a whole new you: an author interview

In January, the concept of "new" is discussed quite a bit. It's a new year and people often want new selves. They set resolutions and resolve to make changes to improve their lives—which makes it a perfect time to delve into a new book by bestselling self-help author Brett Blumenthal: A Whole New You: 6 Steps to Ignite Change for Your Best Life. Brett is a former fitness instructor and corporate change management consultant with a passion for inspiring positive change in others—physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and intellectual. Practicing gratitude and overcoming roadblocks to happiness are important tenets in her philosophy, which makes reading her book a must for anyone striving for a positive and present new year. Below you'll find an interview with Brett featuring insights into why she does what she does—and what you'll get out of her new book.

Why did you choose wellness as your personal mission and career?

My passion for wellness began way back in college when I started teaching aerobics. I was never overweight or tremendously out of shape, but I was most certainly picked last for gym class. When I committed to making a change for better health and exercise, I not only felt physically transformed, but I also saw the many emotional benefits that resulted.
I wanted to share that feeling with others.

What are you prescribing in A Whole New You?

In A Whole New You, I provide a process for people to follow in making change. The prescription for change is really dependent on a formula created by and for each individual. The process I outline, however, seems most helpful to those who are trying to overhaul an aspect of their life, or are tackling large goals that can seem overwhelming, such as losing a substantial amount of weight and improving health, or changing careers.

Why is your message different than other self-help experts?

I’ve read many self-help books. With almost all of them, I was left feeling like they shared a lot of “whats” and “whys” but not a lot of “hows”. Instead of an expert, I see myself as a change agent…someone who will not only inspire people to take control of their lives and make change in a way that is meaningful to them, but someone who also provides the know-how and tools to do so. Coming from a professional background in change management, I know that you can’t go into a Fortune 100 company and purely tell a workforce what they should do; you have to help them understand the need for change, and how to approach making it. This applies on a personal level as well.

What is the most important pre-requisite for making change?

There are many important pre-requisites to be successful in making change. But, if I had to choose one, it would be the ability to be genuinely honest with yourself. Regardless of the type of change you are trying to make, if you can’t be honest about who you are and where you come from, where you are today and where you want to be in the future, and pure and simple, what you want out of life, then any attempt at making change will be unauthentic and will most likely fail.

In your book, you advocate rigorous self-assessment. What is the greatest metric for gauging one's success?

If you really have a solid understanding of yourself, you will feel at peace with your decisions, your goals and your accomplishments. You will know that in your heart, your choices and the outcomes of those choices are true to who you are. You’ll be able to let go of others’ expectations, and instead, will know change when you see it.

How can we keep a positive change permanent?

It is really important that any change you make is a change you want to make. You have to own it. You have to feel passionate and have a strong emotional connection to it. If you change because you feel you “should” or “have” to, or worse, because other people want you to, then you run the risk of the change not lasting. I also believe that it is really helpful to document the positive outcomes of the changes you make. If for instance, you lose weight and feel a huge improvement in your physical and emotional wellbeing, then journal those feelings. Doing so will give you something to reference when you feel less motivated.

Want more from Brett? Pick up your copy of A Whole New You: 6 Steps to Ignite Change for Your Best Life and start igniting change in your life. From stories to worksheets to research, the book contains almost everything you need to really create change. And for more on Brett, check out her site SheerBalance.com.