You see that gorgeous creature front right, bobbing down beside me? That’s today’s guest Donna Heathcote. Donna and I met last November at a retreat called Awaken the Change Within. We instantly developed girl-crushes due to our shared interest in gut health, mindset and puppies. I call her my ‘other mother’ and she calls me daughter (peas in pods!).
Meet Donna …
Where did your open-minded adventure begin? Was there a significant event that shifted you into gear, or did your outlook on life simply shift over time?
I think I’ve been on this journey my whole life. Every experience I have had has brought me to where I am today. It has been a gradual change over time but there have also been some significant catalysts that have expedited the process. The first was my body going into complete meltdown, I pretty much collapsed one night at work and couldn’t get out of bed or the house for about 2 months. The second was the Awaken the Change within retreat and working with Carren Smith and Kim Morrison. Getting really sick was the wake up call I needed and I began researching and changing my lifestyle, the Awaken the Change within gave me the extra knowledge I needed to propel me to where I am now.
What drives your enthusiasm for self-care and optimism?
I am hard wired to be self motivated and optimistic. I have always seen challenges as things to conquer and my health and wellbeing has definitely been one of those. Feeling amazing every day keeps me motivated to do what I am doing and to help others in their own journey to achieve this.
What keeps you goofy and ‘down-to-earth’?
First and foremost, I do. I use daily morning meditation and affirmations and during the evenings I use periods of reflection to keep me in the present and make sure that I have been living by my highest values. I believe authenticity comes from within, when you truly know yourself and not afraid to look inside yourself and see everything, the good, the bad and the ugly included. Secondly for me, my beautiful husband and friends keep be grounded. I love them for their honesty and the love and support they give me, no matter how crazy my ideas and thoughts might seem sometimes
How do you keep exercise FUN?
I love functional movement and doing it outside. Go to a park where there are trees and grass and flowers. Use the benches, the trees, the ground to pull, push, jump, run. You have to make it fun. I love seeing what my body is capable of so sometimes I will do things like try and balance (the Karate kid stork) on a log or a rock or something. It’s important to be able to laugh at yourself too and keep it real.
When it comes to nutrition, what is your philosophy?
I believe every person’s body is different and 1 size does not fit all. Clean foods are really important, so foods that are organic and have not been grown or produced with chemicals, GMO etc. I personally follow Primal eating and include meat, seafood, fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds. I am gluten and mostly grain free but my body tells me what it needs and tells when it doesn’t like something I put into it.
How do you overcome limiting thoughts and rationalize negativity?
I have clearly stated goals and aspirations. I break these down and look at what are my fears, or what are my own self limiting beliefs that would stop me achieving my goals. Once I write these down, most of my fears and self limiting beliefs actually seem silly. I will often reflect on when a belief first started and ask myself “does this belief serve me?”. If the answer is no, then I remove it, put an end to that story and start a new one. I love writing affirmations so any of my negative thoughts get turned into an affirmation that affirms the opposite of the negative thought. I write my affirmations down and they are on my walls, my mirrors, in my iphone, everywhere…like “notes to self”
Go ahead, inspire us!
We all have immense power within us to determine our own health and well-being and to live our optimal life. Find your life purpose, or even smaller goals and believe in yourself, be kind to yourself and others and remember to have fun along the way.
Think fast, what are you grateful for right now?
Definitely my intellect and mindset, my physical strength and wellbeing, having ready access to clean nourishing foods, my beautiful family and friends, everything really!
Make us sweat!
I only workout 2-3 times per week like this, the other days I still move but its more like a nice walk in nature or a yoga session rather than a full workout.
Circuit training – as many rounds as possible for a time limit, say 20 minutes:
200m sprint
20 squats
10 push ups
15 steps ups
10 superman
10 air squats