The Biggest Career Mistakes I’ve Made

Ask Keri: What were some of the biggest mistakes you’ve encountered in your career?  Keri says: Oh my goodness, where do I even begin?! I’ve made so many different mistakes, I’m trying to think of which bucket to pick from. I was on our weekly Nutritious Life Studio Zoom call last week and we were talking about this very topic actually—mistakes and failures. One person in the group mentioned feeling horrible about a client who hadn’t reached a health goal. This person on the Zoom felt like it was all her fault and had a sense of failure as a nutrition coach. I said to her, “First of all, you’re not alone. Many people feel that way when they’re working with clients.” I went on to share how easy it is to take on your clients’ thoughts, feelings, emotions and even their failures. I absolutely made that mistake probably dozens of times. I would take home all of those emotions and feel incredibly stressed if a client didn’t reach a goal.  I’d be up all night worrying about what I could have done and how that person felt. Then, the next day I’d get a call or text saying,”I’m feeling better, I’m great.” What?! I was up all night thinking and worried! I wasted a lot of time and energy over the years when I could have been staying more positive—focusing on continuing to help these clients, but not taking on all of their emotions. Setting emotional boundaries is important. I think that’s something very common when people are first counseling clients. But, you’ll burn out if you keep it up. You have to realize your clients’ may not be reaching their health goals for a million different reasons—genetics, stress etc.—but that doesn’t mean they won’t get there with your help. And, it also doesn’t mean you can’t prioritize yourself and set boundaries.  You can always look to do better as a dietitian or a coach. You should always want to learn, especially with nutrition…science is always changing.You have to evolve, you have to grow, and you often have to look at things differently from time-to-time. Of course you have to look at your mistakes and learn from them, but you can’t take on every client hiccup as your own. You’re going to waste a lot of energy and deplete yourself. This may seem like a simple “mistake,” but it’s a big one when you think of all the energy you could waste feeling stressed, worried, and insecure and emotionally exhausted. I wish I had learned this before I got started in private practice. From a larger business perspective, I used to get so wrapped up if something didn’t work out. If it was a brand deal, or a TV show for example, I would be so emotionally attached to the outcome. And when it didn’t work out, it would devastate me. Ok, that’s a little dramatic but it would drain me big time.It would ruin my day. I’d come home cranky.  Then, I started to think, “Why am I bringing this stress into my life?” I had little kids, I didn’t want to bring that energy into my home. I got to a point in my career where when something didn’t go right, I thought, “Okay, this  is not happening and that is ok! This may sound a little bit cliché, but I would say to myself this is happening for a reason. The longer you’re in business, the easier it is to have the attitude of“Whatever. So what? There’s something tomorrow.” So the next time you get disappointed that something didn’t go your way, give yourself five minutes. Say, “Okay, I’m giving myself five minutes to be effing pissed off, angry, upset, whatever.” Be cranky, angry, and upset—but set a timer. Five minutes, that’s it. I call it my 5 minute rule.  Then, move on. Pick one thing to do that is productive…even the tiniest thing. Cross one little thing off your list—it will make you feel better—and then move forward.   

15 Reasons to Start a Career in Wellness 

Whether you’re a seasoned wellness entrepreneur looking to take your career to the next level or someone wanting to make a complete career change, there are many benefits to a career in wellness. And embarking on or heading deeper down the wellness path has never been easier. Higher education is way more accessible today than it ever was, and you might be surprised by all of the rewards you can reap by finding the right continuing education or online certification course. Taking online classes will provide you with transferable skills that can give you a leg up in your job search or as an entrepreneur. That’s why our founder Keri Glassman, MS, RDN, CDN, started The Nutritious Life Studio (NLS). Through cutting-edge nutrition, coaching and business education, she wanted to help wellness professionals build and grow their business. We know that change can be scary—especially when it comes to our careers. We can make countless excuses as to why we should stay in that job (even though we hate it) or why we couldn’t possibly start our own business. And, while the stress of the pandemic has taken a toll on us all , we still have a choice and don’t have to stay in a miserable work environment. We can take a chance, bet on ourselves and on our futures. Whether you’re feeling stuck in your current job, want to make a career change into wellness, or would like to take your business to the next level—enrolling in The Nutritious Life Studio can help you achieve your goals. Need a little more inspiration? We asked our NLS alumni to share some of their favorite things about taking the course—and how it helped them in their own business. Here’s what they have to say. Read on for inspiration! RELATED LINK: Should You Be Working in Wellness? 15 Reasons to Join The Nutritious Life Studio 1. Boost your nutrition science knowledge and confidence “After becoming Nutritious Life Certified, I have a newfound level of confidence when talking about nutrition with clients. What I appreciated the most was Keri’s thoroughness and way of communicating a complicated topic in a simple way. The handouts for each topic were incredibly useful, and I still refer to them to this day! As a graduate of the program, the learning never stops. The Nutritious Life Studio is an amazing community to be a part of, and Keri continues to actively engage students through updated nutrition info, breaking down trends, and group discussions. I can’t recommend this program enough if you’re looking to take your wellness business to the next level.” —Carly Paige, Chef and Health Coach, Nutritious Life Certified 2. Put Keri Glassman’s unmatched training and integrity in your back pocket “The Nutritious Life Certification is one of the best programs I’ve invested in. Keri’s training and integrity are unmatched, and I’ve already seen results in my clients. I have been using the knowledge I have gained on my clients and it’s working.” —Annie Petersmeyer, NLC, Fitness Instructor, Nutritious Life Certified 3. Learn about the interplay between nutrition and lifestyle “NLS has been the perfect blend for my business. It offers a unique understanding of how nutrition has evolved over the years and the interplay between nutrition and lifestyle.” —Cori Cooper, Pharmacist, Women’s Empowerment Coach, Professional Speaker, Health Education Expert, Nutritious Life Certified 4. Arm yourself with straightforward know-how for starting a business “The Nutritious Life Studio course offers a practical, easy-to-understand format. The business portion was the most helpful for me. The sample questionnaires, forms and how-tos are really the answers to every question you have about starting a business. In addition, you get to be a part of the engaging, inclusive weekly group meetings after you graduate from Level 1—and the access to Keri is an incredible bonus. I don’t know where else you would ever get such vital, important, pertinent information wrapped into one course.” —Heather Floriani, Life Coach, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Health Coach, Nutritious Life Certified 5. Learn to speak your truth and share your uniqueness “The biggest thing that I have learned from the NLS certification and community is that the world needs to hear what I have to say. It can be scary to start a new business and so easy to compare yourself to others, but NLS offers the necessary knowledge to take that next step. The warmth and love from the NL community, whether it’s Keri herself, the Facebook group, or Masterclass, can not be beat. We all cheer for one another, and share our unique businesses with the world.” —Jane Hanisch, Personal Trainer, Exercise Physiologist, Yoga Instructor, Nutritious Life Certified 6. Acquire practical, actionable nutrition science to easily coach clients “Because of The Nutritious Life Studio certification, I acquired nutrition science information and tools to use when working one-on-one with clients. More importantly, I gained the confidence to take the next step in creating my own business and help people with their individual journey to healthy eating and living. The NLS team is incredibly supportive, and I know I will continue to stay involved in the community.” —Cassie Scoon NLC, Health & Wellness Blogger at Granola Barre Girl, Nutritious Life Certified 7. Gain confidence and support to drown out the self-doubt “The information, resources, and community gave me extra confidence and support that had been missing. Working alone in private practice generated self-doubt, but now that I have the support of the NLS community, I can continue to counsel my clients with more confidence. I’m so excited to see my company grow!” —Eileen Hsiung, RDN, NLC, Founder of Pure Nutrition OC, Nutritious Life Certified 8. Add a nutrition component to enhance your existing fitness resume “Becoming Nutritious Life Certified gave me amazing tools to use with my clients and I’ve seen a lot more success. Integrating this education into my fitness program will make it a more comprehensive package. It’s going to get even greater results than just the fitness or the nutrition alone.” —Kim