Please note, this is an automated transcript so it is not 100% accurate.

Guy 00:00
So here we are in the outback of UK, the Outback sounds nice little farmland. And we have our daughter, Ava, asleep officially in the car. And we are been wanting to do a little joint podcast for a while. So here we are. Welcome to our podcast.

Lynda 00:19
Yes, welcome. And to clarify, we don’t normally leave our daughter in the. But she’s a we just drove back from somewhere. So we’ve got the windows open, we’re right here in front of her. That’s why we’re doing this on the balcony, this serenity of the farmland.

Guy 00:35
Okay, I’m very unprepared. And I know you’ve got some questions. So let’s do it.

Lynda 00:40
Excellent. And yeah, I didn’t want us to be prepared, actually, because I’m always prepared. So this is kind of nice. I didn’t want to be thinking too much this week at all. But I put it out there to everyone that may be familiar with both of us to see if they wanted to ask us anything. And I thought, you know, originally, who really cares about us, but maybe someone does. And there was a few questions that came back. So we’re going to keep it nice and short and sweet. But the first one I wanted to kick off with eels, which I quite like, actually. So thank you for this question. Can we talk a little bit about when we both started with our own personal wellness journeys, like our own personal origin stories? Oh,

Guy 01:25
I’m unwellness. So I got an iPhone. So I’m moving it to the multiple speaker and hopefully I do a good job because we’ve got no podcast, Mike today knows him.

Lynda 01:34
And I feel like I’m lowering my voice and octave just so he doesn’t wake up. Alright, I’m just gonna start. I’m happy to if you don’t want to. So my first origins, my when I start? God, that’s a good question. Let me I haven’t prepared again. So I guess for me personally, the things that kind of stand out when we were asked this question is that I do remember towards the end of high school for me, I was a bit lost with what I wanted to do with myself. And I liked to go to quite a bit of rave parties back then. And I’ll mention this here and there. But at the time, does do things that happened. So at the time, towards the end of high school, there was a careers day, we could go into a bunch of stalls and sort of get an idea of what you might be interested in. And I remember this stall, that was you know all about naturopathic nutrition. And I didn’t really know a lot about naturopathic at that time. That was probably that was the late 90s. And all I’ve known is that what I was really interested in was, when we would go to these rave parties, the I would end up sound really creepy, but giving people massages. And people would just comment on how amazing my messages were on it. Well, I’m actually good with my hands, I’m actually quite good with giving a good massage. And as part of this natural beauty course, I noticed that massage was a component of it. And I thought well, I could start there, I’m going to do massage. And so I went on to start and study massage at this college at nature care college back in the day. And those of you who were in aged care was quite raw and rustic, and I have fond memories of going there. So I started at massage and then it sort of morphed into natural empathy. I didn’t want to stop learning I just absolutely loved everything that was about learning about the body and nutrition and lifestyle and it just felt really at ease and at home for me. That for me is like randomly where it all started. Probably not my first dip of the toe into wellness but and you know, it sounds very opposite ends of the spectrum. You’ve got one aspect which is right parties, which can be a lot of recreational drugs and messiness, and lots of crazy adventures and it can be a bit toxic and the new look at natural Pathy which is very much the other end of that. Living a bit of a cleaner life or a more of a raw and rustic and nature filled life. I think those are the first memories and you know, yes, I was into Yeah, I think I think that’s where it started for me.

Guy 04:17
Okay, and I want to ask you a question

Guy 04:21
is what are your key guiding principles now to wellness? Because you’ve have you started moving into this after your teens Yeah. And you know, it’s been a journey for you progressive journey to how would you put your wellness principles into place if you had to do footnotes now?

Lynda 04:43
As in how I like to live my life.

Guy 04:45
Well, what what are the wellness principles? Like what do you stand for? Well, when it comes to your food, your movement, your sleep, like what are key principles to stay on top of your your well being

Lynda 05:01
Yeah, I guess I’m going to answer this from a place of what’s a bit of a non negotiable in a day for me in a week. So I guess what’s really important for me is yes, absolutely, making sure that my nutrition is in check, and most importantly, that I’m enjoying food because I really enjoy food as you do. And I, you know, coming back, coming, growing up as a European woman, you know, we we share love, friendship through food, you know, as soon as you walk in my parents house, it’s like, what do you want to eat. And so, nutrition is important for me. And so I and you know, to break that down even further, I really look at making sure that all of my meals are made up of, you know, healthy fats, and then also quality protein of some sort, and then, you know, fibrous vegetables, and I do enjoy, you know, a fruit or two in a day. Movements really important for me, I especially, to get out of my head, have fun that. And also just to liberate energy in my body, if I feel really stagnant and stuck. Sometimes I just need to take myself out into nature. And we’re especially over the last year. Going back to studies and studying uni. At uni, I’ve just found myself needing to run or needing to just get out in nature and move the body in some way. Of course, that’s changed. With Eva being around, we’ve had to accommodate how we do exercise. So for me, it’s been a bit of ad hoc, running, generally thought I’d get back into again, and better yoga and pilates at home. So movement for me is highly important. But I think mentally, I always check in with myself to ask the question, are you getting joy in your life? Like, where are you at? Are you feeling empty? Are you feeling like it’s very skewed in one direction, like skewed in the direction of work, and studies and no play? And if so, what can you do to bring more joy into your life, I always ask those questions. And it’s not always balanced. But I do tend to, when I recognise it, make sure that I’m doing that. Connections really important to I think, really connecting with my family and friends. So with you, it’s really important that for me, to have ensured that we sort of had maintained our relationship whilst we became new parents, because it can feel like ships in the night or could easily go in that direction, especially because we look after her equally in a day. So we both work. And we both work from home. And we’ve got the luxury and the privilege of doing that. But it can mean that it’s like right, your turn to look up to Eva now. And then I’ll start working and it can be ships in the night. So I think we come together during all of the meal breaks. So you know, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We have a date night on Friday, which is really important to us. And I think we haven’t stopped that since Ava was, was born. And also, for me connecting with friends in my life and remembering the other parts of myself that don’t necessarily get nurtured from our, the relationship we have. And even down to the music that I enjoy, you don’t necessarily enjoy. Or, you know, the you know, I might like to have a glass of wine here and there. And you’re, you’re in a massive drinker. Not that I am guys, but you know, probably more than glad at this stage. In so like and just doing other things. Other things that and just really tapping into that feminine energy of mine that I need to and I feel very drawn to doing. So that’s important for me anything else? I think for me, stimulating my brain, like I think going back to studies, it like studies have never ended for me, I think ever since I’ve been working I’m always kind of doing a course or learning something or up levelling in some way, which requires studies. But this has just been throwing myself back into sort of heavy studies. And that’s been really challenging, but also really rewarding for me. I’ve broken through some old narratives of feeling stupid and dumb. And sort of my results don’t reflect that. And that’s because of the work that I’ve put it in the dedication and because hey, I don’t think that talking story was even true. Back in the day is just something I told myself. So I think spiritually, mentally and emotionally I’ve learned a lot from from those challenges that I’ve set myself educationally and stuff. So I’m sure there’s more but those are the ones that sprang to mind straightaway. But let’s start with you. So what about your origin story to wellness? Do you remember like some first brings to mind

Guy 10:01
Yeah, what springs to mind a couple of things like I, I was I never had direction when it came to wellness or health really growing up in Wales. So I just assumed I was doing the right thing, but I couldn’t have been way off track in some respects. So I always remember through my 20s struggling with energy swings. And sometimes I just feel exhausted and want to lay down and sleep in the middle of the day, and I couldn’t, I could never put my finger on it. I wasn’t playing too much rugby at the time, I had been travelling more. And so the logical thing to do is go to the doctor. And, and I remember counting, I saw five different doctors over a space of maybe two years, and nobody really gave me any answers. And no one told me to look at my lifestyle or what I was eating, I was doing not one. And, and that’s, that’s when then in my late 20s, I started to want to work in the sort of fitness industry and health industry. And I just hadn’t had the association of being able to have the power within myself to change some prominent factors. And I’ll never forget my my lecturer telling me because I remember going up to him and asking him because they will even teach in the food pyramid in, in the curriculum. And I was like, I’m so frustrated. And he just said one thing, he said, Just look at your, your GI and your it sounds like you got blood sugar sensitivities. And that wasn’t picked up at the doctor. So when I actually started to look into that, and change my food, it just made a massive difference. Massive. And then that really ignited something in me to want to really look and a lot closer because I realised how far off the straight ahead. So that that would probably be it. And then going into that, as people know, what many people know or listened to me, you know, I started getting involved with a charity that were helping people with cancer, from my fitness background, that highlighted even more things around, I guess, overall, well being on a holistic approach to one’s health. And that kind of sparked many things, you know, and then just continue to kind of search and then once I realised I had made a significant difference to how I felt and what I how I felt about myself just by changing lifestyles choices alone. I got frustrated that it wasn’t really common knowledge in any way in the circles I am I feel like it is now but so it kind of was great because it sparked a company that went on and did well when they did nutrition and sparked the, the inward journey of what I’ve been doing now. And so I’m grateful for all that. But it did definitely come through frustration. For sure, that’s my answer, I guess.

Lynda 13:17
And you’re if you were to talk about, like some of the non negotiables in your life that really nourish. I don’t think that’s just a bit of a bandied about name and our word, but some of the things that you really implement in a daily basis or in a weekly basis on a weekly basis that really support your mental health and mood and life and

Guy 13:43
all the rest of it. Yeah. You Yeah, well, obviously. Being being tight me your neighbour, and that is precious. You know, it’s been tightening, like, feel like we’re together. We’re all on. We’re all on the same page by even might not be but she doesn’t. But, look, honestly, you know, those things are so important to me, but the function I need sleep, like sleep sleeps a big one for me, and I’m way happier to go to bed earlier and earlier. Like I’m the person if you invite round to a party and I’m gone by eight o’clock these days. Because like sleep is a non negotiable for me. And as as pathetic as that can sound sometimes you know, when I think about it, I’m closer to 50 than I am 40. And to me there are there are so many things now that matter to me in life and being clear headed and being feeling on top of myself allows me to drive forward. It allows me to feel healthier. Generally, these last five years I felt better than I did when I was in my 20s You know what I mean? So all those things importance was asleep. Obviously, food is a big one. You know, I think it was on a conversation with one of the guys the other day and I said, Yeah, I generally you want to eat one half dodgy meal a week, really, when I think about is quite boring again to shock the system. But again, I just feel and that’s

Lynda 15:18
not even a bad meal. It’s just one that’s like not

Guy 15:23
that means, like gluten free bread, and

Lynda 15:27
like, it’s maybe not the best quality cooking. Yeah, exactly. But you know, you could let it go sometimes, don’t you? You do,

Guy 15:33
but but like, I just find, I feel things start to unravel quite quickly if I don’t stay on top of all those things. You know, so movement is crucial. Again, you know, we do, obviously, having bring in a practice in, just be mindful, bringing in some meditations and breathing. It’s it’s a bit sporadic now, since we’ve had Eva. But it still, like you say that question. You said, you know, where’s the joy in my life right now? Like, it’s really important to ask yourself those questions, you know, so

Lynda 16:14
under present, and if you hear munching is there’s a horse in the background, which is kind of really beautiful. But I can really relate to the the connection that you had with the when you started to eat better back in the day, and then you noticed, it’s that aha moment of like, oh, wow, I don’t really have those sort of dips in whatever you were experiencing back then. Because I back in the day, I had an eating disorder, my late teens, early 20s. When I was actually just beginning to study natural Pathy, and I remember thinking, at the time, if I’d gotten down to a certain weight, then I will be so happy, like many of us do, and now and I was already not like I was already quite lean and and I remember one poignant moment in my room because I was still living at home Yes, guys, I lived at home until I was 27. Like a good European girl. But actually, this was in my late teens and I remember being in the room being so alone, because at that point in time, I’d gotten down to a ridiculously low weight I was starving myself and throwing food out and when my mother wasn’t watching and you know all the sneaky stuff that I used to do and would say no to outings with friends would ask me to go out for dinner or lunch or whatever because it was just way too hard for me to to keep up with my sneakiness and you know and I remember hitting this point in my bedroom going you’re at this weight that you thought that you would be happy and this is not a life you’re not happy this is and I really tried to truly understood when I started to bring in food and because I really hit a point like it was just this the low point in my life that I was like well you locked away in your room don’t want to be seen by the world starving, not happy. And then I started to say yes to people friends that would ask me to go out for lunch or go out for dinner and then I would come home feeling a bit more alive. And I’d been adventurous enough to have that meal or have that luck so had that whatever it was and it would be okay you know, I feel okay about this and it was better for my mental health and I enjoyed myself and I started to bring joy back in. But I truly understood how much food is inflammation for the brain and Food is fuel and how much it manipulated in play with my mood by starving myself and by really making my diet so restricted. So I think whilst I don’t wish that upon anyone, any sort of disordered way of eating I’m almost grateful that I went through that experience for a short period of time and also when I was younger because now it’s just never anywhere that I would want to be in so I’m very hell bent on making sure I eat well. But also making sure overseas us have a healthy relationship with food you know and not be too restricted ridiculous and you know, I think it’s really important for her not to be exposed to that.

Guy 19:25
Yeah, food is definitely an interesting one isn’t it and their emotional ties to food of wherever that might be yes. And I know we certainly troll Yeah, cause ties definitely I see pop up a lot when I was working as a trainer as well and even in my own life and what I found like when you will eliminate all those inflammatory foods and those inflammatory oils and sugar and processed carbohydrates you know all it’s all the culprit or the trigger stuff and and just I still eat, we still eat really, really well like, like I eat plenty of food but

Lynda 20:05
plenty of food. But

Guy 20:09
but it’s important like to me it’s it’s an investment in health, it’s an investment in well being investment and how you feel daily prevention. It’s a prevention strategy and which is way better than a cure strategy. And besides,

Lynda 20:23
we enjoy it, it’s very communal for us we come together with through food, we meet up with friends with free food, and, you know, like we, I really enjoy when we meet to eat throughout the day, like it’s a break in the task, and it’s just a ritual. We’ve got blowflies wonderful, boy. Yeah.

Guy 20:44
Any other questions?

Lynda 20:45
Yeah, I think I think the final thing I want to ask is, because our lives aren’t perfect, they’re not gasp What do you think you could be doing better? To nourish yourself as an individual? And where do you feel like things are a little bit lacking at the moment in your life? And just forget that I’m in the room? Or outside of this? Beautiful?

Guy 21:06
Yeah, you know, it’s, that’s, that’s a question I didn’t expect. You know, I would, it’s quite easy to blame lockdown. Because you kind of feel like I haven’t gone anywhere, for for quite a while. And I am guilty of keeping things simple. In the sense of, you know, I’ve got bits of routine, and I’m actually quite a simple person. So I like simple things. So what I could be doing better, is probably I don’t know, whether it’s because since Eva has been born, we’ve had to be much more diligent with routine, you know, and it’s like, oh, shit, I can’t just pop out and work from a cafe because the bloody cafes are being closed, but be because I’ve got to get Ava to sleep, because you’re, you’re on a console or something like that. So all of a sudden, it becomes very precision planning, in some respects, which I’ve never been good at. So there’s a part of me that feels could be doing better as probably be a bit more organised around it, but then also bring in a bit more of a sense of adventure. And, and I’m also working with being able to let go in terms of the business and in terms of finances, and in terms of where my head goes, just to be able to be and be present and enjoy, like we are now on this beautiful farm. There’s horses, and try and just slow that bit down as well, which I could I think that’s going to be forever evolving and forever grappling as long as forever as long as our responsibility and our business and, and things like that. I suppose so. Yeah. I don’t know if that was an answer. But was, it’s kind of I think that’s where my mind goes, you

Lynda 23:09
know, can resonate with that. I think for me, two things crop up, I think one is that I can be very, like I was saying to a couple of girlfriends, not too long ago, I feel like I’m never really naughty these days. Like, I’m always really diligent and disciplined. And I have time, like her structure. And, you know, it feels like there’s a lot of work at the moment in the sense of lots of work and not a lot of play. Like there’s a lot of uni stuff. And there’s a lot of clinic in this podcasting, and there’s like, obligations and busyness. But I don’t actually feel, you know, like people sort of pride themselves on busyness, I actually am embarrassed to say that in the sense of, I feel very imbalanced. And so I feel like I want to, I feel like I need to get a bit wild, I need to get a bit naughty. Like back in the day. I think a part of me is very frightened of that. Because maybe my late teens, I was probably a little bit too much that way and the discipline and the structure has served me well to get me where I am today. And so there’s an element of all I don’t want to lose control, though. So what I need to sort of change that story in my mind. And I think for me, what’s forever forever evolving. And I have come to a happy place with it is that I am continuing to improve my relationship with money. And that’s more more than I’d like to be better at handling and be better at investing it and be better at seeing it grow. You know, that sort of thing. And again, I think a big, big part to play in where why my head’s gone that ways is Eva is just making sure that she has everything she needs and she experiences all the juiciness of life that we can put in front of her sort of thing. So you know, I’m grateful for that and I’m enjoying this Have reestablishing my relationship with money. So those two are the areas that I think that I kind of need to work on are getting a bit more being okay with getting a bit wild and being a bit naughty and losing the structure and the discipline, and also just, you know, really believing that I can have a really good relationship with money. Yeah,

Guy 25:19
no, that’s good. i The other thing I want to add as well, like on that question for myself, yeah, thinking about it, as I was listening to you is that, you know, from running events, running workshops, and retreats, that was a big part of my life that disappeared, you know, and so there was so much purpose coming from that as well. So it’s like, then, when, when that was removed, for a period of time, or very often on, like, we’ve just tentatively opened up. Workshops, again, we should all seems to be opening up and I’m sure it’d be fine. But there’s always still at the back of that loop looming as well. So I think that’s kind of fed into that nonsense of adventure routine bit limbo, because there was this, this whole that’s just there. Yeah, from that aspect, as well. And it’s like, do I just completely pivot or the world gonna open up? You know, there’s so many questions that were coming around with that as well. You know,

Lynda 26:24
and I think for me, personally seeing you go to the retreats and have that sense of purpose, that’s a part of your identity or your soul that you’re nourishing, you know, and then that’s been taken away. And not because you’ve taken it away yourself. It’s just been taped, like, like many of us in this situation at the moment, but yeah, it’s a bit sad to see that that’s.

Guy 26:49
It’s coming back. Oh, look at that. All right.

Lynda 26:53
Well, I’m gonna walk over and get him actually, maybe this that’s gonna just say hello. Let’s wrap this up. We are

Guy 26:59
wrapping it up.

Guy 27:02
But thank you for the podcast. Any final words?

Lynda 27:07
Final words? Thank you for listening. And for those that give a shit enough to listen to, to ask to talk. I know that I certainly like to listen to other people and get to know them a little bit better. Okay.

Guy 27:18
Thank you for the inspiration.

Lynda 27:19
Hello. What do you want to say?

Guy 27:21
No, that’s it. Thank you.

Lynda 27:23
We must tend to Queen over. Yes.

Guy 27:25
Much love. Bye.

Lynda 27:27
Much love