How to Share Your Beliefs as a Faith Driven Entrepreneur With Alisha Carlson

Angela and Alisha Discuss How to Share Your Beliefs as a Faith Driven Entrepreneur so you can make the most impact in the world as an online business owner.

In this episode, Angela interviews Alisha Carlson, a Non-Diet Lifestyle Coach and creator of The Mindful Eating Project. Alisha is passionate about helping women feel better in their bodies through food, movement, mindset, and non-diet strategies so that they can create + live their best life.

How to Share Your Beliefs as a Faith Driven Entrepreneur

Alisha Carlson is a Non-Diet Lifestyle Coach and creator of The Mindful Eating Project. She is passionate about helping women feel better in their bodies through food, movement, mindset, and non-diet strategies so that they can create + live their best life.

Alisha takes an inside out approach to health and well being, helping her clients gain clarity on their vision for their lives, so that they have a clear, no-bull blueprint. She helps her clients create a custom plan that fits into the rest of their lives instead of the other way around.

Listen to the Episode

Connect With Alisha:

Web: alishacarlson.com
I​G: instagram.com/alishacarlson
FB: www.facebook.com/thealishacarlson

Grab Her Freebie: alishacarlson.com/tmephandbook/

Listen to Her Podcast: tinyurl.com/Thestrongherwayapple

Read the Transcript

Angela Parker 0:11
Hey go getter I’m Angela, and I’m. We have normal moms and dads chase after their big dreams, modern online. Oh wow, in the midst of raising kids in what we call the family hustle.

Angela Parker 0:28
You guys, I am so excited to bring this episode to you where I got to interview Alicia Carlson. She is the creator of a podcast, strong her way where she talks about. She created that exists and empower women all ages and stages of life to live. The radically impactful life they were created to live, just with that opening, you are going to love her. So tune into this house she is adding a part of her that she hasn’t shared before and that is for faith, and how she is adding something that is so important to her faith in her brand and how she’s helping people even more live an impactful life so let’s start with the show.

Angela Parker 1:18
Hey you guys, I am super excited to welcome this guest for you This is Alicia Carlson we actually were able to meet in a business group where podcasters are wanting their podcasts and everything, and we connected because we realized we had a lot of things in common. And so I’m super excited about getting to interview her and share her knowledge with you. And so welcome to this show, Alicia, give us a few minutes to just share your mission your brand and what you’re all about

Alisha Carlson 1:51
Angela thank you so much for having me on the show. It’s definitely been so great to connect with you and just kind of learn a little bit more about you and your heart, and the things that you’re creating in the world. As far as about me goes, I am up in the Pacific Northwest so I’m in Oregon on the west coast. I am a wife, I’m a mom of two busy kind of running life running a family and running a business all at once. So needless to say it definitely can get a little bit messy at times, chaotic probably more than I would like to admit.

Alisha Carlson 2:30
But I wouldn’t really have it any other way I feel like more and more I’m kind of stepping into what I truly believe is like my calling and my purpose, and it feels really good to be moving into more aligned place, but also from a place where I feel like I truly am building a business, and a movement, along with a lifestyle so not really, you know, sacrificing one or the other. As far as, you know what I do, I am a non diet lifestyle coach. So what does that mean exactly. That means that basically I get to help other mompreneurs feel better in their bodies through nutrition movement and mindset, using a more of a non diet approach so we’ve kind of shelved the idea of weight loss. And we really do focus on like healthy habits healthy behaviors and of course like creating a healthy mindset for all of those new habits and things like that to really take root in because we know that at the end of the day, the thing that drives your actions, is your thoughts and your belief system so whatever that story is that you’re telling yourself inside your head that ultimately leads to the things that you’re doing and so a stronger way really exists to just empower women to make an impact. I believe that each and every woman is given a god given set of gifts and talents and a dream in her heart. And oftentimes we are just too afraid to put ourselves out there, and we just don’t feel good about ourselves, we don’t feel confident. So really, that’s the heart and the mission behind the stronger way is to give you that confidence to build your life and your business with confidence and ease so that you can really live into that purpose for your life.

Angela Parker 4:19
So, first off, I started listening to your podcast. Maybe I’ve checked it out two weeks ago when we first connected. And it was so refreshing I loved hearing heart. The heart of your movement and and so if there isn’t a listening and they want, kind of a different mindset around health and just getting, you know, not just focusing on a number on a scale but more of just nourishing your body and listening to your body and really taking care of that mindset you really need to tune in to her podcast, which she just wants and it’s amazing there’s so much good nuggets that you can just tune into, and I know I was, I was enjoying it so much. But we’re going to talk a lot today about the business side of your brand and how you are, maybe, modifying your message, a little bit because you shared about how you’re feeling more in alignment with who you are just super exciting. So one part that we connected with is that we both share a faith, a belief system and how that maybe fit into our brand or does it you know that’s part of the big question whenever you are a Christian in business sometimes people tell you not to share about it. So maybe tell us a little bit about what maybe has kept you from sharing about your beliefs or your faith, so far in your business.

Alisha Carlson 5:48
Yeah. I feel really embarrassed to even say this, but I am all about being transparent and being vulnerable and I think that one of the biggest reasons that I was not so forward in my belief system was really just, it was rooted in a fear that that would somehow hinder my business, it would somehow hinder or tarnish, you know my brand or my image, and obviously like if you are a Christian if you’re a believer like you can, you probably cringed a little bit because you recognize like oh my gosh that is like the epitome of what we shouldn’t be doing as a Christian you know like in the Bible Jesus openly talks about like if you are ashamed of me then, you know, forget about it like, I will be just as ashamed of you you know and so I really I would say probably actually in quarantine so depending on when you’re listening to this we are in the 2020 quarantine.

Alisha Carlson 6:50
I feel like God is really just been doing such a deep work in my heart. And really this entire year.

Alisha Carlson 6:57
He’s been kind of leading me on this journey to really dive in to branding to messaging. For a long time I was really afraid to kind of niche down because of all the fears right like if I specifically am talking to like one type of a woman. And what about everybody else that might need my help. And so I think that he really just kind of convicted me of that of all of those things and I was like no like you need to speak specifically to the version of yourself that you were two to three years ago. And then you know he’s further convicted me of.

Alisha Carlson 7:32
I don’t know if I was like really hiding it but I definitely wasn’t as open or forthcoming like in my podcasts, you know, as you mentioned, I just launched it but I have made a more concerted effort to really talk about how faith and how just my own walk with the Lord and things that he’s revealing to me through His Word. Really, actually shapes, I mean that is the foundation of how I coach, and I feel like I would be really leaving out a big part of who I am and and what the strong her way represents. If I tried to deliberately keep him out of it because truthfully like every idea that I’ve had about it every dream that’s been planted in my heart every goal that has been set. It’s not of my own doing. And I truly believe and I think this is where I’m able to more confidently step into that alignment. I truly believe that the thing that he has called me to create is what he is part of what he wants to see here on Earth, you know, seeing his daughters free of the guilt and the shame around their bodies and really fully living into who he called them to be. and I can’t, I can’t help people do that if I don’t talk about that internal transformation.

Angela Parker 8:53
And I think it’s so important as a Christian, I feel like there are, and you may have seen this as well, especially in the fitness and health industry there is so much focus on your outward appearance. And people fail to even forget to talk about the inside you talk about mindset, but also the spiritual side too. And where I feel like this is a voice that’s needed. I feel like this is something that needs to be talked about especially in the space that we’re in where there’s conflicting values even, you know, and so as a Christian, I feel like this is something that we need to talk about and say how does this all fit together can you pursue fitness and be a Christian you know whenever there’s so much. That’s out of balance in the world so much focus on your body and body image, you know, and how do the two come together I think it’s so important and it’s something that’s missing. So I’m excited that you are stepping into that and you’re going to bring it all together.

Alisha Carlson 9:58
Thank you. Yeah, I do agree I feel like, you know, obviously there absolutely are Christian nutrition coaches and Christian fitness coaches and stuff like that out there but I think the bigger conversation that isn’t being had is that at the end of the day there’s a greater reason of why we should be taking care of our bodies. Then a number, then what we look like, then even really what we feel about ourselves like at the end of the day if you are a believer, then you know I hope that you know that you aren’t here by accident like there is a reason that you are here, and you know we need our strength for that we need our endurance for that we need, you know, all of these things that we do get from fitness but at the end of the day like that shouldn’t be the, the end goal the end all be all

Angela Parker 10:48
well and inside of maybe a mompreneur, who is thinking about, they’ve heard like the hustle harder movement and everything, as far as building a business, and how they’re you. I’ve also seen that in the fitness world where, you know, it doesn’t allow you a sense of balance or finding what works for you. It’s like no you’re not working hard enough, you’re not cutting your calories enough, or you’re not strict enough or whatever and it’s just like, there is this balance of finding my purpose inside of my health, and my fitness journey, you know.

Alisha Carlson 11:25
Exactly.

Angela Parker 11:27
So it was there something that prompted this change of mind to insert including faith into your message.

Alisha Carlson 11:36
Oh my god.

Alisha Carlson 11:38
Well yeah, ironically, I think that there is this like little piece of wisdom that I have heard and I’m a true believer that God will use anything, and anybody to speak to us like even if that person is or isn’t necessarily a Christian or isn’t a believer or something like that. Um, and I don’t know if your audience would all be familiar with Gary Vee but he’s somebody that, um, I really admire a lot about what he’s done, but there is a part of me that really struggles to resonate with some of the mentality and the mindset.

Alisha Carlson 12:17
But all that to say like, I read some of his books I’ve listened to some of his talks and some of his videos. And I do believe that he has a huge gift for what he is doing. And one of the things that he said to me, or that he sent right to me said directly to me is that this idea of, you know, don’t you don’t create content, so stop creating and just documenting. And I think first so many of us like that we’re out there we’re trying to put content into the world we’re trying to get her. We’re trying to get a space up a table whatever table that is, you know, we’re always thinking about okay what’s the content that I need to create, it’s either going to go viral or gonna hook a client or customer or something like that. And that is so daunting it’s so overwhelming. I feel like you’re gonna kind of always be like, if that’s the end goal, you’re always going to sort of be chasing. And the reality is is that if I am speaking to a former version of myself. It would only make sense that I would start actually just documenting and showing her that I’m living out. What I am teaching I am practicing what I’m preaching. And so that subtle shift, I think, really kind of sparked that where it’s like okay like my face is a huge part of who I am, um, you know, I spent just having like these different disciplines and like really, I truly feel like having a heart of like wanting to do the work that the Father has given me to do.

Alisha Carlson 13:53
I can’t leave that out, you know like I can’t leave out the things that he’s speaking to me in the quiet moments I can’t leave those things out. If you’re sharing with me on blocks or as I’m listening to podcasts or whatever and of course I could say like we I was on a walk, and boom like this idea just sort of came up. Um, but again, like, that’s not the full story. And so, not really was kind of what was in it for me it’s like okay if I really am just gonna start documenting, and I need to document the whole thing.

Angela Parker 14:28
I absolutely love that mindset you know I’ve heard you like embrace your followers along for your own transformation because a lot of times, you’re right, we are still growing. We should be growing, and to bring our followers, our tribe, you know, along on our own transformation and I think that’s so important to realize that that’s all that your content, it needs to be documenting your life and documenting everything I love that. Wow. Okay, so as you are documenting this mindset, this messaging maybe change is obviously as different is not changing from, what is going on is just what you’re actually sharing, do you foresee any challenges or some something that may impact you know this random change that you’re thinking about.

Alisha Carlson 15:18
I mean I think that there’s always the fear of, how is this going to be received, you know like, will this message still resonate with people that wouldn’t identify themselves as a Christian or a believer or something like that.

Alisha Carlson 15:32
But at the end of the day I feel like, one of the things I’ve been most reminded of lately is that it’s not my job to convert anybody to Christianity.

Alisha Carlson 15:42
I’m simply here to be on light to share my testimony, which is my story which is my journey, which is just documenting that every single day. And people are ready to receive that and that that resonates with them. You know that maybe I got to play a little part in planting that seed or in nurturing a seed that maybe was already.

Alisha Carlson 16:04
Or maybe I get to be the first seed, you know, that’s planted in that person’s life. And, you know, I think it’s important to recognize that being a Christian or being a believer isn’t separate from running a business like that is our identity, right like our identity is in Christ, it’s that we’re saved, it’s that we’re redeemed it’s all of these things so we can live our lives in these little separate compartments that I think we kind of trick ourselves into thinking that we can do.

Alisha Carlson 16:34
And I also don’t think that we have to be like overtly always talking about, or you know like in your face Christianity either. Somebody once said to me, you know, an apple tree doesn’t have to go around saying but it’s an apple and it will produce apples like people just see it because of the fruit. And I think, you know, we just have to ask ourselves, like, Am I being the same way like am I being authentic and a woman of integrity, and I’m really like walking out my face, and if we’re in a place where people are watching us on social media or podcasts or whatever that looks like. If somebody saw me, even if I never said anything about being a Christian, if they sense that there was something different.

Angela Parker 17:21
And that, I think that it’s a different time now. You know when I started my blog, I guess if you would call it my first business 10 years ago, I it was a personal blog and so I did talk about my Christianity, but once I transition to trying to like monetize and trying to grow, I had so many people tell me not to talk about my faith, and like, that was kind of the mindset that people were telling me is like just talk about health, don’t talk about your faith. And so I did follow their advice and kind of pull back a little bit, that that I feel like just recently I’ve seen more and more people influencers and and different coaches that I follow who now are coming out and saying, I am a Christian, this is what I believe this is a big part of who I am, and they’re saying you know that they were told the same thing, you kind of not talk about it. But as far as our health is so multi dimensional, you know, and so that if we don’t talk about it, we are missing, you know, and I feel like it brings it brings like anything that we do is filtered through a lens and the way that you view the world is different when you’re a Christian and I feel like that’s something that just can’t be ignored.

Alisha Carlson 18:39
Well, I think, you know. So prior to a career in the health and wellness industry. I was a hairstylist and one of the things that you were kind of taught as you don’t talk about politics and you don’t talk about religion.

Alisha Carlson 18:54
And I obviously I don’t agree with that anymore. I think that that’s a very naive and very narrow minded and kind of an ignorant way to go through life thinking that we can engage in conversation where we might see eye to eye, and that it’s always going to end up in somebody’s being hurt or somebody you know somebody would feel like feeling like they just got run over by bulldozer. And I think that in light of everything that’s happening now in the world. Now, ever. We need to be openly kind of sharing the kind of work that Christ is doing in our lives because the world needs that the world wants hope and truthfully, like, one of the things that drew me to that group that you and I are both in is I somehow stumbled on her podcast which as I’m like looking back I can totally pan, all over this which I just love when you do that, but I was just like one day, I was on water and I was like scrolling through trying to find like a podcast. Remember what I searched for if I search anything. And this particular podcast up and I was like, oh okay I kind of like the name like she looks fine I’ll just look in check and see, and I love her her content. But one of the things are really in is that she was not only teaching me things that I needed to know. But she taught me on a different level because she was a Christian and so I didn’t have, I don’t think subconsciously didn’t have that filter, kind of, or it’s like okay kind of some of this stuff at face value I’m going to have to go through like mentally sift through like what I feel like my belief system what, maybe is not in alignment and is actually in direct opposition of it. And so I think for me, that was kind of like the lightbulb moment but it’s like no I can believe my own faith. And there’s gonna be women out there that have been looking for somebody with this perspective. With that shared faith. And instead of it being current, it’s actually going to be part of what draws them into me draws into the stronger way, and not movement so

Angela Parker 21:17
I completely. I think it’s gonna be a magnet.

Angela Parker 21:20
It’s gonna bring people into your circle, because they are proud to share what some believe in in your, what is the foundation of your message. So I’m excited to see how this is listening, but who is thinking they’re getting brave and they’re thinking, Okay, I do want to share more. I am I believe what advice would you have how started

Alisha Carlson 21:48
again I think kind of going back to that self documenting what are the little word is kind of sharing with you about your journey. I’m reflecting back on what you’ve done in your life. Over the last five years, your journal, journals, you know, you do write down notes somewhere like back in room same was I two to three, they often say that your hottest market. Your, your avatar. In the beginning stages are about three years ago that version of who you were then, not always.

Alisha Carlson 22:28
I didn’t touch I think was like where are you at on your favorite person and how can you kind of start to weave some of these casually into your content. But I think really like the most authentic way to do it is to not overthink it but really share your experience share your journey and like leaving little pieces into your blog into your into your videos into your posts and all of those events

Alisha Carlson 23:05
that are not funny is a Christian like you know, You never know if they’re eating

Alisha Carlson 23:15
yourself intensely who you are. You could get get to do

Angela Parker 23:22
today to take not trying to hide behind a social media. Yeah, but really, as a tool to spread yours authentically as you. So share with us, where can we find you.

Alisha Carlson 23:40
Yeah, so you can search on my website. You can learn more about me. That’s great. So, get your hands on a free music guide which is kind of a thing I was looking for when you’re out okay like how do I eat without, you know about my macros or anything like that. So this is a culmination of years of research and reading and science I’ve pulled all that down for you see, this.com, hit me up again.

Alisha Carlson 24:26
I’m sure we’ll leave all this after the show. Do not try to remember that. I’m just frozen and non diet, I style.

Alisha Carlson 24:37
Dry pace myself everywhere in SEO for that.

Alisha Carlson 24:43
Well that is fantastic. Thank you so much.

Are you a Faith Driven Entrepreneur? How are you sharing Your Beliefs? Is that important to you?

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