7 Best Personal Development Books I Read In 2018

Editions:

2018

2017

My Definition of a personal development book

A personal development book to me is any book that contains information with the purpose of influencing a direct personal transformation within the reader.

This could come in the form of a typical personal development book like Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins or a less typical, more metaphysical approach like The Inside Out Revolution by Michael Neill.

Whether a certain book will resonate with us or not largely depends on what journey we are on and where we are in our journey.

Top Personal Development Books – 2018 Edition

Goal: 40

Read: 46

*I rated the books based on the impact they had on my personal growth.*

Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life

By Byron Katie

352 Pages

What is this book about?

For reference, I will call her Katie, as apparently that is what she prefers.

The premise of this book is to dissolve our sense of self, our ego, in light of a higher awareness. She teaches us that all suffering is optional and is created by our confusion and resistance to what is. She shows us a path toward love oppose to pain or suffering.

Katie teaches us to do this by way of thought inquiry through a very powerful set of questions she calls “The Work”.

The four questions this book (The Work) revolves around are:

1. Is it true?

2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

Using the four questions, here’s an example using the statement “My husband should understand me.”

1. Is it true? Is it true that he should understand you? Be still. Wait for the heart’s response.

2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?

Ultimately, can you really know what he should or shouldn’t
understand? Can you absolutely know what is in his best interest to understand?

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? What happens when you believe “My husband should understand me” and he doesn’t?

Do you experience anger, stress, or frustration? How do you treat your husband? Do you give him “the look”? Do you try to change him in any way? How do these reactions feel? How do you treat yourself? Does that thought bring stress or peace into your life? Be still as you listen.

4. Who would you be without the thought?

Close your eyes. Picture yourself in the presence of your husband in this situation. Now imagine looking at your husband, just for a moment, without the thought “My husband should understand me.” What do you see? What would your life look like without that thought?

Katie takes you on a journey to the depth of your being by discussing the power of her inquiry through love and selflessness.

This discussion is mixed with examples of The Work through transcripts of real inquiries she has done with people. These examples are amazing, as you can truly see the power of The Work in action.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

In my opinion, the goal of most self-improvement and personal development books with a spiritual undertone is to dissolve the ego. To go beyond our sense of self and experience some level of transcendence.

Most appear to fail at doing this for one main reason, they lack simplicity. And that brings me to what I love most about this book…its’ simplicity!

As I went through this book over the course of a couple of weeks, and several weeks thereafter, I would constantly catch myself doing The Work in my head when I recognized a thought that wasn’t serving me.

This book really taught me that just the simple act of questioning our thoughts is enough to see through all our made-up bull shit.

Who would I recommend this book for?

EVERYONE.

Seriously…everyone. There is not one single human being on this earth that could not benefit from this book.

A Mind At Home With Itself

By Byron Katie

304 Pages

What is this book about?

This book is an extension of my #1 choice, Loving What Is. It is more or less a series of transcripts from real inquires Katie had with people.

If you are interested in Katies’ work, I recommend you read Loving What Is before you read this book. Loving What Is will give a much deeper understanding of what she calls “The Work”, whereas this book gives plenty of examples of The Work in action.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

See my answer to the same question under Loving What Is.

Who would I recommend this book for?

Anyone who has read Loving What Is by Byron Katie and has an interest in her work.

The Relationship Handbook: A Simple Guide To Satisfying Relationships

By George Pransky

246 Pages

What is this book about?

Relationships! However, this is NOT your typical relationship book. It is original, unique, and like no other. There’s nothing to work on, just a different understanding.

I heard about it from many coaches and facilitators that stem from the Three Principles understanding of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. As the author of this book, Dr. George Pransky is one of the pioneers of this life-transforming understanding.

This book points us inward, toward responsibility and the inside-out nature of relationships and relationship problems.

Problems aren’t to be dealt with, they are to be transcended. George shows us exactly how this is done, no matter the problem.

Many of us overanalyze our relationship problems and our relationships as a whole. George points us back toward the simplicity of relationships and all they en-tale.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

My wife is very analytical, and this analysis is quite typical of our disagreements. Whereas I’m quite simple, however, I typically get sucked into the analysis because I didn’t know how to effectively direct the conversation toward simplicity. More so, I didn’t know how to create enough value in simplicity for her to even entertain the idea!

This book gave me that direction, that missing link between my thoughts and words.

It wasn’t long after I read this book that my wife and I had a bit of a squabble. Our back and forth was going the way it normally would until I remembered the book. Certain messages throughout the book really stuck with me and I decided to try them on for size.

Without spoiling the contents of the book, all I can say is…WOW! It actually worked! We made a simple shift in our collective focus, the tension started to ease and we could see the dust settling when usually it would remain cloudy and tense, without a resolve for hours.

Who would I recommend this book for?

Anyone who wants to improve their relationships from the inside out.

The Enlightened Gardener

By Sydney Banks

176 Pages

What is this book about?

A fictional story about 4 psychologists from America who travel to England for a conference. During this trip, they come across a gardener, who little did they know would transform their lives forever through a new understanding of the fundamental nature of life.

This understanding is now known as the Three Principles of Universal Mind, Universal Consciousness, and Universal Thought.

There are many great metaphors used to help one deepen their understanding of how these principles create our every experience of life.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Prior to reading this book, I had already read the sequel and been a student of the Three Principles for a little more than 6 months. Therefore, the understanding this book points toward is not new to me, but it still gave me fresh eyes to see with.

Who would I recommend this book for?

Anyone interested wants to transform their entire life from the inside out. This is a great place to start. It will open up a path that is never-ending.

We Consciousness: 33 Profound Truths For Inner And Outer Peace

By Karen Noe

216 Pages

What is this book about?

In short, this book is written by a proclaimed Medium, on the topic of collective consciousness.

She claims to have received communication from the now-deceased DR. Wayne Dyer on this topic. This communication has translated into 33 profound truths on how to be an instrument of peace.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Before reading this book, becoming a vegetarian had been in the back of my mind for some time. I am now Vegan, this is the book that put the nail in the coffin for me.

There is a chapter dedicated to our relationship with animals within our collective consciousness. I have always been an animal lover and this chapter took my love to a whole new level, a level in which I could not dismiss the act of eating them anymore.

The impact that very chapter had on my life is enormous.

Who would I recommend this book for?

First and foremost, Wayne Dyer fans!

Otherwise, anyone interested in spirituality.

Supercoach: 10 Secrets To Transform Anyone’s Like

By Michael Neill

256 Pages

What is this book about?

Michael Neill is my favourite author and coach. His coaching is also influenced by the Three Principles understanding of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought.

This is the best book I have come across that connects spirituality with pragmatism, or shall I say transcends pragmatism, through a compartmentalized approach.

This book is a revision of its’ 2010 version, also titles SuperCoach.

Michael dedicates entire chapters to each of the 10 secrets. Each chapter begins with clever fables and short stories that really get his point across.

He discusses each of the 10 secrets with humour and clarity, all while pointing us toward the inside-out nature of each of these secrets.

The 10 secrets he discusses are:

1. The Art of Dreaming

2. You Were Born Happy

3. A Whole New Way of Thinking About Goals

4. The Simple Way To Make Decisions

5. Rainy Days and Mondays

6. How to Get Stuff Done

7. The Magic of Connection

8. How To Ask For Anything From Anyone

9. The Secret to a Lifetime of Financial Security

10. The Power of Hope

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Prior to reading this book, I had been a student of the Three Principle for about 18 months. I had listened to Michael Neill’s podcast twice over, and read two of his other Three Principles-based books twice over as well.

This book really helped me link the pragmatic approach to different aspects of life with the spiritual. It really opened my eyes to new ways of looking at the practical side of life.

Who would I recommend this book for?

Everyone, spiritual or not. Michaels’ writing will appeal to the masses with clarity and contemplation.

Willpower Doesn’t Work

By Benjamin P. Hardy

256 Pages

What is this book about?

This book can be easily summed up as this: A persuasive argument toward how our environment shapes and influences our entire lives.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

I nearly stopped reading this book after going through the first chapter or so.

Given my inside-out approach to life, and this book being more of an outside-in approach, I nearly chucked it to the side due to my strong bias. However, I decided to give it a shot. I recognized my bias and decided to move forward with an open mind, and I’m glad I did.

Our environment cannot be ignored, its’ influence cannot be ignored. The inside-out understanding says that our thoughts create our feelings, not our external environment. But we are not perfect, we all have blind spots, and our environment has a very real influence on our thoughts.

This book really helped me bridge the gap between the inside-out nature of life with the outside-in nature of life. So I thought if our environment has an influence on us, why not learn to use this knowledge to our advantage? Combine inside-out with outside-in, let them feed off each other.

Who would I recommend this book for?

Anyone who wants to learn to use their environment to their advantage.

Top 10 Personal Development Books – 2017 Edition

Goal: 23

Read: 35

*I rated the books based on the impact they had on my personal growth.*

The Holding Space Practice

By Carol Webster

128 Pages

I first heard about holding space from Leon Vanderpol’s blog and podcast centered around deep transformational coaching. It is because of this that I wanted to go deeper into learning about holding space. After a search on Amazon, I came across this amazing book. The book is very to the point, no fluff, and keeps you engaged through all 128 pages.

One, out of the many, things I LOVE about this book is how practical it is. It has numerous practical exercises within the teachings that will allow you to take several steps toward being able to hold space. I will warn you, the exercises are not for the faint of heart, and you must check your ego at the door. If completed, the exercises are life-changing, I speak from personal experience.

What is this book about?

It is all about holding space!

What does it mean to hold space?

Honor individual without judgement, first self, then family, then others
Suspension of anxiety over expected outcomes
Accepting “now” as it really is without undue regret or control
Allowing self and others to choose as we avoid inappropriate pressure, collusion, manipulation, and/or exploitation

There is also a workbook available as a companion to the book that I highly recommend you get as the actual book has numerous exercises in it. You can purchase that from Amazon as well. CLICK HERE

How to read The Holding Space Practice for FREE

I gained access to this book through Kindle Unlimited. If you purchase the book outside of Kindle Unlimited it will cost you $9.99 for Kindle format. If you do not have Kindle Unlimited then I recommend to sign up for the 30-day trial and you can read the book for free!

And if you don’t have a Kindle Reader you will need this FREE KINDLE APP:

Dying to Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

By Anita Moorjani

191 Pages

What is this book about?

First half of the book:

The first half of the book tells the story behind Anita’s transformation, who she was before her NDE (Near Death Experience) that led to her spontaneous cure from cancer. There were many religious and personal conflicts in her life before her NDE. This sets the stage for the second half of the book, allowing it to be so transformative.

Second half of the book:

The second half of the book is one of the most inspiring and transformational reads I have ever encountered. Anita speaks like a spiritually enlighterned person since her NDE. She recalls her past from a perspective that is so inspiring.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

This is the book that influenced me to start my never ending journey toward personal and spiritual growth just over a year ago. It really rocked my world, all my beliefs, paradigms, and perspectives on life all got pulled into question. I would like to mention, I can relate to her journey more than many people due to my wife (who I have been with for nearly 9 years now) having Chronic Leukemia.

I will always hold a special place on my book shelf for this book because of that. This is proof that Dying To Be Me has the power to take you on a transformational journey.

Who do I recommend this book for?

For anyone who struggles with sacraficing who they truly are and all that they believe in for external forces such as Religion, family, friends, self-image ect. this is the book for you!

Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words

By Oscar Trimboli

119 Pages (Kindle only)

What is this book about?

This book by Oscar Trimboli truly lives up to its’ title, and it teaches you how to listen beyond the words you hear. It is not your typical book on listening by manipulating the other person to think that you’re listening, whether you’re actually listening or not. So you won’t find techniques such as active listening or mirroring in this book.

What impact did this book have on my personal development and growth?

By far the best information I have ever come across when it comes to listening.

Highlights from this book:

We speak between 125 and 175 words per minute, yet we can listen to 400 words per minute, this is the 125/400 rule
Why the pause is the most critical moment in your listening, most people get this wrong
There are 5 levels of listening
Learn about unconscious listening vs conscious listening
What it means to listen beyond words and how to do it

Awaken The Giant Within

By Tony Robbins

544 Pages

When the topic of the best personal development books gets discussed, Awaken The Giant Within is typically the most popular personal development book talked about. It is not on my list due to popularity though, it is one of the best books for personal growth out there in my opinion. It is a lengthy book, with quite a bit of fluff, which I have found is typical of Tony as I have read all of his books. Although this book could have been written in under 300 pages it does not take away from its’ power.

What is this book about?

Making decisions
Understanding your beliefs and how to change them
Understanding your values and how to change them
Learn Neuro Associative Conditioning (NAC) to create lasting change
How the quality of your questions create the quality of your life
Transformational vocabulary
Numerous practical exerices

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

My biggest take away from Awaken The Giant Within is that everything in life is a pattern., and an awareness of this alone was enough to rock my boat. Because of the practical exercises within this book I learned a lot about myself. This took me through a process of deep self exploration. This was my first introduction to beliefs and values, and what fascinated me at the time was understanding that I can change them! That was a breakthrough for me at the time (7 months ago). This was also my first introduction to how habits are formed by thought and how they can be transformed by thought.

Who would I recommend this book to?

This is a great book for anyone who is fairly new to the concept of developing themselves. What you learn about yourself from doing the exercises in the book will be a great gateway toward what direction you would like to go next.

This book will only help you if… you actually do the exercises! Lucky for you, I have created a 37 page PDF of every single exercise in Awaken The Giant Within to give away for free. Click on the link to be taken there. Awaken The Giant Within Workbook

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

By Miguel Ruiz

168 Pages

This is another popular book for those interested in personal growth, for good reason. This is a short, easy read that kept me engaged from beginning to end.

What is this book about?

How did you know?

What are the four agreements?

Be impeccable with your word
Don’t take anything personally
Don’t make assumptions
Always do your best

The Four Agreements goes deeper into what each agreement really means at its’ core and how it can transform your life.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Immediately after reading this book I went and bought a small whiteboard to place on my fridge. On this white board I wrote The Four Agreements so that I will look at them every day. Doing my best to live by The Four Agreements has transformed my life.

Knowing what these four agreements are is not what will transform you. It is understanding them on the deepest level and then applying them to your life that will transform you and that is what the book is for.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

By Eckhart Tolle

229 Pages

I read this book just over a year ago from writing this, right after I read Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani. I thought it was a bit of a dry read when I first read it. Now that I am much further along on my transformational journey I appreciate what I took away from the book much more.

What is this book about?

The Power of Now is about, you guessed it…the NOW. The present moment is all we have and all we ever will have. This book explains the power of being present and mindful towards each and every moment of our lives. Eckhart Tolle uses typical life examples and how being in the present moment effects different circumstances.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

This is the book that got me started on my mindfulness and meditation journey. I did not realize the impact it had until now. For this book alone to inspire me down a path of mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality really says a lot of the impact it had on me. I will be reading this book again this year now that I am at a different point in my journey. I am sure I will take away something different from it the 2nd time around. It is one of those books that is so simple, yet so profound that so much gets missed.

Who would I recommend this book to?

If you would like to become for mindful and present in your life then I highly recommend this book for you.

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM)

By Hal Elrod

172 Pages

This book was an engaging read and well written. It was written effectively enough to inspire me to create my own morning routine! Considering the topic, I don’t think many people out there could have written in such an inspiring way.

What is this book about?

The Miracle Morning is all about the importance and impact of having a morning ritual. It sites several people who are considered highly successful that always started their day with a morning ritual.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

I was not even finished the book and I had already started adjusting my morning routine. At the point of reading this book I was already waking up an hour before I had to go in for my first personal training client which is an 8 minute drive away so it gave me plenty of time. My routine at this point was meditation for 15 minutes and showering. I don’t have to worry about breakfast because I do intermittent fasting.

After dabbling with different forms of exercise, timing of different aspects of the routine, and trying different things, I wake up 90 minutes before my 1st client and my morning routine now looks like this:

Meditation 10-20 minutes
Yoga 15 minutes
Journal 5 minutes
Read 10-15 minutes

In short, I can tell you that I have never felt better since starting my days like this.

Who would I recommend this book to?

Anyone who wants to feel better from the moment they wake and set their day up for aliveness and fulfillment.

The Enlightened Gardener Revisited

By Sydney Banks

168 Pages

This is the first book I read by Sydney Banks. It is likely you have never heard of him. He is the one to discover the Three Principles understanding in the world of psychology and spirituality.

What is this book about?

A fictional story about a pair of psychologists returning to England to visit an enlightened gardener who taught them this understanding called The Three Principles on their last visit. This story is the sequel to the original book The Enlightened Gardener. The two psychologists pick the gardeners brain to deepen their understanding of the Three Principles throughout their entire visit. They cannot understand how their clients are getting such miraculous results just from facilitating the teaching of the Three Principles to their clients.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

The Enlightened Gardener Revisited is by far the most insightful and profound book I have ever read. It is filled with so much wisdom. I am already familiar with the Three Principles as I have been constantly deepening my understanding of them for the past several months (and it has been the most life changing few months of my life, in large part thanks to this). This allowed me to truly appreciate what is inside this book. If I had read this book 6 months ago it would have been jiberish to me, I would not have comprehended much of it.

This is one of those books I can re-read again and again and take something different away from it every single time. I had to pause several times throughout the book to think about what I just read, and it is not because he uses complex words or sentences, it is because what he teaches is just so profound.

Who would I recommend this book to?

Anyone who wants to understand how they create every experience of their life and how once you understand this it will transform your life forever. If you are not familar with the Three Principles I do not recommend this book for you. I suggest starting with Sydney Bank’s prequal to this book called The Enlightened Gardener or Michael Neill’s Inside-Out Revolution, or both.

The Inside-Out Revolution: The Only Thing You Need to Know to Change Your Life Forever

By Michael Neill

168 Pages

This is the second book I read by Michael Neill, the first book I read of his was Supercoach, which is also a fantastic book. Prior to reading this book I had listened to every YouTube video I could find on Michael Neill and every single one of his 100+ episodes from his podcast. The Inside-Out Revolution reinforced much of what I had already learned from Michael, and what he teaches is amazing.

What is this book about?

The essence of the book is spiritual in nature. The underlying foundation of the book is built upon the Three Principles understanding that was discovered by Sydney Banks. From all the people I have listened to who talk about this understanding, Michael delivers the information in the simplest way in my opinion. Trying to make sense of anything spiritual can be extremely difficult, and I think he nails it.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

With me already being so familiar with Michael Neill’s work and the three principles, what this book did for me was help create further insights and deepen my understanding. That is all I can really ask for from this book.

Who would I recommend this book to?

If you think the outside world is to blame for your circumstances, thoughts, actions, or feelings than this book is for you. Also, anyone who is new to spirituality or who is familiar with spirituality will take something away from this book.

Man’s Search For Meaning

By Viktor E. Frankl

184 Pages

OK, I have something to confess, I didn’t actually read this book. I know, I know, you can judge me all you want. I listened to the audiobook version instead. I loved the message of the book so much I just could not leave it off the list. I will be ordering a paperback version this year as I do want to read the paperback version.

What is this book about?

Man’s Search For Meaning is a true story about Viktor E. Frankl’s encounter with being a prisoner in the Concentration Camps during World War 2. The basis of the book is Viktor contemplating life. What is his meaning? What is his purpose? How can he find meaning in the midst of such a horrific event? Read the book if you would like to find out how he survived with his mental health intact and thrived in his life once he got out.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Prior to reading this book, I believed that bringing meaning and purpose to our life can completely eradicate many of our life’s “problems”. Every single one of our problems are thought created, and if you tend to create problems chronically you are most likely attempting to fill the empty space that is not being filled by meaning and purpose. This book to me to a deeper understanding of meaning and purpose in my life and inspired me to contemplate the purpose of my own life.

With my wife having Leukemia, I have had some pretty terrible lows in recent years, as you can imagine. I can be thankful she is still here, we both are. I have also had some pretty terrific highs. Man’s Search For Meaning is proof that no matter how bad you think your life is, you always have the opportunity to create meaning and purpose in your life. This story inspired me to start giving back to the world by finding meaning in my suffering the same way Viktor did.

Who would I recommend this book to?

Much of our lives are spent comparing and contrasting. Comparing our low points with someone else’s low points for example. If you are someone who tends to do this a lot, or if you are someone who plays victim a lot, you need to read this book.

Anyone who feels a lack of purpose, meaning, or fulfillment in their life must read this book.

Honourable Mention

Name: 8 Best Health Coach Certifications For All Budgets (2025)
Brand: Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Breakthrough Experience

By John F. Demartini

256 Pages

What is this book about?

The foundation of Breakthrough Experience is the positive/negative polarities of life. This was a challenging read. Dr. Demartini dives deep into the spiritual world and the world of quantum physics.

He then puts it all together into what he calls the Quantum Collapse Process, as he assumes you have an understanding of the material. The basis of this process is to transform any negative feelings you have towards someone into neutrality.

This process is quite daring as you have to have the courage to see the bad with the good, and the good with the bad, in yourself and the person you are trying to collapse. This is very powerful stuff.

What impact did this book have on my personal growth and development?

Even though I have yet to sit down and do the Quantum Collapse Process on anyone I had several insights throughout the book. Just the thought of trying to see the good through the bad in someone I have strong negative feelings towards is life-transforming.

This is the book that also transformed the way I look at emotions. That it is OK to feel the so-called “negative emotions”, they are every bit a part of life as the so-called “positive emotions”, and they are both meant to be felt equally throughout life. Understanding this has allowed to me see emotions as antagonistic instead of “good” or “bad”. Not labeling an emotion as “bad” allows it to be felt full force as opposed to resisting or suppressing it.

Who would I recommend this book to?

I recommend this to anyone who is familiar with spirituality and quantum physics. Having an open mind is a must while reading this book. If this is you and you want to learn how to completely neutralize your emotions towards yourself and/or others then this book is for you.

How To Stop Emotional Eating From The Inside-Out

I wrote on this same topic in a post titled how to stop food cravings and emotional eating in August of 2017. I just reread it, and quite frankly I am somewhat embarrassed that I would put out such an article… It does, however, allow me to see how my vision has changed.

In that article, I spoke of several outside-in strategies for stopping food cravings; food journaling, pattern replacement, spontaneous outcomes, 24-hour strategy, exercise, and meditation.

I now realize that article was built upon a faulty premise; that the world outside can make us feel something in inside.

While each strategy has its’ own place, they each encourage and promote an outside-in experience of life. They each represent something we have to “do” in order to reduce or stop our emotional eating and food cravings.

This approach implies that our feelings do not originate intrinsically, that our feelings are somehow given birth by what we do instead of what we think about. That somehow the actions done by us, or by the world around us, give our emotions to us.

This is not the case, and this is why I now recognize that outside-in strategies such as the ones I mentioned in my past article are built upon a faulty premise.

At first glance, these strategies appear to have lots of merits, they seem to establish a support system for ourselves to help us go from how we currently feel to how we want to feel.

But what if…

we didn’t feel the need to change how we feel?

What if…

we didn’t create resistance to how we feel in the moment?

What if…

we understood that our feelings aren’t controlled by what we do or don’t do?

If we no longer fear or judge ourselves on how we feel, we can loosen the tight grip we have on the steering wheel of our emotions, and create the possibility of letting go.

Imagine that?

No more desire or need to control your emotions. Guess what also disappears along with your relinquishment to the illusion of control? Your emotional food cravings.

When the need to change how we feel disappears, we no longer look to food to change how we feel.

When we feel the need to change how we feel

We arrive home from a long day at work after battling the daily traffic for what seemed like eons. There were construction delays, a minor fender bender on the highway going in the opposite direction that everyone going in our direction had to slow down to snoop at, we were cut off a couple of times, and all we could do was watch the clock and the rest of our night whither away.

We still need to make dinner, but first, we must deal with our feelings.

We feel angry and frustrated among other things. We tell our self that we don’t want to feel angry and frustrated, that we’re home now and we shouldn’t feel what we’re feeling. We feel the need to change how we feel.

So what do we do? We resist those feelings through food.

Little do we know, we are about to feed ourselves with a false sense of pleasure that creates the illusion that we’ve overcome our anger and frustration! We snack on whatever looks appealing in our fridge or cupboards. We are feeling pretty mighty now!

An hour later, dinner is ready. We sense our anger and frustration returning…and the cycle continues infinitely, that is, until we have an insight toward a new understanding.

Why?

Because as long as we create resistance to our emotions, we look for a way to manipulate how we feel.

When we don’t feel the need to change how we feel

Using the same scenario as above.

We still need to make dinner, but first, we must deal with our feelings.

We feel angry and frustrated among other things. We tell our self that it’s perfectly OK to feel angry and frustrated. We don’t feel the need to change how we feel because we understand that it will pass if we don’t resist it.

So what do we do? We sit quietly on the couch to hold space for ourselves for 5-10 minutes. We allow our feeling to be, we allow our thoughts to be, we don’t judge them.

We can let our thoughts and feelings come and go like clouds passing through a bright sky, with a knowing that they will pass on their own and the sun will inevitably shine again.

10 minutes later, we feel a sense of calmness come over us. We have completely forgotten why we felt angry and frustrated in the first place. We have a chuckle at our neurosis as we make our way into the kitchen to start dinner with our mind at home.

An hour later, dinner is ready. We thoroughly enjoy all the flavours of our creation without the need to use food for elation.

What do you fear happening if you don’t resist your emotions?

In other words, what are you afraid will happen if you feel your feelings?

The answer to this question is worth exploring because the answer we discover is the very same reason we resist our emotions.

We are afraid of a certain outcome that we think will happen if we feel what we don’t want to feel in the moment.

Ironically, the outcome from emotional eating literally shortens our lives.

Outcomes such as:

weight gain
diabetes
stroke
heart attack
cancer
insomnia
athlerosclorosis

We fear an illusionary outcome of feeling our feelings and replace it with an outcome that has been proven to kill us.

Not very logical is it?

When we peel back all the layers of fear toward what we think will happen if we allow ourselves to feel our feelings in their entirety, we are left with nothing, an empty space.

Within this space, lay new opportunities. Opportunities to feel the polarities, impermanence, and harmlessness of our feelings.

Our emotions are transient in nature, they always pass on their own accord, not ours.

Therefore, once we see through the illusion of our fear and cease to resist our transient emotions, we cease to crave food in an attempt to change them.

Our emotions don’t lead us to emotional eating, it’s our resistance to them that does.

Once this is experienced, it’s game over for emotional eating.

Yes, It IS This Simple

Most of us lead such complex lives that we feel if a solution to our challenge is too simple then it must not work. This is why I get a chuckle when I see the look on a client’s face that basically says “THAT’S IT?”

Yes, that’s it.

Let your feelings be felt, they cannot hurt you. Resist and they will persist. Meet them with compassion and they will stop bothering you.

And when do this, and experience its’ profound simplicity, you can have a chuckle at your neuroticism that led you to believe food could actually transcend your feelings. You will now let your wisdom speak, and you will listen.

And soon enough, you will completely forget about food when an emotion arises.

What’s emotional eating again?

What are emotional food cravings again?

8 Best Health Coach Certifications For All Budgets (2025)

Health coaching is a growing field that empowers individuals to take control of their well-being and make sustainable lifestyle changes. Whether you want to specialize in fitness, nutrition, mental health, or overall wellness, becoming a certified health coach can provide you with the skills and credentials to guide clients toward healthier lives.

With a variety of online health coach certification programs available, it’s essential to choose one that is accredited, offers comprehensive training, and aligns with your career goals. The best programs provide in-depth education in areas like behavior change, nutrition, fitness, and coaching techniques, all delivered in a flexible, online format.

In this guide, we’ll explore the top online health coach certifications, helping you find the right program to elevate your coaching career and make a lasting impact on your clients’ health and well-being.

My Take on Health Coaching: What is it?

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 12 years now, and I’m still in love with it. I dove into coaching years ago and have immersed myself in learning about it day in and day out since then. Learning to coach has been the single biggest asset to my business and to myself personally.

Health coaching is generally defined as being a catalyst to behaviour change for the client. Therefore, it is largely psychological and requires conversations to take place with a client to coach them.

It doesn’t matter how much we know about creating optimal health. If we cannot influence our clients to create systemic change by utilizing the information we provide and the guidance we give, that information largely goes to waste if they do not use it.

In my experience, personally and from talking with others, coaching is the link that has been missing within the health and fitness industry for years. Coaching is the bridge to get clients from receiving the information to creating a behaviour change that allows them to utilize the information.

This is where coaching comes in. This is also where most personal training and nutrition certifications lack, being able to coach the information given. However, I do see more nutrition certifications offering coaching as part of their curriculum.

This is why not many health coaching programs spend time on the physical aspect of health. One can argue that is what personal training certifications (and all their subsets) are for.

One of the main reasons I ranked Natural Wellness Academy as #1 is due to the amount of time spent on actual coaching conversations. Including live practice, which is imperative for one to become an effective coach. Luckily for me, I already had clients to practice on while I learned to coach, so I am aware of the importance of this practice.

8 Best Health Coach Certifications Online

Compare 8 Of The Best Online Health Coach Certification Programs

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School	Institute For The Psychology of Eating	Primal Health Coach Institute	Natural Wellness Academy	IAP Career College	Transformation Academy	ACE	Nickerson Institute	Health Coach Institute	CHEK Institute
	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website
Certifications	Mind Body Eating Coach	Primal Health Coach	Holistic Health and Life Coach	Wellness Coach Master Professional	Master Wellness Life Coach Certification	Health Coach	Integrative Health Coach	Health and Life Coach	Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Help you stand out from the competition	✔	✔	✔				✔	✔
Start any time	No (accept student every 8-12 months)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Accredited		✔	✔			✔	✔	✔	✔
Program Length	8 months	No Limit, unlimited access to materials	9-12 months	12 weeks part-time	No Limit, unlimited access to materials	No Limit, unlimited access to materials	12 months	6 months	No Limit, unlimited access to materials
Totals Program Hours	250	Unknown	150 hrs	120 hrs	Unknown	20 hrs	200 hrs	150 hrs	Unknown
1 on 1 mentoring	✔		✔	✔			✔	✔
In-person Training		✔ (optional)
Live Virtual Classes		✔	✔ (for instructor-led)	✔		✔(with Advantage option)	✔	✔
Live Teleclasses	✔							✔
Live Coaching Practice	✔		✔				✔ (20 hrs)	✔ (weekly)
Coursework Feedback	✔	✔	✔	✔			✔	✔
Informational Live and Recorded Webinars	✔		✔	✔		✔	✔	✔
Digital Downloads For Modules	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Video Content For Modules	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Lifetime Access To Resources	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Learn How To Start Your Own Health Coaching Business	✔	✔	✔				✔	✔
Learn How To Market Yourself	✔	✔	✔				✔	✔
Learn How to Build Your Own Website
Done-for-you programs	✔	✔
Done-for-you handouts and forms	✔	✔			✔
Investment (if paid in full)	$6950	$4495	$2795	$377	$497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link)	$599-1079	$3799	Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don't want them to call you)	$347
Payment Plan	$375 x 16 $630 x 12 $1200 x 6	$389 x 12 $764 x 6	Example: $350 down then $150 x 12 (balance must be paid prior to receiving certification)	$50-$90/mnth	N/A	$50-$90/mnth	$975 x 4	Available upon request
Coupons		$500 Off Code	Hint: Sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before.		Save 80% through my link (discount applied at checkout)			Sign up to their email list, they send out random discounts
	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review
	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website

#1 Online Health Coach Certification Program

health coach certification online

Provider: Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Certification: Mind Body Eating Coach

Full Price: $6950

Payment Plans: $375 x 16, $630 x 12, $1200 x 6

Visit IPE

Free Webinar

Marc David (founder) and Emily Rosen (director) with a brief intro to Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Visit IPE

Free Webinar

Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation
Review
Testimonials

Overall

9.5

Pros

All online

Mind-Body Coach Certification

Unique credential to have

250-hour program

Live teleclasses

Numerous testimonials from graduates

A wide array of handouts to use within your business

Learn personal and business marketing

Done-for-you marketing copy

Cons

Price seems a little steep for a program that isn’t instructor-led

By application only, only take students every 8-12 months

Not accredited

No practice coaching sessions

No mentor

Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Their curriculum isn’t presented on their main page, I had to do some digging to find this

Weight Loss

A unique and compelling look into the profound topic of weight loss through the lenses of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. You’ll learn basic and advanced coaching and counselling techniques, along with an in-depth series of maps and checklists that will shed a whole new light on working with this complex challenge. Some of the key highlights of this module include:

Nutritional and metabolic factors influencing weight loss
Masculine and feminine weight loss psychology
Influence of stress and relaxation physiology on weight
Bio-circadian nutrition and weight loss
Working with social and cultural influences on body weight
The importance of macro and micro-nutrient balance
The metabolic power of pleasure, awareness and presence
Neuropsychology, placebo science and weight loss
Spiritual and soul dimensions of shape-shifting
The power of story and core life challenges in weight concerns
A deeper understanding of caloric science
Working with body wisdom and intuition
The hidden connection between weight, money and work
Weight and menopause
Shortcuts for creating breakthroughs with difficult clients

Body Image

An original, fresh and results-oriented approach to body image concerns that will give you the tools to help others see and experience their bodies in a more healthy and compassionate way. Using principles from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition, you’ll learn the listening and coaching skills that will give you the confidence to work with this important issue of our times. Some key highlights include:

Understanding the origins of body image
The deep connection between body image and sexuality
Body image tools/distinctions for working with different age groups
Family of origin and body image
The influence of stress and relaxation physiology
The hidden connection between movement and body image
Working with embodiment practices
Masculine and feminine distinctions in body image
Navigating the influence of media and culture
Yoga Psychology and body image
The impact of PTSD on negative body image
Healing and transforming body image with Archetypal Psychology
The connection between pleasure, desire and body image
The neuropsychology of presence and “loving what is”
The special relationship between women, food and body image

Overeating, Binge Eating, Compulsive Eating

A truly holistic approach to overeating concerns based on the core principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Help others achieve breakthroughs with compulsive and binge eating using easy-to-practice tools and techniques that promote a positive and nourishing relationship with food. Some of the key highlights of this module include:

The practical psycho-biology of appetite
The cephalic phase digestive response and binge eating
The psycho-dynamics of control and willpower
Pleasure chemistry and overeating
Breakthroughs using nutrition-dense food strategies
The powerful and hidden gift of compulsive eating concerns
Moving beyond cognitive behavioural therapy
Practical short-cuts for transforming compulsive eating
The impact of stress and relaxation chemistry on overeating
Using bio-circadian nutrition techniques for fast results
The hidden connection between body image and overeating
The powerful effects of macro-nutrient balance on binge eating
How to work and corporate culture impact overheating concerns
The spiritual psychology of nourishment and a deeper hunger
The influence of life transitions on compulsive eating

Chronic Dieting

Chronic dieting is a hidden contributor not only to emotional pain but also to many health symptoms that are wrongly diagnosed and treated. Learn how to identify and work with this powerful nutritional/emotional/lifestyle challenge using the principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Some key highlights of this module are:

The potent effects of chronic dieting on nutritional status and health
How chronic dieting impairs calorie burning capacity
Chronic dieting is a hidden epidemic of the soul
The special relationship between women and dieting
The connection between chronic dieting and compulsive exercising
Dieting, culture, and the media
The secrets to creating a long term, sustainable diet strategy
The influence of dieting on energy level and oxygen metabolism
Confronting the false and outdated science of dieting
The hidden effects of chronic dieting on digestive metabolism
Working with complaints of “slow metabolism”
Chronic dieting and the psychology of romantic relationships
Using powerful languaging techniques to heal chronic dieting
How to re-educate clients around caloric theory, dieting and weight
Designing a diet approach that can truly transform your client

Energy and Fatigue

Lack of energy and the desire for more of it is a powerful concern that grips a fantastic number of people across the globe. Unfortunately, many of our strategies to battle fatigue leave us exhausted and without a true and lasting source of greater vitality. Our Training will provide you with an integrative mind/body/heart/soul approach to this important health challenge. Some key highlights include:

Mind-Body Nutrition approaches to working with energy and fatigue
Nutritional and metabolic influences on fatigue
The hidden effects of food allergies and sensitivities on an energy level
Core life issues and their effects on energy level and fatigue
Somatic Psychology skills for enhancing energy
The healing power of story in chronic fatigue
Breathing, oxygen and energy
How key soul lessons impact our energy level and metabolism
The influence of thought and beliefs on fatigue and energy
The bio-emotional impact of work, purpose and mission on energy
The potent connection between digestion and energy
Stress chemistry and adrenal fatigue
Simple and effective nutritional strategies for more energy

Digestive Health

Digestive health has become a rare and precious commodity. Complaints of digestive distress, heartburn, bloating, and ongoing discomfort are some of the most commonly seen nutrition issues. Learn simple and effective strategies from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition for increasing digestive power and function. Key highlights from this module include:

The impact of stress physiology on digestion and assimilation
The enteric nervous system – the brain in the belly
Digestive status as a barometer for personal empowerment
The emotional psychology of the digestive system
Simple and effective protocols for common digestive complaints
The importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
The influence of food allergies on digestive health
Cultural speed and its impact on digestion
Digestion of food as a metaphor for digestion of life experiences
The hidden connection between sexual abuse and digestive health
How fear, judgment and self-criticism diminish digestive metabolism
Breathing, oxygen, the relaxation response and digestion
Quick and easy strategies for working with GERD (heartburn)
Digestion, gut wisdom and body wisdom
Important distinctions from Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine

Mood Concerns

Working with mood and depression is an important part of every nutrition and health coaching practice. Fluctuations in mood teach us powerful life lessons while calling our attention to key metabolic and lifestyle changes that are asking to be made. Our Training features Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches that are practical, holistic and effective. Highlights include:

The influence of stress physiology and stress psychology on mood
Key nutritional deficiencies and excesses associated with mood
Brain physiology basics for understanding mood fluctuations
Impact of immunity on mood
Insulin, blood sugar, food and mood
How chronic dieting silently impacts mood
Archetypal psychology approaches to mood and depression
The spiritual psychology of mood – the language of the soul
Powerful and simple strategies from Yoga and Buddhism
The hidden psychology of depression
Importance of macro-nutrient balance and mood
Mood disorders and the psychology of perfectionism
Feminine and masculine differences in mood
Influence of genetics and family lineage on mood
Understanding mood through the life cycles

Immune Health

A strong immune system is both a gift and a rarity these days. When the immune system functions with efficiency, we can navigate a toxic and challenging world with greater ease. At IPE, we teach a fascinating and creative blend of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches to working with immune health. Some of the key highlights of this module are:

Nutritional strategies for improving immune strength
Psycho-emotional influences on immunity
The impact of dietary beliefs on immune health
The profound importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
How gastrointestinal immunity is impacted by thought and emotion
Cultural and social influences on immunity
Immune strength as a metaphor for presence
Psychoneuroimmunology meets Mind Body Nutrition
Soul Psychology and immune health
The hidden transformational messages in immune challenges
Key strategies for working with highly sensitive clients
Simple Mind-Body Nutrition protocols for immune enhancement
How the environment impacts immunity
Somatic and embodiment strategies for low immunity

Women, Food, and Health

The special relationship between women and food cannot be overstated. It’s beautiful, powerful and rich in complexity. For this reason, it’s high time that we elevate a woman’s connection with food to the lofty place it deserves, and learn to understand women and nutrition from a fresh perspective. This is an important theme throughout our Training. Some of the highlights from this module include:

Genetic/evolutionary influences on women’s relationship with food
The powerful impact of culture and media
Masculine and feminine distinctions in stress physiology and metabolism
Feminine sexuality and its influence on eating habits
Women, dieting and weight
A woman’s relationship with food through the life cycles
Archetypal Psychology and the feminine principle
History-taking skills for women clients
Woman-specific listening and coaching skills
Working with teenage girls
Insights into bulimia
Working with Queen and Princess distinctions
A deeper look at women and hormones
Creating a feminine approach to nutrition
Embodiment practices for women

Coaching Skills

Our training is designed to give you the tools, techniques, protocols and strategies that enable you to be an effective practitioner. We teach coaching skills that truly make a difference with clients, and that gets to the heart of how to successfully manage our relationship with food. Navigating eating challenges and nutritional concerns requires a specialized understanding and solid coaching tools. We’re proud to deliver an excellent education in this realm. Some of what you’ll learn includes:

Coaching tools for the most commonly seen eating concerns
Strategies for working with difficult clients
How to help clients who feel “stuck”
Coaching skills for working with women
Coaching skills for working with men
Effective communication with young people
How to use “teaching skills” in a client session
How to create a powerful first session
Deep listening skills
How to inspire your client vs. how to motivate your client
Managing client resistance
Tools for creating client compliance
Soft coaching skills vs. direct coaching skills
How to convey scientific information to a client
How to measure progress and success

Coaching Business Module

How to get started
How to build your practice
Practice management
Determining your target market
How to market and promote yourself
How to attract clients
Your program offerings
Key facts to know for website development
Using social networking
Important communication skills
Overview of Starting a Business
Generating Your Brand “DNA”
The Hidden Metaphysics of Business
Your Relationship with Money
Core Values of a Helping Professional
Managing Inner Obstacles
The Coaching Model
Legal Do’s and Don’ts for coaches

Building Your Brand and Business

Identifying Your Ideal Client
Defining Your Niche
Identifying Your Target Market
Your Unique Perfect-Client Avatar
Understanding Your Customer Pain Point
How to Build “Know, Like and Trust” Factors
Creating a Community or “Tribe”

Defining Your Business Model

What are Your Services and Programs
Getting Clear About How You Work
Defining Your Rates
Offering Support in Between Sessions
Creating Packages
Working with a Sliding Scale
High-End Offerings

Your Client Flow

Phone vs. Live Sessions
Scheduling Clients
Communicating and Interacting with Clients
How to Create a Safe Space
Intake Forms
Client Contracts and Agreements
Cancellation Policy

Setting Up Your Business

Naming Your Business
Understanding Professional Insurance
Filing Systems
The Importance of Business Banking
Financial Record-Keeping
Taking Payment
Invoicing Clients
Contact Management Systems
Creating Your Support Team
Backing Up Your Content

Marketing

Highlighting What Makes You Different
Elevator Speech
Communicating About What You Do
Networking
How to Attract Clients
Where to Market Yourself
Copy for Website
How to Build your List
Using Social Proof
Getting Testimonials

Building Your Website

Website Options
Buying a Domain Name
Web Hosting Options
Website Theme
Website Outline
Social Media Integration with Websites

Creating an Opt-in

The Purpose of an Opt-in
Designing an Opt-in
Important Opt-in Pointers

Social Media Strategies for Success

The Best Social Media for Your Business
Understanding Facebook
Understanding Twitter
The Importance of LinkedIn
Understanding Pinterest
Using Hootsuite to Manage Social Media
How to Create a YouTube Channel
How to Create a Meetup Group
How to Use Meetup to Build Tribe
Basic, Moderate and Advanced Social Media Set-Up

Blogging

Blogging Basics
Important Pointers for Blogging
Building Trust

Newsletter

Creating the Right Newsletter
How to Write a Great Subject Line
Understanding Your Audience

The Flow of Information

Understanding Copyright Law
Internet Copyright Etiquette

Done for You Website Copy

What is Mind Body Eating Coaching
How is My Approach Different
What is Mind Body Nutrition
What is Dynamic Eating Psychology

None

Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review

A unique blend of holistic nutrition, eating psychology, and coaching.

Who is this certification for?

If you currently, or desire to work with those who have deep emotional ties to food that create a barrier to reaching their goals, this is the best online holistic nutrition certification for you.

200+ Hours of Videos and Slideshows

This is the most complete, innovative, and inspiring educational experience in eating psychology you can find. The Institute is the worldwide leader in combining results-oriented nutrition with a deep understanding of our fascinating relationship with food. Their curriculum is personally and professionally transformative, and our content is unparalleled in the marketplace. You’ll receive access to 7 information-rich modules delivered over 8 months. Each module has introductory videos with Marc David, Founder of IPE that outlines the important concepts in that module followed by 20-30 hours of narrated slide shows that dive deeper into the work. And you can access it all from anywhere in the world on your computer or mobile device.

Hundreds of Handouts

In addition to the video and audio classes, you’ll receive a powerful collection of written notes, worksheets, highlights, lessons, protocols and more that are included in easy-to-read PDF form. These handouts cover topics such as weight loss, body images, overeating, binge eating, digestion, coaching techniques, nutrition strategies, and so much more. They’re great for ongoing reference and reinforce your learning experience. And all handouts are downloadable and yours to keep for life.

Introspective Exercises

Each module includes optional exercises to help you deepen into the material. They are lots of the same exercises you’ll be giving your clients. At the Institute, they believe strongly that transforming your own relationship with food, health insurance, and body will greatly improve your skills and effectiveness being a practitioner. Most students report these introspective exercises to catalyze significant insights and breakthroughs within their own lives.

Live Q&A Tele-Calls with Marc David

This is a very important and unique possibility to interact directly using the Institute’s founder and primary teacher. Marc David can be an internationally acclaimed teacher and skilled facilitator. You’ll receive insightful feedback from one of the very most well-regarded and cutting-edge leaders in eating psychology and nutrition. All classes are recorded for those who cannot attend live. Participate in 2 teleclasses monthly – over 16 Live Tele-calls!

Bonus Business Training Module

Their bonus business module delivers the same leading-edge information fact that leading business programs for coaches and entrepreneurs address today. Learn basic through advanced skills that will set you in addition to the crowd with approaches for building your brand, defining your business design, creating programs, on and offline marketing, social media marketing, and even more. This Business Component is definitely taught by Emily Rosen, Chief Operating Officer for IPE, and it is an enormous value for all those just getting started, or for anybody seeking to expand their practice or business.

Bonus Nutrition Module

Get a solid foundation in nutrition with topics that range from digestive physiology and anatomy to the basics of entire foods nutrition and macronutrient balance. This optional, holistic, evidence-based component is a great review and an effective way to understand the fundamentals. The core training itself includes a great amount of content at heart Body Nutrition, functional and clinical nutrition, as well as results-oriented diet recommendations. This bonus module is included at no additional expense for anybody wanting an obvious knowledge of the diet fundamentals which means you have the info you need to produce a powerful impact with clients.

Live Conference

All students are welcomed to wait for an optional live event because of their graduating class that’s held by the end of working out. Get motivated by IPE staff and fellow students, experience live client demos, hear new content, work in small groups, and network and celebrate with others. Marc David hosts this event combined with the IPE team. You’ll get the chance to meet up so a lot of your fellow students who are focused on making a genuine difference in the world. That is a popular and well-loved part of the training and a great way to launch into the next phase of your career!

Done-For-You Forms & Marketing Copy

They’re committed to giving you the tools to succeed! You’re provided with effective marketing and website copy to help you communicate your work and your message. The kind of copy that’s clear, catchy, and helps tell the world exactly what you’re about. You’ll also receive essential intake questionnaires, client agreements and more to help launch or elevate your practice.

Peer Coaching Program

In this optional part of the training, you’ll be matched with a fellow student so you can practice the skills you’re learning throughout the training. Each month you’ll receive topics and discussion points to explore with your peer coach. All sessions are done over the phone or by Skype and at your convenience. This is a great opportunity to get grounded in your educational experience, learn how to work with phone clients, and connect in a whole different way to the material.

Private Online Community

Built into the training website, is an exclusive online forum for you to engage with fellow students and IPE staff around training content. Monitored by senior IPE Staff, this is a great way to have discussions with not only the IPE team but your colleagues from various backgrounds. There is also have a private Facebook group for professional networking opportunities. These platforms allow you to dive into course content, professional development, and your own relationship with food while receiving support from peers and IPE staff.

Downloadable Digital MP3 Recordings of Every Class and Call

The Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training includes over 200 hours of information-rich classes that you can watch or listen to by logging into our exclusive training portal. And because they want you to be able to return to the material for years to come, ALL the classes have been made available to download as audio files. You’ll be able to save them to your computer or mobile device and enjoy the material for life whenever you need a refresher or an infusion of inspiration

Just a handful of the extensive amount of testimonials

Visit IPE

Free Webinar

#2 Health Coaching Certification Online Program

Natural Wellness Academy Review

Provider: Natural Wellness Academy

Certification #1: Holistic Health Coaching
Full Price: $1495
Payment Plan (example): $350 down then $165 x 7

Certification #2: Holistic Health and Life Coaching
Full Price: $2795
Payment Plan (example): $500 down then $175 x 12

Get 10% OFF when paid in full

Visit Natural Wellness Academy

Meet Jamie, a mentor for this course

Overall

8.5

Pros

All online

70% of graduates take a 2nd certification program with NWA

150-hour program

1-on-1 mentoring and coaching

Business development skills

FREE access to the Webinars Library, Alkalinity Challenge, and S-Tox

Body, Mind, and Spirit integration

Hands-on workshops (in-person or virtual)

Hybrid certifications available

Affordable, interest-free payment plans

Accredited

Cons

Not enough people know about this program

Module 1: Body

Read Raw Fusion Living chapters, complete four intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 50 hours.

Objectives:

Learn a “food as medicine” approach to natural wellness.
Define the major alimentary functions of macro- and micro-nutrients and identify their major food sources.
Comprehend the assimilation of glucose in the cells and how sugar impacts the body.
Analyze pH factor in foods and how acidity and alkalinity affect digestion and overall health.
Identify sources of inflammation in the body, including food allergies and sensitivities.
Examine the effects of food choices on physical fitness and health.
Explore the pitfalls of nations’ food supply and how to distinguish sound nutritional data from unreliable nutritional information.
Construct a foundation for wellness nutrition based on current scientific research.
Analyze the role of diet in causing and preventing various diseases, particularly chronic and obesity- diseases.
Recognize healthy diet and food choices, and explain why such choices will help prevent health problems.
Employ techniques for improving metabolism and healthy mobility.
Navigating mainstream supermarkets and health food stores and reading labels.

Module 2: Mind

Read Raw Fusion Living, A Year of Positive Habits and WIN! chapters, complete two intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 25 hours.

Objectives:

Explore the Laws of the Mind and structure of the brain.
Design strategies and subconscious dynamics for stress management.
Analyze the dynamics of a “neural hijacking” and how to prevent recurrences.
Recognize appropriate behavioral change modifications and lifestyle approaches for different ages and populations.
Examine the source of cravings and strategies for mindfully dealing with them.
Identify how to reinforce positive lifestyle habits and behaviors via suggestion.
Define your personal learning channel and learn how to identify and mirror your clients’ modalities.

Module 3: Spirit

Read Seat of the Soul and WIN! chapters, complete three intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 30 hours.

Objectives:

Discuss the principles and application of energy balance.
Explore a variety of modalities for accessing Intuition and inner guidance.
Practice techniques for setting intentions, meditation and visualization.
Learn how to develop an Abundance Mentality and Life Makeover Strategy.

Module 4: Coaching Dynamics

Read Seat of the Soul and WIN! chapters and complete three intensive learning experience assignments. Participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar 10 hours.

Objectives:

Learn how to guide your client to his/her goals and how to define the coaching relationship
Explore a variety of coaching strategies for improving yourself and helping others
Discover the practical aspects of the coaching profession such as contracts, marketing and practice-building

Module 5: Hands-On Workshop

Develop practical hands-on skills in food demonstrations, workshop development and presentation, and coaching applications. Can be performed remotely or on-site with Dr. LJ in Tampa or select locations. 20 hours.

Objectives:

Learn the essentials of the Raw Fusion Lifestyle, with preparation and sampling of a wide variety of nutritious delicious smoothies, snacks, salads, main meals and desserts.
Explore “Raw Fusion Solution” alternatives for your favorite comfort foods.
Blending, processing and dehydrating tips, techniques and tools.
Practice strategies to increase nutritional viability in meals.
Practice coaching dynamics and the coaching interview.
Training on subconscious structure and suggestion-building.
Experience a Wellness Workshop, an event that can be targeted to corporations, medical offices and facilities, associations and groups interested in healthy living and preventative care strategies.
Practice the various elements of the Wellness Workshop with supervision.

Module 6: Final Project

Students demonstrate mastery of general holistic health and life coaching concepts as well as specialization in an area of interest. 15 hours.

Students will be provided with a list of possible directions they can take with their final project, but examples of projects include:

Facilitate a Wellness Workshop for a non-profit organization or school, and write a report on the experience.
Create a mini cookbook with original recipes and photos for a day’s worth of meals: smoothie, snack, salad, main meal and dessert.
Develop a Healthy Living pilot program for your local gym or another organization.
Author a book on addressing a need in the natural wellness community, such as compiling information specific to your local community or focusing on an under-covered topic.

American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
International Hypnosis Federation

Natural Wellness Academy Review

In my opinion, from the research I’ve done, this is far and away the best Health Coach Certification program available online.

I have personally been in contact with the founder, Dr. LJ. She is super friendly and I can feel her passion oozing through her emails. I get a real sense of hominess and genuineness from Dr. LJ.

She was completely transparent with me when it came to answering my questions. In my opinion, she went over and above what I had asked.

Here is a complete transcript from one of her emails:

Hi again, Rob – no worries! Glad that you got the email and thanks for the kind comments.

There are definitely several aspects that set NWA apart:

The one-on-one mentoring is really significant for the students as they have someone to either cheerlead, counsel or motivate them to get through the program as well as finding an area of specialization or niche market. All of our mentors are successful coaches and very upbeat people.
We take a very holistic MIND/BODY/SPIRIT approach and it’s kind of “impossible” for someone to go through our program and not have a lot of personal transformation and growth
We were the very first holistic health academy (2013) to add the Life Coaching – this really helps the graduates cast a wider net and be able to face a lot of the deeper issues that are behind eating and lifestyle habits
We are starting to gear towards “hypno-coaching” – my background is as an international expert in the subconscious mind and in many cases, we will add on the Essential Hypnotherapy Skills as a gift or for a small fee to give the coaches an extraordinary extra skill and further reach.
Right now our “hot ticket” item is the CBD/Cannabis Coaching program, an explosive growth market.
We do blended programs for incredible pricing and we can also create hybrid certifications for students. For instance, we have one woman who is doing a “Mind and Manifestation Dynamics”
About 70% of our graduates go on to take another certification with us – I think this is a good indicator of the happiness factor of NWA students.

That should cover it – by all means reach out if you have any further questions.

Natural Wellness Academy student testimonial - Dana Fabbro

Natural Wellness Academy Student Testimonial - Ally Bono

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#3 Online Health Coach Certification Program

Primal Health Coach Review

Provider: Primal Health Coach Institute

Certification: Primal Health Coach

Full Price: $4495
Payment Plan: $413.58 x 12

Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY

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Free Webinar

Brief Introduction

Introducing the Primal Health Coach Certification Program

Watch this video for a look behind the scenes of their student portal.

Virtual Campus Tour - Primal Health Coach Institute

Watch these 2 videos of founder Mark Sisson for a little more info on the Primal Health Coach Certification program.

The Tour: What's Covered in the Primal Health Coach Program

The Role of a Health Coach: What a Primal Health Coach Is and Is Not

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Primal Health Coach Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation
Review
Testimonials

Overall

8.5

Pros

All online

If you’re a Paleo or Mark Sisson fan this is the perfect program for you

Prestigious Primal Health Coach Certification

Accredited

Cons

Nutritional education is bias and one dimensional. I have nothing against Paleo but I do not believe in the one shoe size fits all approach.

The website is not very transparent with their pricing or curriculum. This to me, has raised some red flags.

No practice coaching sessions

No mentor

The Primal Health Coach program provides the most in-depth and up-to-date ancestral health education in the world, equipping you with an arsenal of well-informed alternative choices based on science and experience in order to best serve your clients’ goals.

Using the model of Integrative Health Coaching, rooted in developmental and humanistic psychology, we shape expert coaches into persuasive catalysts for behaviour change. Spark your clients’ craving for knowledge and help them access their sense of purpose and live according to their core values. Up-level your ability to motivate and inspire lasting change today.

Thirteen comprehensive chapters based on evolutionary health science teach you how to reprogram genes to direct optimal cellular function. Each chapter consists of a video overview from Mark Sisson, reading material, audio supplements, and an examination. An additional three chapters consist of videos with Master Coach Christine Hassler on the topics of coaching and sales.

As a Primal Health Coach you’ll master:

The Art of Listening

So you create the most effective prescription for health for your clients’ unique needs and goals.

The Craft of Intuition

So you can see beyond the surface and into the root of your clients’ issues and goals in order to better serve them.

The Science of Asking Questions

Asking the right questions in the right way is a science, and the coach’s most important skill when it comes to uncovering their clients’ motivations and desires.

The Knack for Collaboration

The coach/client relationship shouldn’t be a top down one, but one of collaboration and camaraderie.

The Inspiration of a Mentor

A mentor inspires, walks his/her talk and helps clients successfully maneuver around (or through!) the obstacles encountered along the way.

As soon as you are admitted as a student you will receive:

Lifetime access to all 20 chapters of the Primal Health Coach coursework and exams described above. Plus…

Multimedia Educational Materials:

Audio Books:

You will receive the following mp3 files for convenient download into your favorite audio player platform or for streaming any time from your login portal:

The Primal Blueprint: Abridged recording (3.5 hours) of the original best-seller, narrated by Mark Sisson himself!
The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 5.5 hours in duration.
The Primal Connection: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 6 hours in duration.

Digital Books:

Digital copies in PDF format of five popular Primal Blueprint titles:

The Primal Blueprint
Primal Endurance
The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation
The Primal Connection
The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals

You can download these files onto the device of your choice, or access them any time at your online portal.

American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.

Primal Health Coach Review

Who’s Mark Sisson?

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mark Sisson, he is the author of the book: The Primal Blueprint, which was a catalyst to the Paleo diet becoming mainstream in 2009.

He is also the publisher of Marksdailyapple.com, said to be the #1 read primal/paleo blog in the world.

Website Lacks Transparency

The Primal Health Coach Institute website seems to be lacking a lot of important information that I would be looking for as a prospective student:

curriculum
how the program is delivered
how many hours are involved in the program
is there access to Mark himself? he seems to be a huge selling feature for the program so this would be good to know, especially for fans of his

Why? To Get You To Sign Up To Their Email List

It only makes sense, right?

The website is the appetizer, meanwhile, we’re hungry for the main course!

The solution? Sign up to their email list in order to receive more info. Classic sales approach old and stake in my opinion.

Most of the information on the Primal Health Coach Institute’s curriculum, I was only able to provide from subscribing to their email list and reading all of their emails.

A Bit Salesy In Approach (in my opinion)

One page on their website compares their tuition with that of other apparently similar institutions. In my opinion, any organization that has to convince you based on price is almost always lacking substance. Now, I could be very, very wrong here, as I have never taken their program, but I like to think I have a keen sense for this.

I signed up to their email list as well to get a better sense of the program. Being quite familiar with email autoresponders, as I have been subscribed to lists of some of the wealthiest internet marketers out there, their email series is quite typical from a marketing standpoint. Very little information was given regarding the program itself, and lots of talk about the industry and even a bit of scarcity to try and get you to act.

It appears that the sole purpose of the email series is to get you on the phone with one of their (sales) representatives. My guess, an attempt to sell you on enrolling in their program. The whole series of emails has been a turn-off for me personally.

Just a handful from the dozens of testimonials

Primal Health Coach Success Story — Joe DiBernardo

Primal Health Coach Success Story — Melissa Emmons

Primal Health Coach Success Story — Chuck Ciaccia

Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY

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Best Health Coaching Certification Online Program Under $1000

Provider: ACE

Certification: Health Coach

Full Price:
Basic – $599
Plus – $779
Advantage – $1079

Payment Plans:
Basic – none
Plus – $65/mnth
Advantage – $90/mnth

Visit ACE Health Coach

Intro to the ACE Health Coach Certification

Visit ACE Health Coach

ACE Health Coach Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation
Review
Testimonials

Overall

Pros

All online

ACE Health Coach Certification

Highly-respected in the health and fitness industry

Cost-effective and value packed

Live classes and coaching practice with Advantage plan

Example coaching sessions

Intuitive ‘ACE University’ learnign platform

Affordable, interest-free payment plans

Accredited by NCAA

Cons

Not enough people know about this program

No live coaching practice in Basic or Plus plan

I. Coaching Behavior Change

Establish rapport with clients using effective communication strategies in order to build and maintain collaborative relationships.

Knowledge of:

Verbal and nonverbal communication
Considerations of diverse populations
The role of empathy in establishing trust
Elements of an inclusive environment for establishing rapport
Impact of personal biases on coaching effectiveness
Implications of personality types (e.g., DISC classifications) on communication and rapport

Theories and models of behavior change.

Skill in:

Using the principles of client-centered coaching (e.g., open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summary)
Listening with an intent to understand each client’s perspective
Giving and interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues effectively
Establishing a positive client–coach relationship
Fostering an environment for effective communications

Help clients take responsibility for personal health by identifying strengths, challenges, and available resources in order to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Knowledge of:

Common barriers to change
Motivational strategies
Facilitators of change
Resources that facilitate health behavior change (e.g., social support, technology, educational materials)
Evidence-based coaching strategies
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Effective interviewing techniques (e.g., motivational interviewing, active listening)

Skill in:

Identifying and addressing obstacles to change
Identifying and encouraging facilitators of change
Helping clients discover personal strengths
Assisting clients in identifying and using available resources
Collaborating with clients to manage setbacks and celebrate successes
Helping clients gain insight and awareness of their health behavior–related actions
Helping clients understand their role in making healthful choices
Empowering clients to take responsibility for their decisions and actions

Facilitate client-directed behavior change using evidence-based coaching strategies to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Knowledge of:

Theories and models of behavior change
Evidence-based coaching strategies
Strategies that build self-efficacy
Impact of lifestyle choices on health and quality of life
Health literacy

Skill in:

Applying theories of behavior change
Identifying appropriate coaching strategies to promote self-efficacy
Using evidence-based coaching strategies
Facilitating learning
Facilitating behavior change

II. Conducting Assessments and Developing Plans

Use available health, medical, wellness, and lifestyle information by employing appropriate assessment tools and standards in order to stratify risk, identify the need for medical clearance and referrals, establish baselines and facilitate plan development.

Knowledge of:

Purpose of assessment tools (e.g., health history, risk factor screening, readiness for change)
Appropriate use and interpretation of assessments that measure physical and behavioral health
Factors that impact plan development (e.g., risk factor stratification)
Appropriate referral sources and protocols
Theories of motivation and related coaching techniques
Effective interviewing techniques (e.g., motivational interviewing, active listening)
Modifiable risk factors
Health and behavioral factors that warrant referral

Skill in:

Recognizing if and when an assessment is indicated
Selecting, administering, and interpreting appropriate assessment protocols, including, but not limited to, physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle, wellness, medical and health history, and behavioral health
Communicating the purpose of the assessments and the rationale for the protocols being used
Using the principles of motivation throughout the assessment process
Building a referral network
Referring clients to appropriate resources
Conducting interviews

Design individualized plans based on interviews, screenings, assessment data, and goals in order to progress clients toward healthful lifestyle management.

Knowledge of:

Behavior, exercise, and nutritional sciences
Principles of weight management and obesity prevention
Motivation theories and strategies
Principles of stress management
Role of healthful lifestyle habits in the prevention and self-management of chronic disease
Physical activity and nutrition guidelines
Principles of plan development and program design
Considerations related to individualizing plans for diverse populations
Safety considerations and precautions
Delivery methods
Triggers and other factors that affect adherence
Considerations for designing programs for individuals with health or medical issues

Skill in:

Identifying appropriate behavior-change strategies based on assessment findings
Collaborating with clients in goal setting
Collaborating with clients to create individualized behavior-change programs including, but not limited to, physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle, prevention and self-management of chronic disease, and stress management
Identifying and addressing triggers and other factors that affect adherence
Prioritizing behavior-change plan components

III. Implementing and Adjusting Individualized Plans

Implement individualized plans using evidence-based coaching practices in order to progress clients toward healthful lifestyle and behavior change.

Knowledge of:

Theories of behavior change
Evidence-based coaching strategies
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Safety considerations and precautions
Methods for delivering health behavior change program components
Modifiable risk factors
Programming factors that facilitate health behavior and modifiable risk factor improvement

Skill in:

Using effective communication techniques, including, but not limited to, motivational interviewing, open-ended questioning, and active listening
Interpreting and responding to verbal and nonverbal cues
Recognizing each client’s current stage of change
Providing relevant information and guidance to client
Leveraging available technology in program implementation
Facilitating behavior change

Evaluate plan effectiveness in collaboration with clients to monitor outcomes and support progress toward goals.

Knowledge of:

Tools and techniques to monitor and support progress toward goals
Scope of practice and indicators for referral
Obstacles and barriers to adherence
Behavior-change techniques
Types of feedback
Strategies for overcoming barriers
Lapse-prevention strategies

Skill in:

Interpreting progress toward client goals
Communicating progress toward goals with clients
Assisting in reflection and providing appropriate feedback
Collaborating with clients to identify strategies for overcoming barriers
Collaborating with clients to develop coping strategies
Leveraging available technology to monitor progress and support the program
Teaching clients to implement self-monitoring techniques
Identifying lapses

Collaborate with clients to adjust plans based on ongoing evaluations in order to
promote adherence, personal responsibility, and success.

Knowledge of:

Evidence-based coaching strategies
Appropriate use and interpretation of assessments that measure physical and behavioral health
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Obstacles and barriers to adherence
Strategies that build self-efficacy
Lapse-prevention strategies

Skill in:

Interpreting and communicating progress toward client goals
Collaborating with clients to modify goals and adjust plans
Collaborating with clients to identify strategies for overcoming barriers
Collaborating with clients to develop coping strategies
Empowering clients to take responsibility for their decisions and actions
Supporting progress toward goals (e.g., celebrating success, affirmations)
Implementing lapse-prevention strategies
Adjusting the program based on modified client factors and goals

IV. Professional Conduct and Legal Responsibility

Adhere to legal requirements, the ACE Code of Ethics, and scope-of-practice guidelines in order to protect clients, maintain professional standards, and manage risk.

Knowledge of:

Scope of practice for ACE Certified Health Coaches
ACE Code of Ethics and Professional Practices and Disciplinary Procedures
Pertinent laws and regulations for health coaching in different settings (e.g., healthcare, workplace wellness)
Industry standards for health coaches
Fair business practices
Best practices pertaining to professional and personal boundaries
Roles of relevant healthcare professionals
Principles of risk management

Appropriate referral sources and protocols

Skill in:

Establishing and maintaining professional and personal boundaries
Building a referral network
Recognizing when to refer clients
Recognizing, preventing, and managing risk

Maintain accurate and confidential records using applicable standards in order to
ensure quality care and manage risk.

Knowledge of:

Requirements pertaining to protected health information (e.g., HIPAA)
Documentation systems (e.g., electronic medical record, SOAP notes)
Appropriate terminology
Risk-management strategies
Systems and tools for maintaining secure client information

Skill in:

Retaining client information in a secure and confidential manner
Communicating professionally and with respect for client confidentiality
Leveraging available technology for secure and confidential storage of client information

Respond to emergencies and high-risk situations following established protocols in order to ensure safety and reduce liability.

Knowledge of:

Emergency action plans and related procedure
Situations that pose risk to clients, coaches, and others

Skill in:

Performing CPR, using an AED, and activating emergency medical services
Recognizing and mitigating dangerous situations
Recognizing and mitigating risk
Executing emergency action plans as appropriate
Identifying and responding to emergencies and high-risk situations

Maintain professional competence by staying current on research, technology, and industry standards in order to build proficiency as a health coach and optimize client outcomes.

Knowledge of:

Emerging technology that has application in health coaching
Criteria for evaluating the quality and applicability of information
Reliable sources for evidence-based information
Current industry standards related to health coaching and program development

Skill in:

Identifying sources of credible information
Applying current evidence-based information to practice
Leveraging available technology in health coaching

Create an inclusive environment by developing awareness of, and demonstrating sensitivity to, diverse populations.

Knowledge of:

Characteristics of diverse populations
Credible sources of information about diverse populations
Influence of cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values on lifestyle behaviors
Credible sources of information about cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values as they relate to health and healthcare
Communication styles that facilitate an inclusive environment

Skill in:

Demonstrating a commitment to culturally and linguistically appropriate health coaching
Providing an inclusive environment
Recognizing social determinants and their influence on health and healthcare
Participating effectively as a member of a diverse healthcare team

NCAA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) – The NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs were the first standards developed by the credentialing industry for professional certification programs. The NCCA Standards were developed to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public. They highlight the essential elements of a high-quality program.

The NCCA standards are consistent with The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) and are applicable to all professions and industries. NCCA accredited programs certify individuals in a wide range of professions and occupations including nurses, automotive professionals, respiratory therapists, counselors, emergency technicians, crane operators, and more. To date, NCCA has accredited more than 315 programs from more than 130 organizations.

Accreditation for professional or personnel certification programs provides impartial, third-party validation that your program has met recognized national and international credentialing industry standards for the development, implementation, and maintenance of certification programs.

ACE Health Coach Review

Coming soon

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Best Under $400

Provider: IAP Career College

Certification: Wellness Coach Master Professional

Full Price: $377

Payment Plan: N/A

Visit IAP Career College

IAP career College Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation

Overall

Pros

All online

Reputable company, educated over 500 million students since 1999

12 week, 120 hour instructor led program

Up to 3 hours of 1-0n-1 mentoring

2 textbooks included (ebook format)

Learn marketing and business development

Amazing price for a live curriculum

Cons

Can’t start anytime. Runs once every 12 weeks.

Not Accredited

Introduction

What is a Wellness Coach?
The Wellness Coaching Industry
Benefits of Being a Wellness Coach
Wellness Coaching Specializations

How to Deliver Wellness Coaching Services

Establishing the Coach/Client Relationship
Holistic Techniques for Attaining Wellness
Developing Meal and Fitness Plans
Helping Clients Develop Conscious Eating Habits
Customizing Wellness Plans
Wellness Events for Groups and Individual Clients

How to Learn Wellness Coaching

Getting Hands-On Wellness Coaching Experience
Learn From Other Wellness Coaches
Self Study

Starting Your Own Business

Creating a Business Plan
Financial Matters
Setting Your Fees
Working with Support Staff

Getting Clients

Choosing Your Target Market
Marketing Tools and Techniques
Marketing to Corporate Clients

None

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Best Under $400

health coaching certification online

Provider: CHEK Institute

Certification: Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1

Full Price: $347

Payment Plan: N/A

Visit CHEK Institute

CHEK Institute Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation

Overall

6.5

Pros

All online

Reputable company, well known in the health and fitness industry

Cons

Basic compared to the first two programs

An add-on certification, not one you will make a career from

If you’re looking for ways to help your clients, patients and athletes reach sustained health and fitness, HLC 1 will be invaluable to your practice, with a truly insightful system of questionnaires that will let you see the underlying challenges your clients face, and a practical, step-by-step approach to overcoming those challenges.

HLC 1 will make you – naturally – better at working with your clients and athletes because you will have implemented and practiced every tool and technique yourself, and you’ll have the health and vitality to show for it!

Over the Course of 15 Lessons, You Will:

Learn how to apply the 1-2-3-4 approach to developing long-term body-mind changes.
Learn how to use the CHEK Nutrition and Lifestyle questionnaire system for assessing physiological load and making essential diet and lifestyle changes.
Understand the relationship between the 6 Foundation Health Principles and body-mind stress and learn how to apply these principles to balance your body systems so you can exemplify well-being!
Learn Paul Chek’s Zone Exercises as a means of “Working-In” which will show you how to use movement to “create energy” and cultivate the life-force needed to effectively express your creativity and Work-Out!
Identify common roadblocks to success with diet and lifestyle modifications and gain simple solutions.
Know how to implement key concepts of individualized eating using Paul Chek’s Primal Pattern® eating
Discover how and when to use the “less is more” principle of exercise prescription and how to apply the 5 essentials of program design.

Your Course Includes:

15 lessons
Unlimited access to 83 streaming, online videos
Digital, downloadable participant manual in PDF format
Digital, downloadable forms and handouts to use yourself and with clients or family members:
- Primal Pattern® Diet Introduction (PDF)
- Primal Pattern® Diet Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
- Nutrition and Lifestyle Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (PDF)
- Nutrition and Lifestyle Score Sheet from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
- The Nutrient Energy Diagram (PDF)
- The Primal Pattern® Diet Fine Tuning Chart (PDF)
- The Circadian Rhythm Chart (PDF)
- The Tachometer Diagram (PDF)
- Nutrition – The CHEK Approach (PDF)
- Why Organic Food? (PDF)
- Why Wheat/Gluten Free? (PDF)
- The CHEK Shopper’s Guide (PDF)
- The Poopie Police (PDF)
15 online quizzes
Downloadable Certificate of Completion upon successfully finishing the course
Access to the HLC 1 Online Members Only Facebook Group

Not Included:

Pre-requisite book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $8!)
Recommended audio program You Are What You Eat (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $20!)
DVDs or printed manual (this course is 100% online)

None

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Best Under $100

Provider: Transformation Academy

Certification: Master Wellness Life Coach Certification

Price: $497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link)

Payment Plans: N/A

Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)

Visit Transformation Academy

This Program consists of 4 Certifications (4th is a choice of 3 )

Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification

Mindfulness Life Coach Certification

Diet Life Coach Certification

Transformation Academy Review

Pros and Cons
Accreditation

Overall

Pros

Reputable – Certified more than 150,000 students worldwide

All online

Start Anytime

Accredited

Master Wellness Life Coach Certification

4 separate certifications included

Private student community

Videos are fun and engaging

Full lifetime access to online learning material

Cons

I wouldn’t want to work with a health coach who’s the only certification is this one

American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.

Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)

Visit Transformation Academy

Honourable Mention

nickerson institute review

Provider: Nickerson Institute

Certification: Integrative Health Coach

Full Price: $3799

Payment Plan: $975 x 4

Visit Nickerson Institute

Get more insight into the approach taken at Nickerson Institute.

Presented by Wendy Nickerson, Owner and instructor of Nickerson Institute

Nickerson Institute Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation
Review
Testimonials

Overall

Pros

All Online

200-hour self-paced program

Bi-weekly live group meetings with an instructor

Body, Mind, and Spirit integration

Monthly live online support meeting for continued knowledge, guidance and community (continued access even after graduating)

Four post-graduate business development webinars

Opportunity to collaborate with the Nickerson Institute after graduation on new course development

Accredited by 3 institutions (1 US, 2 CAD)

option to get registered as a Health Coach

Cons

the maximum amount of time to spread payments is 4 months, offering little flexibility

Nickerson Institute Course Outline

This virtual and interactive 15-module Integrative Health Coach Training Program provides the latest evidence-based techniques and strategies (mind-body-spirit) covering the following session topics:

Ethics, boundaries, and the biopsychosocial model of care.
Communication and motivational interviewing.
Using cognitive-behavioural coaching strategies for reducing depression.
Using rational-emotive coaching for reducing anxiety.
Alternative treatments for depression and anxiety.
Detecting suicide. No stone left unturned.
The truth about food – know the details.
Foods and nutrients that determine the quality of mental health.
Helping clients work through the stages of grief and loss.
Stress and Coping: Mindfulness evidence-based techniques.
The mind-body effects of trauma.
Chronic Pain and Illness: The mind-body connection and the importance of thoughts and emotions on healing physical pain.
Dealing with the issues of the elderly population.
Teen depression and substance usage (spiritual revolution).
Develop advocacy skills – scoping out your community.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, you will…

Evaluate theories, concepts, and treatments in behavioural nutrition, issues concerning the elderly, teens, and those experiencing substance usage.
Assess the interaction of foods and nutrients with brain functioning, mental health, and behaviour.
Understand the differences between the biomedical and the biopsychosocial model of healthcare.
Evaluate and discuss the ethical and cultural guidelines of an integrative health coach.
Develop a personalized integrative health coaching toolbox.
Understand the importance of setting boundaries in health coaching relationships.
Develop skills for effective communication, listening, and intuition.
Practice motivational interviewing skills and techniques.
Understand and assimilate cognitive-behavioural and rationale motive coaching skills.
Recognize symptoms of anxiety and depression and choose appropriate alternative coaching treatments for each.
Detect and assess suicide risk and develop an action plan.
Understand and synthesize the issues related to grief and loss.
Develop a repertoire of mindfulness stress reduction techniques.
Develop an understanding and knowledge base of the relationships between mental health issues and physical disorders.
Assess and combine a list of community healthcare resources and organizations.
Demonstrate your ability to conduct an integrative health coaching session with a client.
Understand and integrate concepts of trauma and the seriousness of this condition on mental and physical health.

American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
Health Coach Alliance (HCA)
Canadian Association of Integrative Nutrition (CAIN)

It took a lot of digging to find this program and I’m glad I did—what a gem it is.

What I really like about this program

It focuses on training the mind to aid in the healing of mental, emotional, and physical illnesses. It encompasses interwoven evidence-based aspects of mindfulness, cognitive-behavioural techniques, neuroscience, health psychology, positive psychology, energy psychology and behavioural nutrition. Healing aspects of spirituality and the power of perception, insight, awareness, thoughts, and words are taught throughout this course.

This program targets mental health furthermore to physical and spiritual health. In addition, it targets behavioural nutrition since it pertains to mental health; and on psychoneuroimmunology, and that is clearly a big word for the way the mind, thoughts and stress create illness in the torso. Almost every other program concentrate on nourishment and exercise.

Option to become a Registered Health Coach

Not many Health Coach Certifications are qualified for this—especially at this price point. Why is being registered important? One word: insurance. It’s much easier (and usually cheaper) to receive professional insurance. Being a registered progressional also allows your clients to have a portion (or all) of your services covered by their insurance benefits, should they have some.

How much time will you need to complete the modules and the coursework?

You will need 200 hours for the entire program — approximately 12 hours for each of the 15 modules. This includes watching the videos, completing the written assignments and discussion boards, and attending a minimum of 4 bi-weekly live zoom discussion meetings. Additionally, there are roughly 20 hours of practical coaching sessions to perform.

Homework and Assignments

You will be given a discussion question and a written assignment vignette for each module. In addition, you will be continuously working on your personalized toolbox throughout the program. There will also be opportunities to audiotape portions of sessions and a complete session to show the application of the abilities taught.

Business and Marketing Support

After completion of the course, you can receive 4 webinar sessions on important areas of setting up your company. This covers areas of social networking, proper forms, brochures, website, and PowerPoint presentations, for instance. In addition, you’ll be given usage of their monthly meetings and that means you can build relationships additional IHCs and discuss projects and gain support.

Your own web page

You’ll also gain visibility for the Nickerson Institute website together with your personalized one-page Integrative Health Coaching business website. This professional webpage will be on the Nickerson Institute of Integrative Health Training website, under “Find an Integrative Health Coach”.

Additional Accreditations

As a graduate of the Nickerson Institute Integrative Health Coach Training Program, you have the option for additional accreditation as a Certified Coach for Highly Sensitive People. This 10-hour selfpaced supplemental course teaches the challenges and benefits of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity trait, which is present in 20% of the population and an estimated 30-50% of clients seeking mental health support. The content of this course includes a toolkit you can use with you HSP clients, as well as support material for how to market yourself as an HSP-trained mental health professional.

This course is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP), the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), the Health Coach Alliance (HCA), the Canadian Association of Integrative Nutrition (CAIN) and is eligible for NBCC Home Study Credits. A discount is given to graduates of the IHC program.

Unique Marketing Opportunities

Write for their blog

Students and graduates are invited to submit articles for the Nickerson Institute blog.In addition to sharing your knowledge and polishing your writing skills, this is an opportunity to promote your coaching services and increase your online presence. Select articles may also be promoted via the Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

Presentations

One of the common ways for new coaches to attract clients / generate business to give presentations in their (live or online) community. Asan IHC graduate, you are invited to be a guest speaker at our monthly Zoom meeting where you can hone your presentation skills, introduce current mental health topics, demonstrate effective healing techniques or offer business solutions. This is also an opportunity to reach beyond the Nickerson Institute community, as the recording of your presentation may be used for your own marketing/promotional use.

Create your own online course

Graduates of the IHC training program are offered the chance to develop and instruct an online course relevant to integrative health. These courses will be promoted to the general public, as well as students in the Nickerson Institute programs.

The unique and valuable aspects of this opportunity besides gaining the experience and satisfaction of developing an educational program to help others achieve holistic health are that the course becomes residual income, and as the developer/instructor, you have a platform to promote your own coaching services to those who enroll.

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Honourable Mention

Provider: Health Coach Institute

Certification: Health and Life Coach

Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for the latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don’t want them to call you)

Payment Plan: Available upon request

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Introduction video

More detail about their unique combination of health and life coaching

Health Coach Institute Review

Pros and Cons
Curriculum
Accreditation
Review
Testimonials

Overall

Pros

All online

150-hour self-paced program

Health and Life Coaching certification

Strong track record (100s of positive reviews on Facebook, Youtube, Trustpilot)

Not uncommon to have graduates making $5000-$10000 per month

1-on-1 mentoring

Weekly live peer to peer coaching practice

Proven done-for-you client programs that have earned coaches $1000’s

Extensive done-for-you client and marketing handouts

Foster a very tight knit and inspiring community

Most extensive business and marketing training of all programs

Accredited by 3 institutions

Cons

Price is a little steep, but be on the lookout for those discounts when you sign up to their email list!

Pillar 1: Holistic Nutrition for Coaches

Pillar 2: Habit Change Coaching Method

Pillar 3: Personal Growth (The Life Coach Certificate)

Pillar 4: Proven Marketing & Simple Business Systems

International Coach Federation (ICF) – The Become a Health Coach program is CCE accredited by the International Coach Federation. The International Coaching Federation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to professional coaching. ICF has been the gold standard in coaching for over 25 years.

Health Coach Alliance – The Become a Health Coach program has met strict Health Coach Alliance guidelines. Accreditation of educational programs is focused on quality of instruction, overall curriculum, program delivery, and determining whether students completing the program have successfully learned the materials by way of effective knowledge testing methods. Completing our Become a Health Coach Program will allow our graduates to receive the Registered Health Coach (RHC) Designation.

Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) – The Become a Health Coach program is fully approved by the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT). FHT accreditation ensures that course providers and prospective students can be sure that qualifications and courses have been independently and externally assessed, meeting the highest standards. The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s leading professional association for therapists. *The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s largest professional association for therapists, ensuring high standards in therapy education and practice since 1962. FHT runs the largest Accredited Register of complementary therapists to have been independently accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, a body accountable to parliament, helping the public to choose a non-statutory regulated health practitioner with confidence.

Health Coach Institute Review

Done-For-You Materials

What I really really like about this program is the crazy amount of done-for-you materials. This is a HUGE time saver. If you’re not yet a coach, let’s just say you’re in for an eye-opener.

Creating detox and nutrition programs is a huge ask! Believe me! We’re talking about spending hours upon hours creating programs—only to ask yourself…is this what people want? Will it work? Will they stick to it? Will it create happy clients? Will it generate referrals?

Health Coach Institute provides these programs for you…and not only that…they’ve tested over and over again and been proven to work. These programs sell!

In addition to creating programs, you must think about creating handouts, infographics, checklists, and much more. Again, these are all handed to you and ready to call your own.

Business Marketing

You may be the most caring, inspiring and educated health coach out there—but nobody will ever know if you don’t know how to sell yourself and your services.

One of the best ways to know if a company’s business and marketing course is top-notch is to observe their own marketing. One can only expect to be taught what the other practices.

If you observe Health Coach Institute’s website, social media channels and ads, you’ll see how effective their marketing is. They stand out from the crown, it’s quite obvious.

Their marketing is top-notch, way ahead of the field, and this is what you can expect to learn to do for yourself as a Health and Life Coach once you graduated from their program. Stand out from the crowd.

Most courses have a lesson or two on business and marketing. Health Coach Institute has an entire module!

How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?

The training is published in weekly modules and is accompanied by a myriad of resources to help you solidify your learning. Each lesson builds on the previous one so you know exactly what to focus on first, second, and third … in order to become a pro.

Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.

Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!

Interactive Weekly Skills Labs
Since knowledge is meaningless without practice, also work with your peers in weekly skills labs where you can apply what you have learned in a safe environment and improve your skills to make you feel safe with paying customers. Labs give you practice, support, and accountability like nothing else!

Mentorship
They are there to support and guide you every step of the way. Your program will include phone calls with your personal success coach where you can ask questions, share successes, and overcome obstacles. lots of guidance and insights from your program mentors.

How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?

Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.

Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!

CommunitySurrounding yourself with uplifting and encouraging people has the power to change your life, and at HCI they wholeheartedly believe in the power of community. That is why your students experience so much of their training together! Access to your tribe. Whether you need help with a problem, a challenge from a client, or just need a breakthrough, this is a safe place for you to be yourself and feel seen.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Health Coach and a Life Coach?

In short, a Health Coach focuses on nutrition and lifestyle changes to promote better health whereas a Life Coach typically isn’t trained to give specific health or nutritional advice and focuses on broader aspects of one’s life such as relationships, career, money, life goals, spirituality, and personal growth. There may be some overlap in areas such as emotional well-being, spirituality, and generic health and activity goals.

How do you become a certified Health Coach?

You can become a certified health coach by completing any Health Coach certification in the post or elsewhere. You don’t need any prerequisites.

Can anyone become a Health Coach?

The short answer, yes, anyone can become a Health Coach. The Health Coaching profession is unregulated and therefore anyone can call themselves a Health Coach even without a certification.

Conclusion

In case you decided to skip parts of the post, I want to reiterate that the best all-around online Health Coach Certification Program is Natural Wellness Academy, hands down. This is regardless of whether you’re looking to make a career out of Health Coaching or if you’re already an established professional in the health and wellness field and looking to add Health Coaching to your current resume.

NWA is the best Health Coaching Certification program for those looking to make a career solely from being a Certified Health Coach, I do not recommend any of the other health coaching certifications if this is you. I can most definitely understand if $2795 sounds like a lot of money to some of you (Hint: sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before).

Think about it this way, if you’re aspiring to create a career from being a great Health Coach then you need a great education AND a great mentor. NWA offers both of those. It’s an investment now that will definitely pay off later. If you cannot afford it now, I highly recommend you wait and save up, and don’t rush into a cheaper program that you won’t be able to build a career out of.

Detailed reviews of other areas of certification:

Holistic Nutrition Certifications

Online Life Coaching Certifications

Business Coach Certifications

CBD Coach Certifications

Online Meditation Teacher Certifications

I truly hope this helped you make an informed decision toward what step you want to take next.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me, I WILL respond.

8 Lies We’ve All Been Told

Much of what we are taught to believe is influenced by societal conditioning. This can become our downfall when we don’t question our beliefs surrounding what we’ve been told. If you are still a believer of any of these 8 lies, my goal is to influence you enough to at least question their existence.

1. Time is Money

Although time may be required to create money for ourselves, time is not directly proportional to the amount of money we can create. This is a lie we have been led to believe by much of society.

The amount of money we make is directly proportional to something though…perceived value. The source of our income (employer if you work for someone or clients if you own your own business) has made a perceived assessment of our value and pays us accordingly.

Once the value is perceived, a financial number that seems to match that value will be created. People pay for the value we offer, not our time. If time was directly proportional to how much money we make then we would all make the same amount of money, given that we worked for the same amount of hours.

If we want to make more money, we must create more value in the world.

2. Other People Make Us Feel The Way We Do

Most people live by this. Once the truth of what really makes us feel the way we do is explored, many of us still have a hard time understanding how this is not possible.

If someone says something, we then we feel a certain emotion towards what they said and associate their words with our emotions. This is so far from the truth.

The only way we can ever feel an emotion is to have a thought precede that emotion. Without that thought, we feel nothing towards what was said.

We make ourselves feel the way we do via our thoughts. Once we take our thoughts as reality, we take our thoughts personally. We then to proceed to take what the other person says personally.

The truth is, it is our thoughts about they say that we take personally, not them. It always starts with us…always.

3. No Pain, No Gain

Having worked in the health and fitness industry for years, this is probably the most common saying I hear. It doesn’t just apply to the fitness industry though.

I have heard it used in reference to the sacrifice of long work hours, the grind of working one’s way up the executive ladder, the emotional distress of a ridiculous school curriculum, paying our dues, etc..

Pain is absolutely not necessary to achieve any goal, pain is optional, and so is suffering.

4. Certain Emotions Are Bad

This is a topic I talk about a lot because I see so much suffering coming from self-judgment. By self-judgment, I mean telling ourselves that we shouldn’t feel a certain way because we don’t want to feel that way, or we were taught that it’s not right to feel that way.

Most of us have been conditioned from a young age that when someone we love passes, we should feel sad and we shouldn’t feel happy. We internalize that as it’s good to feel sad and bad to feel happy. The judging begins.

This conditions us to believe that during an event that we’ve judged as sad, it’s not good to feel happy. And when life is judged as being good, it’s bad to feel sad, that we should always think positive!

I see this often with guilt, people will do next to anything to avoid feeling guilty, they will sell their souls before feeling guilty by conscious choice. For example, a diabetic man takes his perfectly healthy wife out to dinner, he decides to take her to her favourite local restaurant, which happens to be Chinese food. He then proceeds to join her in indulging on her favourite dish with her, which happens to be pasta based (terrible for diabetics).

He opts to join her in the indulgence of food that doesn’t serve his health because he thinks he will feel guilty if he doesn’t (even though she may be OK with it). He fears feeling guilty more than deteriorating his own health.

This is an example of just one of many occasions where he puts his avoidance of guilt before his own health. His health progressively gets worse.

If he were to not judge guilt as a bad emotion, but instead use the feeling of guilt as an indicator that tells him his thinking is off, he could start seeing his emotions as a signal to check in on his thinking instead of judging a perfectly normal, innate human emotion.

At the end of the day, all of our feelings are innate, and neither good nor bad until we judge them as such.

And who are we to judge anyway?

5. Follow The Money

Happiness cannot be bought.

We can create money from your passion but we can’t create passion from our money.

Would you rather…

Make 100k/yr but dread waking up each day knowing you’re about to go do something that brings little to no joy or meaning to your life.

Make 50k/yr but wake up each day with an eagerness to start your day because you can’t wait to start doing what you love to do, as it adds joy and meaning to your life.

I completely understand that a handful of people will opt for the 100k/yr job, but most will opt for joy over money. Can we have both? Most definitely! Go for it!

Do what you love, money can be created, love is innate.

6. Studies Say It’s True So It Must Be True

I’m not going to talk about the amount of corruption that I believe exists within governments and leading authorities. That’s a can of worms I don’t feel like opening right now.

Instead, I will cite a leading example of a dietary study that was once projected to be true and has never since proven to be true.

The 7 Countries Study (saturated fat and cholesterol are NOT bad for us)

This is the study that initiated a still hotly debated topic regarding saturated fat and cholesterol causing heart disease. Note, to this day, there is not a single study that proves this.

This epidemiological study began in 1958 by an American scientist named Ancel Keys. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between dietary intake within different countries and heart disease.

The study began with 22 countries but finished with 7. Why? Because 15 of the countries didn’t fit Keys’ hypothesis regarding dietary fat and cholesterol causing heart disease.

To this day, this is the same study that is used to inflict fear upon the public regarding fat being bad for us. Too bad this is built upon a lie.

Extra Reading:

A massive review article published in 2010 looked at 21 prospective epidemiological studies with a total of 347,747 subjects. Their results: absolutely no association between saturated fat and heart disease.

Another good read: The idea that saturated fat raised the risk of heart disease was an unproven theory that somehow became conventional wisdom.

The message here is that while a study may ring true at the moment, this doesn’t mean it’s a universal truth. There’s a very good chance it’s just a temporary personal truth.

An additional note, many dietary studies are funded by sources that have a vested interest in the outcome of the study going their way. Money talks.

Don’t believe everything you read, watch, or hear. Develop your own truths, and if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

7. Retirement

We wouldn’t feel the need to retire if we love how we are spending our time.

I’m only 32 years old and I absolutely love what I do as a coach and writer/blogger. I cannot picture myself doing anything else at the moment. If I were approaching my retirement years, I wouldn’t even consider retirement, that option wouldn’t even be on the table. Why? I love how I’m spending my time. I wouldn’t want to spend it any other way.

The moment I no longer love how I’m spending my time, I’ll move on to my next love, whatever that may be.

If we feel the need to retire (aka quit) something, we can bet that our heart is no longer in it. If we work our entire lives just to retire what does that say about where our heart is? Not in it.

Do we fall head over heels for someone and then look forward to retiring the relationship?

Do we fall head over heels for our favourite athlete and then look forward to them retiring?

Would we fall head over heels with our career and then look forward to ourselves retiring? I think not.

We only look forward to retiring because we aren’t head over heels in love with what we do.

Retirement is societal conditioning functioning at its’ best. A belief that has been ingrained into most of our heads…” pay your dues for 40 years and then begin to live your life for whatever remaining years you have left.”

To me, this is not the best advice to live a joyous and fulfilling life from start to finish.

8. We Need Money To Make Money

If you’re an investor, sure this is an accurate statement. However, investing is just one avenue to make money for ourselves.

If we refer back to the whole “Time is Money” belief, the same appeal applies here.

You don’t need money to make money, having value to offer also makes money.

To emphasize this statement…

Here are a few people who came from nothing to become billionaires:

Howard Schultz – Starbucks founder, grew up in a housing complex for the poor.
Oprah Winfrey – Was born into a poor family in Mississippi, became the first African American TV correspondent in Nashville at age 19.
Do Won Chang – Forever 21 founder, worked as a janitor, gas station attendant, and in a coffee shop when he first moved to America.
Ralph Lauren – Was once a clerk at Brooks Brothers dreaming of men’s ties.

It’s hard to argue the perceived value that they brought to their respective markets. When you’re a fan or not, you have to hand it to them.

Learn from all of your experiences, opportunities are everywhere.

Take care,

I Never Thought I’d Say This But…I’m Becoming A Vegan And Here’s Why:

*Warning: I haven’t sugar-coated anything. Some readers may find some of the content disturbing. There will be videos (not auto-play), graphic descriptions, and brutal facts.*

*I also want to make it very clear that I do not, and will not, judge anyone who decides to eat meat.*

As of January 1st, 2019, I am officially going vegetarian, and “almost” Vegan. I will be eliminating meat, dairy (including eggs), and all animal byproducts from my diet. I say “almost” Vegan is because I may eat sashimi, lobster, crab, muscles, or scallops on occasion.

Never! No Way!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would, or even could, become a Vegetarian. Ten years ago, if I had gone to a psychic, and their reading told me that I will become a Vegetarian in the future, I would have laughed hysterically in their face and requested a refund right on the spot!

I have been an avid meat eater my entire life. I can recall countless different moments where I stated that I could never become vegetarian because I just love steak wayyyyy too much! I could never give up steak! Goes on to show that we should never say “never”.

Friends and family were shocked when I told them I am becoming a Vegetarian. They all know how much I love my eat. Many of them thought it was a joke.

How It All Happened

I’d like to start of by saying that I have always been an animal lover. Since I was able to muster my first memory as a toddler, I’ve either had a cat, dog, or both as part of the family.

Along the way, I have learned much about the corruption, lies, and greed surrounding the food industry, including the government. The complete disrespect for animals is really what disgusts me the most.

Food Inc.

The very first time I ever had a thought about possibly becoming Vegetarian one day was while I was watching Food Inc. several years ago. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this film, it is a documentary that sheds light on the dark side of the food industry.

There’s one specific scene that has been ingrained into my head due to the emotional connection it created within me. The following video is of the scene that sparked a thought that I didn’t think I would ever have.

Did you see the terror in the poor cows’ eyes? Do you think they’re happy?

Even if going Vegetarian saves one cow’s life then if then it is more than worth it to me.

Viral Video Of Chickens Being Tormented

I remember seeing this video when it went viral in the summer of 2017. I knew after watching this video that I would become a Vegetarian one day, it was a future written in stone now.

Toronto Slaughterhouse Exposed

This one hits close to home for me, being that I live merely 20 minutes outside the City of Toronto.

Inhumane Treatment of Animals

The videos above are evidence of the sad reality that points toward a severe lack of compassion for animals. They are treated like their lives don’t matter. Well, I believe they do matter. I believe they matter just as much as any one of us human beings on this earth.

The living environments they are kept in are disgusting and disgraceful.

“The quality of life for animals on mass production farms (where most of the supply comes from) is the equivalent of being held a prisoner in a concentration camp.”

I refuse to continue enabling this by eating the remains of these beautiful living creatures.

Spiritual Influence

Here’s a touching piece of poetry written by Mother Teresa:

Because they give everything asking for nothing back…
Because they are defenseless amid men’s weapons and power…
Because they are eternal children…because they don’t know hate…or war…because they don’t know about money and only seek the protection of a shelter…
Because they explain themselves without words, because their eyes are as pure as their souls…
Because they don’t know about envy or grudges, because forgiveness comes natural to them…
Because they love with loyalty and truthfulness…
Because they recognize and appreciate respect…
Because they don’t buy love, they just expect it…
Because they are our companions, eternal friends that never betray…
And because they are alive. Because of this and a thousand other reasons they deserve our love!
If we learn to love them like they deserve, for being creatures that feel, suffer and need us, we will be closer to God.
Mother Teresa

When I see a mouse outside of the house, I admire how cute they are instead of chasing them down with the sole of my foot or a hammer. Sure, they may do some damage if they ever got into the house but there’s a question I like to ask myself…

Which outcome would I prefer to live with?

a) Having taken the life of another animal to prevent having to do some extra work and spend some extra money on potentially damaged walls or insulation?

b) Having to do some extra work and spend some extra money in return for letting another animal live?

I choose option b every single time, no questions.

I would never put money, time, or effort ahead of the life of another animal. I’m not better than them, nor am I more important.

Just because we have the power to kill without repercussion, does not mean we need to exercise it.

Over the past two years, I have been on a spiritual journey.

Over this time, the connection and oneness I feel with all things; living, non-living, physical, and non-physical has grown to a point where…

eating an animal has become the equivalent of eating another human being.

I have always had a connection with animals, particularly dogs. When visiting friends, family, or even meeting someone for the first time, I am a dog magnet.

Disclosure: I do give great massages so I’m sure that is factored into their choice to follow me around.

Aligning With My Beliefs

Being an animal lover, eating animals of any kind just doesn’t line up with my love for them. Although I have been eating them all my life despite my love for them, I never questioned my actions…until now.

I never asked why I continued to be an enabler of animal cruelty, animal slaughter, and animal murder, by adding to the demand of meat-eaters. Why would I ask? I mean, everyone else does it, right? Nobody else around me questioned themselves on their beliefs or ethics so why would I.

And this is why I’m so grateful for this spiritual journey. I don’t want to be like anyone else anymore. I want to live in alignment with my own beliefs, the beliefs that are at the core of who I am. I want to be myself.

Sure, if I was lost in the wilderness for months on end with little or no vegetation to rely on for food, I would eat meat to survive. I’m faced with a decision, eat or die, and I would choose to eat.

Fortunately, we have been graced with an over-abundance of food here n North America and therefore we don’t need to choose between death or going against our beliefs. We have a choice to not eat animals without death being the consequence.

From No Love Lost To Love

Just over two years ago we added a cat to our family of a dog and a turtle. Her name is Laara, and there was no love lost between us for at least the first 6 months.

She thought it would be wise at the time to barge into our room between 12 a.m and 1 a.m every single night, meowing at the top of her lungs.

I like to leave the window open a tad during the night to bring in some fresh air. Laara decided that it was a good idea to get some every night as well. Her idea of getting some fresh air included several attempts of pouncing onto the window sill, with each failed attempt nearly dragging the drapes to the floor.

I would get up, making as much noise as I could, huffing and puffing and stomping my feet, chasing her out the bedroom door while attempting to inflict enough fear into her to not want to return.

It got to a point where I wouldn’t even bother trying to get to sleep before midnight, despite waking up between 5:30 a.m and 6:30 a.m the following morning.

Allie would always tell me that it’s because I don’t show her affection or give her attention that she decides to go to such extremes for attention. I never bought that b.s philosophy at the time.

As my spiritual journey deepened, I naturally started showing Laara more affection, attention, and dare I say the word….love. Ironically enough, her midnight episodes came to an end.

She now greets me when I get home…belly up.

Are There Any Doubts?

This has been a common question, and in some instances, more of a statement doubting the permanency of my commitment due to my love for the taste of meat.

The people who truly know me, know that when I have my mindset on something there is no turning back. I am doing this through conviction and love. Nothing and nobody will ever stand in the way of its’ permanence.

There is not a single drop of doubt residing within me. I love animals too much to put my taste buds before my love of them ever again. That would be a selfish and cowardly act on my part.

Impacts of going vegan for just 1 day:

1100 gallons of water saved
45 pounds of grain saved
30 square feet of forested land saved
20 lbs of CO2 equivalent saved from the atmosphere
1 animal’s life saved

Other harsh realities:

Cows produce milk only when they’re pregnant, so they must continually forcibly impregnated.
After a cow gives birth, the calf is immediately taken away from their mother. If the baby is a male, he is killed for meat, most know this meat as veal. If the baby is a female, she will have the same experience as her mother.
The mother cow will be killed for meat around the age of four because that is when her milk production starts to decline. The costs of keeping her alive and pregnant outweigh the profits she can yield at that point.
Chickens are bred to lay far more than is normal for their bodies – about 300 eggs per year. Whereas chickens in the wild lay about 12 eggs per year.
In the hatcheries, the male chicks are slaughtered immediately after birth through suffocation or being tossed into a met grinder because they aren’t useful.
Hens are kept in pens where they are crammed so closely together, these normally clean animals are forced to urinate and defecate of each other.
Their beaks are cut off so that they won’t peck each other out of frustration created by the unnatural environment they’ve been confined in.
The amount of land required to feed one person who is vegan is 1/6 of an acre; the amount o land required to feed one person who is a vegetarian for one year is 3X as much as a vegan; and the land required to feed one person for a year who is a meat and dairy consumer is 18X as much as a vegan.
Waste caused by animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction.
Animal agriculture is responsible for more emissions than all transportation combined.
1000 gallons of water are used for every gallon of milk consumed.

Learning To Love Thy Enemies We’ve Created

We make many enemies throughout our lives, none of which live outside of our own heads.

Ponder on that for a second before you decide to read any further…what does that mean to you? Are you open to learning to love thy enemy for your own sake?

How We Create Our Own Enemies

Habits As Our Enemies

We create our own habits that we aren’t fond of and call them the enemy as if they have a mind of their own. Well, they do, except it’s not their mind, it’s our own mind. The same mind that created the habit is the same mind that will replace it. All of our habits are created with good intentions at the time of conception, we thought they served a purpose. If you’re not fond of a certain habit, it has outlived its’ purpose, it’s time to replace it. Don’t resist it, understand it, love it, replace it.

Time As Our Enemy

We’re late for an important meeting or occasion and we call time the enemy as if time made us late when it was our own choices that made us late. Time never speeds up or takes time away from us in order to purposely make us late, that just makes us sound like a lunatic. What we choose to do with the time we have been given is entirely our own responsibility, not the responsibility of time itself. Love time, as time is one of the few things you will always have until the day you die.

Challengers As Our Enemies

We don’t think we’re enough and we make enemies of anyone who challenges our outcomes. How dare them to have the audacity to make us feel like we’re not enough. Yet we were the ones telling ourselves we’re not enough before any challengers arose. If we were enough, we would see the opportunities in being challenged, we would welcome them. We understand that no matter what they say, we’re enough. Love being challenged, it fosters your growth.

Hitler? Really?

Is it possible for one to generate compassion for a man who has done such horrific things? Yes, it is.

For him to do the things he’s done, can you just imagine what was going on inside his head? Take some time to think about that. Put yourself in his shoes and just imagine.

What would he have had to believe in order to carry out such acts of hatred and horror?

In a way, we can feel sympathy for him, he was a victim of a menacing mind. That’s one way to look at it.

We can also compassionately empathize with him. We’ve all done things we aren’t proud of, many of us still haven’t forgiven ourselves for some of these things. We can look back and ask ourselves…who in their right mind would do something like what we did? But that’s just it, we weren’t in the right mind. We had temporarily succumbed to certain thoughts that led to our regretful actions.

Being compassionate toward Hitler does not mean we condone his actions, it means we can understand with love, the horrific thoughts that led to his actions.

Sure, our wrong-doings were on a much smaller scale than that of Hitlers’, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still empathize with what it feels like to have a troubled mind. To be completely and utterly lost for a period of time. Lost to the point we performed some regretful actions, actions we wish we could take back if given the chance.

Now, I’m spiritual but not religious, some may call me a Theist as I believe in a higher power, an intelligence behind life. I’m going to take a quote from the Bible thought, regardless of who said it, be it Jesus or not, it has great power.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”
Jesus

Why else would Hitler, or ourselves, follow through on any actions would never repeat while in our right mind? At the time, we thought we knew what we were doing, but we really didn’t because in the right mind we would have never done it.

Just like Hitler, we too know what it’s like to know not what we are doing.

Holding hatred in our hearts only hurts ourselves, not the one we’re hating. At the very least, sympathizing with him will leave us much better off than hating him. Each and every one of us does have the capacity to feel compassion and love for him as well, despite his wrong-doings.

Resistance, Options, And Illusions

As soon as an enemy is created, resistance toward the enemy is created. Using the examples above, we would then feel resistance toward our bad habits, toward time, toward the ones that challenge us, and toward Hitler. We don’t think with clarity when in a state of constant resistance. This simply does not serve us.

We fear to make enemies and therefore see much of creation as a threat to our illusionary existence, otherwise known as our ego. We point the blame outward in an attempt to preserve our ego, yet it is our egos that created our enemies in the first place. Ironic right?

Seeing that we do, in fact, have the option on whether or not we decide to create an enemy for ourselves, is the beginning of learning to love thy enemy. Enemies are not inevitable, people do bad things, WE do bad things, but we don’t have to make an enemy of it.

If we can get just a little glimpse of the illusory non-existence of our enemies, we will get a sneak peek at the existence of our allies.

Our enemies bring with their stubbornness, exile, resistance, and division.

Our allies bring with their understanding, compassion, non-resistance, and unity.

When facing our enemies we have three choices: play the victim, play the hero, or love them.

With love comes a willingness to understand and learn from our enemies. An enemy we learn from becomes our ally, this is how they make us stronger.

Love thy enemy and add to your strength.

Why Positive Thinking Doesn’t Work: And What Does

You might be anxiously wondering where this article is going to go, so just in case you’re about to judge me as some negative Nancy that’s going to bash positive thinking, I’d like to clear that up because that’s not what I’m about to do.

I’m going to use a deep dive into The Three Principles understanding of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought to awaken you to see that we don’t need to try to think positive in order to enjoy a joyous and fulfilling life. All we need is an understanding, and to not take our thoughts so damn seriously.

What I’m going to touch on is:

Positive and negative thoughts don’t exist, you just think they do
Judging vs understanding
A fear-based mentality
How the mind really works
Where our thoughts actually come from
What control we really have
The repercussions to always trying to think positive
How positive thinking teaches us to become more judgmental
A more peaceful approach to our thoughts and emotions
A healthier way to know your thinking is off
Where is freedom of mind?

By trying to think positive all the time, you’re attempting to shun the negative and embrace the positive instead of embracing the whole.

The self-help industry is completely flooded with the newest tips and strategies on how to think more positive more often. Oddly enough, attempting to see through a rose coloured lens all the time isn’t the solution to living a more fulfilling and joyful life. On top of that, it doesn’t even work.

My goal by the end of this post is to encourage you to meet your thoughts with understanding and compassion oppose to judgement. True success would be seeing the judgement of your thoughts as laughable.

Positive Thinking Failed Me

Being a caregiver to my wife with Leukemia for the past 9 years has taught me a lot. I’ve been to hell on earth and back, all in one lifetime, and I’m very grateful for this experience. Amongst the blessings in disguise that I’ve uncovered, I’ve learnt not to fear my own thinking.

During my deepest depths of despair, the world was a very, very dark place and I couldn’t see the light for the life of me. I tried so hard to “think positive”, but I wasn’t thrown a single bone to chew on.

I wanted to think positive because I was so afraid of what was going on inside my head. I was more afraid of my own thoughts than I was of cancer. I was constantly on edge, waiting to defend against the next negative thought that popped up.

When I needed positive thoughts the most they weren’t there. Or maybe they were, maybe I was blind to them because I was so distracted by all the attention I was giving to my “negative thinking”? Hmm

Suffice to say, I ground through that stage in my journey, it was not a graceful victory by any stretch.

I know with all my being that I will never go back to that place, or anywhere near it. I know this because I no longer judge my thinking as positive or negative. What’s probably even more important is that I no longer fear my own thoughts.

I now aim to meet each of my thoughts with love and compassion. Love trumps fear every single time. This compassion eliminates any desire for me to judge or change my thinking.

All of my thoughts are now arbitrary until I decide which ones will best serve me and the greater good.

Positive And Negative Thoughts Don’t Exist, You Just Think They Do

We make up what every single one of our thoughts mean. There is no universal meaning to our thoughts. There are universal feelings that we label, but each of those feelings means something different to each of us because we each have different thoughts that lead to those feelings.

Any given thought that you THINK is positive or negative is only that way because you THINK it is. You have labelled it so. Why do thoughts that lead to feeling happy have to be positive and thoughts that lead to feeling sad have to be negative?

Is it really such a negative thing to have thoughts that lead to feeling sad if you lose someone you loved dearly? Would you rather feel happy you lost them? One could argue that being happy in such a circumstance could be labelled as negative. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Judging vs Understanding

Judging leads us towards separating our thoughts into positive or negative compartments.

Understanding points toward the fact that we think. Through a simple understanding that we are thinking creatures and we aren’t in control, regardless of the content of our thinking, we can finally sit back and just watch the movie play out in our head.

Knowing that our thoughts have no life of their own allows us to not have to take them so seriously. None of our thoughts are real, not one. They only appear real because we give certain thoughts our full attention. This attention breathes life into a thought and that’s when they appear REAL.

Well, here’s the best news…

just because you have a thought in your head, this does not mean you have to act on it nor do you have to believe it. After all, it’s just a thought…until you think it’s not.

When we give our thoughts a life of their own, we feel the need to gain some control by attempting to banish the bad and embrace the good. We do this because we fear our thoughts are real, they have a sense of control over us, so we must take back control before they make us act out in ways we forbid.

How Positive Thinking Teaches Us To Become More Judgmental

In order to distinguish the so-called positive and negative thoughts, we must judge them as one or the other. To be on the look-out for the bad guys all day (negative thoughts), this requires us to be judging our thoughts all day.

This teaches us to analyze our thinking, then segmenting each thought into positive or negative categories. I’m exhausted just thinking about doing this each day.

We don’t see the world as our experience, we experience our thoughts as the world we see.

Therefore, the more we judge ourselves, which includes the thoughts in our head, the more we judge the world outside of us, including others. This is not the way of a more peaceful and joyful life.

As soon as we judge a thought as negative we’ve given it life, quite the opposite of our intentions. If we don’t judge the thought, it passes by all on its’ own like a cloud in the sky. Letting the thought go with judgement allows room for the next thought to pass by.

If we hold our attention on a negative thought, it leaves no room for the next thought to come through, not until we let that one go.

Being able to see your thoughts without judgement is ultimately what brings peace. Trying to think positive all the time takes you further away from this and more woven into a neurotic and judgmental world.

A Fear-Based Mentality

When we see our thoughts as real and in control of us, we have a tendency to then fear the thoughts we’ve judged as negative. This fear of a negative thought gives birth to the desire to abolish negative thinking while simultaneously attempting to control our thoughts.

If we take the stance of seeing all of our thoughts as arbitrary, until we give them life through belief and attention, we won’t feel the need to judge our thinking or try and control the uncontrollable. A thought becomes a thought, no more and no less.

In this non-judgmental state, we develop compassion for our thoughts, regardless of the contents. This compassion breeds a whole new level of understanding that makes one wonder why they felt the need to judge, fear, or change their thoughts in the first place.

How The Mind Really Works

The mind works like a projector. It reflects our own thoughts back to us and we call what we see “reality”. We’re watching the movie of our own mind, we’re not the movie, and therefore we’re not our thoughts.

Sure, we can direct the film through editing the speed, colour, and sound, but what we cannot do is create the film. We don’t even have control over which film gets placed into the projector.

Where Our Thoughts Actually Come From

This remains a mystery. This mystery is what religion, mystics, and spiritual leaders try to put into words that which cannot be described with words.

What we do know is that we don’t create our thoughts, we receive them and we observe them. Similarly to how we listen to a radio, and if we don’t control what is on the radio, what control do we have?

What Control We Really Have

You’re driving along, listening to the radio, you’re favourite song has just ended, the next one comes on. It’s a song that has been so overplayed; you’ve heard it way too many times recently. What do you do? Change the station.

The next station plays a song that reminds you of your ex…neeeeext. The station after is playing a song that has always had this negative vibe to it…next.

After flicking through the stations, you find one of your favourite songs, a song that energizes you every time you hear it. Finally! So you decide to stay at this station for the rest of the song, then the cycle repeats itself.

We don’t have the power to decide what plays on the radio, but we do have control over which station we decide to listen to.

This is kind of how our minds work. Our brain is like a radio in the sense that it’s a receiver. It receives thoughts from an unknown source of intelligence.

We don’t have control over the thoughts that we receive in our head, but we do have control over which ones to listen to. Not giving attention to a thought is similar to changing the radio station, whereas giving attention to a thought is similar to remaining on a radio station.

Just as we have zero control over being able to stop thoughts from popping into our head, we have zero control over which thoughts pop into our head.

An even more important distinction to recognize is that we have complete control over which thoughts we choose to believe.

To play devil’s advocate to what I just said, for those who believe in fate, it can even be argued that we don’t even choose our thoughts. Who told us to choose a certain thought? To believe a certain thought? It can be said that it’s part of our destiny and that the script is already written and we’re just playing it out.

It’s estimated that we have 60,000 – 100,000 thoughts swirl around in our head on any given day. Most of these thoughts are regurgitated and go unnoticed, none of these thoughts were placed in our head by choice, wrap your head around that.

Do We Have The Power To Create A Positive Thought?

If I presented you a blue ball in my hand and told you to choose the red one, could you do it?

Similarly, if you were presented with a negative thought and I told you to choose the positive one, could you do it?

Why is it that when we need an empowering thought the most it doesn’t seem to come? If we had the power to create one then we surely would. Instead, we wait until one pops into our head. And, if we’re too distracted or overwhelmed, we’ll completely miss the thought altogether.

Since I’ve pointed to the understanding we don’t create our thinking, this also points towards the understanding that we can’t create a positive thought. We can choose one, but we cannot create one.

If you’ve never made a million dollars before and I asked you to create a thought that will tell you how to make 1 million dollars in 1 week, could you do it? Why not?

I think this is where the distinction between choosing a thought and creating a thought really needs to be distinguished.

Here’s an example I received recently:

“At any time, I can recognize I am being hard on myself and then consciously choose to think, “I deserve a little credit for everything I did right today.” That’s an example of consciously choosing to create an empowering thought, and I’ve actually done this many times!”

I can see many people being confused by this, as it confused the heck out of me at one point as well.

Who placed the thought “I deserve a little credit for everything I did right today.” into their head?

Where did that thought come from? Once again, this remains a mystery.

This person chose to give that thought attention and bring it to life with belief, but only after the thought was created and delivered as an option in the mind’s eye. If we had the power to consciously create “positive” and empowering thoughts then we would do it all the time, but I’m sure based on experience, we can all agree that this is just not true.

As fascinating as the mind is, it is limited to only one thought at a time. One thought that we didn’t create but the one thought that we chose.

I understand that this is a hard concept to grasp, and one that can completely rock your world. Especially for those who want to think they’re in control, it can be earth shattering to even fathom the idea that you’re not in control of which thoughts get created and place into your head. That all you have control of is which thoughts you choose to give attention.

The opposite to control is freedom, free from the need or desire to control. This is when we will experience true freedom of mind.

Where Is Freedom Of Mind?

There’s no freedom in condemnation. Freedom lay not with judgement but with non-judgement. A mind that condemns a thought due to a negative judgement is not a free mind.

This is a mind that is on edge, constantly on the lookout for the enemy. A mind that fears harm upon itself is not a free mind, this is a paranoid mind.

A liberated mind does not judge itself; it accepts what arises and understands that it does not need to attempt to control the uncontrollable.

True freedom of mind lay not without certain thoughts but with all thoughts. True freedom of mind lay not with fear of certain thoughts but with love for all thought.

The Repercussions Of Always Trying To Think Positive

Firstly, if your expectation is that you should always think positive then you will be thoroughly disappointed. You’re setting yourself up for failure, this is one battle you will never, ever win.

Your frustrations during this battle will generate their own negative thoughts by way of continuous judgement of yourself for not gaining control. This will ultimately lead to the creation of an ongoing teeter-totter between positive and negative thinking.

This constant battle is exhausting, it takes up so much mental energy. This is wasted energy that could arguably be better spent on creativity or imagination, among other things.

A More Peaceful Approach To Our Thoughts And Emotions

Typically, negative thoughts are judged as negative due to the feeling they induce. Common feelings such as anger, guilt, frustration and resentment are regularly judged as negative emotions leading us to believe that our thinking is negative.

What if there is no such thing as a negative thought?

I like to view our emotions as indicators sending us messages. An innocent indicator that points us toward our thinking that has led to that emotion. Not to judge the thoughts, but to see the innocence and harmlessness in the thoughts, and to see the thoughts with compassion.

Feelings are a barometer of our thoughts at any given time
– George Pransky, The Relationship Handbook

The messages we receive are always a reflection of our thoughts at the moment since each one of our thoughts gives birth to a corresponding emotion. Therefore, the benefit of any thought, whether we judge it as positive or negative, is that it will generate a feeling which we can use to better understand our thinking at the moment.

If you pay attention to your feelings without judgement, you’ll see that they’re a great indicator to which thoughts you’re giving the most attention.

In my experience, see our thoughts with understanding and compassion are a much more peaceful approach than constantly judging.

Generate Clarity With Just 2 Powerful Questions

Rather than constantly judging our thinking, I propose a much more peaceful and non-judgmental way to explore our thoughts. There are two powerful questions I like to ask myself that help me see with more clarity, they are:

Is this thought really true?
Does this thought serve the greater good?

Learn from all of your experiences, opportunities are everywhere.

Take care,

This is a slightly modified version of the popular original that was published on PickTheBrain: https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/why-positive-thinking-doesnt-work-and-what-does/

The Simple Equation That Generates Creativity

I hear many people say they aren’t creative, yet creativity is innate. We each have access to a wellspring of creativity. Unfortunately, some people don’t seem to be aware of this. We all have equal access to the same source of creativity.

Think of creativity as the sun and your personal thinking as the clouds, just because on a cloudy day you can’t see it, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Here is the definition of creativity as per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: The ability to create

I think one misconception people have is that creativity comes in the form of art. Leading them to believe that because they aren’t interested in art, or they aren’t good at art (in their opinion), then that means they aren’t creative.

Art is just one form of creativity. Creativity can come through in many areas of life and work. Think of creativity as finding a new way to think of something or do something. To create something original for you in your life or create a new way of thinking.

Examples of creativity:

You could create a new perspective on:

Money
Your relationships
Politics
Forgiveness
Love

You could create:

A new recipe
More value at work
Other avenues to make money
More meaningful relationships
A morning/evening ritual

When it comes to being creative, the options are infinite. Any time you have created something in your life you have used your creativity.

If we’re all creative beings, how do we access our innate creativity?

The simple equation that generates creativity is this:

New Thought

A new thought comes from…well, who knows. All we know is that we didn’t create it, we just observe it.

This is very different from our personal thinking, which you can think of as old thought. These are the thoughts that we have thought before, they are nothing new. They are personal to us because they are bound to us and regurgitated.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them.”

– Albert Einstein

A single new thought can generate an insight that changes your entire life. A single new thought can give you the framework to create something new in the world.

So, how do we get new thoughts?

Space

If creativity is the sun and our personal thinking (old thoughts) are the clouds, a little less attention to our personal thinking will allow the sun to peak through. A cloudless sky isn’t necessary to see the light, all that is needed is a momentary gap between clouds to shed some light.

We don’t need a blank mind to allow our creativity to come through. We just need to pay a little less attention to our personal thinking and allow a momentary gap for a new thought to come through.

Learn from all of your experiences, opportunities are everywhere.

Take care,

The Simple Equation That Proves Nobody Can Make You Feel A Certain Way

The following equation reveals the only source of our feelings, good or bad. Since most people don’t factor in one component of the equation, they lead themselves to believe a lie, and in my opinion, it’s also the main source of suffering and despair in the world.

I also think it’s the greatest source of life’s illusion, especially when it comes to chasing things like money, prestige, happiness, peace, love, and status.

The simple equation that creates your feelings is this:

the simple equation that creates your feelings 3

However, most people live by this equation:

The Grand Illusion And Taking Your Power Back

“You make me happy”

“You piss me off!”

“Traffic makes my blood boil”

“My job stresses me out”

How many times have you heard yourself say any of those? I know I used to say the first two ALLLLLL the time.

Now that I don’t blame others or circumstances for how I feel, I feel so much freedom because I am the only one who can make myself feel any which way about anything.

When we blame the outside world for what is going on in our inside world we’ve given all of our power away. We’ve granted permission to anything or anyone outside of us to create our feelings.

Although this is actually never the case, so long as we believe that this is how our feelings are created we’re rendered powerless. We then live by this equation:

Circumstance – THOUGHT = Feeling = Powerless

The missing link that doesn’t get factored in is thought.

In order to maintain power over your feelings, you must understand that it’s your own thoughts about another person, what they may have said, or a circumstance, that creates your feelings.

Circumstance + THOUGHT = Feeling = Power

It is our thoughts about who this person is and what they mean to us that makes us happy, not them.

It is our thoughts about what they said about us that pisses us off, not them.

It is our thoughts about traffic that make our blood boil, not the traffic itself.

It is our thoughts about our job that stress us out, not the job itself.

Feelings are the children of thoughts, and without thoughts, they cease to exist.

The mere understanding of this can grant you hope no matter the circumstance because you’re no longer reliant on a world outside of you to change how you feel. Only you have the power to do that.

How To Easily Get Back On Track When You’re Feeling “Off”

Another recent trend I’ve noticed is how confused people tend to get when they go off track and start feeling a little bit “off”. I’ve noticed this with myself in the past and more recently in conversations with my wife and clients. (I’m just starting to notice I tend to have a knack for trend and pattern recognition lol)

Maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere and feel lost.

Maybe we derailed and feel stuck.

Maybe we’ve been daydreaming and are oblivious to where we are.

All understandable explanations of our undesired predicament.

If we feel lost, we tend to retrace our steps to see where we took that wrong turn. Then, since more times than not, we have no idea where that is, we start asking ourselves for directions to get going in the right direction again.

Hint: It’s not wise to ask someone who’s lost for directions.

If we feel stuck, we can have a tendency to let our frustrations get the best of us. Before we know it, poor decision after poor decision keeps piling up and our stuckness becomes more and more insurmountable.

Hint: It’s not wise to ask someone who’s frustrated to make important decisions.

If we feel oblivious to where we are, we tend to flail our arms for anyone to see (including ourselves) in hopes that someone will see us (including ourselves), we’ll be rescued and then live happily ever after.

Hint: Flailing arms has never really been a great tactic when dealing with an illusion.

If it’s not wise to ask someone who’s lost for directions…

If it’s not wise to ask someone who’s frustrated to make important decisions…

If flailing arms has never really been a great tactic when dealing with an illusion…

What the heck do we do?

No more confusion is necessary…

Do nothing but understand one thing…

The only reason we’ll ever feel “off” is that we’ve disconnected from ourselves. This disconnection creates the illusion that we’re lost. It creates the illusion that we’re stuck. It creates the illusion that we’re oblivious to where we are.

This disconnection is created through neglecting what I like to call our soul nourishment, or for the less spiritual, our love to do’s. When we stop doing the things that nourish our soul or the things we love to do, we start to disconnect.

Therefore, once we become aware of this, we can then retrace our steps and pinpoint when this neglect began. This will always be the case.

For example, I love to read, write blog posts, write poems, use my creativity, be in nature (preferably with my dog), feed my body nourishing food, coach people toward their goals, transform people’s lives through conversations, do Yoga, workout at the gym, and have my quiet time.

In the past, whenever I neglected to follow through on several of these over a period of time, I started to feel lost, stuck and oblivious.

What do you love to do?

What do you have a passion for?

Integrate one or more of these into your daily routine. It’s easy to overlook the simplicity of this but…

don’t mistake simplicity for lack of power, complexity is fools gold.

Keep it simple, there is nothing more you need to do than nourish your soul or do all the things you love to do and are passionate about, and do them consistently.