Shownotes

Yoga teacher, podcaster, and wellness creator Meghan Pherrill joins Lesley Logan to get real about the messy, non-linear path to feeling like yourself again. From OCD, anxiety, and depression to building a grounded practice of yoga, meditation, and motherhood, Meghan shares how starting small and trusting your intuition can shift everything. Together, Lesley and Meghan talk basics over biohacks, listening to your body, and building routines that actually fit your life. Expect gentle permission, practical steps, and big relief.

If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co.

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In this episode you will learn about:

• The turning point when Meghan quit her OCD rituals almost overnight.
• Lessons from the 555 postpartum recovery rule and rebuilding routines as a new mom.
• Why she shifted from advanced biohacks back to foundational wellness practices.
• The risk of outsourcing health to trends instead of trusting your body’s feedback.
• How small, consistent shifts create a strong foundation for lasting wellness.

Episode References/Links:

• Balance Your Life Podcast – https://www.balancebymeghan.com/podcast
• Meghan Pherrill Website – https://www.balancebymeghan.com
• Meghan Pherrill Instagram – https://instagram.com/balancebymeghan
• Meghan Pherrill YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/balancebymeghan
• Meghan Pherrill TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@balancebymeghan
• Book: The Plant Paradox by Dr. Steven R Gundry MD – https://a.co/d/cVM3irA

Transcript

Meghan Pherrill 0:00
Whatever’s resonating with you, not what you see online. Follow that intuition of yours and just run with it. Go with it. Don’t make it complicating. You know, start with a 10 minute yoga flow. If yoga feels cold to you, maybe it’s Pilates. Just start.

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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.

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Lesley Logan 0:58
Hey, Be It babe. All right, today’s conversation is such a lovely window in taking a long journey and things not happening fast, but still happening for you. We have a really great guest today. Her name is Meghan Pherrill. She is the host of the Balance Your Life podcast, and I really love all the different topics we talked about in today’s episode. We talk about being a new mom. But we also talk about, like, the basics of meditation and like, how to get started with that, and how does one go from like, kind of not knowing what to do or what to do with their time and what to be, to having this really beautiful life that’s built around all the things that they like and that make them feel like them. So I’m really excited for you to hear this journey. It’s authentic and it’s not perfect, and it’s exactly what we need to be doing when we think about, like, what do we want in our lives? So here is Meghan Pherrill.

Lesley Logan 1:49
All right, Be It babe. I’m excited because I’ve already had a wonderful conversation with our guest today. And I was like, oh, I really want to keep this conversation going, and we are over here on my podcast. So the host of Balance Your Life podcast with Meghan Pherrill as our guest today. Meghan Pherrill, can you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at?

Meghan Pherrill 2:07
Yeah, amazing. Thank you for the intro. I feel like I should have you doing all of my intro calls there. My name is Meghan Pherrill. I am the creator and kind of the leading force behind Balance by Meghan. It’s an online brand, podcast, I do all the things that’s just really meant to help you inspire, be inspired, be empowered, to begin and maintain your own wellness journey so you can be the best version of yourself. I have a top Canadian podcast, which I’m very proud of. And yeah, I do, normally, I do yoga retreats, I do workshops. I’ve taken a little bit of a hiatus just while I raise my my little kiddo over here. But that’s really kind of my jam, my jelly and jam there (inaudible) what I do.

Lesley Logan 2:51
Oh, man, that’s so fun. Okay, but I have to, I, so I wonder, like, was your life always balanced? Like, did you like, how did, like, did it, was the wellness journey, like, always easy for you? Is it like something that just came easier or is it did it come because, like, like things in your life that you needed to find it. I would love to hear how you kind of got into this.

Meghan Pherrill 3:11
Well, it’s like I always say when people ask me this, I’m like, how much time do you actually have with this podcast? Because balance was like, the least, it was like, not a vocabulary, a word in my vocabulary, I, wellness, like kind of a joke. I always think it’s too like, it’s ironic that I teach these things. Because I was that girl who lived on chicken fingers and fries. Corn was like my vegetable of choice, and like you were lucky if you got some carrots into me. Greens were just not happening. I was diagnosed really, really young, with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression and anxiety. I had also been in and out of the hospital since the day I was born with asthma, like just it was not uncommon for me to be hospitalized once a month with, like, severe asthma attacks, where I was on prednisone all the time, puffers all the time. It was just part of my life. And there was a catalyst in my life where I had also been, like, sexually abused by my uncle. This is like taking a dark turn, and always, like, to me, you’re such a light and like, so vibrant. This just gets real dark, real fast.

Lesley Logan 4:20
It’s okay, Meghan, I actually, I’m fine with this and you can continue to go that path, because I actually think that it would be a shame to us, for us to just like, paint the picture that was so easy for you. And I just want to say thank you for already sharing, like the OCD and the depression and the anxiety, because I actually think a lot of people who listen to us have one of those things, and it’s held them back in some way. So thank you, and it’s okay, we’ll, we’ll go, we’ll, I’m sure we’ll get light again so.

Meghan Pherrill 4:44
Yeah, it’s like, it’s one of those things that I think for me, when I look back on my life, I go, I wish there had been somebody like me that I could have been like, there’s a beam, there’s like, there’s a beacon of hope, because I felt so lost, and I just, it got really to the point of like, where I thought, okay, either this is life and this sucks and I’m going to end it, or I do see people around me thriving, like I’m just going to, you know, give it a shot and try to be happy. And there were many things that kind of led down this path. I did, I did cognitive behavioral therapy, which was good. It helped me in the moment. I was put on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication, again, helped me in the moment, helped stop the suicidal thoughts, but I never really felt alive. I was consistently sleeping. It was not uncommon for me to have two or three hour naps a day to sleep easily 12 hours a day. Like, I don’t even know how I did school. I was just constantly sleeping all the time. I was just so zonked from those meds, and somehow I had a boyfriend, and he ended up breaking up with me. And it was for me, I was like that, like, life cannot get any lower than this. This sucks. And it was just like, this wake up call where I thought, Okay, I’m doing all these OCD tendencies to prevent things like this from happening, but it’s still happening, even though, like, in hindsight, I’m like, the guy was a total loser. I can’t believe I even dated him.

Lesley Logan 4:44
Isn’t it really funny that we look back at.

Meghan Pherrill 5:59
At the time, it was just like devastating, especially since he left me for another girl.

Lesley Logan 6:09
Yes, I hear you. I feel like every time, like we like I there’s something about like, young love. And you’re like, this is the most important thing. And it’s like, what was I doing? That guy is an asshole.

Meghan Pherrill 6:32
I know. And even now, I’m like, oh my god. But I was like, I’m not doing it anymore. Like I’m not doing my OCD tendencies, which I have been in studies for OCD and they can they are just blown away by the fact that almost overnight, I stopped. I would say 80% of them, I still had a couple that I kept and we’re talking like weird things for me, like before I could sit down, comfortable on a couch, I would have to stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Six times I would have to check all my books 42 times. Just, like, really weird things for me.

Lesley Logan 7:08
Also like, just time consuming and so fascinating that, like, like, you could have this, like, hold on, I was doing all this so bad things wouldn’t happen, and bad things happened and, and I do know that, like, there’s like, wonderful exposure, scientific studies on some OCD happenings, like, I’ve heard, like, you go to these places and they help expose you to the thing and like, so, so I do want to highlight, like, there’s that, but how amazing that so many of them could just, like, your brain could just go because our brains don’t like to be in dissonance, right? So it sounds like your brain was like, hold on, this is, it’s not supposed to happen and it happens.

Meghan Pherrill 7:40
It doesn’t make sense. Yeah, I was doing all these things, these things are still happening. Like, what’s the point? Like, light switches on, off, on, off, on, like, and so I just stopped most of them. There were still some up until, like, I would say, even, like, five years ago, like, I was very much like, the two minute brush my teeth person, not a minute before, not a minute after. That one I kept for a little bit, but I’m like, it’s good hygiene. But I just, I stopped, and I really thought, okay, I need to really focus on myself, like I put all this energy into this relationship. I changed myself so this person likes me, and it didn’t work. So I was I really was going to just start working on myself, and I stayed on my medication for a little while. It wasn’t until I met my now husband, but my boyfriend at the time, we had just come back from a vacation, which was a huge deal for me, to be able to go away, mapped most of it, but still, came home, found out my grandfather was dying from lung cancer, and that rocked my world. He got he went downhill really fast. I, like, he was everything to me. I absolutely adored the man. And during that time, during my grieving, I forgot to take some of my medication for a few days, and my boyfriend was like, Brad. Like, you can do this. He, he had been on the medication for like a month, and he was like, f this, this sucks, so I’m gonna be there with you. And I was like, I’m gonna be like a raging bitch, like, sorry. I hope I can swear on this. And he was like, no, like, I’ve got this. We’re gonna do it together. So I don’t suggest doing this. My doctor was incredibly disappointed with the.

Lesley Logan 9:25
I do think you’re supposed to like talk to people, yeah, you’re supposed to, like, wean yourself off. And I do. I will say, like, I think that when you need it, medication, for it can be so helpful, because we definitely want to stop any thoughts that could hit in someone’s life. But I do agree with you and your boyfriend that I think, long term, we don’t have a lot of information that for everybody, it’s the best thing. So yes, I’m glad you. I’m glad you’re stipulating that doctors wouldn’t recommend you, like, have to have a conversation about getting off.

Meghan Pherrill 9:54
Yeah, yeah. He was just like, what? I was like, well, it’s been like, a month now, so I’m not going back on them. And it was hard, like I went through withdrawal, but I slowly started to feel like myself again. And the biggest thing was I wasn’t napping anymore. I had all this time on my hand, and I was like, what do I what do I do with myself now?

Lesley Logan 10:16
Now that I don’t wait for the sunlight.

Meghan Pherrill 10:17
I know, like, what is this, this is sun in the sky that then that’s really how I got into yoga, and that’s really what started my deep dive into holistic health and wellness. And I’m still like, to this day, like I’m a yogi through and through, I do other things now, like I weight train, I do Pilates, but I’m like, yoga is always my base, and what I come back to, and my parents are like, not necessary, they, they kind of, they’re interested in my stuff, but they’re like, I don’t understand why we can’t have the processed hot dog buns for dinner. Like, it’s just not really their vibe, but yeah, it’s, it’s been a really, it’s been a long journey, but it’s funny, like I was thinking about how my life has changed so much since then, I can’t even believe the person I used to be to who I am now.

Lesley Logan 11:04
Yeah, I also just want to highlight it sounds like by focusing on taking care of yourself, that’s how you, you know, found what you wanted and what you want to do. I think, like, you know, so many people are so focused on the other people around them, making sure that they’re happy and they’re cared for and they’re loved, and then they put themselves last. And it’s like, actually, when we kind of get a little self-focused, we actually can truly find ourselves in a way that we can be the best person for the people that are in our lives. Like, even if your parents don’t like that you won’t eat the hot dog bun, they have more of you now than when, when, you weren’t focusing on yourself.

Meghan Pherrill 11:42
Yeah, yeah, it was and it doesn’t have to be a lot like it was just very much. I’d come home from work and Brad would know I’m doing a little bit of yoga. It was like 20 or 30 minutes, but that was my time for myself. And I mean, people could just see the difference in the change in me, and they were like, go, go ahead. Like, go do what needs to be done. So yeah, that’s, that’s kind of how I found myself in this position.

Lesley Logan 12:07
Yeah, okay, so can we talk a little about, like, the timeline of the journey? Because obviously, like, we heard about the month of of the antidepressant release. But like, how long did it take you to get a yoga practice and then also, then discover that you wanted to teach it, and then get to where you are, like, we’re talking years, we’re talking months, you know, like, I’ve got these overachiever perfectionists who are listening like, okay, so I just need to, like, do this for a few days, and then I’m gonna be good. Like, what? What’s the what was the the timeline?

Meghan Pherrill 12:35
Yeah, it was, I see this it was a long journey, not to be discouraging, but to know like that for me, that was my my truth. I started off simply with 20 minutes of yoga. I think I committed to, like, three, maybe four. I think it was just three days a week. I was like, This is it. This is all I’m gonna do, you know, just to see how does it make me feel.

Lesley Logan 12:59
I actually love that. Thank you for saying it was long. And thank you, it shouldn’t be discouragement. It’s just honest. Like, I think a lot of times, you know, the the days are, the days are long, but the years are short. And, like, if, I can’t believe I’ve been doing Pilates for 20 years, like, I was like, whoa, I’ve been doing this for, I’ve been out of college for 20 years, you know, like, because it feels like just yesterday, I was like, doing X, Y and Z, and I’m working so hard on things, it’s like, oh no, actually, I’ve achieved a ton. And it did take a long time to get that runway going, but it’s just an amazing thing that, like, once you set the time aside, you’re doing three days a week, you’re doing 20 minutes at a time, and then it gets better, and people give you more time, and then you get more time, like it compounds, and then all of a sudden, it’s like, things happen a little bit faster in the wellness journey, you know, because you’ve built a strong foundation.

Meghan Pherrill 13:45
Yes, yeah. And it’s funny, because people will often look at me now and and see everything that I do. I do, like holistic health, I do, quote unquote, biohacks, like cold plunging. We were talking about that in my podcast. That didn’t happen month three or over six, like, that was year how long have we been doing that? Like, year seven, I got into that stuff. Like, it was really, really slow. I even I did yoga for like, five years before I even tried a different type of exercise, like, and it was just natural to me to go, okay, like, I feel like I’m ready for the next level of whatever, Pilates, weight training, it was Pilates next. But even, like my food journey, even now I’m really religious about eating really clean, nourishing myself, it started off super basic. Was like, can I just get more vegetables into my diet? That was it. I wasn’t looking like, did not drop the whole wheat bread at first. Was still probably eating chicken nuggets, but it was like, okay, can I just introduce a couple new vegetables into my diet, and from there we’ll go, go forward like, I I’m sure you see this too. Sometimes people message me and they’re like, these vegetables are gonna kill me. Spinach is anti nutrient. I’m gonna die if I eat it, and it’s like, no wonder people feel so overwhelmed to start anything you can read or look at anybody and see, oh, eat spinach. It’s a superpower. Eat spinach and die the next day. Like it’s, I think it can be overwhelming.

Lesley Logan 15:14
I’m like, am I hearing this for the first time? Because I really like a spinach. I’m going to be really honest. I like a spinach. I like a mixed green, I don’t, do not, I don’t like a romaine. I’m not gonna do an iceberg, like, but like, I, it’s true. Like, I think where people get confused is that there’s so many people out there with that are mixing the messaging and also not good information sometimes, you know, like, you know where we live in the States, I got served something the other day, and on my socials, and I’m like, I’m gonna report this, because this is not according to science. Like, we actually do have science guys, it does work. And there is some incredible now, four different bodies, there’s different things. And, like, by the way, there’s a great book that’s so old, but it’s called the Plant Paradox. And if you really want to understand plants, it’s such it’s so informative. Like, if you take one thing away, it’s like, oh, if plants grow in rows, they have more poison to them, so you might have to cook them or do different things your body can digest them, versus the plants that like to their babies fly and be free. They’re less poisonous. You can eat them however you want, versus if you’re from the southern hemisphere versus European descent, like, there’s different plants and we digest them differently. And I think what is the problem is, is that so many people are outsourcing how something feels in their body to someone else’s opinion, versus like, well, if, if you eat the spinach and you feel really good, is it is it bad for you?

Meghan Pherrill 16:38
I just like, I that was, I just finished that book two, two or three books ago. And same thing, I was like, all of this makes so much sense. You know, plants are living organisms. Of course, they have things that deter us from eating it. But I’m sure as I’m like, reading it too, I’m like, I also feel like this guy, like, do you go out for food? Like, you know I would eat something that makes me feel sick, but at the same time, like some of these people, they’re like, Ooh, I like, yes, there’s no place right for consuming seed oils on a daily basis. But if I’m in a restaurant and they’re like, sorry, this is how we make our things, and I’m surrounded by friends and family, I’m gonna ask if they can do something different. But if they’re like, we absolutely can’t. Like, this is how it is. How it is. It’s okay, you know, like, putting more stress on my body about eating that is going to cause more damage than just enjoying myself once in a while, like that, and just living your life.

Lesley Logan 17:34
I also think that’s the balance, right? Like, you know? I think it’s a little like, to me, that perfectionism, that control of like, it has to be a certain way when I go out, no, I’m going out, it’s like I’m going to someone else’s kitchen, and this is how they prepared it. And if I don’t like that, I can not go. I can ask people, what’s the after dinner party look like? I can do my research beforehand. Like, because I’ve had food sensitivities, I am used to looking at the menus ahead of time, doing my research ahead of time, so when I’m there, I can go, I’ll take this thing. I’ll take this thing, because what I don’t want is the whole dinner to be about what I can and can’t or won’t eat, because then I’m not actually getting to know the people I’m with. I’m busy like talking about, like, why you shouldn’t have seed oils. I don’t want to be that person. That’s not who I wanna be at the dinner table. It’s not my thing. And so, like, I think for I think people do have to have some sort of balance. And when I was on an elimination diet years ago, trying to figure out what’s wrong with my stomach, I went to a ton of places, and I said, oh, what time is dinner? I’ll meet you guys for dessert. And then I wouldn’t, I would have tea, because every restaurant has tea, right? And so you can do different things to, like, still be part of society. I think that’s the balance part of it. And then understanding, like, you know, a little bit of something isn’t going to kill you unless it’s going to kill you. Like, unless you’re allergic to shellfish, like that will kill you. But if you’re just one of those, like, sensitive people, like, either choose to to not do it or just do it and like, be kind to yourself the next day when you’re a little more inflamed, you know. Just know that’s gonna happen.

Meghan Pherrill 19:03
Yeah, I couldn’t agree more, yeah. My son has a bunch of food allergies, so I’ve really opened my eyes up to that. And sometimes it’s simply like, I will message people and say, just so you know, I’m calling the restaurant to see if I can bring some food for my for my son, or at the time, like I’m still nursing. So there was a lot of things, and we’re talking like, anaphylactic food allergies. So not just like, he gets a little bit of hives, it’s like he might die.

Lesley Logan 19:06
Yeah, yeah, which is all very different. I think these, like, you have to understand that, and then, like, but also I love that you did it ahead of time. I think this is where people can have a wonderful life is if you can advocate for yourself, but do it ahead of time, and then that way you’re not like, oh, I can’t believe this restaurant isn’t taking care of me.

Meghan Pherrill 19:42
I know, yeah, exactly. And like, yeah, there’s, like, there’s a certain place we go to. The chef knows me. I you know I go in to the server, she knows me now too. But I’m like, just let the chef know that it’s the girl with a lot of the allergy restrictions, and he’ll come out and he smiles. He’s like, I knew it was you, but like, he and he gets it, right? Like, it’s, he’s really accommodated us for that. So it’s, he’s, yeah, I found a way to kind of live and that, you know, at first too, it was like, okay, I guess I’ll have the salad because, you know, at least I can put the dressing on the side. But yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s all a learning curve. And I think, too, people shouldn’t be so hard on themselves. Like, if they’re hearing me talk about spinach, I eat spinach, by the way. I’m just saying there’s some people out there that are like, you will die if you eat spinach.

Lesley Logan 19:44
Oh my god.

Meghan Pherrill 20:08
And you have to, you do you have to get really in tune with like, how does it make you feel if you eat spinach and you’re like, I feel like garbage afterwards. You should probably stop eating spinach.

Lesley Logan 20:39
I used to, I would have brown rice, because some people would tell me it’s healthier than white rice. And guess what, you guys, it has arsenic. And it’s actually not so awesome for me, especially because I have a hard time breaking down lectin. And so I was telling my fundamental friend, my fundamental health doctor friend, and I said, I said, Oh my god, every time I make this one bowl, it has veggies, it has protein, has all these things, but like, I just feel exhausted after I eat it. And she said, what’s the base? I said, it’s brown rice. And she goes, switch it to white rice. So I switched it to white rice. Fine. Like, I just couldn’t, per, I just couldn’t break down the lectin and so but also, we’re all very different, and I think we’re, I hope people are getting permission here is like, figure out what works for you and do the best you can, and then we can have, like, what you do so well, Meghan, was like, finding balance, you know, like, I think where a lot of people are getting confused is they’re going, oh, this person says this, but this person says this, and what should I do? It’s like, what, what felt good to you?

Meghan Pherrill 21:38
Yeah, exactly, yeah.

Lesley Logan 21:39
So, okay, you have a kiddo, life has totally changed. I for for the moms who are listening like, how have you been because you you focus on you to kind of get you here. And obviously, when they’re an infant, they’re an infant, and it’s a different story. But how are you making sure you’re still focusing on you while raising this kiddo?

Meghan Pherrill 21:59
Well, I was just talking to a girlfriend about this, literally, this morning. So I was lucky enough that, I live in Canada, by the way, it’s cold most of the time here. He’s a summer baby, thank God. And so when I first brought him home, like days old, right away, I would just go out and get sunlight. That was like my self-care moment with him. I would keep him skin to skin on my chest. We’d go outside and to me like, I just it felt so good to get the vitamin D, for him it was really good. And I had been really active my entire pregnancy. Knew that I wanted to kind of get back into that afterwards, but I also was really mindful about giving myself grace. I had a really hard labor and delivery, and so I wasn’t, like, I was even able to kind of get up and, like, walk around, right the next day, I kind of followed-ish, the 555 rule, which, if you don’t know, it’s like, five days in the bed, five days on the bed, five days around the bed. So I had a perfect (inaudible), day four, I had to take him to the doctors for a checkup. But that was kind of like my mentality was, like, I’m just going to be on the bed in the bed for the first little bit with him. My husband had dragged out like the futon to the living room so I could watch a TV show if I wanted. And that was kind of like the first 15 days for me. It was just really focusing on that. And then it started off with just going out on walks afterwards. These were not hour-long walks. Sometimes they were up and down the street, and that was it. I knew I really wanted to set my son up for healthy habits to for his life. And so really right from I got the clearance, so I got, usually you get clearance at like, week six or getting back into your fitness routine, it was week nine for me. I had, I literally got in a car accident, like a month before my son had been born (inaudible). It took a little while for me to recover, but as soon as I was able to, like, he would go in this swing next to me. Well, I did, like, my pelvic floor exercises, and I did 10 minutes of yoga, and it’s, he’s almost two now, like, I work out with him, or do yoga or Pilates five or six days a week, and he’s there with me. I put toys around. I have snacks out for him. Sometimes it’s, takes like an hour and a half to do, like, a 40-minute class, because he needs constant snacks now, but he sees me doing that, and he knows in the morning when the weights come out, like he even rolls out my yoga mat for me now. He has a little set of weights that he can do, and he does his squats with me. And even before we do our workout together, I do a Wim Hof breath session, and he goes bananas for that. Like, he runs into the room. He’s like, Wim, Wim, Wim. I put him on the bed, and he sits with me. He watches the screen, which I’m sure somebody is like, he’s too young to look at a screen. You know what? It’s Wim Hof.

Lesley Logan 24:41
I think, everything in moderation.

Meghan Pherrill 24:56
Breathing thing and he just sits there. And sometimes all you even him going, like, he tries to do it and yeah, so like, some days it doesn’t happen exactly how I want it to, but I would say for the most part, like he just, he knows the routine. He knows that this is, this is important to mommy. And I will even tell him, this is mommy’s time now, you can stay here and play with me, but this is, we’re doing mommy’s thing first. And he’s like, okay.

Lesley Logan 25:26
I love this. First of all, I love that you are honest about like, a 45-minute class might take an hour and a half. You know? I also, we had a guest on. Also lives in Canada. She, she married in they have five kids, and she said, actions are caught, not taught. And she’s like, our kids see us. We’re making our movement practice a priority, and they don’t have to do the movement practice, but they don’t get to tell us, we don’t get to do the movement practice, so it’s like, we’re gonna go, we work out in the morning, we walk, do a walk. You can come with us or not. We’re gonna go do this, then we’re gonna go do this, then we will do these things with you. So if you don’t wanna wait to hang out with us until then, then you can come with us, right? And so that’s her big thing is that kids really pick up on that. And I think it’s really important, because, of course, they have needs, and there’s other things they need, but like, if you can find patience and you can give yourself grace to take 45 minutes to do, take an hour and a half to do a 45-minute workout, then, as they get older, look, he’s rolling you’re mat that’s so cute. We have OPC members whose kids know the sound of my voice, and they’ll like, be on the ground next their mom. They like, oh, I could roll like a ball, like I could do it, you know, I’m like, that is so important. And if they’re on screen learning healthy stuff versus being babysat, there’s a very big difference. So I, I’m all for that, but I, but I just really thank you, because I do think that so many people are like, oh, I need to have complete alone time and then I can work out. And it’s like, there’s no perfect day, like, I barely have, I don’t even have kids, but I used to have three dogs, and they have to go at different times. Like, okay, hold on, let me let you out. Okay, let me, yup, this, oh, now you want your food? Okay, here’s like, you know. So, like, I’ve pre-made all the bowls, and then they come. So, like, even my own workout would be interrupted. I don’t even have children, you know. So it’s like, how can we prep the area, prep the scene, prep the people in our lives for what we’re about to do, and then how can we take advantage of what we can do, you know, and then be kind and know that that’s, that’s, that’s good enough for today. And I think I never heard the 555 thing. Of course, every mom listening will probably say come on, Lesley, but that’s so interesting, because I do think that people, I had a girlfriend who had kids and she’s like, I really didn’t think that eight months after pregnancy I would still be trying to get my core strength back, you know? And she went to it as a trainer, and, like all these things and pre postnatal, and she’s, like, experienced it for herself for the first time. And it’s like, yeah, everyone is different, you know, we’re all different, and we have to know that and take our time getting it back.

Meghan Pherrill 28:02
Yeah, yeah. And I will, like, I have one child, someone’s like, I have three or four or five kids. Like, you know, maybe you don’t have the luxury of doing the 555, right away after but it’s also, like, little things for a postpartum like, it’s nice to get the bassinet and and the clothes for the kiddo, but I had people meal prep me a bunch of things that was part of a postpartum gift, and someone bought me cleaning services for like, four or five different times I utilized that so I don’t have to get out of bed or off the couch and take away from my.

Lesley Logan 28:25
I love these gifts. Why aren’t people registering for this? Because I see the registrations I had a girlfriend, and we are, like, late to the party on like, buying the, I’m like, oh, now we’re down to the things. This kid’s not gonna wear this stuff. And I was like, we’re not getting anywhere with any of these things. We’re going to get some dinner gift certificates to restaurants near her house that can deliver. Like, that’s what we’re doing, because I refuse to buy clothes. This kid is gonna be born in the summer. We make it the whole time, no.

Meghan Pherrill 29:01
Yeah, no, that was my whole thing. Like, my kid lived in a diaper for the first, like, four months, and we got so many hand-me-downs. I was like, I’m not, I’m not spending money on clothes that kid’s gonna grow out of in two weeks. But yeah, like the dinner thing, if someone is ever like, I don’t know what to get a postpartum mom, food or cleaning services, will you will be their favorite person in the entire world, because there’s yeah, you don’t want to be you don’t want to be cooking or cleaning after watching it. You just want to be able to pick up a phone or dial Uber or whatever, and just say, bring me food.

Lesley Logan 29:35
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So kiddos, to your your business had to change. It sounds like, from what you were doing before him to now what you’re doing, what is the be it till you see it that you’re working on right now? Like, are we? Are you wanting to add more things back? Are you trying to enjoy what you got? Like, what? What are we? What? What’s the thing you’re most excited about right now?

Meghan Pherrill 29:57
I really wanted to get back to basics. For me, when I first started yoga, I was like, this has changed my life so profoundly. I want to teach others how to do the same. And so I had done, like a manifestation, meditation teacher training and a meditation teacher training. And just as you you kind of want to grow new things happen to you. I got it, got caught up in what everyone else was doing, and thought I should be doing the same thing. And I was thinking of this the other day, and I was like, I really want to get back to basics. It’s probably not going to happen right away for me, just realistically with a little guy with allergies, but I really want to get back to I, I literally, before the world shut down, I did Costa Rica yoga retreat, and in before 2020, and I loved it. It was, I love to travel. I love yoga. I was like, this is an amazing blend here. I really want to get back to doing retreats again. In an ideal world. I would love to do, like, three to four a year. But I also kind of want to do some weekend ones. I’m a mom now, like, it’s not realistic for me to pack up and say, see you for a week while I go to Cyprus, but I could probably figure out how to get away for a day or a weekend retreat so that’s important to me, and just to kind of teach people the basics. Again, everybody’s seeing all these like, cold plunge things, sauna, things, like, I want to teach people how to get into meditation. You can meditate in five minutes a day and change your absolute life.

Lesley Logan 31:28
Let’s talk about teaching how to get into meditation. I would love to go there, because I do think, like, yes, of course, as a cold plunger, yes, all these things. But I will say, like, a lot of the stuff is advanced. It’s advanced biohacking, it’s advanced like, things in a fitness we all just have to get people moving. But also, like my husband the other day, it was like a head, like, feeling like he had something he had, like, in his chest. And I was like, oh, have you, like, meditated? And he’s like, no. And I was like, as if I meditate every day. So let’s talk about the basics of meditation. Because I think people think it’s a little more difficult than it is, and I think they don’t think they have time. So what are the basics? How do we get started?

Meghan Pherrill 32:06
Super big. I always tell people like, truly, what type of person do you think you are? If you have a movement practice, are you a morning or an evening person? Sometimes people are like, I’m up at five. I do my workout after. Perfect. Okay, so if you’re an evening person, let’s just dedicate 10 minutes, right? We’re not going to do 10 minutes of meditation, but let’s just dedicate the 10 minutes at the end of the night to what feels good to you. And that’s another thing, too. Do you feel like I can’t close my mind down, but I can listen to somebody tell me what to do? Perfect. A guided meditation is where we’re at. Maybe you’re more of like a I just feel like I need to actually physically do something besides just listen to somebody talk, do a breath work type of meditation where you kind of have to use your head to count things out. But it’s also tangible, like you’re actually doing this, this breathing thing.

Lesley Logan 32:58
Yeah, your whole body’s activating it. Yeah, yeah. But no, I understand, yeah. When you, if you do a Wim Hof guys, it’s like, it is full, belly, full, lung full, it’s like, really in, it’s very kinesthetic.

Meghan Pherrill 33:11
Yes and it’s like some people need to be guided. I, you know, sometimes people, like, I just sat in 30 minutes of silence. I’m not at that point. I very rarely did things like that when I was doing meditation. And if it works for you, great, like, if you’re like, I can sit there for five minutes, 10 minutes, however long, and do that, perfect. But I think it’s more for the people that are like, I know I should probably start. Where? Find a person, even online, that you resonate with. See, one, they have meditations. And if they don’t, who do they like to use? I have some, you know, free on YouTube and all that stuff, too. But I’m always recommending my meditation teacher because she is the most soothing voice in the entire world. I absolutely adore her. And sometimes I don’t want to listen to myself do it, or (inaudible) guided in a different way.

Lesley Logan 33:58
Every teacher should have their own teacher. I love this suggestion. It’s like, dedicate 10 minutes. It’s happy 10 minutes. Do a guided that’s until, especially if you’re new, like everyone listening here is like, recovering perfectionist, overachiever. We want to know if we’re doing it right. So, like, having a guided meditation is really nice, you know? And like, I have an Oura ring. You guys in the Oura app, there are guided meditations and breath work ones, part of the thing, which is, like, insane. I was like, oh, well, I’m glad I’m paying for this. But also YouTube, you know, like, you’d be surprised. Like, the workouts have ads because those people want to get paid. But the meditations actually don’t have ads during the meditation, so you can get uninterrupted meditation for free. And it’s true. Like, find the voices that you like to listen to. I love that.

Meghan Pherrill 34:44
Yeah. And it also, you know, like, when I first started my first original it was a yoga teacher who was trying to teach us to meditate. She was like, you absolutely have to sit up tall spine is nice and long cross legged. And then when I did my meditation teacher, she was like, that’s not feasible for a lot of people. Get comfortable. Maybe that means lying down. Maybe someone’s in a wheelchair, and they actually can’t physically, like, move into a different position. Like, it does not have to be this super rigid thing. You could, when your alarm goes off first thing in the morning, lay back into bed, obviously not into a point of you wanting to fall back asleep and stuff. But get comfortable, you know, without scrolling on social media, go to like the podcast app has a bunch of meditations on it. Find one and listen to it there. I’m a mom. I get it. Sometimes it’s not easy. Sometimes my meditation is literally while we’re brushing our teeth in the morning, and that’s going so my son’s also listening to it, and I have it stack it that way. If I could do breath work, working out, meditation, like I used to, pre-baby, I would, but it’s not a reality for me a lot of the time. So, you know, you can have it, stack it into, you know, maybe you do it as you’re getting breakfast in the morning. You’re just listening and just dipping your toes into the the water that way.

Lesley Logan 36:02
Yeah, actually, I like all the permission there. And I think it’s like, meditation doesn’t really require perfection. I think a lot of people make it more difficult than it is. Are you able to just be mindful? Oh, I had a thought. Like, okay, now I had another, okay, there’s another thought and another. Like, they’re just clouds, right? Like, it’s, it’s actually not as we make it seem like we have to have a clearest mind the perfect to sit perfectly still. I haven’t sat perfectly still in an interview. I’ve had my legs crossed. I have my legs on the table now, like it’s a whole thing, like we’re not, like, that’s just not who we are. So we have to, like, what is possible for us, and then, like, be kind to ourselves, and then start using the tools that we have. And I really appreciate you sharing that. I think that’s really great. And I do like the idea of of what you’re wanting to do next, which is like going back to basics with people, because especially as your little one is getting to be more independent, you’ll have more time, there’ll be people who also need to go back to the basics and start there and rebuild a foundation, because you’re a new person. You know, we have to, I think, like, the idea that, like, I, I’ve always hated the word like, bouncing back when that’s what, like, shoved into mother’s wives, like, you’re gonna bounce back. You’re never going back. None of us are going back. We’re always going forward. So how do we take the new chapter that we’re in, the new book, and, like, create what is the scene and the setting that’s going to be the best for for where you’re going, and then, and then, when your kid goes to school, that’s a new transition. And then, like, when they’re in high school, it’s a different like, there’s all these different things. And so what I love about your journey, Meghan, and like, what you’ve shared with us is just, like, this idea that, like, what is possible, be kind to ourselves, and then, like, little by little, it’s a long journey, but you’re gonna get there.

Meghan Pherrill 37:45
Yeah, yeah. It’s, you know, it’s I people always, like, roll their eyes when they hear but it really isn’t about the destination. It’s about the journey. Or, you know, I’ve also heard people say, well, the time’s gonna pass anyways. What are you gonna do with it? You might as well do something that makes you feel happier, brings you a little bit of fulfillment, gives you purpose, you know, brings you joy. And for me, this is what, you know. I love this stuff. I was just saying to my husband, like, I love listening to podcasts. I love watching documentaries. To me, this is not boring. I don’t find it like, I,we’re all worthy. I enjoy it. And sometimes I listen to things I’m like, I don’t resonate what that person said. I know I keep harping on spinach, but like, I’m going to keep eating spinach as long as I feel good eating it. And other times, you know, like we were just talking about, too, sometimes you hear something on a podcast and it just for whatever reason, it just clicks with you, that and you make a change from brown rice to white rice, and all of a sudden you feel a thousand times better. Like to me, I love learning, how can I optimize myself to be a better version of how I was than yesterday?

Lesley Logan 38:52
Yeah, yeah. And it comes in little, little changes, not big ones, to be honest. Like, if we look at how corporations make big changes. It’s like years in the making. I remember working at a corporation, and they’re like, okay, you’re, in February, they’re going to do the women’s locker room, and in March, they’re into the men’s locker room, and in April, they’re going to do this room, and it’s going to take a year to remodel this gym, little by little, so that it’s on the new branding. And I was like, you’re gonna take a year. Can’t you just shut down for a week and just do the whole thing? No, like, why don’t they do that? Because you actually, like, the gym is like a body. It’s an organism itself. It’s had its own season, its own routine, its own thing. And if you disrupt the whole thing and you shake it up, you actually don’t really see what worked and what didn’t work. You don’t learn from mistakes. And so, like we all can go, okay, I’m just gonna switch out the rice, or I’m actually gonna keep the spinach, I’m gonna heat it up, or I am gonna work out, and I’m gonna pick a 30 minute class in this hour and a half time that I have, and I’m gonna see how long it takes me. Oh, wow. Only took me 45 minutes. Great, wonderful. You know, like, I think, like, it’s just being okay, experimenting and then reflecting and refining. I really appreciate that permission you gave us. Meghan. We’re gonna take a brief break and then find out how people can find you, follow you and work with you.

Lesley Logan 40:22
All right, Meghan, where do you hang out? Where can they go back to the basics, with you?

Meghan Pherrill 40:22
Yeah, if anyone wants to follow along with me, you can find me on all the places, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, at Balance by Meghan, M-E-G-H-A-N, my podcast is Balance Your Life, which you are also be a guest on, and your episode will release soon. And yeah, those are the places that you can connect with me.

Lesley Logan 40:42
Wonderful. Okay, you’ve given us a lot, but bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it, what do you have for us?

Meghan Pherrill 40:53
I think you have to just whatever is calling to you right now, whether that’s starting a new movement practice or starting a meditation practice, or taking one food item and swapping it for something healthier, whatever’s resonating with you, not what you see online, follow that intuition of yours and just run with it. Go with it. Don’t make it complicating. You know, start with a 10 minute yoga flow. If yoga feels called to you. Maybe it’s Pilates. Just start and see how you feel. Give yourself some time, too. Like this isn’t like a one day thing. How did I feel? You know, if you were in excruciating pain, that’s one thing. But just start and just just let the magic unfold and see what happens for you.

Lesley Logan 41:38
I like that. Just start with one thing and then take your time. I really, I think that’s so key. I mean, I know we all want things to happen faster, but they actually happen, they happen faster, more slowly, like they really do. Wonderful. Okay, you guys, we want to know how you’re using these tips in your life. What’s the one thing that you’ll start what’s the meditation that you like? Share it with Meghan. Share it with the Be It Pod, because hey, especially the meditation things you’re liking, we’d love to share those out with people. And it share this with a friend who needs to hear it. Maybe you have someone in your life who’s going through something, and they need to hear like there’s light on the other side, and the journey is long, but it’s worth going on. And we would love for them to hear that from us and from Meghan. And until next time, Be It Till You See It.

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Lesley Logan
That’s all I 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 the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over 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 and others BE IT TILL YOU SEE IT. Have an awesome day!

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Lesley Logan
‘Be It Till You See It’ is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @be_it_pod.

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

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

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.

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