Show Notes:
1:17 – Felicity: Donna, what was your first exposure to the wellness industry and what took you down that pathway originally?
Donna shares her personal health struggle from a very young age and her determination to cure herself which got her into studying naturopathy.
2:40 – Felicity: What do you believe are the most important learnings from naturopathy for you?
The wide range of what is covered in naturopathy has made her foundation very holistic. For Donna, it was a journey of self-discovery. Going from working as a personal trainer, she moved her interests into yoga to optimise her own physical health. That led her to integrated more offerings for her client in her company, Fit For Life.
4:56 – Felicity: What are some of the benefits that you see from Iyengar yoga?
Donna explains how Iyengar yoga enables her clients to feel safe, comfortable and supported to get the postures right. It is what allows people to let go and be more inflow – to experience yoga fully.
7:54 – Felicity: Now Marcello, can you give us a little bit of an insight into your background?
Marcello’s personal experience witnessing his mum’s health deteriorating drove him into the fitness industry. He first thought that it was all physicality factors, but as he looks after more and more clients, he realised that it all comes down to mindset. His interests in martial arts and further knowledge he gained along the way helped him discover Tai Chi and Buddhist philosophy. Not only it accelerates the growth of his coaching business, but it also improves Marcello’s wellbeing and relationships personally.
13:10 – Felicity: I think it’s so beautiful that you were so focused on supporting and helping your mum and that drove you in that direction. How did she end up?
“You meet people where they’re at”, says Marcello. He helped her incorporate healthy habits to make up for the unhealthy ones as much as he could. From his personal journey, he realises it’s about all levels of health, not just physical, mental, but also spiritual health that ties to the meaning we give to our purpose and passions.
16:42 Felicity: What do you think are some of the most powerful stories or journeys of change that you’ve been able to share with some of your clients over the years?
Marcello humbly expresses the most powerful thing he gained working with clients is being welcomed as part of their families. The well-trusted connections he built that has enabled him to witness growth in their lives.
Here Felicity and Marcello discuss the importance of mindful practices that supports your choice towards growth and self-fulfilment through all stages of life.
21:36 Felicity: You’re a very experienced facilitator in health retreat programs. Tell me about sort of the changes that you’ve seen in how people perceive health retreats now.
From her experience as a retreat facilitator, Donna notices that it’s about the reset for people. Most joined the retreat with the goal to feel connected and be a better person.
22:13 Felicity: What do you think is the most significant part of a health retreat for someone who’s never been before? They’re stepping into those doors for the first time. What does that experience look like? And what are some of the most powerful takeaways that that person might experience from that first-time opportunity?
A holistic experience that people will be engulfed in complete wellness. As a naturopath, Donna explains that those who have never experienced a health retreat may not right away understand what all layers of health feel like. It’s something that needs to be experienced personally to comprehend the life-changing effects.
25:21 Felicity: There’s going to be so many amazing things on the Wellness Warriors retreat in the program. Can we start by running through just some of those elements and what that might look like and what people can expect when they come along to our Wellness Warriors retreat?
Donna explains to be coming into nature and having a sense of connection and community, people will be feeling inspired and whole on every level. Marcello also adds that people will gain the empowerment to cultivate and apply a healthy environment for themselves in their home structure through many tips they will gain from the retreat. Their goal isn’t only to provide these benefits for retreat participants but for their kids and the people in their lives who will receive the flow-on effect.
31:35 Felicity: What does wellness mean to you?
Donna: I guess without thinking about it, just in touch with what it means to be your authentic self. And for me, exercise helps me to feel who I am. So then I’m not frazzled in any way. My mind is clear. Yoga helps me to stay grounded and feel capable of anything. The breath makes you feel so relaxed and clear. There are so many pathways into accessing your true nature and your authentic self.
When you’re in touch with that, you feel more joy, you feel more connection, to your partner, to your kids, to everyone. So for me, wellness is leading with the heart and getting back into your body and feeling really comfortable with that.
Marcello: Choice and possibly. To get a good education, you know, your parents always say, get a good education and lots of doors open up for you. Have the perfect state of mind and there’s not one door that’s closed, ever. So choice, then the possibilities for you to enter any door that you want. That’s what wellness means to me.
