I was gulping down a glass of water after I gave a speech at the 2013 National Eating Disorder Association Conference in Washington DC. It was a really rewarding talk about my experience as a human being suffering with an eating disorder in the midst of Operation Iraqi Freedom III as a Marine Corps Engineer Officer. I spoke of leadership, growth, recovery, and how enriched my life has become. I spoke of how my choice to get help was a turning point in my life that took me down the path of growth and self-acceptance that I am on now.
As I was gulping down the water, reminiscing and taking a moment to feel grateful when a rather short fellow with glasses approached me and thanked me for my service and the talk. He mentioned he was moved and that if interested he would like me to consider writing a memoir.
Of course, it was a thought, but with what time? I had just started my own business at the time and I was already working on a book with some colleagues from the Marines that was extremely meaningful but not turning out as planned. It was a project that allowed me to invite those who inspired me to write their story as part of an anthology. I didn’t realize through this process, I also invited my big heart into the lives of my friends who suffered, dared, and triumphed greatly. I suffered with them while writing this book. I healed with them while writing this book. But, I also suffered trying to please each and every one of them wanting them to know their story mattered and it would get out there in the world so help me God. Because of this my focus in the business I started and loved suffered, my ability to be present with my new husband, Per suffered, and in the end, my friendships with these women. I had to let it go, and with it I started to let go of the people pleaser and the need to hold onto friends who were not really good friends back. I started to make more time for myself and value my time like it was gold, not inviting new projects, appointments, or entertaining friendships who were not positive. I cleaned house!
Flash forward a half a year, I decided to work with this Alan fellow who was persistent that my story would touch lives. Working with Alan over the past year in a half has been extremely life giving and inspiring for me. I have been able to uncover to someone I trust, pieces of my life that have changed me forever and I KNOW others will relate too.
So here is my interview with my co-author of my upcoming memoir, WARRIOR.
What is a life changing experience in your life?
Getting to write this book, Warrior has been life changing. I had a dear friend who suffered from an eating disorder and I knew I had to write about it. I knew I somehow had to write about this. I am a writer, this is who I am, and because this person was so important to me, I didn’t know how to write about them. When I heard you speak, Theresa, I was taken by your experience along with everyone else in the crowd. I felt it was a way to connect your incredible story to my own friend’s story and experience and therefore effect lives. Stories change lives. In order to truly tell your story Theresa I felt I needed to have this heart felt connection to my friend to really do it justice.
I felt that writing this book was a have too and something our world needs to hear. Positivity, resilience while and through suffering with an eating disorder, loss, war, stress, and body dimorphism that EVERYONE can relate to somehow. I had to write this book.
How would you define yourself as a warrior?
Being a warrior means you have both inner and outer strength. Every human has this strength, it is whether they tap into it or not. Some people show off their outer strength, others their inner, and others both!
I am not afraid to ask for help or take risks. I do not mind going too far, and do not like playing it safe. Trust talent, trust skill, and go for it. You cannot be afraid to fail in this business or succeed.
Being a writer is very much like being a successful Marine. Surround yourself by a good team. I write, someone else published, lands the book deal, markets etc. We work together for one cause- to sell books that inspire the heck out of people.
Why WARRIOR?
When I write a book, I do a lot of research. I read a lot about Iraq and eating disorders for this book. One of the books I read was Thank you for Your Service, by David Finkel. One of my favorite quotes from this book, “it takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help.”
Also, when I looked up book titles on amazon, I was shocked that there were no books titled Warrior.
What made you want to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer from the time I was ten years old. I wrote my first book in the 6th grade which was a detective story. It wasn’t published. I was always a big reader; reading was the entertainment that turned me on the most. When I was in the second grade we lived in Massachusettes, had huge stairs outside our home. I invited kids in the neighborhood to come listen to me tell stories. I did this every day. Yes I am totally geeky!
What makes you tick Alan?
Writing gets me tick. Love what I do. My life make me tick, my wife, my kids, my work make me tick. I would never write a book that I would not put my name on it. It’s a question of pride. I am a simple home body. I don’t travel, do not drive a sports car, I love being home and I love food.
If you could have one super power what would it be?
I would have excellent vision and would be able to SEE in every sense. Not look, but see things in a way that other people can’t see. I was blessed that I saw this as a story when I heard you speak.
What do I admire most about Alan?
I admire his patience and encouragement. He helped me understand HOW my story would change lives down the very politics of writing my story. He didn’t push me, rather let me come to the decision myself.
Alan is a friend, fellow warrior, and now a co-author or our very near future (April 5th 2016 by Harper One, a division of Harper Collins) book WARRIOR. This will be one of the most read, eye opening, very real, and highly influential books of its time!
“Have you woken up 2 days in a row uninspired? If so, Change your life! “- Lululemon
“Roger that”- Dr. T
This a phrase in the Lululemon manifesto! So simple but very profound. Simply put, get after it in a way that resonates with you and is life giving. Like Jack Canfield said in his book, The Success Principles, “The one lesson and most important principle of all is that the only person responsible for the quality of your life, is YOU. If you want to be successful in your terms, you have to take 100% responsibility for everything that you experience in your life.”
In the past, I have woken up countless times uninspired and blaming the world or others for my misery. Waking up feeling uninspired was so draining on me that others started to take notice. I know one thing I needed and searched for was encouragement and inspiration. Truthfully I had it within, but often times forgot to look within. This is why we need to surround ourselves with quality relationships.
One day, I randomly went into a Lululemon store in downtown San Diego and found myself shopping for some new clothes to wear to a job I was not proud of and found myself talking about life with the store manager. She was a super bubbly, down to earth young woman heading in the direction of being a high school teacher. Her eyes burned bright when she spoke of her goals and where she was headed. Plus she seemed super content in the moment simply folding clothes and talking to me. She was present! She asked me what I did for work and I chose to kind of talk around the fact that I didn’t like talking about my job, but it was obvious I was not pleased with it. I rationalized that I made ok money (not really) and that I loved the people (sort of), and that I was lucky to be in San Diego (I would be here anyway). The store manager I remember looked at me and said “the cool thing about life, is you have the power to change it,” BOOM! This lovely lady went back to folding clothes, smiling and talking about what I was up to in terms of training.
I sat with her words and realized that I was rationalizing so much and more importantly, I did have the POWER to change. I needed those encouraging words and a reminder. And so my SWEAT LIFE obsession began. I felt inspired to go visit my now mentor, friend, and someone I look up to so much, Dr. Kelly Starrett who challenged me to start my own business right away and get out of the “pump and dump” world of traditional physical therapy. He told me,” stop kidding yourself.”
“Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself.”- Lululemon
When I made the decision to make a change, the first thing I realized was that change had to start with me. I had control over my reactions to the work I did. I had to start being more gentle with myself during this process of creating a change. Everything was not going to happen all at once, and the first decision needed to be with me being honest about what I wanted and needed. I needed to shoot straight with myself!
Flash forward 2 more years, I had started my own business, Movement Rx and started teaching with MobilityWOD, which is owned and run by Dr. Kelly Starrett and his beautiful wife Juliet. I also started coaching a wounded warrior Crossfit class, writing a book, freaking meditating to help change my mindset and enjoying the heck out of the things that matter most: freedom to create and flexibility with my family. With the encouragement from the lovely people at the Lululemon store, my husband, and Dr. Starrett, I felt empowered to start all of this. When I walked into the store, my glow shone brighter and brighter and could not help but want to give back to these lovely people who were so incredibly encouraging. I also kept buying their clothes because I resonated with the culture and wanted to support it. My company’s attire is basically Lululemon due to the rigor of our work and workouts.
Throughout this transition, Lululemon was a constant support. The manager I initially spoke with moved to pursue her dream of teaching in high school and I made new friends with some of the new staff members. Being asked to be the new store Fashion Valley Ambassador was a no brainer decision and I felt so honored! I love representing a brand/company and community that walks their talk, takes care of their own and exudes what being unfiltered and present is all about.
One of my favorite phrases on the Lululemon manifesto is, “this is not the practice life, this is all there is!” Get after it, and get after it now in the present. You do not have a second life, so wake up and be inspired to start to make a change.
What is your Warrior Story? How did you use your inner Warrior to survive, adapt and overcome?
Being healthy means being happy and not relying on drugs to get you through your day without pain. My best advice is to find the root cause of your pain and research it. You have to be your OWN doctor. I’ve had doctors help me and almost kill me, sadly. Some have destroyed my thyroid and my gut because they didn’t know what they were doing…but I didn’t know that at the time and I just listened to them without doing any research on my own. You’ve got to take control of your health because each of our bodies is different and reacts different and heals differently! Through my website, TheHealthyApple.com I write about the struggles I’ve faced the last few years, how I truly healed and how I work with clients on healthy eating and building back their immune systems and detoxing their life.
My cookbook will come out in early 2016; it’s filled with over 200 recipes that are free of refined sugar, gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and processed food. It’s also a handbook on how to remove toxins from your cleaning supplies, beauty products and food- since they’re lurking everywhere and can have a huge impact on your health. I think you’ll love it and I hope you do!
What is one trait you most admire about you (Your inner warrior)?
Being brave and fearless.
What kind of special power would you like to have?
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC ILLNESS.
Bio:
Cpl. USMC 2 tours Iraq 1 tour Afghanistan injured twice in combat. Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury loss of long term memory ACL/ MCL replaced in both knees
Retired medically
Veteran Outreach Director Team RWB Tampa
CFL1 trainer/ USA Olympic lifting L1
Power Lifter/ amateur Strong Man
WWP Peer Mentor
Married, proud father of a 9 year old boy.
ER Paramedic full-time
