Alice Inoue: When you look at different polls that are taken, you ask people what do you want in life, it will be I want money, I want love, I want health and happiness is always on there. And sometimes the things that people want are because they think that will make them happy. And I think that my, what I stand upon is that we create our own happiness based on our perspective and how we look at situations and that life is always bringing you exactly what you need not really what you want.

—-

INTRODUCTION

Lesley Logan
Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I’m Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I’ve trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it’s the antidote to fear. Each week, my guests will bring Bold, Executable, Intrinsic and Targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It’s a practice, not a perfect. Let’s get started.

Lesley Logan
I want to tell you this right now, what I love about doing these intros as I do them after I’ve talked to the guests, I don’t know if you know that that’s how I do them. So sometimes I give all the spoilers away in the intro. Sorry. But also, I just think sometimes you can listen to a topic and you think, oh, maybe this person isn’t for me. And I just want to make sure that you know that they’re all here for you. Because you’re gonna pick up different things at different times. And if you’re gonna re-listen to some of the episodes, you might pick up on different things. I have some podcast episodes that I like have saved I’ll go back and go, Oh, I forgot that. So anyways, today’s guest she was referred to us and I looked at her website and I was like, Heck yeah, I haven’t heard anyone talk about this. I’m gonna just tell you, she was like, better than I am like I could have ever anticipated. I don’t know what I was anticipating. But also like, sometimes when you hear buzzwords like happiness, or, you know, I don’t know, there’s, you know, mindfulness and alignment. Sometimes you’re like, okay, can they really get down to like the brass tacks, like how to do that, like, as someone who likes to, like know, the nitty gritty, like, can you tell me how to repeat this experiment that you’ve done, y’all she can, so you’re gonna leave with a smile on your face, it’s so big. And you’re gonna learn a whole heck of a ton on on happiness, yourself, permission, and a little dose of face yoga in there. So my loves thank you for being here. Thank you for always listening to the podcast, thank you for downloading it, you have no idea. Every time you download, it’s really big deal. It actually is like, literally currency for us. So thank you, every time you share a podcast with someone, even one person, you have no idea how impactful that is. So never underestimate the power of what you have in your hand. And how you how you can impact the world. And this episode, I think is going to change your life in the best of ways. And it’s a way it’s going to change others around you as well. You’re amazing that you’re being here. And here’s Alice Inoue.

All right, Be It babe, I’m really excited to have this amazing conversation. So our today’s guest was introduced to us by a former guest, which is always so fun, because it’s someone who loved us so much and love the experience. Like you’d have to talk to this person. And when someone has Happiness U as like their business, of course, I have to talk to this person So, Alice, Inoue, welcome to the Be It pod will you tell everyone who you are and what you’re up to?

Alice Inoue 3:19
Hi, Lesley, thank you. I am Alice Inoue. And I live in Honolulu, Hawaii, and I’m the founder of a business called Happiness U and we’re in business for 10 years. And we opened as a brick and mortar, basically a place where you could learn everything you wanted to learn about life that you didn’t learn in school. And so we do this through presentations, coaching, community groups, all of that. So really, just to help people find clarity in life.

Lesley Logan 3:46
Oh, my goodness, that’s 10 years ago, you started this the brick and mortar, you’re like, hey, come to school here come to Happiness with me. Was that easy? Were people like, yes, that’s exactly what I needed. Or was it people like that over there?

Alice Inoue 3:59
No, it’s like you’re doing what? Why? And it was I thought it was such a I was doing, you know, life coaching. I’m an astrologer. I’m a Feng Shui a person. So I was doing all this help, help self help kind of stuff. And I thought, well, wouldn’t it be great because I met all these other experts that could also have information to offer. Wouldn’t it be great to have a school and so I wanted to call it The School of Life and people are like life is hard. Why would we go to that? Try to get a loan from the bank? Forget it. They’re like no business model. Like why don’t you just do it online. But I really just wanted a place where people could come and get insight in in a brick and mortar at first, and we had like beanbag chairs and bright colorful interior so that we could do that. But why it was difficult is the idea. While the idea was great, who wouldn’t like a place called Happiness U. I felt that people just didn’t make the time to come down and take care of themselves, their pet their dog, their grandparents their work. So it was a struggle seriously to really get people I wanted members, I wanted people to come and take classes from all these great teachers. So it was hard, but I can I can say for the fifth year, it started to kind of kind of take off and then as the pandemic hit, we went online a lot. And and that was where it was become became really, really necessary.

Lesley Logan 5:19
Yeah, I was gonna say you’re probably like, having all those years behind you, when the pandemic that you were, like, set up to support people. And it was in a way, I you know, it doesn’t it sadly, doesn’t surprise me that it was hard to sell people on a Happiness U place or and I don’t know that you were if you were online at that time, if you would have had it any different. You know what I mean? Because people, it’s almost like they see happiness is for people over there. Oh, it’s easy for those happiness is for those people. Because of the life I had. I’m just it’s not, it’s not possible for it’s like they don’t believe it, right? Am I, is that what you found?

Alice Inoue 5:53
Or they’re like, are they like, there’s there’s just a whole bunch of unhappy people there. Do people just go and cry? It’s just the concept of it. Oh, like, you know, what my mother in law needs that class. Like, I had all the quips and excuses. And, and then people said, it’s like insurance, just knowing I was there was good enough, but that didn’t pay my bills. So it took it took some time. But I really believed in the vision and I it’s, it’s funny now. It’s just what I do. And I live in in Hawaii. So it’s quite known here. And we just since the pandemic and last year to start this online. Happiness U Hui which is like a community gathering. So now we get to interact with more people. And it’s a lot better.

Lesley Logan 6:32
Yeah, yeah. I think also people got a big reset on like, what’s important to them? Like, you know, yeah. Okay, so let’s just kind of talk about happiness, because I do. I do think when people say, oh, my mother-in-law, it’s like, oh, what is your happiness box check. So like, what? What is happiness you defined as? And like, what are some signs, we need more happiness in our life?

Alice Inoue 6:57
Okay. So I think what it is, is, and it’s interesting that it’s called Happiness U. So of course, we’re thinking of happiness. When you look at different polls that are taken, you ask people, What do you want in life, it will be I want money, I want love, I want health and happiness is always on there. And sometimes the things that people want are because they think that will make them happy. And I think that my, what I stand upon is that we create our own happiness based on our perspective, and how we look at situations and that life is always bringing you exactly what you need, not really what you want. And by shifting our perspective into just understanding how to navigate life, I think that’s what it what it is, and happiness, what I found out and why I was able to kind of open the school back in 2008, they had, they had a bunch of science come out and say that happiness is a skill. It’s something that you learn, just like how you learn to tie or how you learn to play racquetball or something, the more you practice it, the happier you get. So what we do is we offer tools, and they’re just in the form of everyday life experiences, specifically such as, like, how do you become happier? How you go and get happier? Like is, you know, is it a reading a book? Is it? What is it so the tools that have been proven to work and to kind of up your, you know, create those neural networks that create more happiness is really at the end of the day. And this is so good, because I’ve seen it happen and work with thousands of people at the end of the day, you look back, and you think of three specific things that went well, because you notice that the end of the day, it’s like, oh, that didn’t go well, I didn’t finish that I started to have several (inaudible). So you make your brain scan the day and think of three specific things that went well has to be specific. You do this for seven days in a row. On the eighth day, magically, your brain forms a new neural network, because we don’t want to work hard. And it’s hard work scanning the day and looking for what’s good. So then all of a sudden, your brain will show you a little bit more of what’s good. So that’s why you hear about gratitude journals. It I think a lot of times you don’t need to do it correctly, I’ll just say it’s great to be grateful for this and grateful for that. But if you can write down I am grateful for my, my father or mother because she or he did this, like if you are specific. You can think about it when you’re negative. You’re so specific. I can’t stand that person because she always done that or that or that it were so specific when it’s negative, but when it’s positive or just like oh, I’m thankful for my body. I’m thankful for the day. And so that does not make you happier because we’re focusing on the specifics of the negative so it’s focusing on the specifics of what is good, it is going to create that balance.

Lesley Logan 9:42
Okay. I love this so much because I love celebrations like we have, we have FYF which is Fuck Yeah, Friday and so Friday, you must celebrate something that went well and you’re week because we have a lot of overachievers and perfectionist who listen, hello, I see you and I like if we could see Start doing on Friday, eventually you’ll start doing on Saturday too or Sunday or Monday. But I do love that you’re saying like at the end of the day scan for what went well. So it’s not been perfect. It’s not what like, it’s like what went well today what was oh, my commute was actually so easy today like getting that specific. I like that. And it’s true, then your brain also just starts going, oh, this went well and to start looking for things because you’re you’re ending the day on a high note. And you’re, you’re actually like, there’s a there’s an act of celebration and like what went well, but at the end of the day, I love this.

Alice Inoue 10:30
Because you putting value? Because we all know, we all know what didn’t go well. We all know what what we still have to do. We all know the stressors that’s natural, because that comes to our brain first. But when you take that little extra effort, right, just like you’re exercising your body to be more in shape, you’re exercising your brain to be smarter in the way that it feeds you information. And it’s it’s as easy as choosing to do something like that. It’s as easy as that. And that’s what why I’m so inspired by it, because it’s easy, you don’t just want to believe every thought that pops in your head, because so many times it’s just not even valuable to you. So we’re looking for value, specific value, because it’s always there. If you look for it.

Lesley Logan 11:11
Yeah. No, you’re, you’re 100%, right. And also, like, we’ve had some brain experts on who are like, well, you’re, if you’re frustrated with yourself, because you’re always going to the negative, like just so you know, your brain is predisposed to do that for safety. So like you it’s not, that’s why we do have to practice. And I think it is actually really interesting that you’re talking about this in a way because it’s true. You know, happiness is a skill. And I think we think of it as an emotion as something that should just be like, like air, like it should just be around us.

Alice Inoue 11:42
Like getting the vibe of happiness.

Lesley Logan 11:43
Yeah. And we’re like, oh, I want to be around other happy people because like, and it’s like, well, yes, but also, when you think of it as muscle as a skill, then it is something that you can get better at and that you can actually tap into like a like a second language, you might know you can like pick that out. Right? This is okay, so one of those tasks we could do to get better happiness skills is the celebration at the end of the day. I love that. Are there have you ever met someone who thinks that they’re like, other people need their happiness training, but really, they’re not recognizing that they too, you know, you know, the projector?

Alice Inoue 12:15
Yeah, of course. And what’s really interesting is no one can change unless they want to change, right? Like, no one, like people will say, well, can I bring my daughter to you? Can I bring my friend to you, she really needs you. It’s fine. Bring them but they will not. It’s that self-awareness that I have that power to change my life because we’re so without that self-awareness, we blame and complain and it’s like everybody else’s fault. And, and tell someone’s ready to say, You know what, I’m ready. I want this. And sometimes they want fantasies, right? So oh, they hang around the fairies and the in the unicorns and but then you come down to it, you’re empty inside. So it’s kind of like it has to be a self-directed thing. So I never, I always feel like you can’t just shove a book in someone’s face, they have to be ready. So you can give them all this information. Nothing will happen in one day, the paradigm shifts and then they they’re ready. So I think you can’t really can’t really do much except take care of yourself. And the better that you can like, cultivate your own life and your own happiness. Let’s call it the more you’ll impact others to do the same. So yeah, it’s hard, right?

Lesley Logan 13:22
Be the change that you want to see, right.

Alice Inoue 13:26
Cliche, but it really is like, sometimes I feel like you can’t, you can’t change the people around you. And if anyone bothers you or irritates you, they’re really there to help you grow and move, move. You know, it’s just that complete ownership of your life. And that’s where I feel like you started having control over what’s going on in your life.

Lesley Logan 13:47
What are some of your favorite ways to take care and prioritize yourself? Because, you know, as you said, like, we have to take care of so we have to work on ourselves. So like, what are your favorite ways to do that right now?

Alice Inoue 13:49
No, my favorite way, which is something that I’ve been really talking about a lot lately that I realized, have you ever heard, have you heard people say, I don’t have time for myself, like I have work, I have my kids, I have this everybody needs a piece of me and I’ll take what’s left, but there’s nothing left at the end of the day, the week or month. So my recent, funny you should ask, just recently, when I talked to my community and my people I said, you think of yourself like a client, put yourself in the calendar. Like I wish I had time to come on your podcast, why don’t I have time to talk to myself, right? So we talked to everybody else, but we don’t talk to ourselves. So what I do is, I block out time for myself. It’s so simple, but it’s so important because I am the fuel for everything I do say or achieve. So I know that to nourish myself is the most more thing. So that’s how I do it. I actually schedule blocks of time and if I have to move it, that’s fine, but I move it and I don’t accept anything that’s beyond what I want and everyone’s doing the journey how to say no, draw your boundaries. And that’s why we come in handy at Happiness U because we talk about how important you are Are as a source of your own happiness. So yeah, I think it’s scheduling me into my schedule.

Lesley Logan 15:07
Yeah, that’s fine. You know, I love that you said this because I literally just told somebody before, on the recording, they said, oh, I’m not making enough time for what all the things I want to do. And I’m like, well, are they are the things you want to do on your calendar? No, and I’m like, the only way I get things done you guys is if it’s in like, it literally is in my calendar. Like it literally says done for the day. Like as soon as we’re done recording, it says done for the day. Why? So that I don’t just like, oh, I have a couple more hours till dinner. No, I don’t, I’m done for the day. I have, like, I have a block of time. That’s like, free time. And it’s not really free to do whatever. There’s a list of things I can choose from in that block. So it’s like, you can go for a walk around the block. You could read a book, you could lay in front of this like saying, oh, what do I want to do right now for me?

Alice Inoue 15:56
Yeah, and you know, our moments today, right? This moment is seizing the next moment. So if we’re always seating, busy moments, we never really get out of that busy life. So if we can see some moments, just some moments, and if you don’t mind, let me just share one more thing. People have so much to do, right? So much you were busy, busy, busy. Now, if you don’t have a deadline, and you are not taking downtime for yourself, what are you going to do, you’re gonna get distracted, you’re gonna pick up your phone, and all of a sudden you’re on and you’re gonna feel guilty while you’re doing other stuff, thinking you should be working. And then you’re just splitting your energy not taking a break. So if you’re going to get distracted, take that phone, take that item, whatever you’re distracted by, go and go. I am inspired to do this right now. Because you’re not getting any work done anyway. She’s going to be distracted and recognizing we live in a polar world up, down, left, right, hot, cold, sweet, sour night and day, we if we exhale, we’re doing all this exhaling, we need to inhale. So it’s like just recognizing we are human beings, like we need balance. And so if you don’t create balance, your body will take it. It’ll just take it and you’ll get distracted and feel frustrated. Because you think you’re not productive. not getting anything done. Yeah. Yeah. Take a break.

Lesley Logan 17:14
You know, I know. Well, that’s just it. Like I love the reframe. It’s like, I’m inspired to be distracted on my phone right now. Like, just like, take ownership of it. And then you don’t feel like you wasted the time because you chose to do it.

Alice Inoue 17:26
Exactly, because you’re doing it anyway. Just like your eat like you don’t you’re on a diet, you shouldn’t eat chocolate cake. Oh, delicious, chocolate cake come, you’re eating it, you’re feeling guilty, I shouldn’t be eating it, you’re not even enjoying the beautiful, delicious cake. Because you’re feeling guilty, then you feel bad, then you feel fat. And then like, what’s the use, you’re gonna eat the cake, eat the cake, you’re gonna get distracted, be distracted, giving yourself permission for downtime allows you to be more productive, productive, and bring your whole self to the table. So the key is bring your whole stuff to whatever you’re doing. Don’t say should I should be exercising more, I should be cleaning my room. Because you’re not you’re doing something else value what you’re doing. And if you say I should ask yourself why? Who says it’s somebody’s voice in your head. So again, it comes back to owning your life, owning your time you create your moments. And so I just find that sometimes we need to give ourselves permission.

Lesley Logan 18:16
Yeah, I think so a lot of times, also permission to be happy. Right? I think that that’s another there’s a lot of guilt around happiness. Like if there’s some I deserve it. Yeah, I don’t. Or also, I shouldn’t be happy right now. Because the world is like caving in on all of us.

Alice Inoue 18:34
The world is going through so much chaos right now our economic turmoil, financial turmoil, all of the advent of AI technology, jobs being lost, like go on and on. So if we get too caught up in that, we start feeling like that’s our problem. And if it is your problem, go out and do something about it. But if it’s not your problem worrying about it is not going to do any good create good where you’re at, you know, eat, eat good food, take care of your friends and your family. Like, it’s just we have to bring our energy back. It’s it’s hard. It’s very difficult, because there’s a lot of worry and concern about the future.

Lesley Logan 19:10
Yeah, I think that that’s such a great point to highlight, like, if it is your job to solve that problem in this world.

Alice Inoue 19:16
Well do something. Yes. But like, I there’s no amount of things I could do to stop the failure of the bank. There’s no amount of things I can do to stop the political agendas that are happening. And if I feel like I’m led to go march, go do something, I’ll do it. But it’s stuff that as I said, it’s just like, it doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you care enough about yourself to realize that this is not your journey. Your journey could be somewhere else and we all contribute to our journeys in different ways.

Lesley Logan 19:44
Yeah, I think that’s like, it’s like, if you’re called, I had a friend who because of you know, the school shootings that are happening, she’s got children. I watched her like add to the things that she does in a day by like creating a group and getting a finding out what she can do in her computer. In her city, like she, like found out what she could do, she found people to help her do it. And she’s doing it versus like talking about it with your friends every time you see them. And like just writing worry, it’s like, it’s like it’s like, then then go do something or go vote for the person who can do something. But like you just lamenting over it is actually removing happiness and possibility for everybody around you throughout the whole day.

Alice Inoue 20:23
Yeah, yeah. Can people say, well, don’t you care? How can you just be so nonchalant? It’s like, it’s not like, I don’t care. I just know that that’s not, that’s not where I’m going to place my energy. I feel like I can do more good here. So it’s like choosing what you do during the day choosing it’s that responsibility of what are you doing? And what is what you’re seeing in alignment with what you’re doing?

Lesley Logan 20:44
Yeah, yeah, I understand that, you know, we, we’ve had people on before, who like talked about, like, charitable work. And it’s like, because of like, how, like, there’s so many things that she like, you pick one you’re passionate about, you just go all in, and you know that like, yes, that other one needs it too. But like, you know, like, make the change where you can make it and then and give yourself permission to be okay with like that. That is enough. And it’s and I don’t say I would say that same as us. I don’t say to be nonchalant. But it’s like, we’re no good to anybody treating ourselves like we’re not good enough and not taking time for ourselves. You can’t, you can’t even be kind to the person you’re buying coffee from, you can’t even be kind when you’re dry, you can’t be kind of useful you’re working with. So like, we do have to figure out a way that we can show up and make the impact we want to make and then give ourselves permission for not making an impact somewhere else.

Alice Inoue 21:31
Yes, yes.

Lesley Logan 21:32
What are your favorite go tos for giving yourself permission.

Alice Inoue 21:37
I practiced it so much that it becomes a habit. And that’s really what I think is so valuable about make your life better. So if you if you or someone came in, they said, you know, I just don’t feel happy, right? So I just don’t feel happy. I want to be happy. So I would say well, what do you want? You know, what do you want? And then they they want more time for myself? Right? Okay, let’s find out how to make time. But I can’t because of this and that then wait. So it’s giving yourself permission. And that’s all it is. And once you do it, that feeling of power is so freeing, in a sense. So if you if I if I would take an informal survey of what people want in life, I know there’s scientific studies done, but just to the people I’ve worked with, people want love, they want peace. And they want they want freedom. And they want joy and happiness, love peace. And it usually comes down to when they come with a problem. These are one of the things it’s like they want freedom from such and such. They want peace, they want love or they want happiness. So yeah, it is it’s it’s tough now right to, to kind of be feel valued. And so we have to always it’s just the opposite. You have to look for exactly, why do you deserve and if people say I don’t deserve it, you have to dig a little like, who says that? Like you heard that somewhere? That’s not you.

Lesley Logan 22:52
Right? Right. I they’re like, it always goes back to getting to know yourself and like figuring out why you have the story that you have for yourself. Like who like who didn’t do that? Who said that? And also like, I you know, I love it when you’re like why do you want that? Oh, because I like keep going well, then why do you want that like just digging down a little bit more. But you know, giving yourself permission, you said you could do it so much. I think people forget, like, you don’t have to give yourself permission to take a whole day off y’all. You just give yourself permission to take five minutes without your device, you know, or to like get up 10 Min. Like give yourself permission to read for 10 minutes before you start something else in your day. You know, like, I happen to love, like giving myself permission to play hooky. Like I’m like, I may or may not play hooky for hours, mostly tomorrow. And I’m really excited for whatever I decide there. But like, you know, there’s something about it that can be really fun. And it is a it is a practice and it’s gonna feel weird in the beginning cuz you’re like, I’m giving myself permission to do nothing right now.

Alice Inoue 23:50
Yeah. A have a really good one. Have you guys have you ever been working and then it’s like, you have to use the bathroom, but you just hold it because you’re like working. And then also you’re like, Okay, I gotta go. And then you run to the bathroom. And then you’re running back. So there’s this thing that I’ve, that I started to do, because people said I’m too busy to practice mindfulness. So what you do is you have to use the bathroom anyway, right? So use the time from when you’re at your desk to walk to the bathroom. And that’s when you that’s your mind. That’s yourself time you breathe, you count the steps you feel the soap on the water, you smell it, you wash your hands. So you do it. You stay in that moment. And that gives your brain a break when you wash dishes instead of just going oh dishes yuck I hate it. Hey, this is self-time. Just enjoy the cleaning of it being that moment like it’s just putting these moments of peace because we’re in such a hurried hectic life sometimes and so there are times like that you can do it. You’re walking from your office to the car, you’re home to the car. Just these types of habits bring a bit of peace into your life because like I said, we seize the moment. So if we can seize the moment with some mindfulness, some being present Don’t like just take 10 breaths as you’re walking to the restroom and come back, I guarantee you’ll feel better you’re putting more oxygen in your brain, you’ve given yourself a break, you can be present, otherwise, we’re scattered. And as you’re scattered, you’re not even gonna remember, like yesterday or last week, because you’re gonna be like, Oh my god, I was so busy. I don’t remember a thing about last year. And so if if life is meant to be lived, we have to live it and bring our mind into the present versus worrying about past and figuring out what about the future just like just be here because we’re okay. Like, you’re okay, we’re all here. Okay, today, this minute, might not feel like it. But if we start seeing a little bit more, it starts to lighten that experience and expand like that time horizon.

Lesley Logan 25:40
Yeah. 100%. While you’re talking about this, I, I recall, like, I took a mindfulness training. So when I lived in L.A., I lived in a UCLA neighborhood, and UCLA has a mindfulness training, you could actually get certified in mindfulness. And I thought it was like a degree. And I’m like, cool, I should go do that. I mean, I didn’t you guys, because you needed to go to three silent retreats. And that meant also no writing. And I was like, no writing, no speaking, like, Oh, my God, I’m so sorry. I needed that somewhere. I gotta put my thoughts somewhere. So yeah. However, I did take some of the trainings just to like, preempt, like, get there. And one of the things I remember thinking, this is crazy, we were just taking me to freeze grapes. And then like, was the online class before COVID. Like, okay, you’re gonna take one of your frozen grapes and put in your mouth, and you’re gonna sit there and like, pay attention to it. And I was like, What in the world? And what is so funny, as I remember going, I’ve never paid attention to the grape in my mouth. Like, I’ve never paid attention to any like, or maybe I had one as a kid. But I’m certainly haven’t done as an adult. And it was like, the simple things like, as you’re saying that people might be going really what it’s like, yeah, you don’t realize how you’re not even paying attention to when you walk down the hallway, you’re thinking about what you left at your desk, or you’re thinking about where you need to go when you get back? And it’s like, what if you just walked to the hall? Like, what if you walk from your car to the door and just like, didn’t think about anything, but suffer like, Oh, look at the plants or look at the sky or count your steps? Like the people don’t realize it counting is a way of being mindful because you’re not. So I love that one of the trainings I did when I was doing a habits training. He, BJ Fogg was saying, like, we all have things we do every morning, every afternoon, every evening, like it just happens, because those are like when your meals are also happening, but also like commutes. And he said, like, really look at count, write down all the things you already do without even thinking about it. Because you can place habits there. Like being mindful. Yeah. So like, you know, you know, you’re gonna brush your teeth, you can be mindful while you’re brushing your teeth.

Alice Inoue 27:39
All of that. And it just takes a little bit of effort. But once it becomes a habit, it’s something that really is like moments for yourself. So it’s so it’s so hard, but yet so easy. And that’s what’s interesting. Some people just say, I don’t have time, I gotta wait until I finish everything else before I do something for myself. And the answer is you don’t have to change your life relation that you can start doing stuff right in the day. And that really, it can be very profoundly.

Lesley Logan 28:08
Yeah, yeah. What are you excited about right now? What do you what are you most excited about right now?

Alice Inoue 28:12
Right now, what I’m really excited about is I created a psychometric system based on the Chinese five elements of wood, water, fire, all of that stuff. So it’s these elements, and it’s called, (inaudible) and I would I took these Chinese elements, and I personified them and made them into superheroes. And I know there’s no video here, but like, I’ve created like, superhero characters around it. So it’s an assessment that I created, wrote a book on it and everything. And it started becoming part of team building and corporate team building, and then your crazy series of synchronicities, McDonald’s found it and so I’m able to, I’ve been able to, like, kind of see this thing and all it is, is about, about if you, if you take my assessment, it’s like you take the assessment, it’s like, there’s a book, it’s online, it’s free. And anyway, you take the assessment and you come out with an archetype like I’m the intuitive luminary, you might be the spontaneous initiator. And so there’s these 20 archetypes, but it shows you what your superpowers are, what your weaknesses are. So I guess right now, I’m really inspired in just up leveling that whole thing and licensing it and all of that, so that.

Lesley Logan 29:17
Oh my god, that’s pretty exciting. If McDonald’s is like, hey, we want to do also like so cool to be able to partner with a company that can touch so many people in a way and maybe get them to think of themselves in a positive way. Like that’s really cool.

Alice Inoue 29:34
Yeah, so I felt like that’s been really fun and other large sort of national organizations have picked that up and I’m also really excited of course about my Happiness U Hui because I’ve never done I was all such an in-person thing. Like I’ve been amazing. I’m like old school and you know, I’m a lot older than most people. So it’s like being in person is the thing, but then because of pandemic, I wasn’t able to keep that, that the space and so we went online and now it’s super fun because like how you have on doing like this podcast, like, I get to do these little weekly things. And yeah, I’m actually really inspired by that. That’s number two. And one more thing over the pandemic, I found face yoga.

Lesley Logan 30:13
Okay, I read this in your notes, and I was like, I really do hope that she brings this up. So okay, I heard about face yoga, and I’m gonna be honest, I like I was like, I don’t know that I wanted to come up through my feet. So I’m just not gonna Google it because then I’ll get face yoga prompts, but I’m looking at you right now. And I’m just gonna say, I need to know what you’re doing.

Alice Inoue 30:30
Okay, so I turn 60 bext year.

Lesley Logan 30:32
Oh my gosh.

Alice Inoue 30:35
So I when I started, when I turned 50 I started noticing like that I was getting that square look, you know, it’s normal for gels, nasal labial folds and all of that to come up. That’s pandemic and then somehow I saw something on face yoga and I was like, huh, that’s really interesting, but this is what it is. You have 57 muscles above our from our neck up. And if you think about exercise, we know to exercise your biceps, our glutes, our abs to stay healthy, but these muscles never get any exercise and they just drift so give that gravity they just falls your skin is stuck to your muscles so your skin droop you lose collagen elastin you start drooping about this five-minute yoga book. And I just started doing it watching TV. Like weird stuff, right? And then one day I was like, oh my God, my gels are gone. I’m not even kidding you. So you see my face right now.

Lesley Logan 31:25
But I don’t watch on YouTube y’all. We can see your face. Yeah.

Alice Inoue 31:28
I don’t have like flapping stuff. I used to jog and flap and then my eyes I used to have to like hold it up because my eyelids would bump on my eyelashes. So I was able to kind of lift my face naturally because the muscles on your face are so thin. A little bit of exercise it just kind of puts them in shape. I was so inspired I I got certified I started a face club I so I do I teach I teach face yoga I do it because I love it. It helps me and I just I just love it. So yeah, so it’s a little bit odd. But if you do it correctly, it’s not like I’m going to say it plastic surgery is great fillers Botox all that’s great. If that works for you. That’s totally great. Because it you feel you’re gonna want to feel better. But I guess for me, I just thought it was kind of cool, since I do the organic stuff that you just like lift my space.

Lesley Logan 32:15
I’m obsessed because I read it. I was like, okay, hold on. Let’s see. And then you came on. And I was like, Okay, we need to do this. We should do it now. Because if I do it now just imagine what I look like.

Alice Inoue 32:25
No, but you’re so young. So the idea here is if you do it you prevent yourself from aging. It’s really hard to reverse age. Once it’s down you’re fighting against gravity, but it can be done and it’s it’s inspired. So this is why when I used to look in the mirror, I would be like oh my god, another wrinkle elbows eyes like drooping. Now when you look anyone who does face yoga, we’re investing in our face, we’re putting time in so that one our practice, we breathe and we release tension and we massage we do all kinds of acupressure we do meditation at the end, so it’s like a whole one-hour self-care hour. But now I bet everybody in that face club when they’re going to wash their face. They’re looking for improvements. They’re saying oh look, that’s better. And that’s putting positive energy because normally you look at what’s wrong when you look in the mirror like nobody goes like oh my god, how am I am so beautiful. It’s like my eyebags you know.

Lesley Logan 33:20
I love that you are saying it that way because I think so many people are like, Oh my gosh, Leslie, you too are getting like really vain but it’s actually not it’s about like looking at yourself and seeing what’s going well and like looking and seeing positive things and and and also just another way to spend time with yourself. I love like I need to get back into (inaudible) practice but I loved like I got the add the act of doing it at night. I was like look at me taking care of myself.

Alice Inoue 33:46
Yeah, you are you’re actually actually stimulating blood flow and oxygen to your face from college in a lesson they need that in order to be strong. So yeah, so I think it’s inner beauty and outer beauty are connected. It really is and that people said oh, your Happiness U Why are you still vain doing outer things? I’m like, No, I feel good about investing in myself. I don’t care if I’m 50 6070 If I look the best that I can be at wherever I’m at. I feel good. You know? So yeah. It’s just perspective. It really is.

Lesley Logan 34:20
I think you’re right. And I think it’s also like it is the inner and the outer they kind of feed into each other. And so if you only say negative things about yourself outside, guess what’s happening on the inside, so it’s kind of like you’re working at both ends. Oh my gosh, Alice, this has been so fun. We’re not done yet. We’re gonna take a brief break and then find out where people can find you follow you do face yoga with you.

Okay, Alice, where do you like to hang out? Where can they? Where can they stalk you a little bit in the good way?

Alice Inoue 34:44
Oh, that’s just probably just go to the website. It’s your like, yourhappinessu.com everything’s on there yourhappinessu.com And if you are into like Facebook and Instagram and all that, like then I post all these little things. It’s all wisdom stuff so in Facebook it’s Alice Inoue I-N-O-U-E life guidance or on Instagram it’s Alice_Inour we’re going to start a face yoga on Instagram too. I just thought I should do that too. So you can practice some exercises.

Lesley Logan 35:16
Yeah, I was gonna say do you have like any reels?

Alice Inoue 35:18
Yeah, we do. Like yeah, you know, do you have a post underneath when after I show up on your podcast, we’re gonna have this one like gif and then you know, I’ll give it to you. And then you guys can actually do a facial the class on there’s like a facial.

Lesley Logan 35:31
Okay, I’ll try I want that link. We’re gonna put in the show notes. I’m going to do everyone who’s listening. I would like you to tag Alice and myself when you have done your face yoga. Okay, you have given us so many great tips honestly, like really awesome tips. But before I let you go for the too long didn’t read people for the people who just wanted what is something bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted step people can take to Be It Till You See It?

Alice Inoue 35:57
Schedule yourself in. Get to know yourself again. So put yourself into your schedule and do what you want. Just give yourself permission to get to know yourself. Simply because when we first meet somebody and we fall in love, all we want to do is ask them what do you like? What’s your favorite color? What do you do we want to get to know others. But sometimes I feel like we centered so much and others that we forget to center back on ourselves. And we don’t even know what we want anymore. If I asked you what do you want to be happy? Like some people don’t even know. So I would say actionable steps schedule yourself in get to know yourself again.

Lesley Logan 36:33
Yeah, yeah, a little dating of yourself. I love that. You know what you can all get like those like top dating questions, you could ask them and then just ask yourself, I love that. Alice, this is so fun. I’m so happy that are paths have crossed. I just divine appointments like this is why this podcast exists. So thank you for being here and sharing your amazingness Thank you for listening. Let us know how you’re gonna use these tips in your life. I mean, I really want to know because I hope this brings a little more happiness to all of us. And until next time, Be It Till You See It.

—

Lesley Logan
That’s all I’ve got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate this show and leave a review. And, follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over on IG at the @be_it_pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us help others to BE IT TILL YOU SEE IT. Have an awesome day!

—

Lesley Logan
‘Be It Till You See It’ is a production of the ‘Bloom Podcast Network’.

Brad Crowell
It’s written, filmed and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell.

Lesley Logan
It is produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.

Brad Crowell
Our theme music is by Ali at APEX Production Music. And our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.

Lesley Logan
Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals and Ximena Velasquez for our transcriptions.

Brad Crowell
Also to Angelina Herico for adding all the content to our website. And finally to Meridith Crowell for keeping us all on point and on time.