Find your best self before the wedding ceremony and read marriage, relationship, and wellness tips from Denver wedding officiant, Michael Moody.
#13 - Simply Mindful with Author and Psychotherapist Donald Altman
Introduction
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones — and a chance to geek out on the psychology behind human behavior.
I want to introduce today's guest, Donald Altman. He is a psychotherapist, international mindfulness expert, and award-winning author of over 15 books translated worldwide. In addition to being a featured expert in The Mindfulness Movie, Donald is profiled in the Living Spiritual Teachers Project. He writes the Practical Mindfulness blog on the Psychology Today website.
Donald's best-selling book, The Mindfulness Toolbox, won two national publishing IPBA Ben Franklin Awards as the best book in both the Psychology and Body-Mind-Spirit categories. Two other books, Clearing Emotional Clutter and The Mindfulness Code, were both chosen as “One of the Best Spiritual Books of the Year” by Spirituality & Practice. Another of Donald’s books, Living Kindness, has been used as a meditation guide for staff and delegates at the United Nations.
For several years, Donald served on the faculty of both Portland State University and Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling. He is also the Past Vice President of The Center for Mindful Eating, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing mindful eating concepts.
With a passion for bringing ancient, timeless values and practices into modern life, Donald has taught thousands of health care and business professionals how to apply mindfulness for self-growth in relationships and in the workplace.
The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody featuring psychotherapist Donald Altman
He worked for several years as a senior mental health therapist at an eating disorder and general psychiatric clinic before founding his own clinic.
Specifically, we discuss:
-The key practices of basic mindfulness and how to practice it under the constant pressure and force of negative energy
-How to become more compassionate with yourself and lessen self-judgment
-The beauty of impermanence
-The most common obstacles when opening the mind to a new awareness of the self and the world around us
-The role of conscious intention in our day-to-day lives
-The value of gravity-free awareness and how it differs from the chaotic floating of random thoughts
-The “Power of Pause” and how to integrate it into a sacred space in your home
To learn more about Donald Altman or to subscribe to the Mindful Living Newsletter, visit www.mindfulpractices.com. You may also visit Donald's facebook page, facebook.com/MndfulPractices (no "i" in Mndfulpractices).
"Constant dwelling on negative clutter, or Velcro thinking, creates a well-worn groove in the brain that plays over and over just like a favorite song — one that we now know affects the body's health. Affirmations provide us with a means of blocking old negative songs while giving us a new and more positive tune to align with. A new mental soundtrack, created through a conscious affirmation, holds the potential to transform both our emotional and immune response. At the same time, we need to catch those mind whispers — the very subtle and almost unconscious commands — that can sway us and cause us to act robotically."
— Donald Altman, author of Clearing Emotional Clutter
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
Your Plant-Based Business Plan to Lose Weight
Why do we develop business plans in the corporate and entrepreneur worlds but never for our personal health? If you're looking for a strategic change, consider this simple plant-based plan.
SECTION 1: YOUR MISSION
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: If you want to end the cycle of guessing and lack of control, you need to move and choose with intent. Be specific. What is your true, realistic weight loss goal, and what is the objective based on? For example: To maintain a weight of ____ and a body fat of ____ while living a life with intent. Can your mission be summed up in one sentence? Do you have a bigger transformation goal in mind? This is the time to state it clearly. It will steer your approach (and the rest of your plan).
SECTION 2: SUMMARY OF YOU
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: How can you build a solid foundation if you don’t know the material you’re working with? A contractor wouldn’t move forward without this awareness, and you shouldn’t either. Now is the time to become a human scientist and study yourself! Who are you? What are the trends and patterns of you? How would you describe your emotional, mental, and physical selves? What is your approach to fitness? Do you like fitness? Why or why not? What do you prefer to eat? Why? When do you eat? How do you choose your meals? How do you handle stress? What is the relationship between this stress and other areas of your life? Be honest and list all of your attributes, strengths, and weaknesses here.
SECTION 3: COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS SUMMARY
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: While your plan should be tailored to your wants and needs, you will need to analyze other weight loss and health plans to understand the full scope of practice. What are the most effective and efficient health models that you’ve researched? Should you reinvent the wheel or adapt a popular, successful plan? How have different body types responded to these theories? This section will not only shape the process you choose but also justify it.
SECTION 4: STRATEGY AND OBSTACLES SUMMARY
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: Once you have observed yourself and considered the research, it’s time to develop your strategy. You will generally describe the implementation of your plan here. Include the answers to the following questions: How will this strategy reflect your strengths and weaknesses? What boundaries will you develop? How will you implement this plan? Will someone help you? What do you think will be the biggest obstacles to your goal? How will you overcome these obstacles?
SECTION 5: SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTATION
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: Considering that losing weight or achieving optimal health requires a multifaceted approach, break down your strategy into several categories and specifically list what you need to incorporate into your lifestyle. Use this structure as an example:
Weight/Body Fat Accountability
-Check weight and body fat when you workout and record it on your phone (app Monitor Your Weight???? or Notes).
-Record what you're eating every day (no calorie count needed).
Nutrition
-Limit drinking alcohol to only 2 days per week.
-Print and stick the "Eating Pie Chart" (from this diet article) on your fridge as a reminder of healthy eating habits. Please note that this chart still offers quite a bit of flexibility with your dietary choices. Whole food plants are still the number one and most effective choices.
-If you're eating overnight....Eat a small meal before bed and when you first wake up. Post a note on your fridge that says, "You will eat again when you wake up in the morning."
-Eat no more than one meal per day containing meat, dairy, grains, and/or refined sugar.
-Aim for a daily caloric range of 1200-1500 calories.
-Follow the recommendations for this month in the following article: Weight Loss: The Diet Questions You MUST Ask Yourself.
-Minimize caffeine to 2 cups (equals one small mug) of coffee per day.
-Print 1 restaurant menu: Choose a restaurant you love or want to visit and ask someone to help you figure out the best menu items.
Exercise
-5-day workout: 3 days strength/2 days cardio
Mindset
-Minimize any news content to 5 minutes per day. It will eliminate much of the negativity in your life.
-Embrace new challenges as opportunities to refine your problem-solving ability.
Habits/Goals
-Write down 10 personal/professional goals on individual post-it notes and place them on your closet wall or another private place that you'll see at least once per day.
-Set up alerts with positive messages on your phone using the app Simple Routine as reminders of goals and what you're trying to achieve.
Social Life
-Choose one new activity or interaction per week to satisfy your curiosity.
-Surround yourself with positive-spirited people daily.
-Seek out at least one person when you need help.
What's missing from your business plan? What categories would you add? Tailor this section to support your mission.
SECTION 6: TIMELINE AND MILESTONES
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: Once you have decided on your steps of action, you need to develop a timeline. This section is not only important for accountability but also reflecting on your goals, what is a realistic timeframe to achieve them? What points of this process should serve as milestones? What are your realistic expectations for each of those milestones? How will you adapt this process if you don’t reach your mark?
SECTION 7: FINANCIAL PLAN
Plant-Based Personal Trainer Wisdom: A financial plan can be interpreted in several ways. In terms of monetary obligation, the range of money you spend really depends on your interests and the type of help you desire. What will you budget for a new gym, clothes, food, or a personal trainer/fitness class? What areas are you willing to splurge on?
In terms of time, how many minutes will you dedicate to research, diet, meditation, and/or exercise? Within a strict schedule, what are you willing to sacrifice to make room for these endeavors? No matter what you prioritize during this section, you’ll definitely need to determine the actual cost of your mission.
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
#12 - "Should We Ever Return to a State of Normalcy?" with Author Michael Moody
Introduction
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones — and a chance to geek out on the psychology behind human behavior.
In this episode, I dissect the idea of a "return to normalcy" as we develop our social and economic strategies for the future, and the impact of returning to pre-COVID conditions. Specifically, I discuss:
-The benefits of the old routine and the stimulation of the new
-The separation of routine from normalcy
-The comfort of habit and the discomfort of the physical, social, and global normalcy we experienced before the pandemic
-The return to patterns of debilitating and inflammatory physical health
-The ways we can leave a sustainable impact on our healthcare system, frontline health workers, and personal health
-The needed change in approach with social and environmental policies as well as leadership from both parties
The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody
-The possible long term effects of merely returning to a prior state without adaptation
-The opportunity of a "new normal"
To learn more about Michael, check out his book "Redefine Yourself” or say hello on Instagram!
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
#11 - Looking Behind-the-Scenes with Hollywood Location Manager Stuart Berberich
Introduction
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.
Today is meant for my fellow film geeks. Suppose you have ever watched an incredible scene during your favorite movie and TV show and wondered, "How do they pull that off, or how do they get access to a place like that?”. In that case, we shed a little light on the process during my interview with Stuart Berberich, a Hollywood Location Manager and Scout. We typically view the movie-making experience from the perspective of actors, actresses, and directors… My interview with Stuart offered a unique behind-the-scenes look and a different perspective on the on-screen entertainment I admire and enjoy so much.
Most likely, you’ve seen Stuart’s professional contributions if you’ve seen the blockbuster movies Transformers 3 and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight, as well as the shows Sense 8 and The Patriot…especially The Patriot on Amazon…season one is brilliantly written and filmed. What we discussed:
-How COVID-19 affects the present and future of Hollywood
-the actual impact of Hollywood on the economy -the path and day-to-day of a location scout and manager for film, and the process of aligning locations with the vision of the writers and director
The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody featuring Hollywood Film Manager Stuart Berberich
The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody featuring Hollywood Film Manager Stuart Berberich
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
Wedding Planning Tips
#10 - Eat for Life, Weight Loss, and an Optimal Immune System with Best Selling Author Dr. Fuhrman
Introduction
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones — and a chance to geek out on the psychology behind human behavior.
In today's episode, I interview Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized expert in nutrition and natural healing, and the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include: Eat to Live; Super Immunity; The End of Diabetes; The Eat to Live Cookbook; The End of Dieting; and The End of Heart Disease.
Dr. Fuhrman’s books Eat to Live and The End of Dieting have not only become the pillars of the nutrition world but have also transformed the lives of millions, including my clients. I typically gift about 100 copies of his book, The End of Dieting, to my clients, friends, and family each year.
Dr. Fuhrman specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. He is the President of the Nutritional Research Foundation and on the faculty of Northern Arizona University, Health Sciences Division. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe a nutrient-dense diet. he has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes, and many other illnesses using smart nutrition… and I have witnessed this firsthand.
Dr. Fuhrman has received the St. Joseph’s Family Practice Resident’s Teaching Award for his contribution to the education of family practice residents and a C3 Cardiology Global Health Award for teaching nutritional science to cardiologists. In addition to his medical practice in New Jersey, Dr. Fuhrman also operates the Eat To Live Retreat in San Diego. At this residential facility, people from all over the world come to stay for 4-12 weeks to recover from conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to autoimmune disease, food addiction, and more.
During our interview, we discussed:
-how we can build immunity against COVID-19 and any future viral threats
-our allusions of health based on muscle definition and strength
-how we can reverse disease (and, yes, I said reverse)
-the truth about medicine and the fallacy of hope and long term health it provides
-why you need to know about IGF-1
-the myths about oils
-the role of toxic hunger
-the misconceptions about metabolism and what you should really be striving for
-the myths about the calories in, calories out argument
-the real path to achieving sustainable weight loss and optimal health.
To learn more about Dr. Fuhrman, check out his nutrition website or say hello on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!
“Health is normal. The human body is a self-repairing, self-defending, self-healing marvel. Disease is relatively difficult to induce, considering the body's powerful immune system. However, this complicated and delicate machinery can be damaged if fed the wrong fuel during the formative years..”
— Dr. Joel Fuhrman, the bestselling author of the book, Eat for Life
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!