Hi, It’s Anna

I’m so excited to be back on the blog today!

Let me introduce you to someone that every person who loves authenticity and depth needs in their life..

So let’s meet Olivia Young – founder of LIVYOUNG Podcast & Box + Flow

I’m sure you’ll love her vibe, read on:

A little about Olivia: Liv is not just a survivor, but a thriver. She grew up in Miami Beach and began practicing yoga at age 15 and discovered boxing after college. Her daily commitment physically trained her mind mentally, resilient, to flow through the fight, find ease through resistance no matter what challenge life presented her with. After attending French Culinary Institute post Boston University, she worked at Food & Wine Magazine and then went in house for the Altamarea Group, a globally renowned hospitality group, owned by Ahmass Fakahany, former President & COO of Merrill Lynch & Co., and chef Michael White to develop and execute a PR framework for the fast growing group. Expanding on her daily role at Altamarea Group as Brand & Communications Director, Young co-founded OY & Co., and Pound for Pound, hospitality consulting and brand development firms.Despite her food focused career filled with Michelin starred feasts, Young was committed to her daily 5am wake-up and fitness regimen at local studios.Olivia’s daily focus on a balanced lifestyle thru food + fitness is her lifelong passion and much of which inspired her to open box + flow in NYC, the first fitness studio focusing on the integration of fight + flow.

“THE COMBINATION OF BOTH EXERCISES BROUGHT HER A LEVELED EMPOWERMENT, CHANNELING HER STRENGTH + SOFTNESS. IT WAS THIS BALANCE, PHYSICAL + MENTAL THAT LED HER TO SEEK MORE IN HER PROFESSIONAL LIFE.”

Olivia was driven to help heal others as she had been healing — but without knowing, what. She opened her first studio on Bond Street without having taught a class and her second studio four years later, February 2020, three weeks before Covid shutdown. The doors of her studios said, “Everything You Need is Inside,” and yet, she didn’t even know what that meant at the time — it wasn’t until after she closed her studios that she was called to dig in. Never having done “drugs” before, on a Colonic Table in Chelsea, everything in her life feeling stuck, she heard her calling and it wasn’t long before she jumped into a 3 year journey of “facing herself to free herself,” as the walls of her studios said, to learn why she’d felt shut down most of her life, but costumed it well with over achieving. Olivia began to uncover 30 years of subconcious sexual trauma, that which was holding her back from living a life filled with love from within. As she dove deeper into the work, she uncovered many modalities along with plant medicine that helped her save her own life and now writes, speaks and coaches others to do the same, to stop existing and start living, to overcome the pain their experiencing and find the love that has always been there, just hiding. Today, she is proud for the journey she has taken, the darkness she has seen, because she can fully live in the light, trusting that which she has always preached but never fully believed — and finding self love and self trust begins within.

INTRO VIDEO HERE:

Thank you so much Liv for sharing with my community, blog and various platforms.

Please help me welcome Liv✍🏽🥊🖤🔥

OLIVIA YOUNG

founder of LIVYOUNG Podcast & Box + Flow

Featured Entrepreneur: Olivia Young – founder of LIVYOUNG Podcast & Box + Flow
Interviewed by: Anna Svetlík De La Rosa 

Episode: #114

Date: 08/26/2023

MY INTERVIEW WITH OLIVIA YOUNG

Q1.   What did you want to be growing up?

I wanted to be an actress. And a mom. But mostly on broadway … to dance, sing, be… and in my journey I realized that the stage thing still exists but my journey has revealed that I have much to teach and speak to that has nothing to do with acting. I’m not great at acting, to be honest. Sometimes I wish I was, perhaps situations would be easier … but I have trouble being out of integrity! 

Q2. Tell us all about LIVYOUNG Podcast?

I believe we have to learn ourselves to love ourselves to live. Livyoung is about all of this – the journey to face yourself to free yourself, to learn yourself through your shadow, darkness, parts of self that you might shun or shy away from, the shame, doubt, fear and otherwise — and integrate those pieces to be fully alive. LIVYOUNG podcast shares stories about just that. The journey from … to. Through the darkness to find the light. I love to have conversations with people willing to share their truth, even if it is ugly or painful or shameful or otherwise. Sharing truth is what makes us, real! 

Q3. Do you have a motto you live by?

So many! 

Flow through the fight was my motto at box + Flow, my fitness concept with studios in New York City. A boxing yoga hybrid that taught humans to face themselves on a heavy bag, nine rounds to feel their strength and face their fight and to let go and find their softness, their flow. I called it inspiration and empowerment through energy breath movement and music. The doors of my studios said “Everything You Need is Inside.” Another motto and a reminder to all those walking in to trust self, to stop looking out and start looking in. 

A few more! 

“It isn’t about having enough, but making the most of what you have.” -gratitude 

“In a life filled with noise, be your own quiet.” – learning to tolerate your own company 

“It isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be so hard.” – perspective runs everything 

“You’re not lost, you’re learning.” 

Q4. How can we move and flow with you on your amazing platform, Box + Flow?

Stay tuned! 

Q5. What does success mean to you as an powerful / determined woman?

Waking up and seeing my reflection and no matter how ratchet my hair is, regardless of last nights mascara under my eyes, I tell myself “Hello Gorgeous. You’re beautiful.” Self love, self acceptance, self actualization. Success means love to me. When we lead with love we never get lost but that love begins within, first. Success is when time just flies by and I’m flowing through whatever I’m focused on creating that day. Success is being love, sharing love, feeling love. Success is trusting that I am always wholly guided and protected — success is surrendering to what is, instead of controlling. Success is choosing confidence over insecurity. Success is letting love in — opening to receive. 

Q6. How do you process work load stress or personal stress or just to much coming at you all at one time?

I have a very constant practice. I believe we are our rituals and so I’m very committed to being my best habit. I focus on stillness first thing when I wake up: 

• Meditate to clear the mind. 
• Journal to face the feelings and clear the heart. 
• Prayer to align with a connection to higher power, God above and Mother Earth below. 
• And then I move. Sweat to clear the body. 

We are our vessels, they don’t define us but they do carry us. And more than anything else we are all just energy in meat suits or costumes. I believe in cleaning and clearing our energy on a daily basis, if not more! 

Q8. If you could speak to one woman from history, who would it be?

My grandmother, Honey. I miss her and love her dearly. I feel her presence constantly. 

In terms of a figurehead, I’d like to spend a day learning and gaining empowerment from Joan of Arc. 

And I’d love to give Princess Diana a hug. 

Q9. Favorite quote?

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” 
― Rumi

Q10. Where can we find you?

Website: HERE

Instagram: @livyoung 

Facebook: HERE