Rise Higher Podcast | Empowerment | Motivation | Self-love | Confidence | Life Coaching | Hypnosis With Stephanie Kwong

Do you feel like your brain has been serious overdrive lately? A stream of clutter of fear, doubt, confusion, worry or overthinking turning your mental space into a chaotic mess? I know this whole quarantine sitch from the Coronavirus and all the uncertainty of the future has been wrecking havoc in our minds. When we’re caught up in our heads, distracted by worry, overthinking or fear, we’re not present or clear-headed. And when we’re not clear-headed, we lose the connection to ourselves, to others, our environment, and our lives. Mental clutter pulls us off center, depletes our energy and disrupts our inner balance and harmony. If your mind is frantically waving a red flag, begging you to free up some headspace by clearing out the head-trash, then make sure you get your earballs on today’s episode. I lead you through a guided hypnosis that will give you a little boost to declutter your mind to create more calm, clarity, focus and peace. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.

Today I’ve got two special guests for you - inspirational speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur, and co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series (with over 500 million books sold around the world), Mark Victor Hansen, and his wife Crystal Dwyer Hansen who is one of America’s leading success and wellness coaches. The huge success of the Chicken Soup series might suggest that Mark just has that Midas touch — but he assures me that isn’t the case. In fact, before Chicken Soup for the Soul’s release in 1993, Mark faced bankruptcy, a ton of rejection (the book was turned down 144 times!), and felt so low that he had to reach up to hit rock bottom. In this episode Mark tells me how he managed to pick himself up after each rejection, and how his faith in the power of his idea kept him going when everyone around him was telling him to quit. You’ll hear Mark and Crystal share their top tips for surrounding yourself with positivity, boosting your self-worth, and improving your inner monologue. They explain

Listen in as I talk to America’s Life Coach, Stephen Lovegrove about his own transformational journey from an unconventional childhood growing up as a gay kid in what he describes as a fundamentalist religious cult, to becoming a renowned coach that has helped countless entrepreneurs and A-listers to embrace their power, claim their destiny, and make their dreams come true. If you sometimes feel like events from your past are holding you back, Stephen is here to give you a wonderful reminder that you have way more control over your future than you might think. Tune in to find out how you too can overcome your past and create a life filled with love, hope, and success. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP72 

In this episode I’m talking to Dan “Nitro” Clark about how he rose to fame in American Gladiator, despite a childhood marked by trauma, alcohol abuse, and drug use. Dan reminds us just how deceptive appearances can be as he describes how “broken” he felt even when it looked to the rest of the world that he had everything we’re supposed to want: money, fame, incredible physical fitness, and even his own action figure!  Dan proves that with the right mindset, inner healing, and support, we can bounce back from anything, even a heart attack which Dan had back in 2013. That heart attack was a catalyst for him to break free from being a “some day” guy to living on purpose and taking inspired action every day. So, If you’ve ever found yourself saying “some day” to the things you want to experience or to accomplish, this episode is the perfect kick up the butt to start living your life right now! For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP71

If you're searching for answers in life (and really, who isn't?), you might not have to look any further than yourself. Today I’m dropping a solo episode on the podcast and I’m giving you a powerful guided hypnosis experience that will connect you with the still, small voice—your inner GPS that is always guiding you to your truth. I work with high achievers who are at the top of their game, and they know that one of their greatest assets for their personal and professional success is being able to listen to and trust their intuition. Your intuition, aka inner guidance is a superpower and can support you in so many ways like connecting you to your truth, unveiling answers to questions, and guiding you on your path and evolution. It’s important to be in tune with yourself and to connect with your own inner wisdom for guidance. This guided hypnosis will help you strengthen that connection with your inner wisdom. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP70

Back in 2014, Kanwer Singh AKA Humble the Poet left his career as an elementary school teacher to take the leap into the music scene based on a false promise that landed him deep in debt. Feeling betrayed and ashamed, he stayed in bed for 2 weeks taking NyQuil and muscle relaxers, waiting for someone to save him. The reality was that he needed to wake up, and he did. You’re going to hear how he got creative to make money, but more importantly, how he gained the courage to face his shadows, and turn his entire life around to become the incredible MC, spoken-word and hip-hop artist, speaker, filmmaker and best-selling author that he is today. Humble is a powerful example of what’s possible when you take responsibility for your life and do whatever it takes to improve your circumstances and thrive. If you need real inspiration and steps to empower yourself to turn your life circumstances around, this episode is for you. For full show notes and episode resources head to https://stephaniekwong.com/EP69

Former NFL athlete, international speaker, author and shift coach, Anthony Trucks defied painful odds, and created his own destiny. Anthony was given away at 3 years old into the foster care system and experienced an extreme amount of horrific abuse that no child ever should. He endured beatings, starvation, and different forms of torture all before the age of 6. He was in foster care for 8 more years before being adopted into a poor all white family as the only black person. In the years following, he continued having crazy shifts in his life like becoming a teen parent, losing his self-defining career in the NFL to an injury, having twins at 25 in an unstable marriage, coming close to suicide at age 28, getting a divorce, fully changing careers to try a new venture, losing his adoptive mother and father, remarrying his ex-wife and more. As you’ll hear today, Anthony didn’t let his past define him. He called the shots for his future by digging in deep to heal and creating powerful identity shifts that brough

Do you struggle with truly owning and unapologetically expressing who you authentically are? Billie Lee is a woman who knows deep in her soul that being true to yourself and comfortable in your own skin can gift you a lifetime of inner peace and joy. Billie is a transgender woman, activist, and blogger. You may recognize her from her time on the hit reality show Vanderpump Rules on Bravo TV. Billie was born and raised as a boy in a small town in Indiana. It was difficult for her to be who she was with constant bullying and shaming. Today you’re going to hear Billie’s difficult and deeply moving journey of discovering her trans experience, transitioning from male to female, and loving herself even through all the judgment and rejection of society. You’re going to learn how to release shame and create more self-love and acceptance. Billie also shares how she shielded herself from judgment and her steps to discover who you truly are and how to fully own it. For full show notes and episode resources head to http:

When life knocks you down, you always have the choice to stand back up. Today you’ll hear author & speaker, Chris Norton’s journey to stand after a life-altering spinal cord injury that had him lose feeling and movement from his neck down. Chris was given a 3% chance of any improvement, but he didn’t accept that as his fate. He beat the odds, worked his butt off to regain movement and years later he achieved his impossible when he walked across the stage of his college graduation capturing over 300 million views online. A few years after that he conquered the challenge of walking his wife down the aisle at their wedding. Chris shares the behind the scenes of what it took to achieve his goals and the mindset he uses to stay focused on his future instead of staying stuck in the past. Chris’ story and wisdom he gained along his journey to rise are truly inspiring. You’ll hear Chris empowers others to get back up when they get knocked down, and the power of hope, trust and faith to achieve the impossible. For

Motivational speaker, activist, author and YouTuber, Lizzie Velasquez was cruelly dubbed "The Ugliest Woman in the World" on a viral YouTube video when she was 17 years old. She was born with an extremely rare congenital disease that among other symptoms, prevents her from accumulating body fat, gaining weight, and it impacts her vision, bones, and heart. Out of that horrific YouTube incident, rose a fire and a desire in Lizzie to make it her life’s work to stand up for bullying victims, to inspire people around the world to look at inner beauty, and to spread kindness and acceptance. In this episode you’ll hear Lizzie’s incredible personal story of resilience, optimism, and forgiveness. We also talk about how to turn your pain into purpose and how to find the silver lining in the adversity. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP65

Have you ever been told that you don’t have what it takes to accomplish your biggest dreams? If you have, then you are going to love this episode with hip hop dancer, Amanda LaCount! When Amanda was ten years old, a studio director told her that her body type didn’t “fit his vision” for his dance team and she was kicked out. You’ll hear how she used that judgment as fuel to rise even higher to become the well known hip hop dancer, actress, choreographer, singer, model, and influencer that she is today.  Amanda has danced with some of the biggest names in show biz like Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Lizzo, and she’s proof that YOU decide your future, not the opinion of someone else. Because Amanda’s experienced countless ignorant comments about her body, she’s on a mission to celebrate body diversity and acceptance through her body positivity movement #breakingthestereotype. If you’re ready to break through any doubts, judgments or setbacks to achieve your dream, you’re going to love this episode. For full show n

Have you ever struggled with grief and moving forward in a productive way? Or have you ever wanted to increase your productivity to become ridiculously efficient? If you've said yes to one or both of those questions, then you're going to love this episode with Marissa Brassfield, integrator, storyteller, and secret weapon for visionary entrepreneurs. Marissa honed her skills working under the mentorship of Peter H. Diamandis, serving seven years as "Operations Goddess" at his PDD Ventures. She also co-created Diamandis' annual Abundance 360 executive mastermind and leads the experience and content design for annual January summit. Today, Marissa does a vulnerable deep dive into her personal grief process that she went through when both of her parents passed away within 14 months of each other as she was in the midst of building her incredible career. Marissa shares how this experience was a catalyst to connect with her true authentic self, and how she used work and creativity to move forward through this time

In this episode, the CEO of FounderMade Meghan Asha joins me to discuss the power of speaking your truth, positive perseverance, and how to dull the voice of your inner critic to reach your highest potential. Meghan discusses her journey from being unsure of herself and not feeling like she belonged, to speaking her truth and building a multi-million dollar company. Meghan is all about following the love, learning to live with (but not be ruled by) your inner critic and first and foremost the power of positive perseverance. Her reminder and first hand example that being human for that matter is meant to be messy and imperfect is an important one. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/ep62

Today we've got the sleep doctor, Dr. Breus talking about how to overcome sleep deprivation and unhealthy habits in order to create a healthier, more successful life. Dr. Breus is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and the top sleep specialist in the country. He can help YOU rise higher and improve your health by following his 5-Step Method for optimal sleep. He explains how using chronotypes, understanding your circadian rhythm, and being conscious of environmental stimuli can give you the sleep quality and quantity you need to be successful. Dr. Breus even goes on to teach us that there is a perfect time to do everything, like having sex, eating a cheeseburger and the perfect time to ask your boss for a raise based on your hidden biological chronotype which you're going to learn all about today. For full show notes and episode resources head to https://stephaniekwong.com/EP61

GloZell Green, comedian, YouTube sensation, actor and author, joins me to discuss her deepest truths, her path to authenticity, and how she manages life in the public eye. GloZell is hilariously honest, and you might be surprised to hear her dive deep into her struggles with depression, faith, and her career. Things always look rosy from the outside looking in, but today is all about stripping away the masks we all wear and personas we cultivate in order to unapologetically be and share your true self. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP60

Are you ready to bust through your fears to make you’re dreams a reality? Steve Sims, is the real life Wizard of Oz, founder of Bluefish, the world’s top luxury travel and lifestyle concierge firm, and author of Bluefishing: The Art of Making Anything Happen, joins me to discuss his path of becoming an incredibly successful entrepreneur with a star-studded client list. He makes his clients’ wildest dreams come true, from getting married by the Pope in the Vatican, singing on stage with Journey, being serenaded by Andrea Boccelli, and connecting with powerful business moguls like Elon Musk are just a few of the many projects he has worked on. Today you’ll hear some of Steve’s badass tips, practices, and strategies to help you break down any obstacle to turn your dreams into reality. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP59

Suzy Batiz, inventor, founder, and CEO of Poo-Pourri, the cult-favorite, all natural before-you-go toilet spray shares her powerful story of how she rose up from some of life’s lowest lows to build a $500 million empire and a deeply fulfilling life. Suzy shares her journey from a dysfunctional family, poverty, sexual and domestic abuse, depression, a suicide attempt and 2 bankruptcies, to embarking on a spiritual sabbatical where she transformed herself and developed internal happiness and abundance. Suzy now lives life on her terms. She follows and does what makes her come alive, and she inspires and empowers others to do the same. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP58  

Jordan Bach, life coach, motivational speaker, blogger, and yoga & meditation teacher, joins me to talk all about cultivating faith, trust, and your spirituality to live a deeply fulfilling life. If you’re hitting a rough patch in life and need some guidance, Jordan drops some serious nuggets of wisdom on how to release the struggle and to receive answers from the divine. We also discuss everything from how to stop holding yourself back, to how Jordan powerfully communicates with those he disagrees with, to how to truly connect with peace and happiness within. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP57

In this episode, CEO of Blue Horizon Developments and author of the book Homeless to Billionaire, Andres Pira shares his incredible story of being a high school drop out who’s been homeless, bankrupt and clinically depressed, to becoming a billionaire real estate tycoon who is deeply fulfilled. To create a better future for himself at age 20, Andres moved to Thailand with $100, but became penniless and homeless on the beach. Starving and angry, Andres called one last friend and begged for money. Instead of sending money, his friend sent a book — and it contained the ‘secret’ that changed Andres’ life. Today Andres dives into what he did to apply the concepts of the book into his life and how he used the power of his mind and beliefs to transform himself and his life. If you want to know how you too can change your fortunes in life, no matter how down and out you may be, click play on this episode! For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP56

Jen Esquer, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Founder of Mobility Method and one of the top 50 most influential healthcare professionals, shares her journey from being full of insecurities and not wanting to be seen, to owning her worth and showing up powerfully in a BIG way to help others heal their mind, body and soul. Today we discuss all things self-love, from ways to release comparison and self-judgment, to using your voice to speak up and feeling worthy of receiving. We also drop in about how to intentionally create your reality, and how to heal both your body and mind through certain practices where you are your own medicine. For full show notes and episode resources head to http://stephaniekwong.com/EP55