EP24 - Finding Your Auspicious Rhythm with Mandy Froelich

Mandy Froelich is a busy mom to 3 sweet kids, a 200-hour yoga instructor, a seasoned personal trainer, a Pilates instructor, and an overall curious wellness seeker. 20 years ago her journey to understand the science of fitness was born with a master's degree in exercise physiology. Through working with hundreds of clients over the years as a personal trainer, she quickly realized most fitness is actually an art form, adding mind-body disciplines to your life. She joins Zach to discuss the four pillars of her Auspicious Rhythm.

Learn more about Mandy:

• Mandy’s Website
• Mandy’s Instagram
• Mandy’s Planner from Ink+Volt

Episode resources:

• Create Purpose Website 

• Join Zach’s Mastermind
• Book: There’s a Hole in my Sidewalk by Portia Nelson
• Book: Breath by James Nestor
• Book: Breathing for Warriors by Dr. Belisa Vranich and Brian Sabin
• Book: The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
• Book: Willpower Doesn’t Work by Benjamin Hardy
• Book: The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer

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Transcription:

Mandy Froehlich: I do think awareness is a muscle we can grow. I think that if we plant the seed of awareness and it can be, you know, sitting on your mat with your eyes closed before a yoga class begins and just feeling how your body feels in the moment, taking a moment to feel that what that awareness, what, what you feel like, what does it feel like right now to be you? And then taking that off your mat into other areas of life. And I think it just keeps growing.

Zach Arend: All right. I want to take a moment to make an announcement. I want to let you know that I'm taking applications right now for the create purpose Mastermind, an intimate Mastermind group for aspiring seven figure creative female business owners who are looking to build their dream team. So if that's you go to createpurpose.net/mastermind.

Here's what it's going to look like. If you decide to spend a year with me and this intimate Mastermind, you know, when I was putting us together, I really was thinking about what are the outcomes that I want you to get as a result of spending a year in this group. Number one is I want you to discover your unique greatness, because when you surround yourself with people who see you for who you are, And are able to draw you back to your own greatness so much can change.

Number two, I want to help you master your inner game because everything in business starts with self-awareness of why things are the way they are. Because as soon as you become aware of that, you get to decide and make a choice to change it for the better. Number three, I want to see you lead with confidence.

You know, because I fundamentally believe you already have everything you need. You don't need another guru to show you the way, and I want to see build your dream team. And that's what we're ultimately going to be doing in this group is building a business around a team of people that no longer centers around you, the leader, but you now have a team where you now are able to free yourself up to be the true CEO and create a visionary of your business.

Ultimately. To grow your business, make your business easier to manage more profitable and a lot more fun. So if you're an inspiring seven figure creative female business owner, who's wanting to build your dream team and grow your business. Then please don't wait. There's only 12 seats available. So don't hesitate in getting your application in.

What if this were to be your breakthrough? And what if this Mastermind is exactly what you need to really grow your business and bring your unique potential to life, to learn more, go to createpurpose.net/mastermind. 

Welcome back to the Create Purpose Podcast. In today's episode, we get to sit down and talk with Mandy Froehlich.

She's a personal trainer yoga instructor. She's been at this for 20 years. She's logged over 200 hours. As a yoga instructor, and this episode is not really about health and fitness, it is, but it isn't because what you're going to find as you listen to this episode, there's something unique about how Mandy.

Shares her insights when it comes to our health. And what I found is I, as I had the conversation with her is the lessons that she shares in this episode are universal. They universally applied to your health, your fitness, as they do, being a parent, being a spouse, being a business owner, a leader, an entrepreneur, all areas of your life will benefit from what Mandy has to share with us today.

So without further ado, let's just dive right into today's episode because it's. All right. I'm sitting down with Mandy Froehlich. She's a yoga instructor, personal trainer been doing this for 20 years, and I'm excited to sit down and talk with you today, Mandy, because you have a unique perspective when it comes to fitness and we'll get into it today before we do, I would love to just give you an opportunity to just introduce yourself.

Tell us a little bit about your background, how you ended up doing what you're doing.

Mandy Froehlich: Sure. So I. Actually studied exercise physiology. There's an undergraduate degree called corporate wellness that I did. It's a combination of exercise and management, and I just knew I loved moving and exercise. When I was in high school, I would go to a place called aerobic energy. Take step aerobics with the moms, like the older moms in the loved it.

And Tibo. And so I just have always loved exercise, got a master's degree in exercise physiology, and then ultimately ended up a personal trainer and helping I really focused on women over the last 20 years. I love helping, I understand them. And so it's just kind of been a natural progression. So yeah.

Zach Arend: How old were you when you're going to these Tae Bo classes? I remember doing Tae Bo Lewis, the guy who is the guy.

Mandy Froehlich: Billy blanks,

Zach Arend: Billy

Mandy Froehlich: blank. I was in set. I was in seventh grade doing Billy blanks. like videos. And then when I was in high school, I went and I would do stepper.

Zach Arend: My mom got a copy of that. Tae Bo it was a VHS cassette.

Mandy Froehlich: Yes.

Zach Arend: Well, I would do it, my sister and I would do it with her. It was kind of fun. Yeah.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah.

Zach Arend: I want to ask you, you said in a previous conversation, you see fitness more as an art form, and I would love to hear your perspectives on kind of what, you know, you've been at this for 20 years.

So you have a unique perspective. Anybody that's done something this long, you know, that there's a level of mastery and there's a level of. Seeing it much deeper than somebody who's just dabbling in it. And so what, what do you mean by that? That it's an art form.

Mandy Froehlich: Well, I think when you look at all the different areas, you know, we talked about kickboxing step aerobics, there's Pilates, yoga, strength training. There's so many different ways to move the body and. My background, I grew up dancing. And so for me, I feel the most creative when I'm moving, when I'm moving my body and I am, I will, I'll even dream about new exercises.

Like I it's an outlet for me. And I see it as a way that people are able to, you know, kind of move their own energy in different ways. And everybody kind of picks something different that works for them in a season of life. But that's kind of what I mean.

Zach Arend: Yeah, the recently you've really shifted to yoga. Where in the past more physical fitness training, what what's been your draw.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah. I have loved yoga. I took my first deal with a class in downtown Kansas city in 2006 or so, and I, I actually didn't really love the car, but I went back a few years later and I love the integration of. The breath work, the awareness of body movement and the appreciation for cultivating a healthy nervous system.

And for me, that was, you know, in a season of life where I've got a lot of, you know, my kids are all over the place and just kind of busy husband, busy life for me. And so it's been a really great outlet and. Uh, way to kind of hone in all this frazzled. You know, kind of fragments of life and just kind of ground, but also move.

And you know, I'm not getting any younger, you're not getting any younger. And the one thing that I realized as I'm aging, you know, being in the fitness industry for 20 years, I have a different body at 39. Than I did at 29 or 21. And so the things that we don't use, we lose and balance flexibility, those components that are kind of woven into yoga or something that I really feel like are a good balance for me and a lot of my clients too.

I think for all of us really.

Zach Arend: Yeah. When we were talking earlier, you were telling me about a suspicious rhythm and how important it is, especially how you, how you train your clients and really finding what's right for them. And you use the term auspicious rhythms. I loved it because I've never heard that before. And I loved, I thought how you explained it was just beautiful.

I thought it was great. So if you could, like, what do you mean by a suspicious.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah.

I, I like it because it's different

Zach Arend: Yeah.

Mandy Froehlich: and there might be like, wait, what are you talking about? Okay. So auspicious, not a lot of, not, maybe you've never heard that word before. If you have basically auspicious means conducive to success or a favorable condition. And I love the word rhythm because the one definition I like the most, there's a lot of different rhythm definitions that you could pull from.

The one I love is a regularly reoccurring sequence of events, actions, or processes. And so when you put auspicious rhythms together, it could also be called successful patterns, but I like auspicious rhythm because it's different. So.

Zach Arend: Yeah. Well, what you're sharing is it's on my mind a lot right now. Cause I I'm thinking about goals and dreams and what I'm trying to fulfill on and something that a coach I'm working with is really shine a light on. You know, I I'm botching this club with something like you, you are your habits and what you repeatedly do.

And what you repeatedly do is either going to serve you or it's not. And I've really spent a lot of time thinking through like, what are my daily habits that are going to serve me that are going to allow me to bring my best energy to the day and also move me closer to the results I want to see in my life, whether that's health, business relationships.

Let's let's just dive into this. So how do we do this? How do we find our, our, and I think that's based on your definition, it's our auspicious rhythm. It's unique to the individual. It has to be otherwise. So there is no necessarily a prescription here, but how do we find what our rhythm is?

Mandy Froehlich: Sure. Well, I don't know, I, I kind of broken it down into four different pillars. The first pillar that I think, you know, has to go before any of the other ones, like a foundation, I'm going to start by reading you a poem. It's called there's a hole in my sidewalk by portion Nelson. It goes like this. I walked down the street, I walked down the street.

There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way. I walked down the same street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I'm in the same place, but it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

I walked down the same street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see. It's there. I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. Walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it and then I walk down another street.

And the first pillar is?

awareness because we don't, we can't change what we don't know. You know, it's it's first. Creating or, you know, pulling the blind spots out and seeing the whole knowing it's there and knowing we need to do something differently. The next.

Zach Arend: I love that poem. That is the work of a coach. I I'm curious what you think of this, that awareness. Sometimes it takes. Somebody else's eyeballs on you to hold up a mirror and be like, Hey, how's this working for you? What is this costing you? Is this what you really want? You know, naturally, that's what I do with clients from a leadership and entrepreneurial side, just helping them see what, what are those potholes that keeps stepping into?

And it's, can you read the first line of that poem again? Like the first, the first like verse, if you will, when she falls in the hole, the first.

Mandy Froehlich: I walked in the street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in. I'm lost. I'm helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

Zach Arend: Yes. Yes. Notice the victim mentality. The I'm powerless. This is this isn't my fault. Or I'm just not good enough. I'm not somebody who can fill in the blank, you know? And if, if you're listening, where are you telling yourself that story of. Maybe you're not good enough or you're helpless because that is it's BS.

Like I fundamentally believe. And Mandy, I'm curious what you see in your clients, but every one of my clients, they are powerful. Like if they could only see what I see, like, you know, And over time they do. And they transform. What have you seen from, from a physical fitness perspective in what you do with the work with clients?

What's that transformation towards becoming more aware, really look like.

Mandy Froehlich: That's a good question. I think a lot of it begins with. You know, it can be so many different things for so many different people. I don't think it's always the same, but typically I find it's. Either me asking questions and they're answering these questions. And then we put the pieces together, the puzzle pieces together, or we set some intentions and then we kind of watch those.

And then we circle back around and analyze and break it apart where we wouldn't have spent that much time and energy focusing on it because we're just busy. And we go through our life in our, you know, kind of our weeks and, and we're just not paying attention to it. So. You know, from, with yoga, the reason I, I have integrated more of that is because I do think awareness is a muscle we can grow.

I think that if we plant the seed of awareness and it can be, you know, sitting on your mat with your eyes closed before a yoga class begins and just feeling how your body feels in the moment. Taking a moment to feel that what that awareness, what, what you feel like, what does it feel like right now to be you and then taking that off your mat in other areas of life?

And I think it just keeps growing.

Zach Arend: Yeah, I've heard somebody say like how you do anything is how you do everything. My wife took me do a yoga class recently. You know, one of the things I noticed is my impatience, like just kind of this, okay, what's next? Like, why are we going so slow? You know, that was some of the chatter going on, but eventually I kind of dropped in and

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah.

Zach Arend: you know, I was like, this is kind of nice.

We really should come from this place more often. What day was it? Tuesday morning? It was this week. I'm going through a course right now. And the, the teacher, the trainer of the course challenged us to sit in silence for at least he said for a whole day, at the very least. And I'm like, you know, and I'm as it was the next morning and, um, I didn't sleep well.

I woke up kind of like, just with my motor running. I don't know if you ever, you know, usually like I got gotta, I got so much I want to do. And I remember driving to the gym. I'm like, I just need to slow my butt down. I'm like, you know what, I'm going to do that thing. So I spent four hours just sitting in my house.

The kids had left. It was. Yeah, so please don't judge me, please. Don't be like, oh, it must be nice just to sit for four hours, but I sat for four hours and the first two hours were hell like it was, but then eventually it was just kind of like, oh look, there's a, there's a, there's an ant crawling on the floor.

Oh, look it. And then I would notice bots that would come to my mind, like. You know, you have so much to do or worry would creep in, or what are you doing? Do you really think you can like, just all this stuff. And then every once in a while a dream would pop up or something that I really want to do, or I can't wait to do more of that or that, and that awareness was so cool.

And I think you get the same experience doing yoga class. I mean, I, I do, it was a little bit more challenging cause I'm about ready to fall over, but I, I'm not very practiced. What experiences do you have with like helping your clients cultivate that awareness, even, even when you're leading a yoga session with, with clients, like what, what are you doing as, as the coach to, I know, slow people down and help prompt their or.

Mandy Froehlich: One of my favorite things right now. I mean yoga classes that I'm I'm doing is we'll get into a position. Maybe it's just hands and knees and, you know, instead of saying, all right, inhale, look up cat. You know how exhale cat as just say, what is your body telling you to do right now? Like start listening to it and move, move in a way that feels good for you.

So paying attention. To what your body is telling you to do. And I do that even outside of yoga. I mean, even in a, you know, a training session, I might, we might, I might have something planned and then with new information or we get through an exercise and I get, they are telling me some feedback. We totally go a different route because I respect the body.

I respect the person and they're telling me something that they're receiving from their body. So. Where at where fitness has gotten this, this, oh, I dunno. You know, fitness, the fitness industry is a young, a young industry. It's it's new, new Arish. We, we are going to continue to evolve and learn more. And it's always fascinating to me, but I think that it's easy to get stuck if I'm just looking through the lens of fitness and I have to do it this way.

Like always or nothing, or like, definitely, like I started this, I need to end it, no pain, no gain. And so my whole approach is really about tuning into your body and listening. And that right there starts awareness because you have to be aware of that.

Zach Arend: Yeah. Oh my gosh. I love that the word resonance comes to mind and I I've shared this with some of my clients before, like the idea of a tuning fork, you know, your buying. You can feel it like you can feel when there's dissonance, right? When you're out of harmony with whatever, whether you're doing something or thinking something, and we need to learn to listen to that.

And I think the culture of do more, to be more the grind grind at hustle, culture, severs, that connection we have with our own tuning fork. And so. Entrepreneurs, physical fitness drank all those they're so similar. Like there is a modality of just push and, and there's just, that's what it is. That's no pain, no gain, like you said.

And I think that's, I think it's a myth. I don't think it's true. In fact, I think quite the opposite is true. Like if you really want to grow, yeah. There's seasons of demanding more of yourself and pushing yourself. That's those are moments. The otherwise it's finding that, that our specialist rhythm and what, and the only way you do that is listening to what you need.

What do I need right now? I was like, that's a question I love asking. It's like, what do you feel like you need right now that you're not getting? And that very few people even ask themselves that question. Cause I think we're taught to be selfless and. That is no, like, right. We have to serve ourselves first so that we can be our best and actually be of service.

So you're just pushing all kinds of buttons for me. I love this stuff. I know there's more pillars, this awareness. Is there anything else you would add around awareness? Because I feel like this one's so.

Mandy Froehlich: Well, I think like kind of what we were. You know, people, people, I always have clients and friends even surprised when I say to them, you know, I work out, I, I work out probably more than the average person cause I will, when I, I love it, I do it for a job and, you know, it's kind of what I'm about, but I will tell them, you know, In a month in a given month, I might have five tick, but exercise like sessions where I'm like, yes, this, you know, this is awesome.

And so I say that because I think so.

often if we aren't listening to our body and we're not aware of what's going on, we're pushing a little harder than we need to. And so that backing off of. Listening to my, by like, okay right now, I just don't have it, but I'm still going to do something I'm still going to do because the fitness industry is this breeding ground of obsessive compulsive behaviors.

It's, we're either all in it or nothing. And that's kind of, honestly, the last 20 years, what I've been focused on is trying to get more people to realize that it doesn't have to be black and white. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, that there is so much gray that can exist and you can actually feel more complete letting that ebb and flow.

And whether that's backing off or doing something different, you know, instead of going on a run or lifting heavy weights, maybe you need to go to a yoga class or you know, of Pilates class or whatever, being open to all the things, because there's so much out there and being open to try new things.

Zach Arend: Yeah, so good. Let's get into. I don't want to go away from awareness. It's like my favorite tea. Yeah.

Mandy Froehlich: No, I love it

Zach Arend: there's more, there's more so let's go to, let's go to this the second pillar. What's next. So we're talking about auspicious rhythm and really finding that for ourselves. First one was awareness. You got to have it.

You got to start being aware of what your body's telling you. You need, your mind is even telling you, you need, so what's the next.

Mandy Froehlich: Well, the next one I would say is consistency. And that kind of goes into what I was saying about, you know, the black and the white. The best plan is the plan. You'll follow the plan you love when we love what we do. We don't want to stop doing it. And so if you hate asparagus, don't need asparagus that, you know, that's the easiest way to say that if you don't like a certain thing, find something else and get creative about it.

And I think that's also where there is artwork in. Fitness because it isn't black and white. There's so much gray. There's so much, and there's so much creativity that you can, you know, my fitness, isn't going to look like your fitness and it doesn't have to cause it's just going to be unique to me and what works for me.

Zach Arend: Wow. I don't know if you realize that everything you're sharing is so like universal to whatever. So leadership, entrepreneurship, business. Being a parent, right? Because we all like are looking outside of ourselves, like what's the right way to do this. You know, who's got the, who's got the way I need the way.

Cause I don't know what I'm doing instead of, you know, I kind of like, I love that art, that creative expression it's it's it comes from the inside out. You know, it's not this, there's no one answer to any of it. There's a multitude of right. Ways to be healthy before. productive, successful, all the things.

And the best way is your way. I would imagine clients will say, well, I don't know what I want. I don't know. I've never really had vegetables before. I mean, I would have said that at one point in my life, you know, so are you saying I, I can just eat cheeseburgers or, but I, I, I'm less focused on like the food, but like how do you help people?

They're going to ask you, I don't know what I like to do. So how would you help them?

Mandy Froehlich: Well, I think one important thing is knowing where you are right now with the awareness piece. So that's obviously the first and so knowing where they are and building from there. So what's doable, you know, what is in the realm of possibilities within your life? And not something that looks amazing on paper, but will never be able to be executed in real life.

So I find a plan does help. I think most people, we need some sort of a guide, but figuring everybody that I work with it's, it's going to be a little bit different because they're coming from a different place. So. My clients never love my answers because they'll ask me a question and I'll say, well, what do you think?

What do you like? You know, and I know I'm being kind of broad here, but that's kind of in my mind, the process that I go through when I'm working with someone, because they have to have a starting point from what they've been doing, where they want to go. And what is it going to look like in between creating a plan, but it is doable and realistic.

I often say is we'll get a plan together. And I'll say on a scale of one to 10, 10 being you are for sure going to be able to do this this week. And one, like not a chance in the world. What number would you give me? They need to give me a seven or above, or it won't have.

Zach Arend: Yeah.

Mandy Froehlich: And so that's kind of the, you know, the give and take in the, kind of the artwork around creating this plan.

And I think that, you know, in our modern daily living, you know, we're the first like species of humans where we everything's convenient and easy. And so, you know, that's why I exist. That's why I have a job as a trainer and exercise because we have to have some parameters around exercise and movement.

Food nutrition, you know, all these things because it's, we really live in a very comfortable, easy, modern day world, which is great. But then there's just some other things that we need to put in place. I think.

Zach Arend: Yeah, well, you're making me want to ask, like, what are some of the things that we need to put in place? Like there they're just necessities for living and people are eliciting. There's a level of desire. I would imagine of living their best life, you know, being their best. And so what would you say are those key ingredients?

Mandy Froehlich: Well, that's a good question because I would answer, like, it depends on the person, you know,

Zach Arend: Great answer, because that's exactly what we're talking about.

Mandy Froehlich: But I think That there are, it's like starting with one or two things and then growing from there, you know, like it could be getting up in the morning and drinking some water, drinking, 20 ounces of water hydrating, you know, when we're not hydrated, we are tired and hungry and all these things. So.

Zach Arend: That wasn't intentional, but you're making me thirsty. So I took a drink.

Mandy Froehlich: thirsty,

but I think, I think that that's an easy one. You know, the another really one that I would say is looking at your schedule for the week and making appointments with yourself. You know, I have been known, people will ask me if I can do something and I already know I'm going to be working out at that time.

It's just me. But I will say I have an appointment. I can't make it. They don't know that it's just the appointment for me, you know, in my basement, working out,

Zach Arend: Yeah.

Mandy Froehlich: you know, or whatever that may be, or I want to go on a walk. And so it's that intentionality. Looking at your week and what is it going to look like before it begins?

And maybe there's some wiggle room with some things. My schedule is kind of always changing, which is kind of intentional. I love it that way. And so every week it's a little bit different. And so I've kind of got to go in, but I think planning and preparing and putting just like five minutes on the weekends when you're reflecting on your week or whatever it may be to put that in.

Zach Arend: Yeah. Do you, I'm curious, do you use a planner or do you, do you use a paper or digital paper?

Mandy Froehlich: Old school, paper planner.

Zach Arend: Loose planner. Is that

Mandy Froehlich: It's mine.

Zach Arend: well, what, what brand is it?

Mandy Froehlich: What is it? Yeah. Yeah. Good question. I should know this. it?

is ink ink volts.

Zach Arend: Ink. Volt. Okay. I'll check that out.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah. Oh gosh, you would love it. You do weekly goals, monthly goals, 30 day challenges. It's it's for like somebody who likes to plan and cycles.

Zach Arend: I will, I'll try to find it. And if I can't, I'll put it in the show notes. Very cool. So that's consistency. The best plan is your plan. You know, it's what works for you. What will you follow? What's the third pillar.

Mandy Froehlich: Well, I think the third pillar is. Is balance and accountability. And I know those two, those two words together, kind of an interesting combination. Balance in that aspect of we're a whole person. We aren't just a body. When I look at the evolution of fitness in the last 20 years, one of the biggest things that I have seen a major shift in, in the last two years has been in the fitness industry, the awareness of the impact of stress and not getting enough sleep.

In your early two thousands, mid two thousands. We weren't talking about sleep and stress much. We were just talking about, you know, getting your food plan meal prepping or for your nutrition, all those things, and then doing all the workouts and that. So looking at the balance of the stress management aspect, and that can basically look like you're allowing yourself an ample recovery time.

The sleep or going on a walk, de-stressing talking to a friend meditating, you know, taking. Some things to do for your emotional mental health. And then the accountability piece, I think is just kind of the accountability to the balance. And what does that look like? Is it accountability to yourself? It's kind of like this checks and balances system.

I don't think it needs to be perfect. I don't think balance has to be like this. You know, when you look at like a scale, you know, it doesn't need to be, it just needs to be there. It means it has a. For all the things, because when I look at the, like, I would say, like, when I look at the healthiest people, they're doing all the things, they're not just solely focused, focused on grinding it out in exercise and eating or whatever that may be.

It's really well-rounded.

Zach Arend: Yeah. Well, I'm wondering maybe this is a personal question. There are times where I get it's like I get really wound tight. Like I get something there's a little bit of OCD where it's just like, and I want to do it, but I can also feel the anxiety that's wrapped around it and the stress. And it's just, you know, It wakes me up at four in the morning and I can go back to sleep.

And, and there's a part of me that wants to just kinda like let that go so that I can be more grounded. And so what advice do you have for me or someone listening? Like how do once you, because it's so hard to shake it when you're feeling that anxiety and that you're your wound. It's hard to get back to less stress balance.

So what, what are some practices. That you've found really helpful for your clients to stress.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah, I really love breath work, you know, in yoga, it's called pranayama, but just breath work. We know so much about the breath now. And what is this book? James nester breathe. You've read that. It's all about the breath and the breath shapes the mind and the mind shapes the breath. So it's in this pattern where.

Slowing down your breath, taking an inhale. However, it feels comfortable. Silling your belly. And then exhaling completely. It starts that parasympathetic the rest and digest. It completely calms the nervous system. And so the last few years I've personally not perfectly, but I have found a breath work. At the beginning of the day, or just even throughout the day can really help my nervous system.

Over the whole course of the day and obviously compounded just like any exercise, right? You, the more you do it, the more benefits you get, but it's maybe not instant as in like those panic, those wound energy. Isn't going to come, come back up again right away. But I think the evolution over time is the intention I have for myself.

I am very wound tightly. I am a currently recovering perfectionist and rule follower and all the things that basically make me like a ball of nerves and the teacher teaches what I need. You know what I need to know. That's why I'm doing this. But I think that as I, as I age and get older, my goal is to heart.

Be able to harness that energy in a way that. I have a little bit more control over and breath work, I think is where it starts at least right now. You know, I think it starts in, it ends honestly right there. And there's so many different ways you can do breath work. One of my favorites is 4 7, 8, so it's an inhale for four hold for seven and then exhale out the mouth for a count of eight.

Zach Arend: Breathe out of your mouth or your nose, doesn't matter when you access.

Mandy Froehlich: yeah, so reading out. So when I teach yoga, the Vinyasa style, yoga, every yoga class is different, right? But number one, you want to breathe comfortably, but ideally we want to breathe in through the nose and out through the nose, in that situation to keep heat in the body. When I'm saying breathe in through the nose, hold it.

And when you hold it relaxing, like any stress in the neck and the jaw and the hands exhaling out the mouth, it's like releasing some excess energy, releasing some heat. So if you exhale, you'll feel hot air, come out your mouth.

Zach Arend: Yes. So I'm nerding out with you when you exhale. Is it like you're blowing air through a straw or

Mandy Froehlich: Oh, you can do it that way.

Zach Arend: of a sigh, like, ah, you know,

Mandy Froehlich: I would say you start with whatever works for you, but you can do it through a straw for sure. Yeah.

Zach Arend: Cool. I'm wondering. So the book you just mentioned was breathed by James nester.

Mandy Froehlich: Uh huh.

Zach Arend: I'm gonna check that one out. I haven't read that one, one that's on my coffee table right now that I've kind of slowly been reading, breathing for warriors. Have you heard of that book?

Mandy Froehlich: All right, now, now,

Zach Arend: Greenbrae told me to read it.

Mandy Froehlich: Ooh.

Zach Arend: And so I, you know, I'm like breathing for warriors that's right up my alley. And so, but one of the things I remember reading in one of the first sections of the book was about where is that inhale going? Is it going up? Is it, is your chest? And is it all kind of, is, do notice your shoulders raising. Or are you actually feeling your rib cage and your belly and just putting your hands down by your ribs and just feeling them expand.

And there was even a assessment, like how much, how well do you breathe based on your inhale, exhale on your expansion of your gut. But the book said something along like children up to about five years old, naturally breathe into their belly, but once they get into. Maybe, or they start to become more aware and they start worrying about being judged and the more tense they start breathing into their chest.

And a lot of adults do and meal. Yeah, I'm going to do it. She might kill me later. My, my wife, she, Andy, we talked about this breathing substance and she's like, oh my God. You know, I wear out with this stuff. One time. I like honey, take a deep breath. And she's like, and just like, whoa, that's that's I got more stressed, you know, would you would just, and we joke about that.

And so we're, we're both kind of practicing our breathing, but it all came from that book. But I wanted to highlight that. Do you do any work with the breathing during yoga?

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah, well, I teach Pilates as well, and I will tell you for sure. I mean, well, we do a lot of breath work. Vinyasa yoga is moving your you're moving with your breath, breath with movement and Pilates. And in just my training style personally, every, I mean, I can almost say like 99.9% of people just carry so much tension in the neck and chest and shoulders because we are all chest freezer.

We're not taking deep breaths that are coming down into the belly or back breathing and breathing into the back ribs. And so I find that we're very tight through the shoulders and were very weak through the core. So back issues, you know, it's all like related. And so teaching people how to breathe deeply and because when you forcefully exhale, However you cough, forcefully, exhale, whatever you activate your deepest anterior stomach muscles, the transversus abdominis.

And so we aren't activating that often when we're breathing. So I do Yes. all the time. It is, it is huge for sure.

Zach Arend: Yes. So third pillar was balanced and accountability. What's the fourth one.

Mandy Froehlich: Uh, I just have my, the fourth pillar is, is uncomfortable, being uncomfortable, being okay with being uncomfortable, that it's necessary for growth in what came to me here with. So I am I train in person. I teach, I teach yoga and Pilates, but I also work for a company called V shred and I do online. I make a lot of meal plans and, you know, so if I switched gears for that, to that for a second people who are wanting to lose weight and maybe they're not losing weight, maybe they're selling, you know, I it's been a lot of people, a lot of women in their forties and fifties and sixties, maybe where they've lived their whole life.

And then. I haven't really had to worry about weight and now it's like menopause or hormones or aging or whatever. Age-related Serco Penia, which is basically where our body starts losing muscle. That's an age thing. They have to start worrying about it. And so it's very new to them. And so one of the, one of my kind of quotes that I guess I would say is that in order to make some sort of weight loss change, if you're looking just for like some weight loss, I am not saying be starving, hungry.

But there is going to need to be just like this ever so slightly. Maybe you're used to being a hundred to 120% full, and now we need to switch that to like 90 or 85%. And so hunger is a natural biological response to losing weight, to eating fewer calories, following a meal plan, you know, whatever that may be.

If that's your goal. But it's the huge asterisk of, I'm not telling you to starve yourself. I'm just saying it may be a new sensation and it will probably be a little uncomfortable because in this day and age of we get, I want a chocolate chip cookie crumble cookie just opened and I downloaded the app and I look at the cookies every week and I haven't gone.

Zach Arend: Is it here in Kansas city.

Mandy Froehlich: Yeah. And Liberty. Yeah.

Zach Arend: Well, I'll be going, I'll be taking my daughters there.

Mandy Froehlich: they have videos of the cookies because they're new each week and stuff, but it's like, I want a cookie. I go get a cookie, you know? And then you reinforce that behavior loop. Well, it's so shifts. Right. And so it's going to be uncomfortable. And so embracing, expecting it's going to be uncomfortable and expecting that.

After the first week or two or three, the new wears off of the program. And it's no longer fun and exciting anymore, but it feels like work knowing that's just part of it and it is going to be uncomfortable, but it's predictable, it's expected and it won't last.

Zach Arend: Yeah. Again, it's so universal, like growth. I shared this in a previous episode, Daniel Coyle wrote a book called the talent code, and it's just all about how the greats became great. And then he has this little book of talent and it's just all about how to practice. Like, what are some, how do you grow in your skill or your craft?

And one of the things he says in one of his chapters, I'm paraphrasing, but basically discomfort is. Th that part, that discomfort is a biological necessity like you and I, the way you explained it was even better because you are going against what's normal. Like whether that's being used to being 110, 20% full, or, um, I've been trying to drink less.

I don't drink a lot, but I mean, they're like, I like to have a glass of wine most nights, I'm one. And it's kind of like, but I, I have an aura ring. I don't know if you're into those, but it tells me every time I have a glass of wine, my sleep just tanks and my recovery is terrible and I'm like this. And so now I'm more aware of it.

There's that word? And so I'm like, gosh, darn it. I don't need a glass of wine. It's just that I'm so used to it and I can have it. I have wine here. It's just right there. And, but whenever I choose not to there's this moment of like, it, it has become a habit and it's more comfortable to grab it than it is to, to not, I had to replace it with something else.

Like I've got some like LaCroix or something, like I'll, I'll find something else kind of interesting to drink. And that usually helps, but more so, like, I love this because this, I saw your fourth period pillar, because you shared these with me before our discussion and I'm like, oh yeah, because this is. I tell my clients all the time, like, you know, and these are usually business owners and successful in a way they're successful.

I mean, they have a business, they have a team you don't get to that point without being successful. Right. And the thing is, is they kind of got to the top of their mountain. They've succeeded and. I always talk about, well, it's time to put yourself at the bottom of a new mountain because you have to have those demands being placed on you.

Otherwise we kind of just fall into unhealthy patterns. We start clinging to old behaviors that maybe aren't serving us any longer. And so this idea of put yourself at the bottom of new mountain there. I'm wondering if you've read this book because I know you like to read willpower. Doesn't work by Ben Hardy, Dr.

Benjamin Hardy, have you heard of that book? It's a great audio.

Mandy Froehlich: writing all these down.

Zach Arend: Willpower doesn't work. And he says that like, it's an interesting perspective, but he says, we are our environment in those that put themselves into, into demanding environments, they rise, they grow, you don't see many people. Break, you know, they don't, they just don't, we don't we're such survivors.

Right. So he just talks about like, don't willpower, your way to success or whatever to hell fitness. Just put yourself in a demanding environment. You'll you'll grow. And I like that because I don't have a lot, some people might say I do, but I don't consider myself a disciplined person. And a lot of willpower, I, I find it draining.

Like I can do it for a while. And then I just, just stop cold Turkey. I have to find a way to put myself at the bottom of a mountain because to where I kind of don't have any other choice. So that's me. But I'm curious, what's your experience? Does that sound. Is that, what do you think about that approach?

Mandy Froehlich: Oh, for sure. I think that, you know, I, I talked about, you know, stress being a negative thing, but I mean, think about, think about from an exercise physi you know, muscle physiology standpoint, human physiology, the muscle gets stronger by being stressed and without it, it becomes without the stress, without the stimulus, it becomes weak.

And to me, That says everything, you know, that we, oh, I was just trying to think, because what you were saying was something I just read online this morning about, about doing, and he was talking about being successful or, you know, striving for something and it's, it's doing it and failing. And try and doing it again.

And it's the action, right? Because people will say, can you just explain this meal plan? So if you don't know about me shred, it's a lot about, it's a lot of carbs cycling and meal planning, and it's a great program, but people, people will say, can you just explain to me how this works? And my answer is the best way that it works is that you practice it because eating is a practice.

Everything in life is a practice. We don't have to be perfect at it. I'm never going to ask you to be perfect at following a meal plan, because I don't even perfectly follow, you know, a meal plan, but I do like boundaries within, you know, for, for eating, because it just helps me feel better. It doesn't, but again, it doesn't have to be perfect.

And so. Yeah, I think that, I think it's, it's something that we need. It's inevitable for growth.

Zach Arend: Yes, you're reminding me of actually the podcast episode. Which should be, I think would be, will be episode 22. It's just me talking. I started this podcast by the way, because my wife has got tired of listening to me. She's like, you talk so much. And, and so I'm like, well, I'll just start a podcast and you know, I'll just talk there.

So I do like this

Mandy Froehlich: Again, your words out.

Zach Arend: Yeah, I have to. I do. And the problem is most of my words come to me about seven in the morning because I've been reading or thinking, and then, you know, and the whole family is just rolling out of bed with, you know, sleep still in their eyes, you know? So anyway, but I'm been exploring my experience.

So I've been putting myself at the bottom of a mountain this year. I've I want to take on this public speaking thing. I want to get on stages. I want to give a keynote and it's something I've dreamed of doing, but always cause like I've never been. I just couldn't see myself doing it until now. So I'm in my basement, rehearsing and practicing.

And the first day I was down there trying to tell my story, I've been working on a story, right. And I'm rehearsing out loud. Like I'm two minutes in. And I'm like, I just stopped myself. I'm like, this is terrible. Like I'm talking to, I was like, this is terrible. Like I suck, I can't do this. You know, like just this flood of negative inner critic, stuff's coming over me.

And I show up the next day and I might five, 10 minutes in I'm like, it's better, but it still sucks. You know, like this is me talking to myself, but three to seven days later, all of a sudden it's like, you know what, this, I'm starting to get this connected to my body. And like, I I'm experiencing myself grow and.

that's a sweet spot to be when you start to fall in love with your own growth. And I, I would, uh, well, I, you and I were talking about it. I just, I started working with a trainer that you referred me to, and I think I'm falling in love with my own growth. Again, like that idea of like, when you actually put your like, training was uncomfortable, those first couple of days, but then eventually you're like, wow, I'm noticing myself grow.

And that's an intoxicating.

Mandy Froehlich: Totally. Yes, I totally agree. And honestly, that is what I did a year ago. My, I mean, I've been a trainer for, you know, 20 years and I have practiced yoga for over a decade. Always just, just exactly what you were saying. Always kind of dreaming maybe someday, like I could teach, but I don't think I ever could.

I just like going that was just, you know, it was just too big of a mountain and I just got to this point during COVID, I mean, who goes across the country to Scottsdale, to, to become a teacher, a yoga teacher. My husband just kinda got tired of me talking about maybe being a yoga teacher and he's like, Zingo do it.

You've been talking about this now for over 10 years. And I'm like, oh, I have, you know, but it, it felt so uncomfortable because I was so proficient. What do they say? 10,000 hours that you kind of get really comfortable with what you're doing. And I definitely put that in with training. It feels so good to learn something new.

And for me, I feel the most alive when I am curious and learning and allowing myself to just go and dive into that curiosity. And so I can totally relate in my world right now. It's, it's taking the form of, you know, teaching yoga, but it's good to be a beginner.

Zach Arend: Yeah, it is.

Mandy Froehlich: It's humbling.

Zach Arend: Yes it is. And I had a similar, like when I wanted to become a coach similar, like for like, that's what I dreamed of doing, but I was like a vice-president of sales, like, well, how does that go to this? And I've invested all this time and energy. I'm a sales guy. That's all I know. I know how to sell and talk to people and I don't like it, but I know how to do it really good, you know?

And the more I've learned is everything makes sense. When you look behind you, In the moment, it feels like this crazy I'm lost. What am I doing? Who am I, what do I really want to do? But once you're wherever you are in life, when you look behind you, you just see a direct line to it. Like, it just all makes sense because the repetitions I went through doing sales and cold calling, and like that has allowed me to, I think, exercise my listening muscle.

Like I know how to listen. Well, and so kind of like with your personal training, All of that now is being brought into your yoga and your, you know, it's, it's just this giant body of work that continues to expand. And I, I think that's, I don't know. I think this is beautiful. Just the thought of. You know, some of us get to a spot and we're like, well, what are you while I'm of this?

Others have that growth mindset. I'm like, I don't know. I'm constantly evolving. I'm constantly adding new things and being a learner. And that's, that's what life is for me. I love that. So, so to wrap up our conversation, Mandy, I want to ask you. This, I always ask this question. It's kind of a selfish question because I like to read too.

What's a book or podcast or somebody that's inspiring you right now that you'd recommend us check out.

Mandy Froehlich: Oh, gosh, I love Michael singer. So I just finished his book called the surrender project. The surrender experiment, sorry, it's this the surrender experience experiment. He had a New York times bestseller called the untethered soul. I think it was out in like 2005 or eight. And then just recently this book it's so good.

Everything what you were saying just now about. When you look behind you, you can see it all, you know? And so for me right now in this moment where I'm at is being really good with where I'm at, even if I don't know exactly where I'm going, you know, but that it will all make sense one day and just taking one step at a time.

Zach Arend: Very cool. Well, that's a really great spot to end the podcast before we go. How can people find you?

Mandy Froehlich: Well, that's a good question. I'm on Instagram. It's me, Andy Fraelich underscore, and I have trained with me and d.com right now. I'm like, I kind of mentioned I'm just in a transition period. I'm sure some things will transpire, but. That's where I am now. And there's not a whole lot on the website, but that's where you can find me.

Zach Arend: Cool well for what it's worth. Sometimes, what I've found is the more you just express who you are, the work finds you. And I that's been my experience. Like just the more that I show up and I'm sharing this with everybody. Like the more you can just show up authentically who you are and listen to that heart, your heart, your desires, your in bringing those out the work kind of finds you if you can, if you can surrender, right?

Yeah. It will find you and the dream starts to chase you when you, you don't have to chase anything anymore. Like I spent 20 years, 27 years of my life chasing and I've, I'm done with that. So I get a sense that you're kind of there too. You're like, yeah, that's really cool. Well, thanks so much for coming on the show.

This, this has been, I'm going to sit like I'm not, I love this apps. I love this conversation. This one. of my it's going to go down in the, my all-time favorite. So thank you. And maybe we'll have to have another conversation about.

Mandy Froehlich: Sounds good. Thank you so much.

Zach Arend: Hopefully you really enjoyed this podcast episode and my hope is you. Really inspirational. And also most importantly, I hope you took away some practical things that you can start to do and apply in your own life. So finally, I have one small favor to ask of you before you go, wherever you get your podcasts, whether that's apple music or Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. Love to hear your thoughts. Come find us on social media, share it on social media. It just really helps us get the word out, helps us grow our audience. So please do that. Thanks to my team, Ashley Bolden, who handles all the admin and Chris Skipper who handles all the music and editing of this podcast for more information.

Great purpose podcast. You can go to www.createpurpose.net, and you can also follow me on Instagram at @zach.arend. Please drop me a comment, reach out, drop me a DM. I'd love to hear from you and love to hear what you're taking away from these conversations. What would you like to hear more of? Do you have any guests that you would love to see?

Come on the show. And I'm always looking for great people to talk to people with great stories that can inspire you. And so if you know of anybody, send them my way, love to hear from. I'm your host, Zach Aaron, and I'll see you in the next episode of the Create Purpose Podcast. Bye for now.