Simple Change

"My deep emotional struggle has been a secret, hidden behind the façade of dependability. I’ve been busy making sadness wrong and I was not sure how to talk about it." Exposing the Cracks that the Light May Come In Hey guys this Sarah Mastriani-Levi and I wanted to take a few minutes to speak to you from my heart about what's been happening with me, about what's been going on with my podcast and what’s been occurring in my business over the past few months. I usually don't share a lot of personal stuff on this platform. Although, most of you know that I will share personal anecdotes from time to time to support your processes. But this time, I wanted to let you know a little bit about the authentic and human side of what's been going on lately. I hope it will encourage you and give you support that you're not alone in what you're going through. These past few months have been tough for me emotionally, psychologically, physically and spiritually. I have felt like I’ve gone through some challenges that have

"Do you realize that by not giving your body enough water, you are telling it to hold onto old cells and that you don't want a new and fresh body." Hydration as a Spiritual Act     Hydration seems to be all the talk these days. With apps, bottles and an entire culture around the subject of getting enough pure water. Perhaps you have even heard of the alkalizing benefits of adding lemon or apple cider vinegar to your water. There are some consistent issues that I run into with my clients on the subject, and I thought could help you to understand why using pure water and quality fresh products is so important. Truly fresh products have a new energy about them they bring the newness of the day to us. Sometimes, I hear clients grumbling when I talk with them about the importance of fresh, organic products. I hear them saying, “Is it really that important? If I'm doing the same thing with a similar product, why isn't that good enough?” Apple cider vinegar, raw and unpasteurized holds the mother culture which c

"Bliss lies in the feeling of gratitiude, for others, in giving without expecting anything in return." Brittney Hiller is a wife, massage therapist, yoga teacher, group facilitator, and spiritual creative; in addition to all of that she’s the author of a new children’s book, The Little Laughing Yogini. She is also one of the most joyful people I know. It turns out that it wasn't always that way. She wasn't always able to celebrate the small victories. She wasn't always able to recognize the "small signs" that were put in front of her to see. Brittney takes us on her journey that has brought her to an understanding that "[people] are more powerful than they believe they are." She reiterates that we need people in our lives to help us to overcome obstacles...we can't do it alone. Yoga is a path that changed Brittney's life. It all started with a high school dance class where she experienced yoga for the first time. Brittney said that from her first savasana (final resting pose), she was hooked. She had envis

Martin Lesch is a husband, musician, songwriter, phenomenal pianist, and teacher, in addition to being fully committed to preserving the art and culture of jazz music. There are a lot of people who love jazz music and kind of idolize the life of the creative artist/ musician, so I feel that his willingness to be open and vulnerable about both the joys and struggles on his path will be extremely insightful. During this conversation we discuss creating, as a legacy of caring about community. We delve into tough subjects like the creative process, addiction, dealing with death and questioning everything. He also discusses his decision to create a new CD Journey through Jazz and to sell it on iTunes. Martin has always had an interest in music. He tells stories of playing the piano from before he was old enough for lessons (starting around 4 years old), simply making up his own melodies and asking his mother what she thought of them. He began taking lessons at 5 and had both good and bad teachers until his tween

Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Today's guest, Natasha Wozniak is a an artist, jewelry maker, philanthropist and committed to bringing awareness to what is really going on today in Nepal. Natasha describes an interesting childhood in Wisconsin that was rich with curiosity and music. At a very young age Natasha lost her father and began her process of searching out those who were living lives "with meaning." While looking through a National Geographic magazine, she read a story of a man in Nepal who walked three weeks in one direction just to reach a spiritual location that was important to him. That article triggered her curiosity regarding what could be so important that someone would walk for three weeks.  While in college, she decided to do a study abroad, and in spite of her initial inclination to go and study in Paris, she redirected and chose Nepal. While in Nepal, she connected deeply with the peop

Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Today's guest, Nick Snapp is a family man, engineer, coach, speaker and host of the Make It Snappy Productivity Show Podcast in addition to being the productivity specialist and podcaster at Inspire Me Solutions. Nick, being trained as an engineer initially felt that he had to chase the corporate lifestyle. He enjoyed the people in the corporate world, but he always knew that there was something missing. As years progressed, he realized that environment wasn't for him. In his experience, he would find a lot of people who were depressed and stuck doing the "corporate thing" which led him to answer his calling of becoming an entrepreneur. February 2015 was Nick's turning point and also the time when he decided to pursue the "entrepreneurial thing." He started his business with LEAN SIX SIGMA studies for products and companies. The job required more time spent away from his fa

Deb Williams is an accountant, money coach and podcaster committed to helping others not only identify their money story, but to move through it to a place of prosperity and joy. Deb takes us on a little journey that led her to the move from happiness into joy. She describes growing up in a home with addiction and then marrying an addict/alcoholic. Only in her 30’s did she truly realizing how dysfunctional the situation was for she and her young children. Twelve step work (with Adult Children of Alcoholics) was instrumental in her understanding the madness that she had grown up thinking was normal. She acknowledges that you never graduate from the program of life. Deb became a Certified Public Accountant and worked primarily in that world, until she decided to make a shift in the way that she was working and living. Recently she created a new reality of walking and talking differently through a process that took about four years. She reached a stage where she realized that she didn’t have to be the CPA that

Emily Alexander is an artist, film maker, mom, daughter and now more than every committed to helping others to do more of what they love. Emily starts her story describing her clear calling to be an artist from a very young age. Although she grew up in what she called "the Conservative South," she describes a huge amount of support from her family and great cultural appreciation. The Arts were nurtured from a young age and an integral part of her upbringing. She, not surprisingly, found herself in art school...followed by film school in New York. After film school she had a job offer in Los Angeles that she felt was to great to refuse. Venice Beach, CA was a wonderfully supportive lifestyle. She led a juicy, and vibrant lifestyle as a film maker and she felt very at home. That was, until she encountered a difficult break-up...which led her back to North Carolina. Upon her return to North Carolina, she found herself quickly falling back into familial roles and found it difficult to accomplish her initial plan

Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Marty Crocker is the wandering yogi, massage therapist, husband, golf pro, and leading the way with an idea he calls gifitivism.Marty describes how a yoga class in college showed up and derailed a previously presumed future in the corporate world. Yoga led him to  develop a consistency in his life. He describes how yoga brought him joy and a desire to share with others, from a place of service. Yoga became his form of meditation and quieting his mind. His practice brought him personal awareness and and understanding of the importance of breath work.  Through his personal work in yoga, he describes a process of discovering bodywork and his initial resistance to treat others outside of the yoga studio setting. Originally, he would do body work during the time he was teaching, with students rotating to the "treatment" mat throughout the class. He found, and still believes the h

Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Charles Gupton is a photographer, videographer, documenter, producer, husband, partner, and seriously interesting individual to chat with. He will ask questions that will make you think, and challenge you to reconsider some of what you were certain of previously.   In his work (at Charles Gupton Productions), he and his wife Linda, strive to create finished products that are in alignment with the deeper value system of each company. If the client has never defined its deeper value proposition/ message, Charles has developed a unique process to help the clients to learn more about themselves.He describes an in-depth process of quality client acquisition through the use of deeper and more thorough questioning, to truly get to know the client in a way that others have not made the effort to know them. He also has a podcast called The Creator's Journey, wherein he and Linda help

Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Soness Stevens remembers growing up with a childhood dream of being a ninja. She takes us along, with her amazing story-telling ability, from her younger years moving frequently in the US to her now home in Japan. She shares personal stories of connection with her brother Chris, her “Ninja Master.” His words of “Ninjas Never Give Up,” seemed to be the driving force that never allowed her to quit through her tough childhood…and perhaps even beyond. She offers a story of being hurt and wanting to confide in her Barbie, who felt completely unrelated-able, with her unfading smile. Soness’ spiritual path began to be evident to her following an interview for a paper products company in Florida, in her early 20’s. She saw herself walking into an industry that would lock her in a direction that did not feel progressive. After turning down a lucrative job offer, she decided to get he

Michelle Grandy tells of huge personal changes that have helped her to not only create a healthier lifestyle, but also to guide others to shift their vision as well. She begins with a story of growing up in the inner city of Washington, D.C. Her Grandmother was her primary caretaker and role model, as a community activist. She taught her to smile and always remain positive. Michelle developed chronic asthma as a kid and remembers constantly being dependent on medicines for her survival. She speaks of needing to “take herself to the emergency room” when no one was available to help her. She grew up believing that chronic lung disease was her fate and that medications would forever be a part of her life. That was until she read the Veganist on a plane trip seven years ago. Michelle learned a way that would free her from a lifetime of medicines. It was veganism. She made the shift to veganism “cold turkey.” She desperately wanted her entire family to join her in veganism. After all, she was free from medical int

Peter Rossetti dives deep into his journey of personal growth and development. He tells of ultimately leaving the corporate design world and financial security, in search of maximizing his potential as a leader, speaker and designer. He was compelled to leave his initial graphic design direction, in pursuit of a more meaningful graphic design business with soul and purpose. Peter is an independent creative and considers himself a life-time learner. He shares that the secret to making work fun is that he always follows his curiosity. His commitment to spirituality and design with soul set him on a journey of self discovery. He went through a time of being a spiritual nomad and now works with clients as a consultant to crafting their personal visual story. Peter uses unique methods to help his clients develop clarity regarding what they want their brand to represent. The "Why" of business is paramount to the "Who" and the "What" when he enters the design process with a client.  He has tools and exercises that h

Anna Gatmon shares her discovery of spirituality and how it became a wonderful and empowering force that guides her in her work today. She describes her path and some of her life experiences that led her to becoming quadrilingual (Hebrew, Swedish, French and English). Paris was Anna’s home for 10 years as she worked as both a model and fashion model.  Her unique beauty was featured on multiple magazines and in ad campaigns. She says experiences, at that time, with her family of origin began to crack her open to the idea that there was something greater that was accessible to everyone. In her late 30's her discovery of Findhorn was pivotal in her spiritual development. At Findhorn she learned to embrace their two primary philosophies/principles: Everyone can connect, through their own divinity, to God/source/higher power. Nature has a consciousness. We discuss the process of losing ego in order to collaborate with the divine. She encourages others to be a channel, through which spirit can flow.  Anna speaks

Lisa Vogt shares her journey leading up to the creation of her podcast Ever Better. She describes her shift in work environment from what was once enjoyable, to that which became "soul-sucking" and without joy in the corporate world. After leaving Nextel, she and her husband Tim shared a vision, they were determined to give back to their community and create a place where children could be invested in learning and the art of play. They opened Play Wise Kids. She then moved on to work with the international SOS Children's Villages , to make a difference in the lives of thousands of foster children around the globe. She and I discussed our involvement and shared interest in the Good Life Project (where we met), the inspiring work ofJonathan Fields , as well as our experiences at Camp GLP in upstate New York in the summer of 2015. The Good Life Project is an inspirational and motivating community for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs. Lisa encourages, "Be willing to push through the discomfort that sometimes

Anthony Mattis shares his moving story of creating peace following tragedy. He describes how a holistic outlook helped him to realize that everything is connected and necessary to creating your life story. Displaying patience, openness and bravery, he retells how he forced himself to stick it out through the storm of his soul. He is inspiring and warm, as he recounts his personal development journey. Anthony encourages, "You must have the willingness to commit to continue creating your life, even in the midst of your own storm." One of the most powerful tools that he has learned is to view everything as "an interesting point of view". He encourages others to live their lives in "10 second increments" and to drop the judgement of making things "right or wrong". Access Consciousness has enabled him to reconnect to his sexuality and creativity, two parts of himself that were never fully realized following the passing of his late wife, until he encountered Access Consciousness. Anthony references his facilitati

Greg Galvin describes a captivating process of how he has turned rebellion on its head, to work in his favor. He offers numerous stories of experimentation that have led to a very different lifestyle than he was brought up with and brought him to take his level of health and wellness to a completely different place than he ever could have imagined. Methods for reducing portion sizes, surprising benefits of green juices, weekly exercise classes and how to quit addictions like sugar and caffeine are all subjects that Greg delves into in our conversation. Creating small challenges and experiments have been the key for this self-starter to initiate lasting lifestyle changes. He also states that the constant support of his wife, and her leading by example, has inspired him to want to explore more in the world of health and wellness. Greg references several books that were game changers for him like How Not to Die by Michael Greger and Get Up!: Why Your Chair is Killing You and What You Can Do About It by James A.

Regina Mae Banis tells a story of finding clarity, overcoming a broken heart, laughing your way through a manuscript, and the importance of finding systems and people to hold you accountable. She has an "ever-upward" outlook in her life and writing process. Regina Mae Banis describes her metamorphosis through 21 years of practicing law, to additionally becoming an author with books written and in the works. She shares part her process in a memoir called Adventures in Dating, filled with heart-ache, joy, laughter and love. The keys that have led her to find peace with where ever this life may lead her are accountability, self-care and awareness. To learn more about Regina Mae's writing and to sign up for her updates visit www.ReginaMaeWrites.com

Moshe Dekel MD Moshe Dekel MD takes time to describe his journey from conventional medicine to holistic medicine. He speaks of his personal process of awakening and awareness of readily available natural solutions. Dr. Dekel shares his personal journey from being a specialist in OB/GYN for 25 years, to a gradual awakening to the possibilities of holistic medicine. He has been practicing holistic medicine for 15 years integrating his knowledge of conventional medicine with holistic solutions. He describes alternatives to conventional treatments like breast thermography, thyroid treatments, and the spiritual process that awakens from a place of both teaching and learning self-love. To learn more about Dr.Dekel’s work and to sign up for his newsletters visit www.DrDekel.com

Laura Petersen shares her process of empowering herself and others. She talks about her evolution from a Spiritual Warrior to a place of Loving Radically. Laura's life has been one of a deep, spiritual, inward journey. Listen to an interactive discussion about her path to becoming completely independent, breaking free from old behavior patterns and stepping into a place of total empowerment through radical love. To learn more about Laura's work and to sign up for her newsletters visit www.LovingRadically.com