The Inspiring Co

In the 14th + 16th centuries, doctors and alchemists would instruct their patients to seek specific flowers in the wild and drink the dew drops from their petals to heal emotional, mental + spiritual ailments. Today, flower elixirs, or flower essences, which are formulated to hold the life-force imprint of the flower, serve to help support positive shifts in states of mind, enhance vitality, radiance, youthfulness and personal growth. Katie Hess is a flower alchemist, author of Flowerevolution and founder of LOTUSWEI, one of the world's leading floral apothecaries. Her signature elixirs have been featured in many prominent publications and her flower-powered community is thriving, simply because of the growing awareness that interaction with the natural world has profound and powerful healing for everyone. Katie teaches mindful-awareness practices at Flowerlounge events around the world and runs her Self-Arising Nature Center in Phoenix, Arizona, a center for flower essence education, experiences and practitioner training.  In this bonus episode, Katie illuminates the mysterious world of botanicals for our deeper understanding of the power of flowers. She describes the nature of flowers beyond the sight and smell, and how, when we ‘stop to smell the roses' we're actually being magnetized to their energy, and the potency of their reharmonizing nature, beyond all else. Whether you've been gifted a bouquet of flowers that uplifted your spirits, saw a wild flower that took your breath away or maybe had a floral tea or tincture that soothed your body…each one of us knowingly and unknowingly have interacted with botanicals all our lives. Many of us are drawn to the beauty, scent or living energy of them, likely without our full understanding or appreciation of ‘why' that might be. This conversation will open your ‘vision' to appreciate the deeper meaning and potency of botanicals, and the ways that they can support you with cultivating your inner wellness.   Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @iamkatiehess and @lotuswei. We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover, and so, send us a note with your feedback. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time...   CONNECT WITH KATIE Website: lotuswei.com/ Instagram: @iamkatiehess   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

This guided meditation is a yoga nidra-inspired body scan, a way to observe sensations throughout the body and melt away any scattered energy, tensions and outside noise. Let this be an invitation for you to slow down, boost your immune system, quiet your nervous system and the busy mind, and, to release any anxiety or emotions that might be bogging you down. Let this be your time. Love the show? We are SO grateful that you listen to the show! If you loved this episode, share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @danareadings. We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover, and so, send us a note with your feedback. Please write us a 5-star review to help us grow and touch more lives! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time...   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Leigh Joseph (ancestral name Styawat), is an ethnobotanist, community activist and entrepreneur from the Squamish First Nation who works with Indigenous communities throughout British Columbia and the Yukon, in Canada. She is also the co-director and subject of a new documentary Walking with Plants, which tells the story of the role of plant relatives in her life and healing journey. Leigh aims to expand the renewal of ethnobotanical knowledge and the healing that comes from connection to place and plant foods and medicines. She draws from teachings learned from family and community members that are connected to Indigenous plants and the land. As the founder of Sḵwálwen Botanicals, Leigh also brings together Indigenous science and self-care rituals by creating skin-care products and experiences that are grounded in the natural world. Honouring traditional Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge, Sḵwálwen incorporates sustainably harvested plants and organic, high quality ingredients. Each wild-harvested product has a Squamish name to honour the place where this plant knowledge comes from. In this episode, Leigh helps to bring to life the relationship between ethno- and eco health, as well as cultural and individual wellness. She shares her story of what it means to connect back to your identity and roots, how walking with plants is a way to learn more about yourself, your culture and your place in this world, and, what it really means to live in reciprocity, respect and reverence of our plant relatives. Leigh also describes what it means to pass traditional Indigenous and land-based knowledge from generation to generation. In sharing her family's history and her now experiences living back on her ancestral lands, she also narrates how connection to land can teach children about their identity, about their connection to wellbeing and about their cultural practices. This conversation was incredibly moving...to think that to know our roots is to know oneself.   Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @skwalwenbotanicals and @leighjenny and @walking_with_plants_film. We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover, and so, send us a note with your feedback. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time...   CONNECT WITH LEIGH Website: leighjoseph.com/ Instagram: @leighjenny   Sḵwálwen Botanicals skwalwen.com/ Facebook: @skwalwenbotanicals Instagram: @skwalwenbotanicals    Walking with Plants  walkingwithplants.ca/  Instagram: @walking_with_plants_film Hot Docs tickets Trailer: vimeo.com/451677892    CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

The saying ‘One person's garbage is another person's treasure.' has never been more true than now. Now, imagine a world without the idea of waste? What if all ‘garbage' could actually be valuable to someone.  Really...did you ever think you'd see a time when chewing gum, cigarette butts or dirty diapers might have a second chance at life? Enter TerraCycle, Loop and all their ingenious partners. In this episode, Anthony Rossi, EVP, Business Development at TerraCycle, describes the truth about our waste problem and the economic drivers that dictate what and how material is recycled or repurposed.  Anthony also shares many of the myths and mistakes made by all of us that contribute to and perpetuate the problem as well as the incredibly innovative efforts made by many forward-thinking leaders around the world who are working to give waste new life. Basically, this episode presents a way to revamp how we view ‘waste' and what we see as valuable in our ‘garbage' so that we can reduce (or eliminate) what ends up in landfills.  The responsibility is on industry, businesses and consumers to help with that process, and Anthony shares many tips on how, working together, we can most certainly see the extinction of waste. Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco, @terracycle, @terracycleglobalfoundation or @shoploopstore. Send us your feedback about this episode and all the topics we cover via email or social media. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time… CONNECT WITH ANTHONY Website: terracycle.com & loopbyulta.com/ Instagram: @terracycle, @terracycleglobalfoundation, @shoploopstore Facebook: @terracycleCA, @terracycleglobalfoundation, @shoploopstore Anthony's Twitter: @rossi_anthony Tom Szaky's Twitter: @tom_szaky TerraCycle Twitter:  @terracycle & @chooseloop CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Liz Lindh is currently the Director of The Sanctuary at Two Rivers, a unique boutique eco-conscious yoga retreat and teacher training wellness center and  40-acre Nature preserve on Costa Rica's magical Nicoya Peninsula. As the Founder of the Lakshmi Rising Yoga & Wellness trainings and the host of many yoga retreats and wellness workshops, Liz holds the space for health, spirituality, creativity, and community.  Liz is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, holistic skincare and natural beauty expert, yoga teacher, and yoga teacher trainer. Liz's knowledge draws from the vinyasa lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya taught directly from his son TKV Desikachar, Shiva Rea, and other wonderful teachers over the past 25+ years, as well as, classical tantra passed down through the teachings of Sri Kapilnath, Sri Mahendranath, and Dr. Robert Svoboda.  Liz has undergone intensive studies of Ayurveda, meditation, classical Pilates, acu-point injection therapy, psychology, functional medicine, holistic nutrition, herbal medicine, and conscious dance from the philosophy of 5 Rhythms taught directly by creator Gabrielle Roth and her son Jonathan Horan. She continues to study the timeless wisdom and cutting-edge knowledge of her beloved teachers: sages, artists, and scientists from cultures near and far. She integrates time-tested traditions, ancient wisdom, and modern innovation with direct experience to share her clear and informed perspective on yoga and wellness. Her teachings are mirrored by Mother Nature's teachings within The Sanctuary's eco-refuge and are invitations for empowerment and awakening through movement, meditation, ritual, self-care, exploration of the natural world, environmental stewardship, and creative self-expression; all in support of personal and collective evolution and healing. More than anything, in this episode you'll hear how soulful Liz is, a woman who truly lives and breathes the yogic way of life. She is the embodiment of feminine grace, earthy groundedness, wisdom and stewardship and compassion for all people and all earthly creatures.  Let your mind take you to the jungle while you immerse yourself in this mind, body, soul and heart-warming episode! Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco, @lizlindh, @thesanctuarycostarica, @lakshmirising. Send us your feedback about this episode and all the topics we cover via email or social media. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time… CONNECT WITH LIZ Website: thesanctuarycostarica.com Instagram: @lizlindh, @thesanctuarycostarica, @lakshmirising Facebook: @thesanctuarycostarica Get a copy of Gaia Gourmet Cookbook to experience the flavours of The Sanctuary at home! CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Dr. Nancy Turner is an ethnobotanist and a Distinguished Professor Emerita at the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria in Canada.  Her fascination with plants was seeded early in her childhood days and as a wide-eyed, inquisitive student she continued to immerse herself in the botanical world throughout her life. She has walked alongside First Nations elders and cultural specialists in northwestern North America for over 50 years, learning from their stories and traditional knowledge. She has helped to document, retain and promote traditional knowledge of plants and environments, including Indigenous foods, materials and traditional medicines.  In this episode, Dr. Nancy describes the different ways that humans can be in relationship with nature. She describes the differences and the congruences of the Western scientific system versus the Indigenous knowledge system for understanding those relationships. She explains how those also lead to very different approaches to land management and conservation. Dr. Nancy shares how language and storytelling are the main mechanisms to transfer Indigenous knowledge from one generation to another. By living more in harmony, with reciprocity and regenerative principles in mind, she explains how traditional teachings can show us how to preserve cultural identities and wellbeing as well as the health of our biological world. This conversation is a way to get a glimpse into the many many years that Dr. Nancy spent seeing the world through the eyes not only of her human relatives of a different culture but, also, with a lens of being in relationship with our plant and animal relatives. Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and #NancyTurner. We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover, and so, send us a note with your feedback. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time…   CONNECT WITH NANCY Website: Dr. Nancy Turner, UVic Email: nturner@uvic.ca Articles & Books The Earth's Blanket; “Keeping it Living”: Traditions of Plant Use and Cultivation on the Northwest Coast of North America (with Doug Deur) Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge: Ethnobotany and Ecological Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples of Northwestern North America (July, 2014; McGill-Queen's University Press) Plants, People, and Places: the Roles of Ethnobotany and Ethnoecology in Indigenous Peoples' Land Rights in Canada and Beyond (2020)   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!  

Rob Holmes is the Founder & Chief Strategist of GLP Films, an award-winning content marketing agency dedicated to authentic storytelling and mission-driven campaigns for the travel and sustainability industry.  Since 2008, GLP's work has spanned five continents and 40+ countries, creating 200+ short-films. GLP Films has spearhead campaigns centred around wildlife, ecology, sustainability, community and most importantly, the people.  In this episode, Rob shares how he and the GLP Films team bring stories to life, showing that stories really are our lives in language. Their work celebrates the majesty and the diversity of the world around us, while their stories are equally mechanisms for change. Rob touches on differences of sustainable travel and over travel and how COVID might actually be the stimulus for a more sustainable travel industry. Most recently, their new video series campaign, #TourismStrong, celebrates the resilience and adaptability of the travel industry amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic.  So if you want to be swept away to foreign lands and be uplifted about your future travels and adventures, tune in to this episode with the Storyteller of Storytellers, Rob Holmes. Love the show? It means the world to us that you listened to the show! If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco, @robertbholmes and @glpfilms. We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover, and so, send us a note with your feedback. Please, also take a moment to write us a review to help us grow and touch more lives!  We truly value your input and support! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time…   CONNECT WITH ROB Website: glpfilms.com LinkedIn: Rob Holmes Instagram: @robertbholmes Facebook: @glpfilms Green Destinations Awards, March 12th - Free virtual event sign up here.    CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

This guided meditation is your opportunity to check in with yourself, to soften and release any tension or anxiety and to tune inward, into the melody of your body. Cherish this quiet time, with the Spring soon upon us, to create space for new energy and to learn what will nourish and blossom life within you to sprout. Love the show? We are SO grateful that you listened to the show! Please share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @danareadings, or, send us a note.  We love hearing what you think about the episode and all the topics we cover.  We'd also be incredibly grateful if you wrote us a 5-star review to help us grow and touch more lives! Lastly, remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week. Until next time... CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer. You can also check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Say hejhej to @hejhej_mats, the first closed-loop, carbon neutral and most sustainable yoga mat in the world! hejhej-mats co-founders, Sophie Zepnik and Anna Souvignier, are revolutionizing how companies can simultaneously reduce waste, promote conscious consumption AND be successful! What started as an idea in Malmö University's sustainable management program has turned into a holistic and novel approach to designing and crafting yoga mats.  In this episode, Sophie shares how they sought out to create the most sustainable yoga mat. They envisioned one that wouldn't rely on the extraction of new, virgin natural rubber or imports from far away places, but rather, would upcycle materials that might otherwise go into the waste stream. Thus, not only would it produce less waste but also reuse perceived ‘waste!'   From the thread to the zipper - they source everything locally and ensure that everything is either upcycled or biodegradable, and can also be recycled or composted ‘at end of life.' She describes the whole process of incubating and growing their sustainable and social-minded company and some of the challenges that they came across on their journey.  Their creative process is novel and their commitment to sustainability, mindfulness and equal opportunity is what sets them apart from all other companies. This episode will welcome you into a journey towards a circular future and a more mindful way of being. It all starts with people like Sophie and Anna and their mission to create a waste-free world and redefine our consumer culture, one yogi at a time.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @hejhej_mats! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH SOPHIE + ANNA Website: hejhej-mats.com Instagram: @hejhej_mats Facebook: @hejhej-mats   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer.  Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

The fashion industry, as we knew it, is undergoing a massive transformation and Hannah Todd and Ainsley Rose, of Londre Bodywear, are two of the sustainable, fashion-forward trailblazers! In this episode, Hannah and Ainsley elegantly share what it took for them to brainchild and build their social- and sustainable- fashion brand in an industry that is characteristically resource-intensive, consumerism-driven, and body-image contorting.  Londre Bodywear is more than just a swim and loungewear company. It's founded on the pillars of body positivity, environmental stewardship, ethical labour practices, high-quality minimalism and ingenuity! Each sexy, timeless Londre swimsuit is made from six recycled plastic bottles (and crustacean shells for the anti-microbial, anti-odor qualities), and helps to divert waste from collecting on our beaches, oceans and the ever-growing garbage dumps. Hannah and Ainsley's mission to create a sustainable swimsuit brand quickly became more of a mission for change - for women, for our waste streams, for our oceans and coral reefs and for the whole fashion industry.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @londrebodywear! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH AINSLEY + HANNAH Website: londrebodywear.com Instagram: @londrebodywear Facebook: @londrebodywear CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com or on Insight Timer.  Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Ruth Mandl is a Principal of CO Adaptive, an architecture firm that focuses on the human experience.  As humans, we create buildings to be our environments and that are sheltered from the harsh elements or weather conditions. Our homes are our constructed ecosystems, which we design to be beautiful and comfortable, however as Ruth describes, we are always interacting with our environment, both indoors and out. Ruth has set out to understand and innovate outside of the consumption and waste cycles ingrained in our society - looking at aspects of how we grow food, compost our waste, become more energy and resource-conscious and repurpose materials in ways that minimize waste and the extraction of new virgin resources.  In this episode, you'll hear her passion for selecting the most naturally-derived and also most natural materials with which we can surround ourselves. Designing naturally is what is ultimately best for our health, for the performance of our buildings, for our aesthetic enjoyment and…the sustainability of our planet. We talk all about the philosophy of cradle-to-cradle design, creative reuse, up-cycling materials, and how to design with nature's charm. It was a pleasure to speak with Ruth about ideas on how you might salvage, repurpose and innovate in your own home… Ruth and her firm's work really showcases how space can be a highly innovative synergy of both beauty and functionality. So, if you're a visual person, head on over to the CoAdaptive website after you listen to this episode to feast your eyes on some real architecture candy. Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @coadaptive! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH RUTH Website:coadaptive.co Instagram: @coadaptive Facebook: @coadaptive   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Nature is where humans have lived for the majority of our existence on Earth. Not surprisingly, then, it is where we evolved to feel our most comfortable, most at home and in balance.  We feel that familiarity deep in our bones - the fresh air, the sound of leaves on trees, the beauty of the crystallized frost patterns of frozen water. Immersing ourselves in nature, and getting regular doses of ‘Vitamin “N”,' is essential for our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. Forest bathing, or Shinrin-Yoku, is the Japanese practice of immersing (or bathing) in a forest with all our senses. It stems from one of the seven principles of zen aesthetics, called shizen, which translates to ‘nature, naturalness' and which describes how the closer design is to nature, the more pleasing it is. Since the 1970s, forest bathing has been studied by researchers and has supported the health benefits of spending time under the trees. David Motzenbecker is the Founder and Principal of Motz Studio, a Minneapolis-based landscape architecture consultancy with a focus on biophilic and salutogenic design, and a provider of therapeutic forest immersion walks based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin Yoku, or 'forest bathing'. David is an ANFT-Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Forest Therapy Trail Certification Consultant, and award-winning Landscape Architect with nearly 20 years of design experience.   In this episode, David describes this powerful ‘forest medicine,' resulting in stress reduction, lowered blood pressure, improved immunity and more regulated nervous system function, as explained by this scientific evidence. David also shares how our rhythms and understandings might synchronize with those of the natural world, how we can begin to rebalance, reconnect with our origins simply by ‘bathing' in the experience. We also speak about the language of nature and what we might learn about ourselves and the natural world through this powerful practice. We can all relate to the calming, refreshing and energizing feelings of being in nature, but what this episode relays is truly that the real secret power of trees can have far more profound impacts on our wellbeing than even science or logic can explain.  Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @forestbathingmpls! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show! CONNECT WITH DAVID Website: motzstudios.com Instagram: @forestbathingmpls Facebook: @forestbathingmpls ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SHARED BY DAVID BOOKS Any book by Robert Macfarlane (so brilliant!) The Living Mountain - Nan Shepherd Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer The Obstacle is the Way; Ego is the Enemy; and Stillness - Ryan Holiday When the Trees Say Nothing - Thomas Merton Wilderness & The American Mind - Roderick Frazier Nash The Overstory - Richard Powers The Art of Living - Epictetus Meditations - Marcus Aurelius How To Do Nothing - Jenny Odell Forest Bathing - Dr. Qing Li Shinrin Yoku - Yoshifumi Miyazaki Your Guide To Forest Bathing - M. Amos Clifford (founder of ANFT, he trained me) A God Within - Rene DuBos Last Child In The Woods; The Nature Principle; Vitamin N - Richard Louv The Wild Trees - Richard Preston Barkskins - Annie Proulx The World Without Us - Alan Weisman American Canopy - Eric Rutkow Landscape & Memory - Simon Schama The Power of Meaning - Emily Esfahani Smith   WEBSITES ANFT - Association Nature and Forest Therapy Guides - Find a Forest Bathing Guide, FAQs, Research, etc. Emergence Magazine - absolutely phenomenal writing on nature/human connection, spirituality Global Wellness Institute - Global perspective on wellness Terrapin Bright Green (Biophilia) - lots of great white papers and resources here Biophilic Cities Network - great info on how to push for greener cities more connected with nature Forest Bathing Finder - as it sounds like ASLA - American Society of Landscape Architects CSLA AAPC - Canadian Society of Landscape Architects   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's FREE meditation library: danareadings.com Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

There's nothing new about it. In fact, healing using sound actually originates from many ancient cultural practices that used chants and singing bowls to connect mind and body, to elicit a meditative, healing state and to restore health. Archeological evidence also suggests that sound may be our first language, and so, it is deeply embedded into our cultural history. Modern science is now also documenting human's deep and innate wiring to respond to sound. Different frequencies and types of sounds can have been found to have measurable and profound effects on our heartbeat, on our chemical and biological makeup, on our nervous system health and regeneration, on our immunity, on bone and muscle pain, and, as a boost to our emotional and mental state. Confirmed by this phenomenal evidence, a new form of sound therapy, often called sound healing, has thus become popular. So, how does sound healing work?  How do vibrations of our voice or of objects that resonate, such as tuning forks, gongs and Tibetan singing bowls, actually induce relaxation and stimulate healing? Conversely, what happens when we hear sounds, such as traffic, fire alarms or music that we hate, and that our body perceives as noise pollution? Sharon Carne, a classically-trained musician, is the founder of Sound Wellness, a holistic modality that uses techniques based on sound and music to bring your body, mind, emotions and spirit back into harmony. In this episode, Sharon recounts our human history with sound and vividly describes how sound healing affects our physical and emotional bodies. She also details how we can optimally integrate sound into our daily lives for increased energy, productivity, calm, focus...and to boost the health of our communities. Tune into this episode to hear the full track about the power of sound for our holistic wellbeing!   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @soundwellness1! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We value your feedback!   CONNECT WITH SHARON Website: soundwellness.com Instagram: @soundwellness1 Facebook: @soundwellnesssolution   RECOMMENDED BOOKS & RESOURCES Molecules of Emotion by Candice Pert Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss Infinite Mind: The Science of the Human Vibrations of Consciousness by Valerie Hunt HeartMath: The ebook, Science of the Heart, is a great overview of their work   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's free meditation library: danareadings.com Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Andrea Demichelis was born in a small seaside town on the western Italian coast. Soon after high school, he packed his belongings and moved to Paris to study and start working as a Stockbroker. During his last year of University, however, he realized that he was not supposed to follow the Wall Street path but rather create something on his own. He had learned about the challenges of accessing clean drinkable water in communities around the world, and created Elliot for Water as a way to help. Elliot for Water is a search engine that, with every search, helps raise money for clean water projects. What started with the idea of bringing clean water to communities ‘without' is so much more than just that. In this episode, Andrea shares how clean water is actually the catalyst for many more positive, empowered and life-changing opportunities for the people living in the communities that Elliot for Water and their partners serve. Andrea's mission, now, is to change the world by providing millions of people with safe drinking water...and you can help, one search at a time.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @elliotforwater! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show! CONNECT WITH ANDREA Website: elliotforwater.com Instagram: @elliotforwater Facebook: @elliotforwater CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com Also, remember to check out The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused brands that we love; a list of our fav his and her fashion, beauty, fitness, home, books...and more!

Paul Dowsett is the founding Principal Architect of Sustainable, an architecture and design collaborative that works for a healthy planet, healthy people and prosperity for all. What's most notable about Sustainable is their commitment to education and advocacy, both amongst their colleagues and with homeowners, for a more health-focused, affordable and sustainably-built environment for everyone. In this episode, we speak about the rationale and building science behind sustainable design. Paul describes what being sustainable means and how it can be achieved. Paul also debunks some of the obstacles and misconceptions about designing with human and planet health in mind (like it having a bigger price tag!) and also the opportunities. Building sustainably is more than just energy efficiency. It's about assessing the impact of what's behind the walls, of the materials we use (beyond VOC-free paint) and how we put those materials together to build or renovate our homes. Building sustainably also means considering how everything might impact our wellness, our pocketbook, our social fabric and our planet as a result.  Whether you are a homeowner, future homeowner, builder or simply intrigued about how the structure of your home affects your health and impacts the planet…this episode is an eye-opener.  Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @sustainable.to! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show! CONNECT WITH PAUL Website: sustainable.to Instagram: @sustainable.to Facebook: @sustainableTO CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

It's as easy and natural as taking a conscious breath... But, when was the last time that you noticed the in...and out...of your breath? Amanda Laine and Harrison Taylor have dedicated their lives to helping others achieve personal growth and elevated states of wellbeing by creating Inward Breathwork, the world's leading on-demand breathwork platform. The platform features the most experienced facilitators in the world and a diversity of ancient and new age techniques including Pranayama, Wim Hof and Buteyko methods. Amanda and Harry are also Co-Founders of Inward, the worlds' first modern bathhouse that's exposing people to ancient practices and inviting them into the present moment.  In this captivating episode, Amanda and Harry describe the science and the benefits of ancient health practices such as breathwork, sauna, and cold exposure, and, they get raw and vulnerable about their own personal journeys of awakening.  You will hear their passion and fascination in revitalizing these ancient techniques whilst also fusing them with modern science and artistic flair in order to make them even more powerful and enjoyable. Amanda and Harry also lead us through a breathwork session at the end of this chat. You can experience, save and return to it any time you need a little uplift and ease through your day! Through the act of conscious breathing, we can attune ourselves to new ways of being and tap into our body's inherent healing wisdom. All it takes is conscious awareness and surrender…    Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @inwardbreathwork! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH AMANDA + HARRY Website: inwardbreathwork.com Link for 50% off holiday offer: inwardbreathwork.com/holiday-gift Instagram: @inwardbreathwork Facebook: @inwardbreathwork For extra reading and exploration, check out: Oxygenadvantage.com - Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques for a Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter You from Patrick McKeown   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com Also, remember to check out the The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused faves for everyone on your holiday list (and beyond) from his and her fashion to beauty, fitness, home, books...and more! There are discounts codes exclusively for The Inspiring Co community from now until the end of 2020!

“Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” - Anna Lappé Conscious buying is about simply making more ethical, sustainable, budget-friendly and healthier choices for us and the planet -  one purchase at a time! Just in time for this holiday season, Dana shares her top 10 questions and tips for being more mindful when spending your hard-earned money. Slow down and consider what you are buying before you fill up your cart or buy more ‘stuff'... Do you really need this item? Can you borrow it or buy used?  Is this item supporting a healthy and sustainable life for you and your family? How can you know? What is the item made of, how was it manufactured and where will it go when I'm done with it? What impact will purchasing this have on the natural environment? What is the TRUE cost of the item? And, will this purchase ultimately bring you, the maker, the recipient and our environment joy or health? Let's cast a vote for healthier people, communities and our planet - one informed, thoughtful, more natural, ethical and healthier purchase at a time! Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show! For further reading, these resources and organizations are worth checking out: The Inspiring Co's Conscious Buying Guide - 50+ socially-driven, ethical, environmentally-conscious and wellness-focused faves from his and her fashion to beauty, home to books...and more! There are discounts codes exclusively for The Inspiring Co community from now until the end of 2020! Yet all these ideas are for now and beyond... Good on You The Good Trade DoneGood   CONNECT WITH DANA  Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Kristin Ohlson is a Portland-based freelance journalist and author whose work has been featured in New York Times, New Scientist, Oprah and many other publications. She has been a New York Times bestseller and recipient of Best American Science Writing amongst other notable honours. Her work is quite varied and her latest one called The Soil Will Save Us is a ground-breaking book that reads like a storybook all about soil. You might think a book about soil is incredibly boring and unimportant, but guess again! Kristin's lively, incredibly engaging and humorous writing makes this book a page-turner and delight to read…and one that brings dirt to life! After listening to Kristin in this episode you will never look at the ground beneath your feet the same way again - instead, you'll have the vivid image of a bustling world beneath you! You'll also be amazed by its enormous influence on us - as a way to provide us all with more nutritious food, to support farmers and their livelihoods, to mitigate against floods and dire natural disasters, to increase biodiversity and the health of species living on land around the world, AND, (as many would advocate) to reverse climate change by sequestering carbon that is currently in our atmosphere. The future of farming, food culture and the health of our planet lies just beneath the surface of the soil underneath your feet.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco and @kristin.ohlson! Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH KRISTIN Twitter: @kristinohlson Instagram: @kristin.ohlson Website: kristinohlson.com   For further reading, these resources and organizations are worth checking out: Kiss the Ground documentary - kisstheground.com Soil Centric Soil Centric regeneration resources Union of Concerned Scientists Food and Water Watch National Wildlife Federation (USA) Oregon Congressman Blumenauer's Growing Opportunities Reform Proposal Black Farmer Fund Greenhorns CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

You've probably heard of the gut and you might be taking your probiotics or eating your fermented foods, but, how much do you REALLY know about your body's 'second brain'? Ashley Sauvé is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a specialization in gut health. Her passion for nutrition began when she was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and blossomed when she began to study the growing evidence linking gut health to everything from hormones and mood to immunity, sleep, and energy. In this episode, we talk about what the gut is and how to determine how healthy our gut is. We also discuss the benefit of using stool tests to get a closer picture of the root cause of many health issues by looking at the community of microbiota that makes up the ecosystem inside of our guts (similar to a rainforest), and, the overall health of our digestive tract. Ashley also describes the mind-gut connection and how your gut talks to your brain (and vice versa) via the nervous system. We speak about food fear and stress as it negatively affects our digestion and gut health. She also shares how mindfulness practices such as loving-kindness meditations and vagus nerve stimulations can help restore the function of the gut. Are you ready to reclaim your health and be a steward of your gut rainforest?   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @ashleysauvehealth!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH ASHLEY Instagram: @ashleysauvehealth Website: ashleysauvehealth.com CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Michael Sacco is the Founder and Director of ChocoSol Traders. ChocoSol is a learning community and social enterprise that focuses on ecological regeneration and spiritual ecology all through the delicious, healthy vehicles of chocolate, coffee and tortillas.  Michael works with farmers in Oaxaca and Chiapas Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic to support ecological forest gardening and intercultural knowledge exchange. Over many years, he's helped to preserve a rare species of white cacao in the Chinantla, nurtured a private reserve bird sanctuary in the Dominican Republic that is also tied to a carbon crediting system, and supported seedling giveaways as thank yous from ChocoSol to its many Indigenous partners of the jungles of Mexico. ChocoSol proudly strives for cradle-to-cradle business practices, beginning in the forest gardens, extending to the farmers' markets, and finishing with the ChocoSoil urban agriculture project at its storefront in Toronto, Canada. ChocoSol delivers 50% of their orders by bicycle, uses packaging that is 100% compostable and sustainably-sourced and often infuses local flavours and ecology into their unique and revolutionary chocolates. In addition to running ChocoSol, Michael has been working on his Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies and brings the cultural teachings of cacao to every aspect of the business and his life. ChocoSol's chocolates are more than just sweet treats! They are an emblem of wholesome, nutritious and delicious food, cultural preservation, community, ecological regeneration, gratitude and spirituality. Your chocolate cravings will be taken to new heights after listening to this soulful episode! Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @chocosoltraders!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We'd love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH MICHAEL Instagram: @chocosoltraders Website: chocosoltraders.com/ Use the discount code TheInspiringCo for 10% off your first order at chocosoltraders.com/. This discount code is valid until December 31st, 2020 at 11:59pm.   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Ran Goel is a former Wall Street lawyer on a mission to build a better world through food. He always had an affinity for social investing and so it's no surprise that, years later, he runs his own social impact company - Canada's largest commercial urban farm, retailer and e-commerce delivery service of organic, sustainable and local food. Ran is passionate about connecting people directly to the source of their food and creating stronger communities and healthier environments. In this episode, Ran speaks about the changing environment of our food system. He shares what he's learned since beginning his business, in 2011, and what he sees as the trends and requirements needed to shift the conventions of our current food systems.  Through his work, Ran is showing that an environmental and health-focused business can be successful whilst also being equally invested in the people that bring it to life and rely on it. He delivers healthy food to thousands of households, partners with and supports countless farmers and food producers and reduces the environmental impact of his commercial business. This is an episode for all of us to expand our understanding of how and where our food is grown. Fresh City Farms is one example showing that what's good for business can be equally good for our health, our planet and prosperity for all.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @freshcityfarms!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! It means the world to us to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH RAN Instagram: @freshcityfarms Website: https://www.freshcityfarms.com/ Find a list of Fresh City Farms store locations here. CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Meghan Telpner is a Toronto-based author, nutritionist, and founder of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. She has written two bestselling books: UnDiet: Eat Your Way to Vibrant Health and The UnDiet Cookbook, has created many courses about healthy living, and passionately shares about holistic wellness on her and her partner's podcast, Today is the Day. Meghan's work has garnered her a feature in Forbes and she has been ranked as one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada. In this episode, Meghan takes us through her health journey - from diagnosis to ‘healing' her incurable disease - and shares how she took the reins on her health by simplifying her routines and turning to wholesome food and ‘alternative' healing modalities. Feeling empowered by her remarkable results, Meghan became a holistic nutritionist, taught herself to cook and started to teach others how to infuse the power of food, love, and humour as medicine into their daily lives. Soon thereafter, the Academy of Culinary Nutrition was born and she now has a growing community of more than 20,000 Culinary Nutrition Experts and advocates worldwide. Meghan describes what it means to be healthy at home and how her new course, Healthy at Home, offers some simple, affordable and hugely impactful changes that we can all make to create safer, less toxic and more comfortable home environments for ourselves and our loved ones.  Meghan also graciously shares how she intentionally honours the time needed for her own mental, emotional and financial health so as to cultivate an optimal work-life balance. Remember, as Meghan says, you are your own best advocate. Ask questions, do your own research and find ways to make simple and sustainable changes that will have the biggest positive impact on your health one step at a time.   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @meghantelpner!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! It means the world to us to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH MEGHAN Read Meghan's blog post with tips on how you can create a healthy home here. Find out more and sign up for the Academy of Culinary Nutrition Healthy at Home course here. Learn more about The Human Experiment documentary Meghan mentions here. Instagram: @meghantelpner and @culinarynutrition Pinterest: meghantelpner Facebook: meghantelpner and academyofculinarynutrition   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Natalie Kuhn studied theatre and live performance at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts before becoming a dancer for David Byrne and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She fell in love with the ability to use movement and storytelling to affect change in groups of people. In this episode, Natalie recounts her story and how she was introduced, serendipitously, to Taryn Toomey and The Class. Her journey began as one of the co-founding teachers and has expanded into her role as VP of Programming. She describes the evolution and the unique emotional, physical, and mental transformational focus of this one-of-a-kind ‘spiritual fitness.' She gives insight on what attendees can expect - how it can help us come home to ourselves as well as nurture community and how it can be a way to prime us for the challenges of life. Natalie also shares her perspective and learnings through the challenges of 2020 as well as the company's response to the COVID-19 health crisis and racial injustices coming to the forefront. You have truly never had a full-body workout if you haven't tried The Class! This is a fitness genre all its own. Maybe you've never thought about exercising your thoughts, emotions, voice AND all your muscles simultaneously. Hearing Natalie speak might inspire you to try it for yourself!   Love the show? Share this episode with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @thisisnatalie and @theclass!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, we would love to hear what you think about the show!   CONNECT WITH NATALIE Visit theclass.com to access The Class by Taryn Toomey's digital studio with live streaming and to start your 14-day free trial! Instagram: @thisisnatalie and @theclass   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco For 1:1 intuitive wellness coaching and to access Dana's meditation library: danareadings.com

Teddy Droseros is the founder of Grateful Peoples, a non-profit that focuses on sharing the benefits of gratitude in communities and with school-age children. To date, since 2017, the Grateful Peoples community has donated over 12,000 gratitude journals. In this episode, Teddy shares the power of gratitude to shift our own perspective on life as well as how gratitude can be used as a means of connection. He shares how his own gratitude journey started and the impact it has had in his life, especially with tough personal challenges. Teddy describes the incredible shifts he's witnessed in schools and communities and how that fuels his efforts even more. Gratitude is about so much more than writing down a list of things we're grateful for. This episode will inspire you to look at your gratitude practice in a new way and to think about the way gratitude can ripple out into your community and beyond.   Love the show? Share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @gratefulpeoples!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Let us know what you think - leave a review wherever you listen! Also, from now until October 22nd at noon you'll have a chance to WIN a HUGE prize pack of over $500 worth of organic, ethical, sustainable and health-boosting goodies by entering in The Inspiring Co Podcast Launch Giveaway!! One lucky winner will win: 2 x @gratefulpeoples gratitude journals $50 gift card for @om_organics_skincare ethical skincare 4 tubes of @patchstrips all-natural bamboo bandaids 1 box of @chocosoltraders artisanal, ethical and ecological chocolate 1 free seat in the @culinarynutrition Healthy at Home online course  and a $100 donation to @1percentftp in their name So what are you waiting for?  This is how you can enter: Find and follow us on Instagram @theinspiringco, AND, Like the ‘Launch Giveaway' post AND tag a friend who you think will love our content FOR BONUS ENTRIES: Share a snapshot of your favourite episode in your Instagram stories and remember to tag us using @theinspiringco (3 extra entries) Head on over to your favourite podcast streaming channel (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher) and subscribe. (5 extra entries) Leave us a review. (5 extra entries) The winner will be announced live during the October 29th episode.   CONNECT WITH TEDDY Learn more about Teddy and connect with him at gratefulpeoples.com/ Instagram: @gratefulpeoples Facebook: @gratefulpeoples CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco Access Dana's meditation library and learn how to work 1:1 with her at: danareadings.com

On today's show, we're speaking with Erin Claire Jones, a Human Design guide, leadership coach, and speaker, and Paul Kuhn, a sound practitioner, yoga teacher, intuitive, and Gene Keys guide.  These two different systems combine ancient wisdom and modern science to shed light on our own unique energetic makeup -- this is the science of understanding yourself (your soul). They tell us all about our energetic DNA. Knowing your Human Design or Gene Keys can empower you with new tools and perspectives to discover your unique purpose in the world and to deepen your presence, awareness and insight about your gifts and live to the fullest expression of yourself. These are guides - they don't change who they are; they invite us to see and embody who we are so that we can leverage our unique energetic make up for the greatest success in career, relationships, and to live at our happiest, healthiest, highest potential.  This episode is jam-packed with information about the contemplative nature of these guides and examples of how they can help us move through life with more ease. So if you've never heard about Gene Keys or Human Design, or even if you're already familiar with them, this is a conversation you're going to want to listen to!!   Love the show? Share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @erinclairejones and @paulmkuhn!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Let us know what you think - leave a review wherever you listen! Also, from now until October 22nd at noon you'll have a chance to WIN a HUGE prize pack of over $500 worth of organic, ethical, sustainable and health-boosting goodies by entering in The Inspiring Co Podcast Launch Giveaway!! One lucky winner will win: 2 x @gratefulpeoples gratitude journals $50 gift card for @om_organics_skincare ethical skincare 4 tubes of @patchstrips all-natural bamboo bandaids 1 box of @chocosoltraders artisanal, ethical and ecological chocolate 1 free seat in the @culinarynutrition Healthy at Home online course  and a $100 donation to @1percentftp in their name So what are you waiting for?  This is how you can enter: Find and follow us on Instagram @theinspiringco, AND, Like the ‘Launch Giveaway' post AND tag a friend who you think will love our content FOR BONUS ENTRIES: Share a snapshot of your favourite episode in your Instagram stories and remember to tag us using @theinspiringco (3 extra entries) Head on over to your favourite podcast streaming channel (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher) and subscribe. (5 extra entries) Leave us a review. (5 extra entries) The winner will be announced live during the October 29th episode.   CONNECT WITH ERIN Find all Erin's offerings and connect with her at: erinclairejones.com Discover your Human Design here: erinclairejones.com/lookup Get 10% off Your HD Blueprint with code INSPIRING erinclairejones.com/blueprint Book an individual session: erinclairejones.com/individual Instagram: @erinclairejones    CONNECT WITH PAUL Look up your unique Gene Keys profile here: genekeys.com Book a session with Paul: soundandself.com/offerings Website: soundandself.com/ Instagram: @paulmkuhn  Experience Seven Senses: experiencesevensenses.com/   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco Access Dana's meditation library or learn how to work 1:1 with her: danareadings.com

Sara Safari is an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, electrical engineer, and an award-winning advocate for women's empowerment. Sara will be the first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits which include the highest peak on each continent. She published three books “Follow My Footsteps”,  “Above the Mountain Shadow” and “Making a Difference” to share her story and her mission with the world. With each step, she is climbing to raise funds for seven organizations that focus on empowering women and has been working on a feature film and documentary to shed light on social justice issues. In this episode, Sara shares why, with zero hiking experience, she was inspired to climb Everest. She describes her harrowing and very traumatic first attempt to summit Everest and how, in the aftermath, she discovered writing as a tool to heal and encourage others. Staying so committed and driven by her mission, Sara also explains how she cultivates the physical and mental strength to persist any time she feels like giving up. Sara is a great example of how having a purpose outside of yourself can motivate you to do things you never thought possible. This episode will inspire you to consider how you too can accomplish something you once dismissed as impossible...you just need to decide what your Everest is!!   Love the show? Share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tags @theinspiringco and @sarasafari!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Let us know what you think - leave a review wherever you listen! Also, from now until October 22nd at noon you'll have a chance to WIN a HUGE prize pack of over $500 worth of organic, ethical, sustainable and health-boosting goodies by entering in The Inspiring Co Podcast Launch Giveaway!! One lucky winner will win: 2 x @gratefulpeoples gratitude journals $50 gift card for @om_organics_skincare ethical skincare 4 tubes of @patchstrips all-natural bamboo bandaids 1 box of @chocosoltraders artisanal, ethical and ecological chocolate 1 free seat in the @culinarynutrition Healthy at Home online course  and a $100 donation to @1percentftp in their name So what are you waiting for?  This is how you can enter: Find and follow us on Instagram @theinspiringco, AND, Like the ‘Launch Giveaway' post AND tag a friend who you think will love our content FOR BONUS ENTRIES: Share a snapshot of your favourite episode in your Instagram stories and remember to tag us using @theinspiringco (3 extra entries) Head on over to your favourite podcast streaming channel (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher) and subscribe. (5 extra entries) Leave us a review. (5 extra entries) The winner will be announced live during the October 29th episode.   CONNECT WITH SARA Learn more about Sara, her leadership workshops and connect with her at sarasafari.com  Watch her inspiring TEDx talk here: youtu.be/iJZ8kpvydt8 Instagram: @sara.safari.everest Facebook: @sara.roma.90   CONNECT WITH DANA Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co Podcast at: theinspiringco.com and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco Access Dana's meditation library or learn how to work 1:1 with her: danareadings.com

The Inspiring Co podcast was created to expand the world of wellness and sustainability for anyone who doesn't know where to start, feels overwhelmed by the health- and green-washing claims or wants to deep dive into holistic wellness and ecological practices. Each week, we'll hear the stories of visionaries, creators and purpose-driven champions all of whom have embodied wellness, sustainability and human impact as key elements in their businesses and lives.  These stories will leave us enriched, inspired and empowered to be healthier,  more conscious consumers, environmental stewards and compassionate citizens in our own lives and for our planet.   Love the show? Share it with a friend or in your Instagram stories with the tag @theinspiringco!  Remember to subscribe so that all new episodes automatically show up in your feed each week! Let us know what you think - leave a review wherever you listen! Also, from now until October 22nd at noon you'll have a chance to WIN a HUGE prize pack of over $500 worth of organic, ethical, sustainable and health-boosting goodies by entering in The Inspiring Co Podcast Launch Giveaway!! One lucky winner will win: 2 x @gratefulpeoples gratitude journals $50 gift card for @om_organics_skincare ethical skincare 4 tubes of @patchstrips all-natural bamboo bandaids 1 box of @chocosoltraders artisanal, ethical and ecological chocolate 1 free seat in the @culinarynutrition Healthy at Home online course  and a $100 donation to @1percentftp in their name   So what are you waiting for?  This is how you can enter: Find and follow us on Instagram @theinspiringco, AND, Like the ‘Launch Giveaway' post AND tag a friend who you think will love our content FOR BONUS ENTRIES: Share a snapshot of your favourite episode in your Instagram stories and remember to tag us using @theinspiringco (3 extra entries) Head on over to your favourite podcast streaming channel (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher) and subscribe. (5 extra entries) Leave us a review. (5 extra entries) The winner will be announced live during the October 29th episode.   CONNECT WITH DANA  Find all episodes of The Inspiring Co at: theinspiringco.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher Instagram: @theinspiringco Access Dana's meditation library and learn how to work 1:1 with her at: danareadings.com