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My guest for Episode #251 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Elaine Hart, the Chief Banana Officer at Power Fitness Events. She’s a resilient fitness enthusiast and former luxury event manager at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Overcoming challenges including anorexia, she discovered strength in fitness and community. Elaine transitioned her career to empower others through spinning, founding Power Fitness.
Her resilience was further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting her business to offer virtual classes. With a mantra of “Keep Pedaling,” Elaine's story inspires physical and mental strength, shared passionately from her spinning bike.
In today's episode, Elaine talks about mistakes including:
- Quitting her job to start a business in 2020
- Feeling shame about her anorexia
Through innovation and determination, Elaine transformed the unforeseen challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity for growth and deepened engagement. Her unique initiative, “Bring Your Own Banana” (BYOB), nurtures an environment of playfulness, motivation, and connectivity within her community. As the ‘Chief Banana Officer,' her story encapsulates the spirit of Power Fitness Events—a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and community connection.
Questions and Topics:
- Why are you the “Chief Banana Officer?”
- Would it have been a mistake to stay in the career?
- What drove you to make that big decision?
- It says Self-Care on the banana – tell us about that
- A mistake to think one-size-fits-all when it comes to advice?
- Why do you say we should make the stumble part of the dance?
- What does it mean to distance yourself from the action, the mistake?
- Shame around mistakes — had a lot of shame around her anorexia?
- Mental health first aid??
- The importance of being playful? How did you learn this or discover it in you?
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- Video version of the episode
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- Quotes
- Full transcript
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![“When we get all consumed by the mistake, we're not creating that gap [between you and the mistake] to be able to learn from it.” Elaine Hart](https://www.markgraban.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/My-Favorite-Mistake-Quotes-Elaiine-Hart-1.jpg)
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Episode Summary
The Rise of Resilience: Elaine Hart and Power Fitness Events
Elaine Hart, known for her role as the chief banana officer at Power Fitness Events, is a name that's etching deeply into the heart of the fitness industry. With a past shadowed by the personal hardship of overcoming anorexia, Hart has emerged as a beacon of strength, both physically and mentally. Her journey is not just one of self-discovery but a testament to the power of community and adaptability in the face of widespread uncertainty.
Embracing Challenges and Inspiring Others
Elaine Hart's Resilient Path: From Luxury to Fitness
Elaine Hart's foray into fitness wasn't a simple choice—it was a necessity born out of a struggle with anorexia. Through this adversity, she found refuge in the empowering world of fitness, which eventually became her source of strength. This personal breakthrough set her on a new professional trajectory that strayed far from her previous career as a luxury event manager at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Hart's transformation transcends beyond the physical; she draws from her own experiences to inspire and empower others through fitness.
Building a Community Amidst Crisis
Transitioning to fitness instruction, Hart aimed to harness the collective energy of spin classes. However, as Power Fitness was about to be propelled from concept to reality in spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into what many perceived to be a well-oiled plan. Instead of viewing this as a setback, Hart adopted her mantra “keep pedaling,” which reflects the spinning theme of her classes and acted as a metaphor for persisting through difficulties.
Power Fitness: Not Just Spinning Wheels
Innovating Through a Pandemic with Virtual Classes
As the pandemic limited access to in-person fitness sessions, Hart innovatively adapted her business model. Leveraging the virtual world, she began offering online classes via Zoom, ensuring that the essence of Power Fitness—connection and community—remained intact even when social distancing was paramount. Hart's adaptation not only sustained her business but allowed it to thrive in a time when many faced closure. This pivot demonstrated that Power Fitness was never about the spinning bikes alone; it was about movement, mental well-being, and the celebration of community.
The Unconventional ‘Chief Banana Officer' Role
In a move that epitomizes Power Fitness's playful yet meaningful spirit, Hart named herself the chief banana officer—a title that sparks curiosity and exemplifies the lightheartedness she brings to fitness. This title encapsulates Hart's desire to shift away from conventional fitness roles and create an environment free from intimidation. Hart's passion for connection is evident in the unique initiative she introduced: the BYOB—Bring Your Own Banana concept. Participants are encouraged to write a motivational word on a banana and virtually share it during classes, fostering engagement and infusing a sense of play into the fitness experience.
Navigating Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement
Redefining the Business Model
What could have been considered a premature launch turned out to be an ingenious response to unforeseen circumstances. Hart chose to run her classes on a donation-based system—pay what you can—ensuring the inclusivity of the community she was building. This approach allowed her to maintain engagement and grow the Power Fitness family during times of economic uncertainty. With over 3,000 participants joining from various corners of the globe, the initiative became much more than a makeshift solution; it became an expansive and unforgettable exercise in community building.
Bananas: A Brand and a Philosophy
Bananas became the emblem of Power Fitness, symbolizing much more than a quirky brand element. The act of sharing bananas with words of inspiration created a movement all its own and turned an otherwise common fruit into a symbol of community strength, shared experiences, and personal growth. This element of the brand allowed Hart to transcend the spinning class stereotype and create something wholly unique that resonated with people on a fundamentally human level.
Elaine Hart's journey with Power Fitness Events is not just a case study in successfully navigating business during a crisis; it's a story of how a shared vision, resilience, and innovative thinking can build not just a brand, but a movement that redefines wellness and community.
Cultivating Joy and Playfulness in Health Routines
The Power of Joy in Achieving Fitness Goals
Elaine Hart's approach at Power Fitness is grounded in the idea that joy and playfulness can be potent drivers for health and wellness. As adults, the concept of play is often relegated to the sidelines, but Hart brings it center stage as a fundamental component of fitness. By shifting the focus from stringent metrics to enjoyment, members find that reaching their fitness goals becomes a byproduct of the vibrant community experience, rather than the sole objective.
Unhinging Fitness from Strict Metrics
Acknowledging Individual Paths to Wellness
The discussion around self care and fitness has been profoundly shaped by Elaine Hart's own experiences. Hart advocates for a personalized approach to health, acknowledging that strategies for self care and wellness are not uniform across the board. Whether it's choosing to remove sports watches or counting steps, the emphasis is on finding what uniquely supports one's individual journey towards health. In Hart's case, moving away from numerical measures to a more intuitive understanding of her body's needs marked a significant shift in her self care.
The Role of Empathy and Understanding with Wearable Technology
Fitness Tech: A Tool or a Hindrance?
The use of fitness trackers and wearable technology can be beneficial for many; however, Hart's personal take on her health journey suggests that such devices are not always conducive to one's well-being. For her, the watches became a source of stress rather than aid – a voice critiquing her every movement. By removing her watch, Hart embraced her message of empowerment and reclaiming personal agency over the prescribed norms. This act of defiance against the expected norms of health monitoring underlies Power Fitness's ethos, where the focus is on the experience of movement and personal fulfillment.
Embrace the Stumbles: Resilience as a Dance
Learning from Mistakes and Growing Stronger
Elaine Hart speaks to the essence of living as embracing risks and sustaining growth through learning from mistakes. At Power Fitness, the concept of making a stumble part of the dance serves as a powerful metaphor for dealing with life's challenges. This perception encourages members to detach from the mistake itself, understand the learning potential it offers, and cultivate resilience. By reframing setbacks as opportunities, Hart empowers the community to live vibrantly and unapologetically.
Sharing Vulnerability and Strength
Elaine Hart's willingness to openly discuss her battles, including her struggle with anorexia, humanizes the journey towards fitness and mental well-being. It's through naming and facing her challenges that she broke free from the stigma and shame that often accompanies such struggles. Her openness invites participants to embrace their vulnerabilities, sharing in the collective strength that arises from such honesty. Hart's story acts as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that healing is not just possible but also empowering.
Power Fitness's Mission for Accessible Mental Health Support
Beyond Fitness: A Platform for Mental Health Awareness
Power Fitness's vision extends into the realm of mental health advocacy. With a deep understanding of the importance of mental health support, Hart strives to make such services accessible to all. By creating a safe space where physical movement is intertwined with positive affirmations and encouragement, Hart lays the groundwork for a supportive environment nurturing both the body and the mind. The integration of mental wellness philosophies into Power Fitness's model proves that the brand's core is as much about psychological strength as it is about physical endurance.
The Role of Visualization and Choices in Recovery
Amongst the mechanisms that guided Hart's recovery was the use of visualization, a technique that helped her confront and manage the disorder's voice. The concept of feeding life versus feeding anorexia presents a powerful visual and choice-led mantra for overcoming the disorder. This principle – that change begins with a decision followed by action – underlies the supportive framework Hart offers at Power Fitness. By sharing these tools and insights, Hart aims to steer individuals toward making choices that nourish their lives and well-being.
Thus, Power Fitness transforms more than just bodies; it shapes mindsets, bolsters community, and builds a culture where fitness is synonymous with joy, resilience, and the celebration of each individual's journey.
Strengthening Community Engagement for Holistic Wellness
Providing a Safe Space for Mental and Physical Health
Elaine Hart's creation of a nurturing environment at Power Fitness goes beyond the conventional expectations of a fitness center. As she discusses the concept of mental health first aid, it's evident that Power Fitness's commitment to community well-being includes fostering a sense of safety where openness around mental health struggles is encouraged. Hart's focus on accessible mental health support and empathy reflects an emerging trend toward a more holistic approach to wellness in fitness communities.
Creating Connections through Shared Vulnerabilities
Power Fitness's philosophy intertwines the acceptance of one's imperfections with the strength derived from communal support. Hart underscores the importance of recognizing that everyone faces challenges and that shared experiences can be monumentally impactful. By placing connections at the heart of her fitness philosophy, Hart constructs a backdrop where members not only share vulnerabilities but also share the resilience required to overcome them, promoting a deep sense of togetherness.
Tailoring Support to Meet Individual Needs
The Importance of Personalizing Support and Encouragement
Acknowledging that every individual's journey is different, Power Fitness tailors its support to meet diverse needs, an integral aspect of which involves recognizing warning signs and extending a helping hand appropriately. In the context of conditions like anorexia, Hart emphasizes that recovery must come from within but also champions the idea that a supportive environment can significantly aid in that process.
Mental Health First Aid as a Compassionate Approach
Mental health first aid serves as an invaluable framework for understanding and responding to the signs of distress and the unseen tolls of mental health conditions. Hart advocates for education and awareness as vital tools in providing support to those in need while making it clear that professional assistance is critical. This balanced appreciation for both lived experience and professional expertise ensures that Power Fitness members receive compassionate, informed guidance.
Embracing Playfulness for Creativity and Well-being
The Impact of Playfulness on Creativity and Performance
Hart's reflections on the importance of playfulness reveal its transformative power, especially within organizations. Inspired by examples like Toyota's corporate culture, she advocates that a playful approach can unlock creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a happier, more productive workplace. She stresses the need for environments where playfulness isn't stifled, but rather encouraged, fostering innovation and joy.
Power Fitness: A Space That Encourages Play
At Power Fitness, Hart sees play and creativity as vital components of good mental health. The inclusivity of the space is emphasized, offering different energy levels that cater to all, including high-energy workouts and calm, peaceful spaces akin to Tai Chi and guided meditation. Hart believes that when individuals feel safe, chosen, and seen, they’re more likely to engage in play, which subsequently leads to creativity and a sense of being alive.
Empowerment through Personal Choices
Ultimately, Hart envisions Power Fitness as a place of empowerment, where each person has the choice to embrace the joy and creativity that life offers. The inclusion of unique practices, such as writing on bananas, exemplifies her commitment to non-traditional, playful methods that encourage members to engage with their emotions and each other in profound ways. Power Fitness is thereby envisioned as not only a fitness center but a launchpad for mental wellness, personal growth, and community solidarity.
The Sensorial Dimension of Wellness
Multisensory Experiences in Fitness and Mental Health
Building upon Hart's enthusiasm for multisensory integration, Power Fitness aims to revolutionize the way members experience wellness by tapping into the sense of smell and touch in addition to the traditional visual and auditory cues. By incorporating elements of nature such as plant-life or water features, and by integrating essential oils and tactile stimuli, the center plans to create a more immersive environment that enriches the mental and physical experience of health.
Harnessing Natural Elements for Enhanced Well-being
Power Fitness's foray into outdoor activities complements its indoor offerings by allowing members to engage with the natural environment. Outdoor sessions are not merely an extension of the gym's four walls but a deliberate effort to weave in the therapeutic properties of fresh air, natural light, and the earth's scents and textures. As Hart suggests, fitness and play need not be confined indoors; the great outdoors provides a boundless playground helpful for rejuvenation and inspiration.
Contributing to Wellness Everywhere
The Impact of Simple Gestures on Community Health
Hart and Graban discuss the profound influence of small actions on community engagement and individual well-being. At Power Fitness, there's a recognition that everyone, regardless of their situation, can contribute positively to those around them. Hart encourages practices such as smiling or saying hello as powerful tools for brightening someone's day, validating the significance of compassionate human interactions as part of holistic wellness.
Everyday Power: Influencing Through Simple Acts
These practices reinforce the concept that empowerment does not necessitate grand gestures. Instead, Power Fitness promotes an ideology where the smallest acts hold immense potential. The facility intends to establish programs and initiatives that highlight and celebrate the ripple effect of these positive exchanges both within and beyond its walls.
Continuing the Legacy of Innovation
Chief Banana Officer's Vision for the Future
Elaine Hart, lovingly referred to as the Chief Banana Officer, has not only implemented unique tactics at Power Fitness but also has larger aspirations. She hopes to see her methods replicated and adapted across different cultures and languages, widening the scope of her philosophy to foster global engagement with wellness concepts. Hart's forward-thinking does not stop at the center's boundaries; her ideals aim to spark a wellness revolution that reverberates through communities worldwide.
Inspiring the Greater Community
With Hart at the helm, Power Fitness serves as an exemplary model of how fitness institutions can play a pivotal role in promoting mental health and overall wellness. As the facility expands its reach, the hope is to inspire more people and other organizations to adopt similarly innovative and compassionate approaches. The goal is not just to impact those who walk through their doors but to set a precedent for wellness cultures everywhere to be more inclusive, playful, and multisensory.
Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)
Mark Graban:
Well, hi. Welcome back to my favorite mistake. I'm Mark Graban. Our guest today is Elaine Hart. She is the “chief banana officer” at Power Fitness Events.
Mark Graban:
She's a resilient fitness enthusiast, former luxury event manager at Rolls Royce Motor cars, and overcoming challenges including anorexia, Elaine discovered strength in fitness and community. She transitioned her career to empower others through spin classes and founding power fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic. She further adapted her business to offer virtual classes. And she has a mantra, it fits with the pedaling or the spinning theme of keep pedaling. Her story inspires physical and mental strength shared passionately with others.
Mark Graban:
So I'm really happy that you could be here today. As I stumble through an introduction, I'm going to be resilient, I think. Elaine, thank you for being here.
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, not at all. Thank you for having me, Mark.
Mark Graban:
So I want to ask, and Elaine is joining us from England. I'm not making a mistake there. England versus UK. More.
Elaine Hart:
I'm good. I'm sure we've been called worse, but yeah, either south coast of England is where I'm at.
Mark Graban:
That's right, the south coast of England. As Ted Lasso, the character famously asked, how many countries are in this country anyway?
Elaine Hart:
Absolutely. Yeah.
Mark Graban:
So many mistakes made along those. So I've got to ask before we jump into the favorite mistake question, as I'm saying it in my American English, chief banana officer. I'm feeling self conscious about that. Why are you the chief banana officer?
Elaine Hart:
It's a great question. And that is exactly the point. It's a talking point. And for me, bananas are play. And the reason for the banana was the business is rooted.
Elaine Hart:
Power is rooted in connection. And in every movement experience, there will be a banana. And that includes if we connect virtually. I introduced the lesser known BYOB. So bring your own banana.
Elaine Hart:
I don't know if that's a little bit like corkage as you might have in the States, but people would throw their bananas at the screen and it has word on it. And it's a word that inspires you, a word about how you feel, this type of thing. And it just gave that people opportunity to talk and share and say, connect. And that was the real thing for it. But it's playful in my backstory there.
Elaine Hart:
As you mentioned, most sport and luxury brands, there was a bunch of validation and a bunch of big job titles. And for me, I didn't want to be a coach. I didn't want to be a fitness instructor. I didn't want to have any of those labels I am chief banana officer.
Mark Graban:
Okay. And that doesn't seem like a mistake. At least it's a great title.
Elaine Hart:
Yeah. Absolutely intentional.
Mark Graban:
So that's not the mistake, Elaine. So we will get to the question we usually start off with here, with the different things you've done in your career. What's your favorite mistake?
Elaine Hart:
My favorite mistake was actually quitting the career building power during the winter of 2019, about to launch it in the spring of 2020. And then we all know what a crazy year 2020 was. And I thought it was a great year. It's the 2020 vision. It was my opportunity to peel power off the vision board, and I'd had that vision.
Elaine Hart:
I started sort of, the spark came in 2012 in Sydney. So it was a long time coming, and it took me a while to make the transition from everything I knew in motorsport and luxury brands into power. And then I bought a bunch of spinning bikes, because that was where I started. I believe I was born to ride my bike. And I had all the kit, I had the formula.
Elaine Hart:
In the early days, it was spinning bikes, headphones and bananas. And that was my formula for creating brave, empowering spaces that shift and that sort of mental, physical, emotional shift. And I had nowhere to go because I never wanted a premises. I wanted to get out and about wild and free, delivering this immersive movement experience in workplaces, community spaces, festivals, anywhere and everywhere. Out in nature, primarily.
Elaine Hart:
And I couldn't. And so I had all these bikes in storage and I thought, what am I going to do? And so there was a lot of businesses that came from lockdown, and I don't believe even that launching as lockdown hit is entirely unique. But actually, for me, it created a really unique pivot. And actually, that was kind of why it turned out to be my favorite mistake, because I've made quite a few over the years, but that would be my favorite.
Mark Graban:
Yeah. And, gosh, a mistake can be a bad outcome or it can lead to a bad outcome. Nobody could fault you for planning, or anyone else who planned to start a business in 2020. You were making the best decision you could based on an assumption that 2020 would be a normal year.
Elaine Hart:
Great. Yes.
Mark Graban:
That's not your fault, right?
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, absolutely. But I truly believe that we look back and we don't see how stuck we felt. All we see is magic. And for me, that's exactly how it is now. And everything is unfolding as it should.
Elaine Hart:
We can control what we can control. But sometimes the letting go and the surrendering to that circumstance, you're not your circumstances. You are your decisions. And it was the decision I made at that time that led it to be one of the best outcomes for me.
Mark Graban:
So tell us more about that pivot in approach. And even it seems like a little bit around payments and business model. Tell us how that evolved.
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, I was due to launch, I couldn't launch. And for me I thought my business power is rooted in connection. That's what it is. Because I believe the fundamental, the approach I have, the approach I'm pioneering, is a bananas approach to mental health and that comes through from the connection. And connection for me is a great quote that humans need a tribe as much as bees need a hive and it's that kind of thing.
Elaine Hart:
So I thought, how am I going to connect people without introducing people one by one in person and creating these spaces where people interact? How am I going to do that? But I thought the only way I can do that is through a screen. And we actually need that connection more than ever. So I thought, well, not everyone has a spinning bike at home and so what can I do?
Elaine Hart:
And I thought, well, I never wanted to be spinning. I just wanted people to move in a way that they want to move that honors their mind and their body on the day. So I said, why don't I ride my spinning bike in my garage at home and I'll connect through Zoom, but I'll invite people all across the world to move in the way they want to move. So if they want to walk their dog, great, they can walk their dog, they want to ski, they can do that, they can paddleboard, they can run, they can walk, they can ride a bike, but they don't have to. And I didn't have a community at the time, I didn't have a database, so I threw it out there on the basis that anyone and everyone could join because again, a lot of people were being made redundant at the time.
Elaine Hart:
There was a lot of change going on and we really needed this community and we really needed this family and this bunch of people. And so I didn't want financial means to be a barrier for people.
Mark Graban:
Yeah.
Elaine Hart:
So I ran it on a pay what you can basis donations. And I did that for two years and I had over 3000 faces. Join me online. I had up to 100 people on a screen at any one time. There were people from all over the world when we couldn't travel as well.
Elaine Hart:
When we had people rocking up in Milan, running with all that architecture on the slopes in Sweden with all the snow and on the beaches in Australia, there was, us know, south coast of, you know, doing whatever we want to. Then they were know, throwing their bananas at the screen. I go, Mark, I see you banana, and you're on the east coast and show us your word. And then I would talk about your word and then somebody else and they'd say, I really want to show you my view of Milan. So they'd be on mute, but their camera would come on and we'd see their view.
Elaine Hart:
And it was wild. It was so wild. But it created an incredible family and pre ride. And the post ride was as long as the ride itself because people would just hang out and chat and some really beautiful expressions of vulnerability during that time and courage and everything that power is. And I thought, this is it.
Elaine Hart:
This is what I wanted to create, is this community. And then when I came out of lockdown, people would approach me and say, I hear you're now offering cycling sessions. And I'd say, yeah, I've got a whole bunch of bikes just, that have been in storage for two years. I didn't become known as spinning, which I never wanted to be because for me, spinning is brilliant. I love it.
Elaine Hart:
That's why I chose to buy a bunch of spinning bikes. I never wanted to be spinning because for me, I love riding a spinning bike, but it's got a real stigma around the way in which a spinning class is kind of constructed and delivered. It's really intense and there's a lot. I will never shout at anyone to stand up, sit down, go faster, do any of that sort of the metrics behind it all.
Elaine Hart:
And I never wanted it be that environment. And so for me, it actually gave people the opportunity to move in the way that they want to move. Because, for example, if I said to you, Mark, the way you're going to achieve your goals is by riding a bike. And you'd say, I don't like riding. A know, I like walking, I like running.
Elaine Hart:
And I'd say, okay, great, you move in that way. And so that really became the foundation of it. And I didn't become then known as a spinning business. I became known as the bananas business that I always wanted to be. And it just came back to that.
Elaine Hart:
It just came back to bananas. And people would be walking around with their phone and a banana in their hand, and people would know exactly what they were doing. It was a brand thing for me. So it became then just. It wasn't a gimmick, it was something really meaningful.
Elaine Hart:
People were capturing memories and people were writing things that were really profound on their bananas and they were sharing that.
Mark Graban:
That was a delayed launch. Do you think in a way, the launch was better because of the publicity? I don't know, the awareness that people had of you and the banana thing or the brand.
Elaine Hart:
I think it was probably one of the best things that could have happened to the business, because I think if I'd set up what I'd planned to set up, I would have been constantly overcoming the, oh, no, I don't like spinning, or I can do spinning down the gym. I've already got my membership to do that. It's nothing unique. And I think I would have been trying to convert people from that place, and I didn't have to because people were welcome. Anyone and everyone was welcome.
Elaine Hart:
And they were able to be part of it because they could donate whatever they wanted to be part of it. And it became playful and fun. And suddenly they were achieving fitness goals as almost a side order to what they came for. And what they came for was that community, and that they had the accountability, which is so important when you are moving towards health and well being goals. But it came from a place of nourishment and joy and play, and we don't play as.
Elaine Hart:
We don't play enough as adults, you know? And bananas are just playful, you know, and they're great. You know, they're refueling as well. You know, when you mentioned my backstory of anorexia, it kind of came full circle with that.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, it's bananas. The decision to leave your career and to start a business. In what ways would it have been a mistake to stay with the career? As you look back at it, even if the timing for launching the new business wasn't ideal, and I'm glad it worked out the way it did, I'm just curious to make a big decision like that. What was driving you, inspiring you to do that?
Elaine Hart:
It was moving towards the truest version of me. And I think that's what's made the business so successful in its unfolding, is that I've always come back to me and my vision and my why for setting this up. And it's given me the space to be unashamedly me. People meet me and they say, you're exactly like you are on social media. And I think, great.
Elaine Hart:
And it hasn't always been that way. And in an environment where I was as well, there were certain expectations. That's what we're surrounded by. And actually, the best thing that we can do is do that thing that is at the core of who you are without the mask and without that holding back, really, and without having the opportunity to create and express as we were uniquely intended to know. And that's the wonderful thing.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, it is. For those who are listening to the audio won't realize Elaine is holding a banana. And it says on the banana, self care, and it looks like maybe you'll want to eat that banana within. You're going to eat that at some point, but before you do around, it.
Elaine Hart:
Gets a little bit more bruised. So that's great for imperfect and ready for 30 for a smoothie or a banana loaf or something.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, but tell us why. And especially this week when we're recording why it says self care on the banana.
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, so it is self care week, and I've just recorded a little video, actually, that I'll post on LinkedIn. Just something very short that I looked at the self care week campaign, and it aligned really brilliantly. Something just caught my attention. It aligned really brilliantly with what we were talking about in terms of metrics. And one of the biggest shifts I had in self care was actually removing my sports watch.
Elaine Hart:
And when I looked at the campaign, one of the recommended tips for self care week was count your steps. And for me, I thought, oh, okay, for some people, that may be great for accountability, but is that self care or is simply moving self care? And I would argue that simply moving is self care. And actually, since I removed my sports watch, I've moved from that place of self harm to self care and from punishment to nourishment. My watch became me and unhelpful voice in my head.
Elaine Hart:
It was either telling me I was doing too much or it was telling me I wasn't doing enough. And so, actually, when I took my sports watch off and I never looked back. And actually, it's partly because I've got a tattoo there, which is Sanskrit for air. So I look at where my watch used to be and I think breathe. So often the wearable tech is telling us to breathe.
Elaine Hart:
And actually we tell something, somebody to tell me to do that. And you take your power back. And I think that's really interesting. So, yeah, so I realized that I bought all these spinning bikes, stripped off the computers and replaced them with bananas, because I didn't want it to be metrics driven. And by removing my watch, I suddenly had done what I'd done for everyone who partakes in a power experience for myself, and always we're putting ourselves at the back of the queue, but suddenly I'm not focused on that.
Elaine Hart:
So counting your steps, for a lot of people, that can be really helpful. And so if people wearing tech is helpful for them, then I would absolutely encourage it. But for me, it wasn't a helpful piece of kit. And so, actually, for me, that was my biggest shift in self care. So I was just sort of sharing it as the idea of, is it helpful or is it not?
Elaine Hart:
And to actually just take that moment to make a choice.
Mark Graban:
Yeah, it's good that you could recognize that of what was working or what was not working for you and then try something different. It seems like part of the mistake is to think one size fits all when it comes to advice around fitness or self care, right?
Elaine Hart:
Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I think there's a charity over here in the UK called Young Minds, and I do a lot of work with kids at risk of exclusion, and they had a great campaign that was, self care is not one thing. Self care is your thing.
Elaine Hart:
And I think that really nailed it.
Mark Graban:
That makes a lot of sense. Yeah, that's great. I wanted to ask you, Elaine, more broadly about dealing with challenges, being resilient. One thing you say I think is interesting is making the stumble part of the dance. I stumbled a bit during my introduction of you.
Mark Graban:
I'm going to leave that in there. That was part of the introduction dance, if you will. But why do you say that we should maybe embrace the stumble?
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, absolutely. That is what I would call banana chat. So when that word comes up. So if you put mistake on your banana, I'd say, absolutely, mark, make the stumble part of the dance. And the whole point of dancing is the dance, and the whole point of living is to feel alive.
Elaine Hart:
And those are the kind of. That's the mental strength and the affirmations, the mantras that I sort of speak over the top of the playlist as we go along. So making the stumble part of the dance is absolutely that around mistakes, it's creating the gap between you and the mistake and recognizing that you are not the mistake. Mistakes and failures are the success. That's the opportunity to learn.
Elaine Hart:
But when we sort of all consumed by the mistake. We're not creating that gap to be able to learn from it. Same for me with the mistakes that I've made along the way. It's standing back from it and observing it and then making a choice of how you move on. But I'm all for the dance, and I'm all for living, and I think living is taking risks and making mistakes.
Elaine Hart:
I think there's a lot of shame also attached to mistakes, right?
Mark Graban:
I think that happens far too often. Excuse me. And I think on this podcast, we try to remind people, and people like you who share your stories, remind the listener, we're all human. We all make mistakes. That is part of the human experience.
Mark Graban:
And I think trying to figure out how to bounce back or how to learn is key. And it seems like you've thought about that quite a bit, right, of just trying to figure out how do we move forward?
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, I mean, I think you could say that my anorexia was a mistake. A lot of people would say it was a coping strategy. When we're talking about sort of shame that's wrapped around mistakes, I had a lot of shame wrapped around my anorexia. And actually, the biggest thing for me was not necessarily recovering from anorexia. I don't remember that recovery all that well, although my recovery really has inspired why I do what I do, because I sit on my bike or in a space where people are moving, and now they're able to move on the bike, off the bike, in person as well, in live settings, both corporately, privately, community spaces, all of that kind of stuff.
Elaine Hart:
But I share my story in that environment, you know, very subtly by, you know, sharing the. The mechanisms and the mantras and. And everything that's kind of, you know, got me to the place where I am today. But the biggest shift was, was not only recovering, but it was 20 years later. I actually named the condition, named the disease a dreadful disease that is anorexia.
Elaine Hart:
It took me 20 years to name it, and I remember naming it, and it was just so incredibly freeing. And I thought, wow, that shame. And it cannot, I believe, and I think it's. I might be a Brene Brown quote, but shame cannot survive being spoken. She's the queen of shame, right?
Elaine Hart:
In all the ways. And I do believe that shame cannot survive being spoken. And so, actually, when I said the word anorexia and I named it, naming that whole thing was just such a big shift to me. And I thought, wow, if I can give that gift to somebody else, if I can show them that if I can do it, so can you. That is what I bring to that space.
Elaine Hart:
That is power. And so, again, with making mistakes. We all make mistakes, but if we're wrapped up in a whole lot of shame about it, how is that beneficial to the world?
Mark Graban:
Yeah. And help me, Elaine, when you say it took you 20 years to name it, was that a matter of denial of that condition or just not being comfortable saying that that was part of your path?
Elaine Hart:
It was the word I talk about when I was unwell, when I was unwell, but I couldn't name it. There was no doubt of what the disease was at the time, but I couldn't name it.
Mark Graban:
Disease is. It's interesting. You were at least pondering, was that a mistake? But it seems unfair, as an outside observer who hasn't dealt with this firsthand, to refer to a disease as a mistake. Maybe not asking for help is a mistake, but it's all very complicated.
Elaine Hart:
It's not a small topic. I don't have enough time, Mark, but it's a really valid point. I think the mistake also connects with choice as well. And you might argue at the time I didn't have a choice. At some point there was a decision that was made, I guess, and then it's such a complex disease and a dreadful disease, I think so many people that don't recover from it.
Elaine Hart:
And I still have a lot of people now asking me about it and I'm able to talk about it very freely and very openly. And it's a privilege to be asked in what way I can help because of the mechanisms. One of the biggest things for me at the time, I didn't have access to the mental health support that I needed, because ultimately that's what it was, which is why I'm on this mission to create accessible mental health support and a mindset shift, because one of the greatest mantras at the time was the idea that it's a voice in your head and you have that little voice, and if you choose to starve the voice or feed the voice, you're starving the anorexia or you're feeding the anorexia or you're starving your life or you're feeding your life. And for me, I'm very visual and that was something that really helped me. And so everything we're provided with is information, and then we make a choice and everything starts with a decision and we take it from there.
Elaine Hart:
And so I think it's probably unfair of me to put that on me in terms of it being a mistake, but at some point there would have been a choice, I guess. Yeah, it's a complex one. It's a big topic.
Mark Graban:
And I think one other question that comes to mind. I know you're trying to encourage self care, you're wanting to help other people by sharing your story in different ways in different places. I think it's always this question of what do we do if we think someone else is like, I talked to a friend, she's actually in England as well, who took a course in. I'd never heard this phrase before. Mental health first aid.
Elaine Hart:
Yeah, I'm a mental health first aid as. Yeah, it's becoming much more prevalent over here. For know, it's really important to. If I ever have a situation where somebody comes to me with something that I'm just not qualified to deal with, all I'm doing is sharing my experience. So I will absolutely not make any sort of professional comment in that respect.
Elaine Hart:
Yes, I've gone through the mental health first aid training, that type of thing, but there are so many people who are in much more professional space to advise, which is not me. But I always flag that to the relevant people. All I do is share my experience, share what helped me. So I think that's all I can do. And I think that there's a lot of benefit to that.
Elaine Hart:
And arguably there will be some people who say that that shared experience is quite often more valuable than that sort of really purely professional input. But I would argue that you absolutely need both. Absolutely need both. So I would never be in a position to say, choose one over the other, and I'm not in that qualified position to say that. But I do provide a space that is very nurturing in a space that is very.
Elaine Hart:
A beautiful opportunity to express and be vulnerable and recognize that other people struggle. And we all struggle and times in our lives, we all have challenges, and if we can benefit from that shared experience, that's an opportunity to do that. Which again, is why I never wanted to be a coach. I never wanted to be all of these kind of things. I never wanted to specialize in any particular area.
Elaine Hart:
I just wanted to create a space that is all those things that I described really right.
Mark Graban:
And I'm partway into an online course on mental health first aid. And I think it's fascinating. I think clearly need more of that here in the US. I'm happy here. That seems to be spreading more in the UK and the mean.
Mark Graban:
I'd never heard the phrase, I'd never thought of a parallel. If someone is injured or bleeding, know there are things you can do from a physical first aid standpoint that doesn't make you a doctor. Right. And part of first aid is getting help and medical professionals involved. But I think this opportunity to try to at least identify maybe a situation where somebody could use, maybe needs some help.
Mark Graban:
And I can see where this is far less obvious than someone is bleeding because they've cut their leg. But this idea of asking or trying to prompt, and clearly I'm not through the training yet, I don't know how to speak to this. But the one question I have for you, though, for what you do, is if you see a customer come in for your class and it seems like maybe they're exercising too much, they may be anorexic, are there ways to try to bring that up in a way that's most helpful? Because I can see people being defensive.
Elaine Hart:
About, yeah, the recovery from anorexia and so many conditions and diseases, this type of thing always has to come from within. And I think that's one of the most heartbreaking things, is that you see people or you see families that are struggling or friends that are struggling with their friend who is in a situation. And it's a very sensitive, very individual situation. And one of the things that I feel very proud of is know, mental health first aid England actually recommend power as an additional know. That's something they recommend.
Elaine Hart:
Know these additional supports, exactly as I was know there's so much professional help out there, but it's these additional supports, these additional spaces, and I don't know what it's like in the States. And I mean, obviously you have a very different setup in terms of insurance and this type of thing. But over here in the UK, the waiting lists now for support are even. It's almost impossible to access. And something I experienced in relatively recent years.
Elaine Hart:
I went to ask for help and actually I was told I'm too well to receive help. And I think, gosh, wow. I think if you were somebody who was told that, who perhaps didn't have the resources, wasn't quite there, what on earth would their situation be? So I think to be aware of spaces where you're saying somebody comes in and I just hope that they would see an alternative, which is all that happened to me again, a choice, a decision I had. It's all information, and it's just what we choose to do with that.
Elaine Hart:
Anorexia is never something that will go away entirely. I would be wrong and naive to say that, and dishonest to say that. It is something that disappears entirely. It's so entrenched, it's such a vicious thing that a coping, coping strategy. That's all it is, really, and it's there, but it's very different now in terms of the volume, in terms of the noise that's there.
Elaine Hart:
The noise will always be that noise is how describe it, but it's what you choose to do with that. So you turn down the volume on that. And for me, over the years, again, it's a practice. Self care is a practice, self love is a practice. And it's practicing those alternative behaviors.
Elaine Hart:
And there's hope, there's absolutely hope with anybody who would come into any space with a condition that's, as you say, so many mental health conditions aren't visible. But being an environment that supports and nourishes them, there's hope in that practice of returning to that space that is nourishing, noticing your surroundings, noticing what you're reading, noticing what you're watching, noticing what you're consuming in every sense. And then a choice of if that's serving you, my watch wasn't serving me. That's just one thing. And that's in recent years, every moment of every day we have a choice whether we watch the news or we don't watch the news.
Elaine Hart:
There's micro choices that are actually huge. They contribute massively as to whether or not we make a choice that serves us or it doesn't.
Mark Graban:
It's very well said. Again, we've been joined today here by Elaine Hart, the chief banana officer at events. You know, we talk about some really serious subjects here, but maybe to end, not that we have to, but we'll choose to end on a lighter note and talking again about playfulness, the importance of being playful. I'd like to hear more from you. But one thing that comes to mind is even in the corporate world, I've had mentors and people I've worked with who were formerly of Toyota in the United States, and they would talk about how the corporate culture that they were working in at least was at the same time both serious and playful, and that the sense of playfulness leads to more creativity and better problem solving and better performance.
Mark Graban:
And I think a lot of organizations stifle playfulness. I hope you didn't experience that. But tell us more about kind of how and where you learned about the importance of being playful. Or was it just innate and you had to create an environment to be that way?
Elaine Hart:
I think it's absolutely about your environment and who you surround yourself with and energy because it's interesting, people say to me, who's your ideal client for power? And I'll say, in the early days, I'd say anyone can be part of power because especially now I've introduced a different energy space to power. There's the high energy power that I do, but I've also have somebody working within the business that does a calm and peaceful, intentional calm and peaceful power. So it's more adapted Tai Chi, guided meditation, and that is even more inclusive and even more accessible. So people in wheelchairs are able to take part, people with neurological conditions, recovering from stroke, rehab, this type of thing, because it's still immersive.
Elaine Hart:
They've still got their headphones, they're still scribbling on bananas, but the intentional energy is very different. So you could say anyone can be part of power, they can be running, they could be walking, they could be doing adaptive Tai Chi, they could be in a wheelchair, they could be not in a wheelchair. It's all mixed in together. It's an inclusive environment. But then actually what it comes down to is people who are curious about the idea of playfulness.
Elaine Hart:
If somebody came to me and said, I refuse to look at that banana, to write on that banana, I'm not even going to ask you about the banana, or they put their banana on the floor. I mean, I've had that happen. I thought, wow. So actually, it's not everyone, it's people who are open to play. And I'm not sure at what point it gets stuffed down so much.
Elaine Hart:
I'm British. You're talking to the right demographic in terms of nationality. But when did we lose that childlike wonder of a brand? That childlike wonder of a know, really simple things that nature offers us and beautiful reminders of that. And, you know, when did that, you know, there's a lot around, certainly over here in the UK now.
Elaine Hart:
I'm seeing more and more sort of inner child work and so reconnecting with that childlike version of you and what happened there. And I think that writing on a banana and I experience sort of the most alpha males within our society will arrive and they'll be here and they'll be, well, you need to tell us what to do and you need to change the gear and tell us what we need to do and shout at us and stuff. And I said, no, we don't do any of that here. And where's my computer? And all of this kind of thing, okay?
Elaine Hart:
And then they'll say at the end, there's a whole lot of love in your chat, that chat that you bring in over the top of that playlist. And there's something about when people are moving and you're pouring in some really good stuff, really good mental strength stuff, really good mindfulness stuff, stuff that really gets people present in that moment. And I know that I've got them when I sort of see them reach for the pen and they're writing on their banana and I think, yeah. And then if they actually shed a tear, I think, yes, because they're in touch with their emotions. And there's just something that.
Elaine Hart:
It's about making people feel seen, I think, is a big thing. And if you're feeling seen, supported, safe, loved, chosen, you're more likely to play. And when you're playing, you get creative and then you're alive. It's such an elevation, but it's coming from a place of empowerment. It's about gifting that opportunity, and it's whether or not you take it.
Mark Graban:
Yeah.
Elaine Hart:
Again, it's a choice.
Mark Graban:
We all have a choice and there's a choice. Or I guess the only choice is not the stiff upper lip approach to facing challenge.
Elaine Hart:
Now I've said it. Can't you, Mark? Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, let yourself off the hook a little mean.
Elaine Hart:
I think one of the things I'm proudest of is with power is that I'll never be tripped up with it. I'm so locked into the why of it. I'm so locked into the now of it. I think if I'd had a business plan from the start, if it didn't just come from the heart, ultimately it was kind of a back of a banana skin business plan, is how I describe it, because it has just unfolded in the beautifully organic way, but the way in which I want to scale it, because ultimately I want to create that shift with mental health so much and to the world because I can scale this formula now. And there are bananas available in every part of the world.
Elaine Hart:
I've run advanced leadership program experiences through power with corporates in the states, but there's every opportunity that I can actually just rock up with my headphones and buy some bananas. I'm sure you've got some out there and then some pens, and we can do it out there because that is what I can bring and I can deliver out in the world. But also from that, I want to replicate it. I want other people. I want this to be delivered in different languages.
Elaine Hart:
I want it to be delivered even more multisensory than it is. So whilst we're out in nature. We can bring in all of those cues of nature, but there's also scent and there's touch, and there's all of these things that make an experience even richer and make play even bigger. You can't play too big. And it's an energy.
Elaine Hart:
It's energy. It's all energy. And we have, again, an opportunity to show up in the world and contribute. And why wouldn't you want to do.
Mark Graban:
That.
Elaine Hart:
In whatever way you can? And even on your trickiest days, everyone has an opportunity to contribute, and that is simply by maybe smiling, by saying hello. You never know what that could bring to somebody's day. And that's your power. And that's amazing.
Mark Graban:
Well, thank you for bringing all of that to the podcast here today. Great conversation with you. Thank you for sharing your story and some of the things that you've learned along the way. So again, our guest today, Elaine Hart, chief banana officer at Power Fitness events. We'll put links in the show notes and we can learn more about Elaine and her work.
Mark Graban:
So thank you. Thank you so much for joining us.
Elaine Hart:
Thanks again. Mark.