Clean Eating Challenge blog Passion Squared

7 Lessons From My Clean Eating Challenge

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” Unknown origin

This may be the most honest blog I have ever written, and as promised, here is my experience from my 28 day clean eating challenge. While I choose to share a lot of my life experiences, one area I have not talked about often is my life long battle with eating disorders. From the age of 12, I was forced onto the scale for my morning weigh in, and that quickly turned into a daily recording of my weight, which catapulted into anorexia, bulimia, as well as taking insane amounts of amphetamines and laxatives, all before I graduated high school.

You see, self worth, esteem and love have never come easy to me. The reasons are unimportant, that is for me and my therapist to sort, but what is important is the understanding that we all are walking through life with old beliefs, fears, and stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we are and why we are.

So when I was approached by a dear friend to try something new, I was scared. This was not about the extra weight I have been carrying for the last several years, no, it was about the what if… what if I fall back into my old behaviors, what if I fail, what if I can’t, what if… And eventually, I said screw the what if’s, I need to do this.

My Why
Why did I say yes this time? Several reasons, but mostly because I had a major health scare at the exact time I was losing my sweet baby Zen to cancer. Around that same time, I had a family member with a very similar health scare, but in this case, it was not a scare, it was real. Hello universe, I can hear you.

Lastly, and probably the most motivating factor, was that I am in the empowerment business. And I pride myself on walking my talk, and being my true authentic self, and that fact was, I was broken and feeling, well, not empowered. So how the heck can I help others if I am not helping myself? That was the last straw. As the great Friedrich Nietzsche said, “he who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

Here are 7 of the many lessons I learned on this 28-day clean eating challenge…

1. When you are ready, you are ready, and not a moment sooner.
It’s really not about the program, the outfit, the timing, the Fitbit, the app, the shoes, the deal, whatever. No, it’s about when we are ready, and not a moment sooner. Bummer, I know, I was really hoping just wearing my Fitbit would make me stronger. #not

2. Desperation is sometimes the only thing that will motivate us.
We are all motivated by different things; this is both a personal lesson and a leadership lesson. And sometimes desperation helps. For some it may not, but being aware of what motivates us, and others if we are a leader, matters.

3. We are not the old stories we tell ourselves.
OMG if we could all just erase those old tapes we play, man, would life be different. But that is not how it works. So whatever you need to do to calm that self talk, do it. Whether its meditation, breath work, therapy, affirmations, espresso shots, dancing, playing on Snapchat, whatever, until we learn how to become present and shut those voices out, we will live in a perpetual state of self sabotage.

4. Clean eating is not easily accessible to all. Easily is the key word.
Now I know this is going to be controversial, and I am ONLY speaking of my experience. Part of my clean eating challenge was a Facebook Group, and while I did not engage often, (I’m not a joiner), I did see how many struggled with finding “organic” foods and other things the people in metro areas had access to i.e. Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, etc. And while some things are available on the Internet, it just was not easy for many. Being in So Cal, I have access to all the best stores, and can get fresh avo’s and berries all day long, at a fairly affordable price. And let’s not forget, the cost. Organic is generally more expensive, and I did spend more money on food than I ever have. Again, its not impossible to eat clean, not at all, it’s just not easy. It takes focus, mindfulness, creativity, and a budget. And for those of us who are not so awesome in the kitchen, there is no doubt it’s a bit more difficult. And that is the truth. Again, not easy, but possible.

5. Trust your gut, literally.
There were certain things I was asked to do that I did not. First was weighing myself and taking measurements. Nope. Not gonna do it. Why? Its not healthy for me to do so given my history of eating disorders. I trust my gut. It knows if it feels good. I was asked to remove caffeine from my diet. Nope. Never. Gonna. Happen. I’m not addicted to caffeine, I had to go without it for 35 days in rehab, no problem, but I enjoy my morning espresso, and have no desire to remove it from my life. Lastly, there was a portion of the program that required a certain drink to take daily, upon looking at the ingredients; I determined it was not healthy for me, so I declined. Again, your body knows. Be open, but be sure everything passes your own gut check.

6. It’s not about the product or program, its about willingness and action.
Willingness to take action is the bottom line when making any change, in business and in life. And while some programs or products may be better than others, at the end of the day, it all comes down to our decision to take action. Always.

7. Perfectionism leads to guaranteed self sabotage
OMG, if I said this a million times, I could not say it enough. The idea that we are supposed to be this vision of perfect that we have in our heads is probably the biggest thing that holds us back. I was asked early in the challenge if I had “cheated”. That right there is the trap. Cheated? What does that mean? You mean eaten or drank something not on the “approved list”? Who cares! We are not here to be perfect, we are here to be awesome, and whatever that means to you, go for it! Create your own rules, let your conscious be your guide, you know you the best.

Many have asked me what program I was on. Here’s the thing. As I mentioned in Lesson 6, it’s not about the product or program, and I do not recommend or endorse any program, cause that would be super subjective, nor am I qualified in that area, so it would merely be my opinion. And even with that, there are so many factors. But here is what I will do. I will tell you that it was that ONE person who approached me at the right time, held out her hand, and gifted me this program. It was her passion for what she believed in and my belief in her that was a big part of me saying yes. If you would like to learn more about the program I was on, please contact my dear friend Meghan.

And there you have it. Twenty-eight days of lessons. How do I feel? Awesome, clear, focused, strong and a tad bit hungry! Have I stayed on the program? Yes and NO. I have pretty much eaten a loaf of bread and a pound of butter since it ended. But I am holding onto the things that I learned about myself, which foods make me feel strong and which make me feel off, and I will continue on my journey of empowerment, grateful for the awesome days, and the not so awesome days. Learning each day how to best fuel my mind, body and spirit.

And a big shout out of gratitude to my girl Meghan, for showing up when I was ready, and not a moment sooner. And to all my family, friends and community for cheering me on every step of the way. Trust, I could not have done it without you, kinda like biz and life, having you on this journey matters a shit ton to me. Thank you.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

NOTE: While I was not paid or required to write this blog, I was gifted a 28 day program. Our agreement was if I was inspired to share my experience, I would. This is totally my choice in sharing my experience and in no way an endorsement or recommendation of any product or program. #transparency #authenticity

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Periscope vs. Facebook LIVE

“Be where your clients are.”

UPDATE: Facebook LIVE is now available for Facebook business pages as of April 5, 2016. Yay!

With the influx of LIVE streaming platforms and apps, I have been getting several questions on this topic and while LIVE streaming and broadcasting is nothing new, with the launch of Periscope, it seems to have been gaining momentum in some business categories.

So here are my thoughts….

As with any social platform, I always recommend starting with a clear objective of why you are engaging, how you are engaging, who are you engaging with, a content plan and a commitment to consistency. If you can only commit to one platform, then do that, and do it awesomely.

And with all of that, comes the last, and maybe most important thing, be mindful of how and when you choose to broadcast. Too much noise? You lose people. Too much TMI? You lose people. Too much sharing of events where people paid to attend, well, you know the answer to that one. #notcool

Periscope
App based (Periscope)
Links to Twitter
Lots of trolls
Save video option (but be mindful, context is key, so saving them and posting to YouTube may simply be out of context for the viewer)
Potentially high engagement
User can set notifications of broadcasts
Disappears from page in 24 hours
Sometimes poor quality
Comments feed for engagement
Hearts as likes
Light analytics in app

Facebook LIVE
App based (Facebook)
Available to verified pages and personal pages only, not business pages (yet)
More qualified audience (if you have been using your personal page for business as well)
Save and share video option (can share to biz page, if relevant, as well as embed on your website, but again, be mindful of the context when sharing to other platforms)
Stays on your timeline as long as you want it to
Can be edited post broadcast (Go to videos, select video, select edit)
Users can “subscribe” to get notifications of future broadcasts
Potential high engagement, depending on your personal page following and sharing plan
High quality
Comments feed for engagement
Likes as likes and comments as comments
No analytics per se (since its done via your personal page) but as with any Facebook native video, you can measure views and of course, measure likes, comments and shares.

At the end of the day, I will go back to be where your clients are. Are they on Periscope? Go there. Are they on Facebook? Go there. But always be mindful of your intention for broadcasting and the value you are bringing to the conversation.

My take? Facebook LIVE could be a game-changer, as there are a billion more people on Facebook than Periscope. I love the “no trolls” aspect, as well as the quality of experience for the broadcaster and the viewer. And at the end of the day, quality is what our audience wants, quality of content and experience.

Time will tell. And with all that is happening on the social web, it will change in a blink. Again.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

PS: Do you want to catch my Facebook LIVE chats? You can follow me by searching Nina L. Kovner or click here to follow. Thank you!

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Passion Profile: Laura Kaszoni

“Every accomplishment begins with a decision to try.” Unknown

As a fan and follower of @lalasupdos for sometime, I was thrilled to learn I would meet this talented power house at the first ever Butterfly Circus in the summer of 2015 (thank you David + Alexis Thurston!) But I had NO idea I would instantly fall in love with this special human. Laura’s humility and beauty is what struck me at first, then to watch her move hair in ways I have never seen in my 30 years of being in the hair biz, I knew I was witnessing something insanely special. It’s an honor to share a little chat I had with my dear friend, and passionately talented Lalas Updos…

N: What does passion look & feel like to you?
L: I’ve been in this country for 9 years and worked in the wrong field for 8 years. After settling for less, being miserable and wondering what’s my purpose for so many years, I think now, that I finally do what I love the most, can describe what passion is…

Passion is when you fail, but never give up.

Passion is not being able to sleep because you’re too excited about what’s on your agenda for tomorrow.

Passion is planning to spend one hour practicing your craft and look in shock at clock few hours later not knowing how that happened.

Passion is when you don’t listen to anything that anyone has to say about your craft & style, and you don’t change your vision based on people’s opinion.

Passion is sleepless nights when creative ideas won’t let your mind to rest, is smiles, tears, butterflies, failure and the determination to keep going, no matter what.

N: Why did you create your own education company?
L: I created my own education company because I’ve been asked to. I have never planned or dreamed to become an educator – as a matter of fact, I do not even consider myself one. I am just a stylist passionate about art of up styling, sharing my love and knowledge with other fellow artists.

After I had my first class in December of 2014, I got more and more requests to travel and share my knowledge, so I can say my education company was born out of people’s hunger and love for up styling.

N: What is the biggest challenge you have had and how did you overcome it?
L: Biggest challenge was finding balance between work and personal life. I think I was able to overcome that issue when my daughter pointed out that I am spending less time with her. I realized in the end, when everything else is gone, the loved ones are the only ones that matter. The only ones that will be there for you, and they should be always #1 priority. When I come back from my trips I try to wake up early take care of my business, and leave the afternoons to my family.

N: What is the greatest lesson you have learned?
L: The greatest lesson I have learned in my life: It’s never too late to follow your dreams and start all over again! It was the most painful but rewarding lesson in the same time. I worked and stood in the wrong industry for almost 8 years, choosing to ignore the all the signs that showed me clearly that’s not my place. I was afraid to get out of my comfort zone, afraid of unknown, afraid I will fail, afraid my dreams were too big or too foolish. I choose to settle because of fear, but guess what? Fear doesn’t make you happy, nor content. Being stressed and miserable at your work place, are the first signs you are in the wrong place.

My point is: pay attention to the signs, listen to your heart, follow your dreams – don’t settle for less. It’s never too late to start all over again. It’s never too late to be happy, to stop surviving and start living.

N: Why are you so passionate about updo’s?
L: I always had an inclination for art – I’ve be been creating things from scratch, drawing and painting since I was a little child. But with updos it always felt different. The thrill and the passion I feel every time I create a new style, is different than anything I have experienced before. When I create up-styles I loose myself into it – the time just stops, it’s just me and my craft. I never get tired, bored, frustrated, or out of ideas. I think that’s a clear sign I found my passion/calling.

N: Favorite quote?
L: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phillippians 4:13

N: Starbucks or Coffee Bean?
L: Starbucks

You can find Laura on Instagram @lalasupdos, on her Facebook page Lalas-Updos as well as her website lalasupdos.com where you will find her upcoming workshops, booking info and all of her other awesomeness.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

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7 Gotta Do’s To Up Your Instagram Game

“You are what you share.” Unknown

So you wanna up your Insta game? Here are 7 gotta do’s that I promise will help make your Insta game strong…

1. Determine Your Theme
All good social pages tell a story. What will yours be? Your look, feel, and story are the foundation of creating awesome on Instagram. And on the topic of look and feel, please post quality photos, quality, I mean quality!

2. Up Your About Section
I want to know your biz name, your location, your “short” story, and please, how do I contact you? An online booking link is the awesome if you have that.

3. Use Hashtags Consistently
PLEASE. Without these, you cannot be found. My three rules for hashtags;
Use popular hashtags for your subject matter. Not sure, search for them and see what’s popular.

Use your branded hashtag always.
Why? So people can see your stuff and it keeps your content super organized, and allows others to use your hashtag so you can see when people are posting about you and you can say THANK YOU!

Use your local hashtags.
Like where the heck are you? By using local hashtags, people in your area can find you. Yay!

BONUS time saving tip- Put all your hashtags in your notes section of your mobile device and just copy and paste them in the comments section of your post. #yourwelcome

4. Add Your Location
Please add your business location to your posts. Why? So people can find your business and you can also search people who are in the area. And while you can no longer do custom locations on Insta, your business should be on there. And that is the location you want to use so peeps can find you.

5. Engage, Deliver Value, Engage, Deliver Value
Please spend more time listening then talking. Like, comment and share content as it relevant to your business, authentically, not randomly, but with intention and purpose.

6. Be Insanely Consistent
Yep, nothing can replace your consistent presence of posting and engaging with others on Instagram.

7. Measure, Learn, Adjust 
I love Iconosquare.com but please remember, this is not about lost or gained followers or popularity, it is about engagement, relationships, and two-way communication. If your work is on point and you focus on that, the referrals and revenue will follow. #promise

Happy Instagramming!

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

PS: Are we connected on Insta yet? If not, you can follow me @passionsquared I promise to deliver consistent and awesome value to help you create a more awesome biz + life, plus a few goat videos, cause I mean, goats! Right?

Passion Squared This On Demand Life HD

This On-Demand Life

“The future of business lies in experience architecture and you are the architect.” Brian Solis

Today is Cyber Monday, which was created in response to Black Friday when e-commerce became a thing. And can you even believe that was in 2005? Exactly 10 years ago. Ten. Years. Ago! And now look at the world. E-commerce has now become on-demand anything. Think the W Hotel, whatever, whenever. Wow!

As I was scrolling through Instagram last week, I happened upon an ad, yes, an AD, done well, and seemingly timely and relevant to me, good job ad.

This ad was for Zeel, what I will call the Uber of Massages, yes, in home massages on demand. Breakthrough? No. Not now at least, as we are living an on demand life. And e-commerce has become more than just a transaction; it has become a way of life. We are consuming 24/7 via our mobile devices. All day, every day. We are even paying for our beloved Starbucks with our phone, without a wallet. Think about that. No money is exchanging hands. None.

Whether its someone to build my Ikea desk, thank you Task Rabbit, to someone to do my grocery shopping, thank you Instacart, to someone to deliver late night snacks, thank you Eat24, to someone to whisk me around town, thank you Uber, to someone to run an errand while I have the flu, thank you Postmates. On demand everything. And lets not even get started on Amazon’s new Prime same day delivery. Thank you Amazon.

The world has changed. Again. Just when you thought having a website and a presence on Yelp, Instagram and Facebook mattered, that now feels like so 2013.

With 2016 around the corner, it is imperative that we really take a serious look at our client’s digital experience if we want to stay relevant. Period.

This on demand life is creating experiences that are so seamless and awesome, there is almost no question as to why we would not just pick up our “phone” and click “book now”.

Here is a little “on-demand” quiz for your biz…

Can I book from my “phone” easily? And I mean awesomely! No bugs, easy to read, awesome to experience.

Do I have a responsive website (mobile + tablet friendly) that allows for no more than one click to connect with me?

Are all my links on my social profiles relevant? Meaning, why would you have the URL of your Facebook page on your Insta profile? I want a phone number and on online booking link.

Is your payment processing seamless and easy? Email receipts? Online sales?

Is your confirmation process seamless? And I mean without me having to pick up the phone?

Is there a system, which allows me to review your biz, not because you want a 5 star review but because you care enough to hear about my experience? Is it a one-click process?

Is it easy for me to share my experience of your biz with my friends? Like in one click?

Based on your answers, my challenge to you is to audit your entire online and offline experience, and create a plan to crate an experience so awesome, your clients truly enjoy engaging with you and shout it from the rooftops to all that will listen.

If you are thinking, screw that, I like the good old fashion way of doing business; here is what I will say…

This is NOT about changing face-to-face experiences; it is actually about making them better. This is NOT about not picking up the phone, this is actually about engaging on clients terms, not yours.

This is NOT about today; this is about being in business tomorrow. The world has changed, as have the clients seeking salon and wellness services, so my passionate plea to you is to open your mind, and focus on building the new, not fighting or defending the old. My challenge to you is to see the entire client journey from discovery of your business to entering the door of your business. What does that experience look and feel like? It matters.

Adele may try to call 1000 times, but your current and for sure your future clients won’t. #fact

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

PS: All of the above on-demand services I mentioned are all ones I highly recommend. Of course.

PPS: If you are looking for some tools specific to the salon market, I blogged about that here and here.