Raising Positivity; Eric McHugh

Eric McHugh is an entrepreneur who is all about raising positivity.  He is the president of SHOPX web3 e-commerce, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Dataing and AI-powered matchmaking. In the past, he founded a VC-funded Saas platform, worked at Snap, in DC and Barcelona, and as a consultant for fortune 500 companies going through the bankruptcy process. Eric has an IQ of over 140, enjoys playing chess and fine cuisine, and his main hobbies include fighting, chess, reading, and meditation. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: https://shopx.co/ Most Influential Person Herman Strasbourg Effect on Emotions I see emotions as fuel, and by accepting them, I can redirect and take action. When you're not mindful, you can't fully accept what's happening. Without acceptance, you're resisting the situation. Resisting an emotion only amplifies it by giving it more attention, which in turn strengthens the emotion. Acceptance, however, helps you navigate through it instead of fueling it further. Thoughts on Breathing Breathing is incredibly powerful. I view it as a way to absorb energy from the universe. Deep breathing is especially helpful, and whenever I feel overwhelmed, I focus on my breath. This practice, like the Wim Hof method, helps me regain calm and composure, especially when I need to refocus. Suggested Resources Book: The Emerald Tablet of Hermes by Hermes Trismegistus Book: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle Book: Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland App: n/a (avoid social media if you can) Bullying Story If someone is bullying you, it’s not excusable, but I try to see it from the perspective that they might be dealing with their own struggles. They may have challenging family circumstances, or maybe something traumatic happened, like losing a parent. You just never know what someone is going through. Approaching it with empathy might melt the ice around the bully’s heart, and sometimes, it can even lead to unexpected friendship. Of course, that’s much easier said than done. Related Episodes Innovation For All; Costa Michailidis Breathe Better, Live Better; Michael Feldstein Peace, Joy and Consistency Suggests Business Strategist Jay Fiset

Claudia Rosenhouse Raiken is my guest today to share birth conversations. She is a senior teacher at the School of Images (www.theschoolofimages.org) where she runs their DreamBirth™ Program. In that capacity Claudia has trained professionals world-wide and works with women and couples from all continents. She is a world expert at facilitating communication between the parents and the baby in the womb. She communicates with the souls planning to come, still not conceived, and even those that were miscarried or aborted. It is these conversations that led to the writing of Messages from the Womb. Claudia is a Childbirth Educator, a Birth Doula, an Alexander Technique Teacher, and a Biodynamic CranioSacral Practitioner. She holds a Masters from NYU in Kinesiology and Dance, and has assisted in over 300 births. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: https://www.claudiaraiken.com/  Most Influential Person Catherine Shainberg (one of the creators of Dreambirth) Effect on Emotions First of all, I tend to see life and emotions on a larger scale, especially when I get deeply involved, as I have a lot of passion. I feel my emotions intensely. When it’s a positive feeling, it’s not so bad. But if it’s anger or fear, I make a conscious effort to take a step back. It's like a mental exercise in visualization. I literally imagine myself taking three steps back, which helps me calm down instantly. Sometimes I even call upon my inner guidance, saying, ‘Help me calm down,' and then I tune into my body. I’ve learned how to let my body give me ‘yes' or ‘no' answers. I teach this method to many people, as there are several ways to do it. It’s almost like my body becomes a pendulum. I ask questions like, ‘Is this something I should be scared of?' If the answer is no, I feel reassured. For instance, if I experience a strange pain, I might worry initially, thinking, ‘Is it something serious like cancer?' But I quickly calm myself and ask my body, ‘Do I need to worry about this?' If I get a ‘no,' I can relax. Thoughts on Breathing When you imagine a beautiful garden, your breathing slows down. You don't have to do anything. I actually don't work with breathing specifically, except for knowing how to calm a person through my hands. If you think your house is about to burn or a tiger's coming, the breathing gets very shallow and you have to run. If you feel like the universe has your back and everything's really going to be okay then your breathing gets to be what it needs to be. And in birth, some women will still take slow breathing. You know, that's what they're learning in their birth education class, but whenever they do the imagery, it kind of gets there naturally. Suggested Resources Book: Messages from the Womb: Babies Talk Through Guided Visualizations Expanding Our Hearts and Minds by Claudia Rosenhouse Raiken Book: DreamBirth: Transforming the Journey of Childbirth Through Imagery by Catherine Shainberg Ph.D. Book: The Nature of Personal Reality: Specific, Practical Techniques for Solving Everyday Problems and Enriching the Life You Know (A Seth Book) App: n/a

Dave Van Beekum is passionate about community and relationship building. He is a co-founder and digital marketing expert behind Tweva, the world’s first social TV network for small businesses and influencers. With a deep background in technology, Dave has excelled in software development, automation, and AI. His journey started with an early love for computers and technology, which he turned into a career dedicated to empowering small businesses. Dave is focused on helping them succeed by providing affordable advertising solutions. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Blog: Zach Mathews's Blog Book: Climbing Your Self-Discipline Tree: The Three Stages Essential for Accomplishing Any Goal by Zach Mathews   Most Influential Person My dad and my uncle Effect on Emotions I tend to be quite stoic most of the time. My wife often has to remind me that I'm not always in front of the computer, and I have to make an effort to stay positive, even when my mind is racing and jumping from one thought to another. This is a common challenge for business owners and startups. I attended a business accelerator where they emphasized the importance of not letting emotions take over, as the journey can be very unpredictable with its ups and downs. It's tough, and having been an entrepreneur for a long time, I can attest that managing emotions is always a challenge in this world.sting Thoughts on Breathing I used to have an Apple Watch that reminded me to breathe periodically. I've also watched a few YouTube videos where they recommend breathing in for four, five, or even ten times, and then adding a few extra breaths at the end. I’ve tried it a couple of times but haven’t done it consistently enough to notice any significant effects. The science behind it makes complete sense, but I don’t have a personal opinion on it yet. Fasting Suggested Resources Book: The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz App: n/a Bullying Story I think, especially for entrepreneurs, it's tough to relinquish control and accept that you don't know everything. When you do, it can almost feel like you're being bullied. You think, ‘If I don't know this, I have to trust someone else,' and that creates a sense of uncertainty—'What if I'm making the wrong decision?' In some sales situations, I’ve felt like the process was overly pushy in certain areas, but not to an extreme degree. Fasting Related Episodes Your Presence is a Superpower; Elizabeth Tripp Evolving Your Leadership and Work-Life Harmony; Andre Young Innovation For All; Costa Michailidis

Fletcher Ellingson is experienced at deliberately seeking out rejection as a way to strengthen his mindset. He is a speaker, coach, and author of the best-selling book The Practice of Feeling Good. Using a combination of science and psychology, he helps his clients break free from financial struggle, being overwhelmed, and persistent worry so they can spend more time doing what they love, contributing to their families, and impacting their communities. Fletcher also hosts a regional weekly TV show, is a regular contributing columnist, and a professional magician. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.FletcherEllingson.com Most Influential Person My mom / Eckhart Tolle / Michael Singer Effect On Emotions Mindfulness helps me slow down by allowing me to become more aware of my thoughts. I believe that much of our thinking is automatic, happening without our permission, consent, or approval. This automatic thinking often generates emotions aligned with those thoughts. By pausing and taking a moment to notice my thinking, I practice discerning whether it's truly my thoughts or just an automatic response. More often than not, it’s the latter. This awareness then gives me the opportunity to ask myself what I actually want to believe about the situation and what meaning I want to assign to it. From there, I can approach the situation with curiosity, which in turn helps me become calmer and more creative in my response. Thoughts On Breathing Breathing is definitely one of the pillars of feeling good. We often take it for granted because it happens automatically, yet it's essential to life. I'm a strong advocate for being intentional about breathing and have done various breathing exercises, including Wim Hof training and other fun workshops. Every day, I make a point to be aware of my breath, especially in the mornings when I go to the lake. While throwing a stick for my dog and watching the sunrise, I also focus on my breathing. It feels great to be mindful of my breath with intention. Bullying Story In high school, I was frequently bullied and constantly on edge. One day, overwhelmed by my emotions and the recent loss of my father, I verbally lashed out at a bully in class, and afterward, I never saw him again. Last year, I reached out to apologize for my harshness, only for him to admit he didn’t even remember the incident. This resolution finally brought me peace after decades of feeling guilty. Suggested Resources Book: The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer Book: The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer App: Calm Related Episodes Living A Mindful Desert Island Life; Jason Barnard Be The Leader They Want To Follow; Tressa Yonekawa Bundren Evolving Your Leadership and Work-Life Harmony; Andre Young

Daniel Bruce Levin teaches us that life is a mindful mosaic in his aptly titled book, The Mosaic. Daniel is a unique combination of mystic and businessman having spent his life searching for the place called heaven. Daniel lived as a monk in a monastery for 10 years, studied in a seminary for five years, and helped Hay House Publishing grow from 3 million to 100 million dollars in revenue as Director of Business Development. In addition to all that, he’s hitchhiked around the world searching for happiness. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Company: The Mosaic Coaching Website: themosaiconline.com Blog: https://themosaiconline.com/category/blog/ Podcast: https://themosaiconline.com/media/ Most Influential Person Paramahansa Yogananda Effect on Emotions The process of mindfulness has almost limited emotions. For me, emotions live at the rim of the wheel. This is the key to achieving a mindful mosaic. Thoughts on Breathing We can go weeks to months without food, days to weeks without water, and seconds without breath, but we don't think about breath. Suggested Resources Book: Autobiography of a Yogi Book: The Mosaic by Daniel Levin App: n/a

Dr. Noah St. John teaches that  Belief Unleashes Success and emphasizes the importance of taking action. Dr. Noah, known as the “father of afformations,” discusses his new book, “The Seven Figure Machine,” which outlines a roadmap to financial freedom. He shares his journey from a 300-square-foot apartment to a 6,000-square-foot mansion, emphasizing the importance of both inner and outer game. St. John highlights the significance of having a “loving mirror” who believes in you, as evidenced by a client who raised $185,000 after receiving belief from her coach. He also stresses the importance of overcoming fear and procrastination, sharing a success story where a client increased revenue from $4 million to $20 million in 18 months. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.7FigureMachineBook.com Book: The 7-Figure Machine: Your Ultimate Roadmap To Endless Earnings and Financial Freedom. Buy the book from the above website, and you get Dr. Noah's newest online course called The 7-Figure Fasttrack. Outline Bruce introduces Dr. Noah St. John, highlighting his achievements and the new book “The Seven Figure Machine.” Dr. Noah shares his journey from a 300-square-foot basement apartment to a 6000-square-foot mansion, emphasizing the effectiveness of his methods. He explains the inspiration behind the new book, focusing on the outer game aspects of how belief unleashes success. Dr. Noah discusses the importance of having a “loving mirror” who believes in you, as detailed in his power habit system. The Power of Belief Dr. Noah elaborates on the concept of a “loving mirror” and its role in the success of highly successful people. He shares a story about a client, Catherine, who raised $185,000 in one day after learning how belief unleashes success from her coach. Bruce notes the common theme of significant others being the difference-makers in people's lives. Dr. Noah emphasizes the clarity and actionable steps provided in his new book, contrasting it with other authors' storytelling approaches. Overcoming Fear and Procrastination Dr. Noah discusses the concept of “delay” as the greatest enemy to success, rooted in fear. Taking quick action is a recurring theme in the 7-Figure Maching book. He shares an anecdote about a client, Charles, who invested $100,000 and earned $1.8 million in 10 months. Dr. Noah highlights the importance of taking action and not delaying, especially for high achievers. He explains the significance of the phrase “Money loves speed” and how it applies to both failure and success. Suggested Resources Dr. Noah provides information on how to access his new book and the accompanying online course, the Seven Figure Fast Track. The 7-Figure Machine Related Episodes Learn From The Father of Afformations; Dr. Noah St. John 242 Get Rid Of Your Head Trash and Earn The Millions You Deserve; Noah St. John

Jack Canfield is well-known for The Chicken Soup For The Soul books and also for The Success Principles. Throughout his life, Jack became familiar with certain principles of success that he used in the late 1980s to create the Chicken Soup For the Soul series, even after being turned down by 144 publishers. Jack shares the same principles of success that he used to succeed back in the ‘80s, in his book, The Success Principles: How To Get From Where You Are to Where You Want To Be. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.TheSuccessPrinciplesWorkbook.com Book: The Success Principles Workbook Most Influential Person Dawa Tarchin Phillips, Tibetan Buddhist lama and mindfulness teacher: www.DawaTarchinPhillips.com Effect on Emotions Mindfulness has kept me more calm and more neutral. Sometimes people think I don't have any feelings. I've learned that most of my feelings come from thoughts and if I'm aware of the thoughts and can deal with them at that level, then I don't have to have the emotional outbursts. I still cry when I see cats and skunks playing together on YouTube. I cry at movies. I don't cry so much about loss. I cry more at the joy of beauty and love. Thoughts on Breathing I do breathing exercises as part of my yoga and my meditation practices in the morning. I studied Kundalini Yoga with a yoga teacher back in my '30s [and learned] to do that breath of fire real fast. Suggested Resources Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Books: Anything by Thich Nhat Hanh (Here's an example: The Art of Living) App: n/a Bullying Story My dad was an alcoholic, and he got violent when he got drunk. If I wasn't careful, I would get beaten, so I would literally hide inside the radio. I would wait till he went to bed so he couldn't find me because he was violent. So I got bullied by him. He was a verbal bully as well as a physical bully. I got bullied as a kid in school too.

Brandon Birkmeyer shares his views on mindful branding. Brandon is a former Coca-Cola and Apple advertising executive with over 22 years of experience in marketing at Madison Avenue advertising agencies. He’s advised FORTUNE 100 companies on brand strategy and is a sought-after consultant, speaker, and corporate trainer. Brandon hosts a top-five branding podcast and YouTube channel called Brands On Brands. He is also a bestselling author of the book Front & Center Leadership, which you can find on Amazon or on his website at brandonbirkmeyer.com/books. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.BrandsonBrands.com Most Influential Person Travis Chappell Build Your Network Effect On Emotions In my later years, I stumbled upon life coaching shows, which introduced me to models that helped me distinguish between thoughts and reality. The Life Coach School, in particular, taught me to step back and question whether what I was feeling was truly happening or just a thought. I began applying this mindset, especially in anxiety-inducing situations, like being on stage, and realized that reframing my thoughts, such as viewing anxiety as excitement, could significantly change how I felt. Thoughts On Breathing Yes, I would Google breath coaches and learn from them about breathing, Because I am not that person [who knows a lot about breathing methods]. I've stumbled across the Wim Hof Method and I've heard of the Navy SEAL thing when you need to calm yourself down. This is what I love about the internet. There's so much stuff that is accessible.   Suggested Resources Book: Flip The Script: Getting People To Think Your Idea is Their Idea by Oren Klaff Book: Front and Center Leadership by Brandon Birkmeyer  App: My phone alarm Related Episodes Live a Legendary Life; Tommy Breedlove Get More Sales & Leads Using SEO; Brandon Leibowitz A Fresh Look At Mindful Marketing; Roy Furr

Brad Nelson is known as the Debt-Free Dad, having dedicated his life to sharing and helping people with their personal finances. After overcoming his own financial struggles, including foreclosure and the loss of his first marriage, Brad paid off his debt and has remained debt-free for over a decade. Through speaking, his podcast, (The Debt Free Dad), and his online community, Roots of Personal Finance, Brad empowers others to eliminate debt, save money, and live stress-free, all while prioritizing family and experiences. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.debtfreedad.com Most Influential Person Darren Hardy (Author of The Compound Effect) Effect On Emotions Being mindful of my behavior with money has really helped me recognize and manage the emotions that drive me to spend. For example, I used to spend when I was bored or when I felt upset or angry, as a way to feel better. Now, I understand that these are just emotions, and by letting them pass, I no longer feel the need to spend as much. Thoughts On Breathing I don't have a good answer to this question about breathing. I should probably do some breathing exercises on a regular basis.    Suggested Resources Book: The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy  App: Debt Free Dad App App: Allied Bank App App: Library App Related Episodes Embrace Money Mindfulness; Spencer Sherman Financial Playbook For Change; Colin Sanburg Reboot Your Mind So Money Will Flow; Nana Jokura

Brandon Neely's passion is building wealth wisdom. A serial entrepreneur, Profit First and Bank On Yourself Professional, he co-hosts the Wealth Wisdom Financial Podcast with his wife, Amanda. Together, they founded Overflow Coffee Bar, L3C, managing it from 2008 to 2018, learning invaluable lessons. Now, they share their experiential knowledge through podcasting and personalized financial strategies for individuals and businesses. They specialize in the Profit First system and the Infinite Banking/Bank On Yourself framework. In 2023, Brandon and his wife published a luxury money journal called Five Smooth Stones. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.WealthWisdomfp.com Most Influential Person My wife Effect On Emotions I remember being in our coffee shop. I had a staff member that was never showing up for work. Their Grandma died, like a hundred times. Also the till would be off by about 50 bucks whenever she would be working. I was drinking half cups of coffee all day long and felt like this place was killing me. I felt like I needed to slow down. I went to the hospital and they said I had anxiety and high blood pressure. They said I needed to stop drinking coffee and slow down. I said I can't do that. That was an indicator to me that my body was saying, something's up. I got rid of that staff person and then my blood pressure went back to normal. It was being self-aware that helped me. I realized that I need to go exercise more and be out in nature more. That was a big turning point for me. Thoughts On Breathing My wife is always telling me to take a deep breath and to do the inhale-exhale thing. I do take walks every morning and try to get my 10,000 steps everyday. In a business sometimes I feel like we can go too fast and we just need to stop and breathe it in.   Suggested Resources Book: Becoming Your Own Banker by R. Nelson Nash Book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck App: You Need A Budget App: Library App