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.
How Following Your Passion Can Change Lives
I have known Keri Glassman for over 10 years. We met when I was working at Women’s Health. She was an Advisory Board member and contributing editor with two regular columns. Since that time, Keri has grown her own company into one of the most respected lifestyle and wellness brands, helping individuals discover and live their most nutritious lives. She’s launched products, appeared on countless national television segments, and helped thousands of people build and grow their own wellness careers through the Nutritious Life Studio. I sat down with her recently for an Instagram Live to talk about her journey to becoming a leading registered dietitian, how Nutritious Life came to be (including all the bumps along the way), and the upcoming launch of the next Become a Nutrition Coach (BNC) class for those who may want a career in nutrition, too. Read on to get inspired by her epic career path, and how you can take your wellness career to the next level. Keri, how did you get started in wellness, and I want you to dig deep for me. Were you always healthy? Tell me the truth! How do I even answer this because the answer to that is, no! I was not always healthy; but, I was always interested in wellness. I was the person that loved candy and sweets probably more than anyone you know. But, at the same time, I also loved healthy foods. I was always super interested in how food fueled the body. I was a gymnast when I was younger, and a swimmer. In high school and college, I played soccer and lacrosse. I knew I needed to fuel my body, and I knew I felt good eating healthy foods. But, that didn’t mean my relationship with food was always good. Did you go to school for nutrition? No, not initially. I went to Tufts University undergrad. Tufts has an incredible nutrition program; but, I was a political science major with a concentration in philosophy which seems so funny to me now. There was a time I could speak Nietzsche, Locke, etc. I had a great interest in nutrition, but I didn’t major in it because I was actually scared of science! I thought, “This is going to be too hard. I’m not a science girl. I’m a philosophy and English person.” My fear of the sciences was so ironic because when I went back to school for it, I crushed those classes and loved them. I’m obsessed with science now. How did Nutritious Life start? I always say that the origins of Nutritious Life actually started in college. I gained a lot of weight, but I was playing sports and remember thinking, “OK, when I eat healthy, not only do I perform better on the athletic field, I sleep better. When I sleep better, I am just happier. When I’m happier, I’m more motivated to eat well.” I always say that was the origin of the 8 pillars of Nutritious Life (Of course, I didn’t call it that at the time). So fast forward … I was working at Sports Illustrated when I graduated from college, and decided to go back to school for nutrition. I took Nutrition 101 at New York University, just to try it out. I loved it, and threw myself into it. I got my Master’s in Clinical Nutrition, and then got a job at a startup online nutrition company. After working there for a couple of years, I knew I wanted to help people in a bigger or different way by working with them one on one. I started seeing some clients as a side gig, and then I decided I was going all in and I started my own private practice. What did you want to do differently? At that time, much of the field was focused on diet and exercise. I knew when I started my practice, I didn’t want people to just focus on that. I knew that did not bring success or lifelong healthy eating habits. I had studied how nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, hydration, and self-care all affect our overall wellbeing. I wanted to educate my clients in this manner, and didn’t want to just focus on food and fitness alone—it’s so much more than that. You have this amazing website with science-backed nutrition and lifestyle content. But, you also have an impressive certification program. There are a lot of people interested in working in the wellness space. Can you tell us a little about the Nutritious Life Studio? When I started my practice about 20 years ago, I knew nothing about being an entrepreneur. I had worked in a startup for a couple years and gained some knowledge there; but, I didn’t take a course, didn’t have a mentor or study business in school. I knew nothing about running my own business. There was no roadmap for me to follow. I had all the science knowledge that I learned in school, but I didn’t learn anything about speaking to people or to consumers. I also didn’t learn anything about translating that science into consumer friendly language, and I didn’t learn about running a business or marketing … any of that. So, I started a binder with every element I needed to create my business to hold myself accountable. It outlined my exact method for seeing clients as a way to keep me organized. I put in everything—education and counseling tools and forms, marketing ideas and the latest research. In the Nutritious Life Studio, you learn from all my mistakes AND you learn from all the things I’ve done right. I always say that the Nutritious Life Studio is that binder PLUS two decades of experience brought to real life. This course is where you get everything you need to create your own business and practice: the science, the counseling, and the business skills. What is the time commitment? Level 1 is three months; but, it is all self-timed
The Superfood Soup Entrepreneur Who Calls Her Diet “Compassionate”
“TNS Success” is a new column highlighting the incredible accomplishments of The Nutritious Life Studio alumni. We’re showcasing the healthy products our grads have created, the better eating habits they now consider second nature, and other ways TNS helped them find healthy, happy success—in life and business. Yoga instructor and wellness enthusiast Amanda Leigh Bowen met her fiancé, Fabio Fossati, at a gym in Brooklyn. Clearly, the pair had a passion for healthy living in common, and they went on to create Fawen Ready-To-Drink Soup, a line of organic, plant-based superfood soups, together. The brand utilizes only whole, organic vegetables and eco-friendly recyclable packaging (that’s super pretty!), which reflects Bowen’s desire to focus her diet on “compassion and sustainability.” RELATED: The One Simple Diet Change That’s Best for the Planet Still, Bowen wanted to deepen her understanding of nutrition, which is why she enrolled in and completed The Nutritious Life Studiol in May 2017. “Becoming Nutritious Life Certified substantiated my knowledge of nutrition, which I will use not only for my own health and well being, but to share with others,” she says. “I have a deeper understanding of how foods work within the body and how food directly impacts mood and behavior, which plays an important role in which vegetables and superfoods I choose when developing flavors of Fawen Ready-To-Drink Soup.” Find out more about her healthy habits and business and how The Nutritious Life Studio Certification influenced both, below. Maybe while sipping on a Broccoli & Cauliflower with Turmeric? TNS Success: Fawen founder Amanda Leigh Bowen What inspired you to sign up for The Nutritious Life Studio? My passion for healthy living! Did The Nutrition School change your personal eating (or overall wellness) habits? The Nutrition School was a great reminder of how to live a holistic life, and to keep that perspective when evaluating the role of diet in overall wellbeing. When it comes to diet specifically, I plan to follow Keri’s guidelines for more closely monitoring my HQ (hunger quotient), as I struggle with maintaining a consistent balanced level of slight hunger/satisfaction throughout the day and think this will greatly help! RELATED: The Best Portion Control Hack to Avoid Overeating If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? Compassionate and sustainable. The one food you always have in your fridge? Unsweetened almond milk + avocados + frozen green veggies (sorry that was three!). The one snack you always have when traveling? Fawen Ready-To-Drink Soup + Raw Rev Glo bars. Your favorite conscious food indulgence? Dairy-free pumpkin pie or flourless dark chocolate cake. What’s your workout of choice? Weight training + yoga. How do you stay active outside the gym? I walk my dogs! What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? Listening to music while taking a hot shower. What does it mean to you to “live consciously”? To live consciously is to be aware of my environment: how it affects me and how I affect it, what I take in and what I give back. What’s your weirdest healthy habit? I always chase any beverage with water (and swoosh on my first sip to cleanse my mouth and prevent tooth stains). Which healthy habit do you wish you had more time for? Sleeping and napping! Check out Fawen at drinkfawen.com and on Instagram at @fawensoup. Sign up for the next session of The Nutritious Life Studio’s Certification Program, here.
