Ending up at the bottom – three timesJulius remembers ending up imprisoned after getting caught for drug dealing. He did not seem to follow signs for getting back on the right track, so he got imprisoned two more times, now considering his acts ridiculous. Having been jailed for four years, he claims he was not one of the men who were reading the Bible as a hobby to pass the time, throwing it in the trash after getting out. It changed his way of living, spreading his horizons, and understanding the importance of making the right choice.The right things to doWe all have different mindsets, some of which are not the best for us, but there is always the chance to change it and start living the right way. At the end of the day, we are all trainers of our own minds. Healthy minds will make us ready to follow the right path and skilled to answer and overcome all the temptations.Finding the right way, step by stepAfter getting out in 2010, he found himself having nothing – no money, no job, no love. Soon, he got the job for $7.7 per hour and started attending Sunday school. He met his wife there, marrying her not so long after.Oxymoron – planting the Church from the jail.With entrepreneurship in his blood (drug dealing), Julius soon realized that he needs to use this capability and turn his idea into reality. In 2018, with a considerable help from his wife, he started the Church. It turned out to be a great idea, as they soon got lots of people correlating with them, having similar life problems, ideas, and plans for the future.Allow God to lead the changes.Sharing love, trusting in God, believing in yourself, and always searching for a sunbeam – these are only some of Julius’s ideas of the world we should live in. We are having all of these as the everyday to-dos can make one’s life much happier and easier to live a fulfilled life in God.Follow Julius on IG: @iamchurch614.Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Mind Body Gem

Pastor Julius Lancaster: I am Church

Back in prisonJessica remembers ending up imprisoned for the second time. That was the time she realized that she didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. The second time she got out of prison was going to be her starting point toward improving her life habits and professional skills – the beginning of her new life.‘I want to be like you.’One event made a big difference. During Jessica’s class, she was amazed by her instructor’s shape and life habits, so Jessica said that she wanted to be like her. To her surprise, the instructor looked her in the eye and said she believed Jessica would achieve that. Thankful for such strong support from other people, she promised herself never to give up on her dreams, which she had put on hold during incarceration. After that, she did not miss a class, and soon after became a trainer.It was the mother-side that made the decision.Another situation was a vital sign for her. When asked by other women, what was the most important thing in her life, she immediately responded: “My children.” Women just looked at her and disagreed, and Jessica felt deeply offended, but that was the moment she realized that her way of living wasn’t right for her kids. She should be around them and give them support, watching them grow up in a healthy family full of love.Show me who your friends are, and I will tell you what your future isAfter surrounding herself with all those positive people, Jessica continued fighting for every day, for every training, for every moment of her life. She soon found a job in the gym and became the head coach, which was just the natural chain of events for such a strong-willed person.Love is in the airNumerous things led to Jessica’s present situation in life, and one of them was love. Today, she is finally happy with her relationship status and engaged to a man who showed a tremendous amount of respect for her reentering the community and support during the most critical moments in her life.Follow Jessica on IG: @iamjessdoitConnect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Jessica Burke: Believe in Your Dreams

Before vs. after pandemicDezi thinks motherhood is always a full-time activity, which is not changing due to pandemic. The only difference is that people, not just mothers, need to learn how to live indoors, without a lot of outdoor activities, and make their time spend indoors more creative. She thinks that now is the great time to (re)connect with our loved ones.It's all about health and wealthDezi is grateful for her family being healthy and she explains why health starts from her garden, cultivating and eating healthy food in order to be physically able to enjoy activities that include mental involvement. As a mother, she is teaching her kids to be good human beings, and she considers it to be a life garden, where we should teach and treat sharing as the priority to grow happier and healthier.Cryptocurrency investingInvesting in cryptocurrencies for Dezi is more like learning patience, not just the way to earn money. She compares and contrasts herself to 'money people' and finds that people tend to give up when the future is not bright. Her attitude is to wait and see how everything turns out. Lessons learned from one particular situation can always be implemented in different contexts in the future and can lead to great improvement in other aspects.TravelingDezi considers traveling to be a way of learning new things and experiencing the unpredictable. Her opinion is that everything we need for traveling is a passport, sometimes not even that. We just need to step out from our comfort zone, travel to the next city, see how things are different. This may not always be a big difference, but it’s still noticeable.Advice for freeing our mindsEven though in the media we see lots of people that have an influence in our society, we should always believe in ourselves – not the president, celebrities, or anyone else. We should also have a free mindset where we don’t have any bosses. Someone will definitely be in charge, but we should not look at him/her as the boss, only as our co-worker. Setting ourselves and our life free is priceless, and we should always do everything we can to achieve that state of mind.Follow Desiree's Journey on IG: @dezispeaks.lifeConnect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Desiree Riley: Goal-Oriented Mindset

Starting in Criminal Justice fieldKysten remembers choosing Criminal Justice major at her university, not being completely sure if it was going to be her field of interest. After getting a master’s degree in Public Policies, she didn’t want to wait for the job, so she started volunteering. She found volunteering as the perfect starting point from where she could develop her skills in the field. Jail vs. prisonIf you convict a crime and you get sentenced for less than 1 year, you will end up in jail. If you are sentenced for more than 1 year, you will go to prison. Even though your sentence is less than a year, jails should start the reentering process with the convicted individual in order to ensure his/her successful return to the community. That's why both the institution and the community are responsible.Relationships are our currenciesRokki and Kysten talk about differences between imprisoned men and women. Kysten claims that there is a huge number of women who ended up imprisoned just by trying to protect their (sometimes even ex) boyfriends. Therefore, Kysten thinks that a large part of them are guilty because they want to be loyal.'First step' idea and conceptKysten is one of the like-minded people who formed 'First Step'. She spreads awareness of their beliefs and actions, helping people reenter their community, take care of their mental health, improve their chances of getting decent jobs, and get all the dots reconnected. First Step shows that no matter how far away the destination is, journey will always start with the first step.Follow Kysten on IG: @alana0817Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate 

Kysten Palmore: If Everyone Does A Little, No One Has To Do A Lot

Starting Fit to Navigate journeyAsegedech remembers her partner won the opportunity to travel to the Hague, the Netherlands, for a very important summit about entrepreneurship. This gave Asegedech the chance to develop her career and turned out to be extremely important. She quit her corporate job, having nothing but dreams at the moment.Hearing no as potential yesRokki and Asegedech talk about starting their project from scratch, acquiring their knowledge about the business world, and not wanting to give up after being rejected by potential business partners. They have always tried to promote their idea, knowing the uniqueness of the issue they wanted to spread the awareness of (incarceration and prison are not so popular in some parts of the world, like Australia).Meeting people where they areAsegedech reveals she found inspiration in Rokki's philosophy that people we meet already have their history and life path up to the present moment. Therefore, we should not judge others, but only show them opportunities to improve their lives and encourage them to live in a healthy and happy way. Every decision can be life-changingThere are two ways we can live our lives. We can either let it be or we can fight. Just like a single decision can bring a lot of problems into our life, we can also decide to do good things, which will lead to our rebirth and give our life a purpose. Fit to Navigate is there to show that after dark moments in life, there is always a light waiting to shine on us.Follow Asegedech on IG: @Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Asegedech: Tea Time with Asegedech

Best job so farErin remembers the time when she had $22 a month (‘while banana was $1’), happily comparing it to the present and her current job, the best she has ever had. Thanks to her full-time job and getting paid for overtime work, she now has the possibility to save money for her new home, where she plans to spend time with her fiancé and son.Mother-son relationshipWhile in last episode Erin was talking about difficulties of building trust in the relationship with her son, now she has great news. She got full custody of her 14-year-old boy and now they have the possibility to finally strengthen their bonds. Although having a teenager in the house is quite difficult, her fiancé contributes to a healthy family atmosphere which benefits everyone.Facing problems soberErin talks about tons of problems she faced after the prison and how she managed to do so thanks to a strong commitment to herself and staying sober. She constantly deals with overwhelming emotions, but solving problems one after another just makes the next one much easier to solve. She also mentions her hobbies as an important part of living a healthier and relaxed life, including training, yoga, and going shopping.Goals are great, but persistence is betterEven though many people set goals after a tough period in life, a lot of them just want to achieve success, not enjoy the journey. Erin thinks having goals is very important, but we should set them only to improve ourselves. That way, if we sometimes don’t succeed, we will be even more committed to entering the next fight with a stronger armor – experience.Follow Erin Cullums on IG: @erinlee152Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Erin Cullums: Bigger than Speed Bumps

Education as the foundation of a good lifeJanet explains her interests in taking care of people since her childhood. Starting from a stuffed animal hospital in her bedroom, she later became even more interested in becoming a doctor. Although this was not an easy feat, she succeeded through a strong commitment to her studies, and years and years of helping people in her amazing career.Understanding women as human beings facing unenviable decisionsJanet brings up the topic of how young women often have very difficult choices to make. One example is abortion at an early age, when a person is in a sensitive period of life and should decide whether to become a mother or continue education keeping open the door that leads to fulfilling professional dreams.Being human before being a professionalRokki remembers a touching moment when she had health issues and Janet offered her help despite her financial difficulties. Janet goes on to talk about how sometimes the healthcare system can be an obstacle rather than support for ill people.Setting yourself as the top priorityThrough history, women have often tended to put their family needs before themselves. Consequently, women's health was often being neglected. Speaking of health, Janet emphasizes the importance of activities that fulfill women as a person, as individuals who should have some time for themselves. Being burned out professionally and as a mother can result in health problems – from minor to serious.Retirement as a new chapterEven though Janet spent more than 30 years in a very stressful profession, she still has lots of plans for the following years, having various hobbies like fitness, running, and camping with her grandchildren. She claims that setting goals is of vital importance for staying healthy both inside and outside, physically and mentally.Follow Janet Lucas on IG: @Janet7344Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Janet Lucas: Health and Happiness – Inside and Outside

Erin and Rokki Bonner discuss Erin’s getting back on the right path and dealing with a family crisis after prison, successfully putting it behind and starting it right from scratch with happiness and health as priorities.Losing mother-son balance and fighting to win it backAfter getting out of the prison, Erin finds it surprisingly challenging to reconnect with her son, who was growing up without her, only seeing her every so often. Erin describes different phases of establishing strong family bonds, starting from complete strangers living together, through learning how to discover mutual boundaries with respect, to the final phase of getting to ‘learn each other’, living in love and peace.From addiction to jailErin remembers the time she started her addiction when she was just 17. After ending up in jail at 23, she finds herself deeply struggling, trying to find her way to sobriety. She meets Rokki and discovers fitness not only as a way to become fit but also to inspire people.Finding the right pathErin expresses her thankfulness about her life after prison so far. She finds her second chance by working three jobs at the same time, after which she finds one full-time job, with a lot more time to devote to family life. She gets back to fitness, finds a boyfriend, gets a dog, and a cat, all of which makes her new environment perfectly positive and fulfilling. She wants to inspire other people.Wise words to the youthBeing young is not easy because making decisions seems much easier and harmless than it is. In fact, looking from the current perspective, Erin deems that young people should find other ways to express themselves, claiming that "there are better things in life” than doing drugs and going astray. Her advice is to start working out, enjoy life totally, and focus on its bright side.Erin’s plans for the futureNot wanting to focus on the distant future, Erin’s main plan is to live for today and tomorrow. She thinks that being realistic can help one do much more with one’s future, so her plans are modest. She is going step by step and living life to the fullest.Follow Erin Hawkins on IG: @erinlee152Connect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Erin Hawkins: From Addiction to “Better things in life”

Special guest: Desiree Riley –COO and first Fellow of Fit to Navigate, single mother, mommapreneur, and certified fitness coach.Dezi and Rokki Bonner discuss Dezi’s incarceration, the sacrifices people make to fit social norms, Dezi's decision to find her own path in the world of fitness, and the importance of being true to oneself.Cruel justice system with a ray of hope.Dezi talks about having been arrested for possession and distribution of marijuana and facing a long prison sentence. She feels frustrated that some groups have been traditionally incarcerated for such offences while others can produce and sell drugs legally. Luckily, this is slowly changing, as selling drugs becomes decriminalized.Getting out of prison and in the new job.Dezi is grateful that her history of a felony doesn’t affect her job interview, as she gets a full-time job. However, shortly afterward, sitting at a desk negatively affects her body and mind, as she gains weight and realizes she isn’t meant to work in an office. In spite of being offered a promotion and various benefits, she doesn’t want to sacrifice her health and quits the job. Life abroad.What follows is a journey full of challenges mostly throughout Central America. Return to fitness and living healthy changes her mindset and life. She chooses her health and her family’s well-being over a stable and profitable corporate job – a difficult decision but the right one for her.Back to the US.Dezi is now fully dedicated to fitness and enjoys helping people. She earns less money than she would if she had stayed in her old company but has the privilege of spending a lot of quality time with her children. She compares the experiences of financially well-off people with her family’s experiences and she feels no regret at all.What does fitness mean to Dezi?Dezi becomes a certified fitness instructor. For her, being part of Fit to Navigate means purpose, a chance to merge her passions, and a way to provide her children with everything they deserve. She reflects on her present life and its benefits and concludes that everything is finally paying off after a long period of struggle.What motivates Dezi?Finally, Dezi sums up by saying that what drives her are her loved ones, family, and community – all the people she loves. She feels she is building a legacy for her children and the children of her loved ones, her clients, and hopefully future generations.Follow Desiree 's Journey on IG: @dezispeaks.lifeConnect with Mind, Body, Gem guests and upcoming workshops on IG: @Fit_to_navigate

Desiree Riley: From Corporate and Unhealthy to Fitness and Happy

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Rokki Bonner: Be the Entrepreneur

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Alicia Faulkner: Getting on the Good Foot

Chanelle Redman: The Power of Forgiveness

Tea Time with Asegedech! She flips the Script

Rhonda Spero: Dancing her way into community Impact!

Rokki randomness and the process of trying to remain healthy. Toronto Love!

Mind Body Gem W/ Rokki's Detox and Randomness

Mind Body Gem, and that's GEM is a conversational podcast where we believe cultivating the mind, movement of the body, showing more love and compassion, especially for ourselves aligns us with our purpose and we become the GEM we are designed to be. It all started with a framework of how fitness saved my life.