Tell me if you can relate…
You spend time in a place or with certain people — maybe it’s work or a social circle — and you feel like you’ll never quite fit in, like you don’t belong.
For a lot of years, that’s how I felt in this industry — one filled with people who didn’t share my background, who didn’t talk like me, who didn’t look like me, and who all seemed smarter, more sophisticated, and more educated than I would ever be.
Despite feeling like I didn’t always belong, I persevered. My online community was like family, and the connection with them (with you) was much more compelling a motivator than feeling like an outsider was a deterrent.
So I continued to make my videos, and share my life, and show up to parties (even when it felt like five more minutes of small talk would surely kill me). I felt out of place, but I knew my voice had a place in the wellness world.
I met Quentin Vennie (father, speaker, anxiety thriver, and mental health advocate) at one of those parties, hosted by MindBodyGreen, three years ago. (It turned out that it was actually a pretty awesome party filled with lots of people I loved.)
I felt an instant connection with Quentin, so I pursued a friendship and invited him to my house to make some videos.
His story was different than mine, but we could relate to each other. We spoke the same language of struggle, heartbreak, poverty, addiction, mental illness, and making our way in an often scary and overwhelming world.
We became friends, and now I consider him (and his sons) to be my family.
My brother Quentin had a pretty extraordinary thing happen this week. His first book, a stunningly gorgeous and raw memoir, Strong in the Broken Places, was released to the world, and I can’t for you to read it.
In this brutally honest work of art, Quentin shares his story of addiction, of anxiety, of pain, of abandonment, of growth, of fear, of courage, and of redemption. He takes you from his past life as a drug dealer to his present, a life of experiencing profound daily healing and of healing others.
On the eve of Quentin’s book launch party in NYC, we sat down on my back porch for a video, and we talked about him, his book, and the three things that saved his life — meditation, green juice, and yoga.
Please watch, enjoy, and let me know what you think!
And don’t forget to order Quentin’s book here. Tara Stiles said at his book launch, “You’ll get to say you read the book before they made it into a movie. It’s going to be a movie.”
Stay blissed,
PS – Inspired by Quentin’s journey to health? Get his favorite juice recipe in this blog featuring our first two videos together. I was pregnant with Annie when we shot them!
Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, founder of BexLife.com and the Blissed In® wellness movement, is a mother-of-five, TV host, meditation guide, author, speaker, birth doula, fitness and yoga instructor, and popular social media personality. Her first book, You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life (Hay House 2017), is available now, wherever books are sold.
DISCLAIMER: This post/video is designed for educational and/or informational purposes only and should not be used in any other manner. This information is not intended to substitute informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider. A consultation with your health care professional is the proper method to address your health concerns. You are encouraged to consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.