IIN is celebrating International Women’s Day all month long by featuring graduates who are using their IIN education to build impactful businesses that focus on improving the health of their communities around the world.

Lori Kearney, Class of 2016, shares her story in an incredible video below. To learn more, check out her websites: Mindful Health with Lori and Workshops Done.

IIN: If you had to choose one word to describe your IIN experience, what would it be?

Lori: Empowering

IIN: What inspired you to enroll in IIN’s Health Coach Training Program?

Lori: After sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and years without being able to heal or work, I worked with a Health Coach. I could not believe that I didn’t know that what we eat and how we care for ourselves could heal our bodies. Why didn’t anyone tell me (it is so simple!) and why didn’t I know this? As my blender was going with my daily green smoothie breakfast, I realized that I was in pain for years so I could share my healing story to inspire others to heal themselves. Everyone needs to know that suffering is optional.

I was reading an article in our Minnesota Yoga Magazine about IIN while drinking my smoothie and called IIN immediately to sign up. I knew it was the path I was supposed to be on! I feel grateful to be an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and have the privilege to help others learn how to heal themselves, mind, body, and soul.

IIN: How has IIN helped you build and grow your business?

Lori: While attending IIN, I felt confident (even with a TBI!) to start my own health coaching business, Mindful Health. I started giving wellness workshops as a student and continue to love presenting them to local corporations, organizations, and traveling international associations in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. My health coaching clients are typically attendees from a workshop, and I’m honored when they choose me to work with them.

I work with adults, teaching the principles of clean eating, self-love, and self-care for increased health, happiness, and productivity. I love supporting others with behavior change, and it starts with our mind-set, one thought at a time. My ideal client is my former self: on the standard American diet, way too much on the calendar, stressed every day, and unhealthy mind, body, and soul.

While healthy eating is essential, health isn’t just about food; it is also about our relationships, career, exercise, and spirituality. Creating a healthier mind, body, and soul begins by designing a happier life one small step at a time. For me, being healthy isn’t about wearing a size zero or doing handstands in yoga; it is about how good we feel and making “healthy” a way of life and not a temporary diet.

I use the core concepts taught by IIN with every client and could not be here today without all the resources, like handouts, agreements, and more.

Organically, Health Coaches have asked me for my secret to success, and it always came back to giving workshops, so I founded Workshops Done, a done-for-you immersion program designed to walk Health Coaches through all the details they need to book workshops, fill workshops, sell during workshops, and follow up after workshops. It is a pure joy to empower Health Coaches to spread this message around the world.

For more information about me, you can go here and here.

IIN: What advice do you have for women entrepreneurs?

Lori: We are a community of Health Coaches – all ages, sizes, races, and education coming together for a common goal to help other people heal. We are in this together; we are not in competition with each other but working together to help heal the world. Yep, it is a large order, but together we can do it!

When you doubt yourself, put love first and act with purpose to serve and inspire others in our communities. We have a choice on where we put attention. Focus on helping to empower others to heal and the money will follow. Running a business is similar to eating sugar; there are highs and lows – we need to keep going on the low days. We have a huge responsibility in the world. If we feel small and do not put ourselves “out there,” there will be others suffering waiting for our message. Make your purpose bigger than any fears.

We MUST do things out of our comfort zone; we MUST get out of our own way. Let go of any limiting beliefs that you are not good enough to be a full-time rocking Health Coach and only feed the positive thoughts. Don’t wait for different circumstances or listen to your excuses. Go after the business now. Every day, put forth your intention to grow your health coaching business. You will then have the business and life you have always imagined. Believe you can do it because you can! Be the best version of yourself.

IIN: Anything else you think the IIN community would love to know?

Lori: I would not be where I am today without IIN, and I am forever grateful. Thank you for putting together your programs and inspiring us to go out into the world!

Want to join this amazing global community of change makers? Get our free Curriculum Guide to learn more about the program that can jump-start your health transformation and help you create a lucrative, fulfilling career.