten clear on it yet?

Katie: I’m so glad you brought that up. I love that book as well, and I’ll make sure it’s linked in the show notes. But this is an area that I do think is extremely life-changing, the idea of being 100% responsible for your life. And it’s also one that I hear pushback from people on, because I’ll hear them often say things like, “Well, no, because this thing happened to me, and I couldn’t control it, or…”

And I think that mindset shift is such a pivotal one, but I would love to go a little bit deeper on this, because I think understanding it is the first step, which can also be a big step for a lot of people, and then also, like, learning to live that way is a whole nother big step. And it’s truly transformative, because it puts you in the driver’s seat of your own life. But it can be a hard jump. So, let’s talk a little bit more about that. Maybe how to, like, build into that mindset of accepting and being grateful and being responsible for your own life.

Mimi: I think it’s all about how we frame things in our minds. If that concept scares you, why don’t you ask yourself, like, am I scared of my potential? What am I scared of? Am I scared to let go of the old stories I’ve told myself and others for years, of why I can’t do something, why I haven’t been able to achieve X, Y, Z, whatever it is? It’s really just the truth.

And yes, you’re not 100% responsible for some of the things that happen in your life. Like, if someone decided to hit your car or whatever, that’s not your fault, but your reaction is your responsibility, and your reaction creates the outcome. It’s not just the event. It is your response and your reaction. And every single, happy, successful, healthy, fit, joyful person in the world has bad things that happen to them sometimes. And those people, that are living that ultimate life, they respond in a certain way.

They don’t get all upset and go into a depression if they’re rejected once on a job offer. You know, they really believe in themselves at the core. And it’s just what they create in their life ultimately. They believe in themselves so much. And that’s why you’ll see these, like, I don’t know, multimillionaires lose all their money, but not be that worried, because they just know, “Yeah, I’ll make it back.” Like, “It’s fine. It’s just who I am.”

I’ve heard so many stories of these uber-wealthy people that literally have gone, like, bankrupt. And they’re fine, because they know they’re just gonna make it… It’s just who they are. “Okay. Time to rebuild.” And I just think when you go through life with the idea that “I have unlimited potential,” when you go through life knowing that at the core, life opens up to you. You don’t live an average existence anymore.

Nothing even has to change. It’s just how you think. Everything in your life can be the same, but you simply change the way that you think about yourself and your potential. You’re starting to live in a magical world. Things start to look different. Literally, you look around and things are just different. And when you’re in a different state of being, people can sense that about you. And when you live like you have unlimited potential, people feel that, and they wanna give you opportunity. They wanna be involved.

They want you to be in on their new business, or they wanna, you know, like, have you involved. They want you near them. And I think that magnetizing energy is what has brought me to where I am today, and everything I’ve created up to this point. It’s that magnetism, because I see potential in everything, in everyone, in myself, in you, and everyone, you know? And I think it’s unrealistic to not think that you have potential. It’s unrealistic to not see, you know, your unlimited desires be met. It’s unrealistic. That’s how I see it.

Katie: I have on my wrist the quote, “Amor fati” tattooed, which means “love what is.” And this was a really important one for me to have kind of permanently on myself, because the idea being not just accept what is, not just find gratitude for what is, but actually love what is. And I think of that quote that it couldn’t have happened any differently, because it didn’t. And how if you can stay in that positive mindset, even if things that would objectively be considered bad happen, you still, to your point, have control over your response and your emotions surrounding that.

And I think this is also a really important conversation to have with kids at a young age, because I feel like kids come into the world with that understanding of unlimited potential, and then we teach them the limitations. And so, I think, if, as parents, we can both model and have conversations around that understanding of, while you may not control your external circumstances, you always control your reactions, your responses, your emotions, that gives our kids such a solid foundation for emotional health, and also that idea of keeping their unlimited potential, because they come out of the box already perfectly, like, tuned for that.

Mimi: Yeah. I love how you say that, because the more that I’ve reflected on this work that I’ve done… Because I wasn’t always like this. I went through almost 10 years of feeling less than, and having that spark suppressed, and overdrinking, and partying too much, and being in a very different phase in my life. But the more that I think and reflect on this journey of mine, the more I realize that it’s all about bringing myself back to who I was as a child, that bright-eyed, odd, you know, mentality of, the world is so unlimited, and I can be anything. And kids have that.

And you still have that inside of you. We all do. Even if you’re in your 60s, 70s, we still have that deep inside of us. And it’s just a matter of peeling back those layers of what society and our surroundings have imprinted onto us, peeling those back, removing them, and showing ourselves to the world as that younger self, with a little bit more wisdom, but also knowing that anything is possible.

And, you know, up until the age of 8, children are like a sponge. All the information we give them, it’s like, you’re creating their beliefs. So, as a parent, I think it’s so important to keep your kids with that mentality of you can have it all. You can have it all. My mom used to tell me, “You can’t have it all.” Bless her. She’s gone through… Like, we have the best relationship. And she’s done so much of her own personal growth, but it’s just like, you know, we’re all told that. “You can’t have it all.” Yeah. Yeah, I can. Watch. Like, I can have it all. And why not?

Like, what, you’re scared it’s gonna get too good, that something’s gonna have to mess up? No, no, no. You can have it all. And it feels so good to feel good. And it really doesn’t have to be hard to change your mind. And when you think, “Oh, it’s so hard. I’ve been conditioned for 40 years,” and, you know, “this happened to me.” Why are you thinking that way? Stop that pattern, because that’s belief in itself. It doesn’t have to be that hard.

You simply have to start changing how you think, and catching yourself in those everyday, mundane little moments of your life, and just start feeling different. And just give it a couple months. Give it some time. Commit. Have fun with it. Play around with it. Why I love my meditations is because they’re fun. They’re literally just…they feel good to do. They’re not boring. It’s not a chore. It’s fun. And when you see life through this lens, just, like, that child-like energy of that awe of that unlimited potential of things can be fun, that’s when everything starts to change. It’s crazy how fast it can happen, too.

When you really commit and you go all in, I’ve seen people’s lives transform in, like, a week, with just going all in. It’s really cool.

Katie: And I often say my kids are my best teachers. And I think, in general, kids can be our best teachers in this, like you said, of that child-like curiosity and imagination and wonder. And actually, personally, when my oldest was about to start school, I stepped back and said, “Okay, well, what best prepares him for whatever future he might choose?” And I realized the answer was that none of the existing options did, whether it was the school system, whether it was homeschooling.

And so I was like, well, okay, further step back. What actually would? Like, what are the qualities that would help anyone to be successful in their adult life? And the obvious ones of kindness and empathy, of course, at first, but then also things like curiosity and critical thinking, love of learning, that child-like imagination and wonder. And when I did that, I realized kids innately have all of these. You don’t actually have to teach them how to have those things. You just have to not teach it out of them.

And so that led to me kind of reimagining our entire educational system, and doing something entirely different with them, because I realized, to your point, they’re these amazing sponges at a young age, and they come with these innate qualities, and if you can enhance them, versus suppress them, it’s much less of an uphill battle for them.

Mimi: Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. But, you know, as hard as parents try, children will also learn from other areas. And I think that’s something that I’m going to have to deal with as a mother, because I can have some controlling tendencies. I’ll be the first to admit. And I wanna be able to, you know, imprint them with everything that I know, all the knowledge that I know to be true, but I know that they’re gonna have their own path as well. And as incredible of a childhood that I had personally, I see this firsthand.

I, you know, the young age of 11, 12, 13, I started going through some really hard things, and it wasn’t really to do with my parents’ parenting. It was more about society and the friends that I was hanging around with. And that’s really such an important part, I think. Making sure your kids are hanging around the right people, I know it’s so hard, but, you know, it creates the child, I think. And seeing it firsthand from my sister and I growing up, you know, a lot of negative things that happened to me when I was younger was because of the kids that I was hanging out with.

And you are an average of who you hang around, and especially at such an impressionable young age, where you just wanna fit in and be cool, like, it’s so important to be around these inspiring people, and have role models, because that’s something that I kind of wish I could go back in time, and help my younger self through.

Katie: And that also, very much, I think, circles back to where this conversation started, and the importance of us doing that work on ourselves, because now, with six kids, I see every day, over and over, the example of how they do listen to what you say somewhat, but they pay a lot more attention to what you do. And so, as parents, what we model becomes much more important than our words. And so if we are doing this work, and if we are taking conscious control and improving these things, they’re gonna see that, and it’s gonna at least be there as a foundation or an idea.

And so it’s kind of that whole, like, much-overused cliche of putting on your own life mask first. But it’s, I think, actually, the most profound thing you could do for your kids, is to do that inner work on yourself. And, like you, I, in the past, have had those controlling tendencies, and my kids, like I said, have been my best teachers in undoing them, and learning to respect their own independence and brilliance and individuality, and not overprotect them from failing, and from trying hard things, and learning through their failure, because how many times as entrepreneurs do some of those things become our best lessons? I think that’s just such a beautiful, beautiful mindset.

 

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And as we get closer to the end of our time, a few other questions I love to ask. You already mentioned one book that was profound for you, but if there are any other books that have had a profound influence on your life, and if so, what they are and why?

Mimi: I love that question. I’m a huge reader, and I’m constantly reading new books. I have a handful that I could recommend. And I think now, if I reread “The Success Principles,” it wouldn’t do too much for me, because I know all those principles, you know, on the back of my hand. It was such an impactful book at the beginning of this journey for me. But I would recommend that for beginners, absolutely.

And even if you have kids and they’re pre-teens, or teens, like, give them that book. It’s so easy to read, and it’s very digestible. So, I am currently reading “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom” by Christiane Northrup. I’ve never really read any of her work before, but it’s a huge book, and I really like it, and I’ve just started it. And for a lot of us women, learning more about the mind-body connection is very important. It has big chapters on, you know, from PMS, to menopause, to pregnancy, to our breasts, our ovaries, and every part of the body, and how that can actually have a relation to our mind and mental bodies, and traumas we have gone through. So, that’s a really cool one I’m reading now.

In the personal development space, I also loved “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy. It’s a very easy-to-read book, again. And it just really lays out how impactful the compound effect is in our life. Just like how you invest in the stock market, investing in yourself also can generate incredible returns when done consistently over time. And I think that has been a huge principle of mine. It is really just investing in myself through the compound effect, just those little, tiny habits every single day.

Another great book when it comes to habits, everyone knows that “Atomic Habits” by James Clear is a really good book. I really, really like the way that he explains things. It’s clear, concise. I love “Becoming Supernatural” by Dr. Joe Dispenza. It’s a little bit more esoteric, mystical. I’ve been to many of his events, and his work is absolutely incredible. I really, really suggest checking it out. Yeah, he’s just so intelligent, has changed thousands of lives.

I also love, you know, the motivational Tony Robbins content. That’s kind of where I got started off as well. I’m trying to think… Gosh, I read so many different books. I love learning. Oh, “Mind to Matter” is another good one. I’m just trying to give you all the good ones here. “Mind to Matter.” It’s more science-backed research studies on how the mind influences matter. And that’s super interesting.

And then I also like biographies. I loved, from business perspective, “Shoe Dog.” It was a memoir of the co-founder of Nike, and it really just highlights the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. And it was a really inspiring book for me, as I’m building my business, so I hope that gave you enough content to work with.

Katie: That was a great list. Another question is, when it comes to your own health, what are your own non-negotiable 80/20s that you turn to every day? I am sure meditation tops the list, but other than that, whether it’s health and wellness, or lifestyle, what are some things that are non-negotiables for you?

Mimi: Moving my body. Like, honestly, even if it’s just walking. I don’t work out every day, at all. I don’t. But I think, from working from home every single day of my life, it’s hard, because I’m just sitting all day long. So, just trying to get outside in nature, and just walk, and be outside more is really important. Yes, my meditations. If I’m really busy, I’ll just put, like, a getting ready meditation on, and my favorite one is the 6-minute one, getting ready for a long day. And the music’s great, just gets me in the mode. I’m multitasking. I’m literally ready in under 10 minutes, and I feel great.

Food-wise, I do make healthy choices even though I do practice intuitive eating. I know a lot about health, and I feel a huge relief when I’m eating well. Like, I feel just more clear-minded. I feel like I’m just energized, and I do prioritize that. So, having, you know, protein smoothie for breakfast, or some oats, and, you know, for lunch, my boyfriend makes these homemade sourdough bread loaves, and it’s just crazy delicious.

I love having a good piece of homemade sourdough with some, you know, scrambled eggs, or maybe some chicken, or some sort of protein. I think I feel really good eating protein meals, high-quality protein. I’ve, again, like I mentioned, been through every single wave eating out there, from high-carb low-fat vegan, to keto, to everything in between. And I really think intuitive eating, with a highlight on real, whole, homemade foods, with protein in every meal, makes me feel my best.

And reading before bed, limiting my screen time. I’m not perfect at this. It’s something I definitely need to work on. But the screen time thing is something we don’t realize is, like, rotting our brains. And not to be so dramatic, but it really does affect our mental clarity, and it makes us unmotivated, and it’s very addictive. So, limiting that is something I try to do as well.

Katie: That’s a great list. And I’m glad you mentioned protein, because that’s a thing I often hear women under-eating protein, and considering that most of your body is water, and the rest that is not water is made up of amino acids, protein’s kind of a big deal. And so, that’s one thing I encourage people, if you’re feeling lack of energy, consider just paying attention to how much protein you’re eating, and maybe eating more, not less. Because women are programmed, like, eat less, eat less, eat less. And actually, sometimes the answer is eat more, just higher quality.

Mimi: Totally. And eat with love and intention. Like, while you’re eating, notice how you’re feeling in your body. And what if you felt happy and at ease and content and confident and in love with life while you’re eating? Trust me, if you do that enough, you’re gonna effortlessly lose weight, if that’s something that you wanna do, and you’re going to be enjoying your food more, and not overeating, and just feeling really energized and good after meals.

Katie: Awesome. And any parting advice for the listeners today, that could be related to something we’ve talked about, or entirely unrelated?

Mimi: Oh, gosh. I guess my last words of wisdom in my short life lived, if I could, you know, give any advice, would be to think big, because you literally create your life, and anything that you want is possible. I promise you it’s possible. You just need to believe it. And even if you tell yourself, “I’m just gonna go all in and believe this for the next 12 months,” what’s the harm in doing that?

Like, some people just can’t even try that, because they are so set in their old ways, but we as human beings are meant to evolve and change our way of thinking, and I really, really just know that if you are feeling less than in any area of your life, that can radically transform. It can. Just change those little things that you do every day, change how you think, change how you show up, and get really clear on the self-image that you wanna be. Get clear on what…the person that has what you want, who are they? Get clear on that, and align yourself with it. That’s the best piece of advice I could give you.

And then start expecting it to happen. And the moment that you start looking at the calendar and you’re like, okay, it’s June 13th. I’ve been meditating for a week and I still haven’t manifested a million dollars. The moment that you start looking at the calendar and thinking, “Why hasn’t it happened yet?” you’re being the old self, when you’re looking and you’re trying to figure out why it hasn’t happened yet. Just be it, live it. I can’t even tell you how important this is.

You cannot go back to the old ways because it didn’t happen in two months. Just keep going, and be persistent, and just commit to those little habits that change how you think and act and feel. Feel, like, visualize with your body. You don’t just say the affirmations, and… No. You need to physically feel it. Your physical body has to feel like it’s living in the future with you. And that’s what I’ll leave you with.

Katie: Well, that’s a perfect place to wrap up. Thank you so much for your time today. This has been a really fun conversation, and I’m really grateful you’re here.

Mimi: Thank you, Katie. It was so awesome chatting with you. Thank you so much.

Katie: And thanks as always to all of you listening for sharing your most valuable resources, your time, your energy, and your attention with us today. We’re both so grateful that you did, and I hope that you will join me again on the next episode of “The Wellness Mama Podcast.”

If you’re enjoying these interviews, would you please take two minutes to leave a rating or review on iTunes for me? Doing this helps more people to find the podcast, which means even more moms and families could benefit from the information. I really appreciate your time, and thanks as always for listening.