February 12, 2013

A Heart Commitment to Health


Today's post features an interview with a friend of mine, Ms. Brianna Lamberson. You might remember her name because she's a fabulous stylist who helped me get my closet in order last year.

In addition to being a stylist, Bri is also a health coach with a deep love for people and a passion for helping them make simple lifestyle changes to improve the quality of their health and lives. She is doing a really cool thing for her birthday this year and I wanted to share it with y'all so you could participate.

On Sunday February 17 at 8 p.m. EST, Bri is going to host a conference coaching call where she'll share some of her insight as well as give callers the chance to make a new commitment to their bodies and health. I'm really excited about it because I've been on somewhat of a health journey myself these past couple of years (becoming vegan, losing 50 lbs, etc.) and I think it will be really great to connect with other folks dealing with the same stuff.

I sat down with Bri and asked her a few questions about the call and here's what she shared:

SBS: So why should I make a commitment to my body? How do my readers know if this is an event for them?

Bri: There is so much in the media these about health and fitness, disease prevention, and new health risks. It can be so overwhelming and in all honesty extremely frustrating. After a while you kinda stop trying new things and just stick to what you know, because who’s to say these things will even work for you? The laundry list of things to do and not do, to eat and not eat become a burden not a transformational formula to set you free. Folks might be thinking “Eating healthy is great, but how do I fit it into my life? Is it really for me?”  I’m here to tell you that it is for you. It’s for anyone and everyone because being healthy is not a goal. It’s not unattainable. It’s not a final destination where you ultimately end up or a task that you finally complete. It's about making a heart commitment to your body and that's what brings about results.

SBS: How is a commitment different from a resolution?

Bri: True health is an accumulative effect. It’s like a rain barrel. It rains a little some days...none on others, and then a downpour. Finally, the bucket overflows and that is health. But to start, you have to commit. With a resolution, you resolve to do something, but there's fear that if you don’t get it done, you’ve failed and you’re back where you started. With a commitment you can fail as many times as you need to, until you find that sweet spot of balance. It’s rife with grace. Think of it in terms of a relationship. “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Always ineffectiveness.”

SBS: Why are you so passionate about this stuff?

Bri: I like to call this story "Mess, turning point, success" aka a little snippet about me. When I was in high school, I suffered a major bought of depression and self-loathing. I gained 35 lbs in less than year and I was really on a crash course for disaster. I wanted so badly to be healthy but I just didn't know what “healthy” even was. What I really wanted was to be thin and accepted. It wasn’t until a close friend of mine exposed me to vegetarianism that things started to change for me. It was a heart issue and a moral issue more than anything else. But that was the first commitment I ever made to my health. It radically transformed the way I saw my body and my food. For me, it was about where my food came from and what was in it. I learned there were things I didn't want in my body. So that right there was the first real understanding I had of what it mean to me to honor my body. I actually valued it enough to say, I’m not putting that junk in it.

SBS: I know some folks think I'm weird for becoming vegan and I'm sure people probably feel the same way about vegetarians. I don't want anybody to be dissuaded from joining the call because he or she thinks it's about becoming vegan or giving up meat.

Bri: Well, nothing about my program requires bold changes. Everyone is biologically individual so for some, that means eating meat, and for some it means being vegetarian or vegan. Even after I gave up meat, I still ate fast food and drank a ton of soda, but at least I had started the journey of becoming mindful. And as a side note, between the ages of 15 and 28 I have gone in and out of vegetarianism. I like to experiment and believe that everyone is uniquely different and has bio individuality. What works for you will not work anyone else. Switching it up and trying different approaches is vital to your health.

SBS: Would you say that people can start your program from right where they are?

Bri: OF COURSE!!! That’s why I decided to create this Commitment Ceremony call. I want people to set aside the time and make a decision once and for all that they can start today, no matter what has happened up to this point. I want people to finally get a sense of how important their body is.

SBS: Okay, so what is a coaching call? How do I participate?

Bri: This coaching call is like any other call you would normally have. It’s like a conference call where, once you register, you receive a confirmation email with the call in number and access pin. As you said above, it's taking place on February 17th. When 8 p.m. EST rolls around you just pick up the phone, dial the number, and then enter the pin. You’ll be connected to me and all the other people on the line who will be joining you in making a commitment to your body, health, and future. It is completely anonymous so you can be as transparent as you want to be. There are only 150 seats so please sign up as soon as possible. And if you know someone who needs this, invite them to sign up as well.

I know how hard making goals and plans can be so I wanted this event to be as easy as possible. No fear, no judgment, just a safe space to acknowledge your body and begin your journey. You cannot do it alone, I can’t do it alone. And sometimes the pressure can be so great that we feel we have nowhere else to turn. That’s why I also wanted to give people the chance to work with me one on one. If you sign up for the call you’ll also be eligible to receive a paid in full scholarship for my 3-Day Emergency Tool Kit program.

SBS: What is the Emergency Tool Kit Program?

Bri: Reaching out for help (especially when you feel like it’s not an emergency) can be nearly impossible. If you feel like you’re alone, tapped out, overworked, emotionally burdened, rolling in self-doubt, and giving into unhealthy eating then this program is for you. It’s like a big pause button or the chance for a fresh start. That’s what the 3-Day Emergency Tool Kit is. But I’ll be giving away 5 paid in full scholarships. I normally charge $595 for the program but decided to make it way more accessible, because everyone needs a reset at some point.

SBS: So how can folks get in the running for one of the scholarships?

Bri:
1. Register for the call and attend. Register here.
2. Email me before Feb.17th with “Scholarship” in the subject line and tell me why you need this scholarship. Email me at brianna.lamberson@gmail.com.

Once, you’ve done both, I will announce the recipients of the scholarships are on the call.

SBS: Wow! Lots of great info and the chance to have a really amazing opportunity here. Thank you so much Brianna for sharing this with me and my readers! I hope folks will consider joining the call if they are even the least bit interested. It sounds like they won't be disappointed!

Happy Tuesday y'all!