Welcome back to The Align Edit: an exclusive series from our favorite lifestyle creators & wellness experts to help you ALIGN with your highest potential.
You may recognize Brianna Wiest as the best-selling author behind personal development books like 101 Essays that Will Change the Way You Think or The Mountain is You. From the psychology of self-sabotage to overcoming limiting beliefs, she shares her hard-earned insights on how to build a meaningful life.
This week, we asked Brianna to break down the blocks that are holding you back — because when you change your inner landscape, everything in your external reality shifts. It’s time to REFRAME how you see yourself and the world.
REFRAME
with @briannawiest
To elevate our lives, we have to let go of the old stories, habits, and beliefs that are weighing us down. What are a few things you’ve surrendered lately to align with your highest self?
Brianna Wiest: I find myself constantly affirming that it’s okay to open up, it’s okay to try new things, it’s okay to have a bigger life, it’s okay to be more successful. There were so many times in my life where I was terrified to leap or even try something new, and I discovered, as Terence McKenna would say, the other side to be a “featherbed.” The worst of it was in my mind, and it prohibited me from really doing the things I wanted in life. I try to remind myself of that often.
What’s the greatest shift that’s moved you out of perfectionism and into self acceptance?
Brianna Wiest: I used to have thoughts like: “Who am I to write a book?” or honestly, even try to. But then I took into consideration some of my literary heroes. Who were they prior to writing the things they became known for? People with unique lives and varied backgrounds and one thing in common: a dream they did not give up on.
You open your book Ceremony with this quote: “You don’t heal some things. You just start living in spite of their presence which is when they heal themselves.” How do you work with your fears while still taking action steps towards your purpose and the things that bring you joy?
Brianna Wiest: I think it’s about learning how to feel fear and keep walking, and to have the cognitive ability to discern between a feeling that’s trying to redirect you (indifference, dread) and a feeling that’s trying to tell you you’re breaking out of your former comfort zone and beginning to touch something you care about (fear).
Walk us through your morning routine. What are some practices or products that you’re loving in this season of life?
Brianna Wiest: My evergreen non-negotiables are a few minutes of quiet meditation, a cup of coffee, and a walk outside, whether I’m traveling and in a new place, or at home and can do it in nature.
Fill in the blanks. I used to think fulfillment looked like _____, but now I know it’s actually ____.
Brianna Wiest: Something others could clearly see; something I can clearly feel.
What’s something you’re proud of but never post about?
Brianna Wiest: I have a pretty cool collection of vintage clothes from my years living out west.
What’s your favorite arrae product and why?
Brianna Wiest: Definitely Magnesium. It’s actually been a part of my wellness routine for many years. It's essential for me to regulate my sleep and nervous system.
Thank you, Brianna! Be sure to follow along on Instagram @briannawiest, and listen to Episode 323 of The Dream Bigger Podcast with Brianna & Siff!