Discovering the Wisdom Within with Alexi Panos and Preston Smiles

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Hey, it's JJ Virgin. And welcome to the JJ Virgin lifestyle show, where we're going to connect with some of the coolest people in the world. Plus, I'll give you tips that you can put into fast action to uplevel your health and and your life. Now, today's show is all about you and why your dreams are waiting on you. I've got this. They're called the power couple of personal development, but you're gonna hear them kind of dis personal development in this show, which I love. It's Preston smiles and Alexi Panos, and they have a great book now or epic life in five steps. And they're gonna share one of their tools with you today that comes cost nothing can be done anywhere and can shift your mindset and your mood in a minute. Interested? Yep. So hang for that. Let me tell you a little bit about them before I bring them on. So they are pioneers in something called the emergent wisdom movement. I'll have them explain that to you themselves. They've created this bridge method, and that's their online training programs, and they do this whole movement of transformation through a lot of social media and video, which is just amazing. And they've built a huge fan club, a tribe of amazing people all over the world that aren't using them as gurus. And you're gonna hear us kind of bash gurus too, but as facilitators to really help them go out there and live that big life they're all about. There's so many gems in this interview. I cannot. I can't wait another minute to share it with you. I'm just gonna do it now. So today's guests are Alexi Panos and Preston Smiles. All right, let's do it. Alexi and Preston, welcome to the show. I'm so excited to talk with you.

Thanks. Thanks for having us.

Aha. Well, you know, I'm looking at your bio, and you are listed as personal development's power couple. Is that true? And if so, how did that happen?

Yeah, I would say anything.

Own it, right? Own it.

What we say is true.

Exactly.

Am I powerful? Absolutely. Is Alexi powerful? Absolutely. When we come together. It's a Hell yes. And so I think the reason why people are holding us in that light is because both of us are very committed to spreading the message of love, authenticity, and personal freedom. And we were doing it without each other. And since we've come together, you know, it's like everything doubles and so. And we love the hell out of each other. And she's sexy.

She's sexy.

And it's fun.

Yeah, well, it didn't say it here, but it's really personal development. Hot power couple.

Right.

We'Ll take that.

But now, like, were you both into this world and you found each other, or did you find each other and then get into this? Like, and, you know, and what is this? Like, what do you do and how did you get here?

Yeah, well, we both consider ourselves activators of human potential, and Preston and I both, before we met each other, were deep into our own journey of this. So we had both spent about a decade plus on our own self work and getting to a place within ourselves where we really felt truly aligned with our calling. And also the fact that our calling called us to something greater. It called us into service. So. So before we met, we were leading workshops and speaking and doing all sorts of events. However, coming together, as Preston said, it literally amplified our activation. It amplified our mission tenfold. And people really love to have a beacon of a relationship to look towards as well. Because it's one thing to be in the personal development field and leading the charge, but it's another thing for people to see a couple doing it because it's aspirational. Everybody wants to find that kind of love that's powerful, committed to something bigger than themselves, and fun at the same time.

Well, heck, yeah. And I look at this and here's my take on everything. And what I'm doing now with mindset is, you know, you develop this bigger sense of purpose and this bigger mindset so that you can have the amazing relationship. You can, you know, be more financially successful, hopefully, so that you can go out there and do more in the world. You can create that career you love. You can have that amazing health. So, you know, you're just showing it, being applied and working. And I'm always suspect, I must say, when I see someone who's a personal development person that seems still entirely messed up and sitting in their own stuff, you know, it's like, you want to know they've gone through it and we're all a work in progress, let's face it. But, you know, if you're that much of a work in progress. I'm like, huh?

Be on the other side before you start teaching.

Yes.

So you've got this thing that you're a pioneer in, and I just got to know what it is. It's called the emergent wisdom movement. What is that?

Well, you know, Preston and I, when we started thinking about this whole world that we're in, two terms came to mind. Personal development and self help. And both for us, kind of felt icky, like there was so much crap attached to both of them. And quite frankly, we don't think that any person needs help. We believe that every person has every single capacity that they need within them, and Preston and I are just the facilitators to help that wisdom emerge.

Essentially, we take ourselves off the pedestal and remind people that their greatness was always within themselves and we're forever unfolding like a lotus flower. And yes, we get to have and look towards people as facilitators to supporting us and seeing that, but the wisdom is always emerging from within.

So we've got a no guru policy. It sounds like, heck, yeah.

Essentially.

Love it. Yeah. Because I gotta tell you, I look at a lot of this stuff in personal development and self help, and I'm like, it just feels, like repackaged, you know? And I just. I honestly, I agree with you.

It's just.

It doesn't seem that difficult. We, like, make all of these things up to make it hard when a lot of it's just removing boundaries. So let's talk boundaries and blocks. What do you think is holding most people back?

Point blank, it's themselves, you know, And I think in the. In the bigger picture, it's the ego self, and the higher self is wanting to emerge, but the ego self is wanting to stay safe. So you've got this battle between certainty and uncertainty. And the higher self always plays in uncertainty because it plays in trust. And the wounded self, the ego, is always playing in I need to know, I need to control. I need to not step out of my comfort zone. And it lets fear win so that it can stay safe.

I have a saying that I'm using in miracle mindset, and it is not to be fearless. It is to lean into fear. Because it's not about being fearless. It's actually feeling fear, leaning into fear, and being courageous. And it goes straight along with what you just said. So I love that. Now someone hears that and they go, all right, okay, I hear that. And I've got these big goals and dreams, but how do I Like, you know, get ego, self, like out of the way.

One of the first things that we would remind them or support them in understanding and it's so simple and so easy, but so many of us miss it is bringing oxygen back to the brain. So shifting the neurology and the biology. Because a lot of times when people are stuck, they're actually, you can see it in the body. And when we feel or experience these fight or flight situations, which no longer are saber toothed tigers, but really just a lot of emails and kids and all of the other daily stuff that people are experiencing when that fight or flight pops in. A lot of times people become really shallow breathers and so they don't have as many options because the brain is flooded. And so one of the practical tools that we use and we talk about in our new book now or Never, is about conscious breathing, about bringing an awareness to the breath and centering ourselves and then changing our physiology in order to then be in the conversation of how am I responsible and asking powerful questions.

I just love this because that is one of my mindset hacks. There you have it. You know all those things that you're kind of like having your own little pity party, getting in your own way and then you can do something that can flip your state like so quickly and you know, breathing, breathing, but, but doing it correctly. So I love that. And so in your book now or Never, you go through. Because it sounds simple, but you really need to make sure you're breathing deep, mindfully, correctly.

Right?

Yeah, yeah, it's, it's a process. And you know, Preston and I are both certified breathwork trainers and we go deep into the capacity of what the breath can actually do within the body. But we offer people in the book a really simple way for you to center yourself with your breath. You know, 100, a thousand times a day. Preston and I do it now probably at least 500 to a thousand times a day unconsciously, because we've been in the practice of it for so long.

That's fantastic. You know, that's one of the biggest things is to learn these things so they become a habit. So then you have that structure, so then you're free. And you know, I was one of those high anxiety people. So deep breathing, I had a psychologist who's like, breathe into a bag. So that's kind of where it's started. So I'm glad I learned how to do it because carrying a bag around is a little awkward now. Someone's going sideways. And we just talked about Breath work. But like, you know, what's, what's another tool if someone's like, you know, off track, going, going down the wrong, the wrong way, what, how can they get themselves back on track?

Yeah. You know, one of the things that often happens when we're spiraling out of control is we're in victim state. And when we're in that victim state consciousness, we're thinking the world's against us, we're in our heads about what's going wrong, how we're such a screw up, how this, how that and that spirals us out into this deep state of uncertainty and fear and judgment. And so how we can get ourselves out of that is first by taking that conscious breath. Then once we're clear and centered and back into our bodies and out of that craziness of our head, we can go, okay, how am I responsible for what I'm being with right now? And now that I'm responsible for it, what lessons can I learn and how can I apply this? And taking that proactive approach, it's literally just like a mind shift. Once we shift our mind into a proactive approach versus a victim mentality, everything changes. Because it's then in our hands and we're not waiting for the world to be correct or justified or to give us what we need to feel better. It's kind of this self soothing thing that we can do. Just accessing our own responsibility and then saying, okay, what next?

You're going to love this. I walked in, gosh, it was like 20 plus years ago. I was leading a workshop and I walk into this room where I'm going to hold this workshop and there's a sign there that's been left over from another workshop because it's a hotel. This wasn't meant to be there. But of course, you know, of course it was meant to be there. And it said, there are no victims, only volunteers. I was like, oh, that's so beautiful. Because, you know, really one of my mission statements is to help people take personal responsibility, you know, for their health, for their life. So that's what you're saying here. And it's so empowering because the minute you decide you're not a victim, guess what? Guess who's in charge. It's so awesome. So now why should someone do this? Like, why should someone grab your book? Why should someone do your workshops? Why should someone go and really start to do this work on themselves versus just kind of, you know, roll around? Maybe everything's fine and we're happy and should Just leave it be. Like, you know, what would you say to that?

I would say, why the hell not? So one of my own personal understandings is either we're on. We're either designing life, or we're on default. We're on autopilot. And I find that fun, that life is a lot more fun when I'm designing it and when I don't know all the time. The paradox and one of the things that Tony Robbins and a lot of other people teach is that out of the six human needs, the first two, one is certainty. The second one is uncertainty. But so many of us cling to certainty. We want to know how everything is going to be. Then it gets boring, and then we start watching. Then we create chaos and eating and doing all the other stuff because of that boredom. And so for me, take our stuff with a grain of salt. But try it. Try it on. Like you try on that jacket at the store. See, we're not in the business of trying to get everybody. We're in the conversation of being a catalyst and a source of light for those who are at least have an awareness that there's more to life.

Hey, Rick, you know what, Preston, I'd love you to get everybody. I'd love everybody listening to wake up and go, hey, there's more out there. You know, we work on everything else in our life. We work on our car, we work on our house. Like, work on ourselves. Start with ourselves. The other stuff. Yeah, you know, you can buy a new car.

Jj, I love that you brought that up, because so many people, you know, we have this desire for external things. You know, we want the better car. We want more money. We're coming into that time of year where everybody starts to say, oh, I'm going to have this and have that and have this. But really, what we ultimately want is a better relationship with ourselves.

Yeah, we want to be loved. Starting with loving ourselves. And a new car doesn't change that. It's a momentary blip.

That's it. And if we can get real about that and know that the minute we change the central. At the central access point of everything in our lives, which is us, the minute we develop ourselves into being the most loving, most grounded, most, you know, fully alive being that we can be, then we vibrate on a currency that attracts everything we could ever want in our lives. So, you know, why do the work? Because. Why not? You're an extraordinary being. Why not tap into that and utilize your fullest potential?

Exactly. Why not? Because you deserve it. And the World needs you. We're all waiting out there. So. Okay, I'm speed rounding you guys, both of you. I want each of you to answer. I'm going to do you first. Alexi, what's the one that means? Preston, now you get time to think. I wish you could plug your ears, but, you know. All right, what's the one thing you do every day that makes the biggest difference in your life?

Read, schedule, play.

You know what's great? Neither of those answers have been said, really. Uh, I mean, in what? I don't know how many podcasts I've done now. I've never heard either of those.

Wow.

Isn't that cool? Yes. And Alexi, what are you reading right now?

Currently reading the Placebo Effect.

I haven't heard of that one.

It's pretty awesome. It's all about how our brain and our body can basically heal itself based on the belief that it can. And there's all these studies. It's so fascinating and just like, deeply mind bending, highly recommended.

I will get that for my son. My son had a traumatic brain injury, and we have been bringing him back, and literally, they told us to let him die. And then they're like, he'll never wake up. And then he'll never talk. And we're like, yeah. Huh. So everything they tell us he's never gonna do, we're like, mm, all right. Yep. That's. We're disregarding you. Yes. He will totally dig it. He is just defying the odds, which I love, and showing people that you don't have to listen to that stuff, man. Just don't let it in your ears. You get what you expect, right?

Exactly.

So now I know, because we've got two of you on the podcast. We got two cool things for people, and I'm going to send everyone to. Okay, this is a longer. A longer one. Maybe I'll just do your name. Alexi. It's jj Virgin dot com. Forward slash Alexi. Rather than putting Alexi and Preston, it'll be easier. So forward slash Alexi, and tell us what you guys have for everybody there.

Sure. Well, you get to choose from two free video trainings. One will be for me, and it's a training on how to sustain and create happiness in your life. So it's three training videos along with some worksheets to get you really grounded on what happiness means and how you can generate it for yourself.

And then, first of all, I'm jealous. Jj, you called on Alexi twice in a row.

Well, I'm playing favorites. With the girls. I'm sorry. That's it. That's it. Sisterhood. There you go, Preston.

I love it. So, yeah, mine will be it is five tools to embrace fear and achieve more. So it's really about the relationship with fear and learning to play in that. Like you said, lean into it and create more abundance in life.

Super. I love both of those. Now, can't we have both if we want them?

Of course.

Okay, good. Because you were like, you can have this or that. I'm like, I want both. And I'm sure you're listening. Wants both. And again, that's JJVirgin.com Alexi and you guys, thank you so much for, for joining me. And we are going to find some time to hang out since we keep, you know, barely seeing each other at all these events, like from a distance. So I'm looking forward to that. All right. Now after the break, I'm going to be answering the listeners questions. So stay with me.

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Welcome back. This is the time where I answer a listener's question. And today's question puts me on the, on the hotspot. And it's from Scott. And Scott is from Eugene, Oregon. And Scott writes in jj, you ask your guests what's the one thing they do every day that makes the biggest difference in their life? So, jj, what's the one thing you do every day that makes the biggest difference in your life? All right, well, so this wasn't quite as fair as what I just did to Alexi and pressed in because I got to think about it. But it's really, I don't have to think about this at all. I can tell you it's journaling every single day. And I've done this for, gosh, 30 plus years. I get up, I pull out a journal, and the first thing I do is write down at least three things or people that I'm grateful for. And some days I'll just make a list. Some days I'll write specifics as to why. And then I just let it rip. I just drop things in. It may be numbers and lists because.

I'm very left brain.

It may just be just a lot of getting something out that's just, you know, been festering, but I just let it all rip. But that journal, that has just kept me focused, it frames my day by getting up every morning and starting that in gratitude. And there's something about putting the pen to paper that just connects the dots. So I encourage you. In fact, I challenge you to give that one a go. Grab a journal. I have everyone doing this in my miracle Mindset academy. Grab a journal every morning and do this for 30 days. 30 day gratitude challenge. Write down three people or things that you're grateful for. All right, if you'd like to submit a question, just head over to my Facebook page at JJVirginFan Club and I have a favor to ask. I would so appreciate it if you could jump on Stitcher or itunes and leave a review for me. And be sure to subscribe and share the show with your friends. This is JJ Virgin signing off and reminding you to live courageously. Show up. Step up. You are stronger than you think.

Hello listeners, this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week, I take all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment, whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change or a a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything. You'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and Visit our website whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.