Meet Ben Fairbrother | Health Coach for the Mind and Body

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Fairbrother and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, how do you think about risk?
Risk plays a crucial role in my life and career, all of my growth comes from taking risks. Put simply, risk taking is doing something that might not work. Starting a business is a risk, moving to a new country or city is a risk, asking someone on a date is a risk. As scary as it is to put yourself out there and potentially fail, it’s far scarier to stay stagnant and live a life of what ifs.

Looking back on my life and career, every risk I’ve taken has led me to exciting new chapters of growth and fulfillment. For example, after graduating high school I took the risk of moving to Switzerland without knowing anyone there. I spent all 4 years of college at Franklin University Switzerland. It was a truly life changing experience for me that opened my world up to so many different cultures and experiences.

Investing in myself and starting my own business is another major risk that I took, and I’m so glad that I did. Spending lots of money on something that might not work is anxiety inducing, but I do my best to use that pressure to push myself to perform at a higher level and achieve my dreams.

When it comes to thinking about risk, I think it’s helpful to break it out into different categories. There are many kinds, but generally I look at financial risk, intellectual risk, social risk, and health & safety risk. My risk tolerance varies depending on the category. I generally avoid taking health & safety risks, I don’t willingly place myself in harms way besides studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I have a much higher tolerance for intellectual risk and social risk as failing there generally leads me to learn a lot. With financial risk I’m somewhere in between, I’m willing to take financial risks in the name of personal development and growing my business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Project Self is all about empowering people with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to make the permanent shift to optimum health inside and out. My mission is to help as many people as possible take control of their physical, mental, and emotional health so they can create the life, relationships, and body of their dreams.

Through my flagship program, Wholesome You Academy, I teach my clients how to accept and honor emotions in a healthy way so they don’t linger and cause unneeded suffering, how to fully accept and love oneself, how to grow through trauma and adversity to become more resilient with inner peace and calm, and how to build balanced fitness and nutrition habits that create optimal health and longevity. If needed, I also teach how to shift to a more secure attachment style so my clients can create healthy relationships they can be confident in.

The coaching industry is heavily dominated by “get slim quick” plans that focus on restrictive diets that usually do more harm than good. What sets me apart is how I focus first and foremost on self-love and emotional mastery. All aspects of health are interrelated, what’s the point of slimming down if you’ll still be suffering on the inside?

What makes me the most proud is witnessing the transformation in how my clients see themselves and the world around them. Practicing self-love can create a major shift, one of my client’s even told me he’s now happy for the first time in 28 years! To me, that’s worth more than anything.

It definitely wasn’t easy to get to where I am today. It’s been a journey of about 7 years, I’ve had to work through my own limiting beliefs and self-doubt along the way and I’m so grateful for those challenges because they’ve helped to hone my skills and make me even better at coaching others to do the same.

I’ve learned so many lessons, but the biggest by far is that life isn’t out to get you, it’s out to grow you. From that perspective, I see every challenge or roadblock as the perfect opportunity to learn and grow. That allows me to live in gratitude and happiness.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So many great spots to pick from! Breakfast Republic is a must to start the day or for some solid brunch. Another favorite breakfast spot is Kono’s Cafe in PB.

For lunch we’d be going to The Taco Stand, Brazilian Bowls, Dirty Bird, and the Liberty Public Market.

Beers and hanging out would be at O’Briens Pub, SD Taproom, Common Theory, and Bottle Craft Liberty Station. Definitely a stop at Hotel del Coronado for some amazing piña coladas and Seven Grand for some whisky.

Bang Bang is a favorite spot for a night out as well as Spin Nightclub. Also definitely would visit Connect San Diego and see whatever events they have going down.

I’ve actually moved up to LA now but I make it down to SD at least once a month, this is making me miss it even more!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It’s hard to just name one person or group, there are so many people who have contributed to my growth and getting me to where I am now. First and foremost my mom for showing me what unconditional love feels like and always supporting my dreams and aspirations, and my dad for teaching me to think outside the box and that following your passions is more important than anything else. My aunt Karen for helping to open my mind to bigger ideas about the nature of reality. The Monahans for being like a second family for me, and specifically Brian for always challenging my perspective with debates on religion and spirituality. Professor Morris Mottale for expanding my knowledge on political science, influencing the way I think of the world, and bettering my writing skills. Stephen Garrett for believing in my coaching ability and giving confidence to my writing and aspirations. I could go on and on as there are so many people who have influenced me and helped get me to where I am today, I am incredibly grateful to everyone in my life no matter how small a role they’ve played – I wouldn’t be here without each and every one.

Website: www.wholesomeyouacademy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminfairbrother/

Image Credits
Robert Blume