The Upping Your Elvis Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Barez-Brown & Jim Lusty
Chris and Jim from Upping Your Elvis explore how to get your energy right, to get your extraordinary on.Upping Your Elvis is all about energy. In 2019 we are exploring how our energy affects us physically, mentally and spiritually. We have hooked up with a series of experts who will set an experiment every month to help us discover a way of managing our energy.In our monthly podcasts we'll be sharing the highlights of our experiments, what worked, how we felt after the experiments, and what the impact on our energy has been.Follow our progress and join us on our energy journey!
Chris is flying solo this month for our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment, where he’s been diving deep into the world of hyperbaric chamber therapy, with the brilliant Dr Wil Buxton.
Hyperbaric chamber therapy involves climbing into a purpose-built chamber where you’re exposed to an atmosphere of 100% oxygen, pressurised to up to 3 times the normal atmospheric pressure. Luckily Dr Will does all the scientific bits, and all Chris has to do is chill out in the chamber and taking some deep breaths.
By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the blood and giving your body's tissues a boost with exposure to rich blood plasma, lots of amazing things happen; Damaged tissues heal faster, inflammation reduces whilst it also strengthens the immune system. For Chris however this experiment was all about exploring the mood-enhancement that people experience due to improved mental clarity.
And did he get some of that!!!
You can find out more about our partners for this month’s energy experiment or book yourself in to have a go in the chamber at https://effectdoctors.com/
Chris and Jim chat about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment, where we've been delving into the wonderful world of improvisation with one of the world’s most experienced and accomplished improv performers – Neil Mullarkey.
You may recognise him from his performances in 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' and two 'Austin Powers' movies. He still performs most Sundays with the Comedy Store Players, Europe's top improv troupe, which he co-founded with Mike Myers. But now he travels the world bringing the skills of theatre and especially improv to businesses across different sectors.
Have a listen as Chris and Jim discuss the experiment Neil set for us and explore why this month has been a real hoot and full of energy.
And… why not give it a go yourself?
Read the full blog to get involved.
To find out more about Neil Mullarkey and his work, head over to his website or follow him on his socials below:
- Twitter
- Facebook
And for friends of Upping Your Elvis there is a 20% DISCOUNT on Neil’s new book. Use the code KOGANPAGE20 via https://neilmullarkey.com/inthemomentbook.
Chris, Jim and Neil chat to Laughter Ambassador and Laughter Yoga Master Trainer Lotte Mikkelsen about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we’ve been giving our energy a huge boost by delving deep into the healing power of laughter.
Laughter Yoga is growing in popularity as a way to boost staff wellbeing. Not only does laughter release endorphins, but it relaxes the body, relieves stress, and can even increase immune cells, improving our resistance to disease. Now who doesn’t want a piece of that?
We love a laugh at Elvis HQ, so this month’s energy experiment has been a real hoot.
Have a listen as Chris, Jim and Neil discuss the experiment and explore why this month has been a barrel of laughs.
And… why not give it a go yourself?
Read the full blog to get involved.
To find out more about Lotte and her work, head over to her website or follow her on her socials below:
- YouTube
- Facebook
Good nutrition is the difference between surviving and thriving.
Our bodies are beautifully complex and amazing organisms that need loads of different nutrients to thrive. We could survive for a while on coffee, processed food, and take-aways but sooner or later it’ll catch-up with us and our ‘engines’ will simply break down.
This month Podcast is with the brilliant Harry Hewetson, who's philosophy embraces the imperfect, focussing on the power of small, achievable changes…
No diets.
No denial.
No calorie counting.
We’re in!
Have a listen as Chris & Jim explore all that is great nutrition with Harry Hewetson.
Chris & Jim chat to Geoff McDonald about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been giving our energy a huge boost by using Talk It Out.
They've been playing with the Talk It Out app and giving ‘The Friday Download’ a go. It’s a simple, fun challenge that’s proven to help free you from the baggage of your busy week so you can skip into the weekend with a smile on your face!
They also chat to Geoff about how we can all help to remove stigma around talking about our mental health at work. With 90% of us saying we are more productive at work, yet 50% saying we're also feeling burned out – there's no better time than now to be talking about this.
Chris & Jim chat to James Sills about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been giving our energy a huge boost by singing.
The benefits of singing for physical and mental health are widespread and well-documented. From boosting mood, reducing anxiety, improving posture, and lowering blood pressure. And here’s the great thing - none of these are dependent on our singing ability (or perceived singing ability). Many of us stop singing in adulthood, often for fear of judgment, comparison or ridicule, a belief that is frequently reinforced by programmes such as The X Factor or The Voice.
Have a listen to how the experiment James set for us gave Chris & Jim a huge feeling of freedom, connection and happiness. And give it a go for yourself...
Chris & Jim chat to Emily Graces from The Living Project about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been getting into the outdoors to experience awe to see how it impacts our energy.
The Living project’s philosophy is that getting outside and spending time in nature is good for the soul. It inspires connection to self, others and the natural world of which we are a part.
Science shows us that ‘experiencing awe’ is good for us, both physiologically and psychologically. According to Professor Dacher Keltner, ‘experiencing awe helps us to live happier and healthier lives’, he argues that it has, (and still is), ‘an essential mechanism for collective survival.’
Have a listen and get out there and experience awe for yourself...
It’s awe-some!
Chris & Jim chat to Amanda Allan about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been testing the Daily Energy Routine to see how it impacts our energy.
The Daily Energy Routine was created by Donna Eden, one of the world’s foremost Energy Medicine practitioners and teachers. Deceptively simple, it is a short routine of exercises that balances the bodies energies and gets them moving in optimum ways.
The practice improves vitality, resilience, mental clarity, strengthens the immune system, reduces stress, and improves feeling of well-being and joy.
We all loved taking part in this one.
Have a listen and give it a go for yourself...
Chris & Jim chat to Joe Ryle from 4dayweek.co.uk about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been testing how a 4 day week impacts on our energy and makes everything becomes easier, more fun, and more successful.
A 4 day week is proven to be great for our wellbeing as we get the time and space to focus on our lives outside of work, but it’s also a winner when it comes to getting stuff done, with trials by big companies such as Microsoft in Japan and Buffer in the US showing that a four-day week creates a huge boost to people’s productivity.
And if that wasn’t enough to convince us to give it a go, it’s good for the planet too…. with research showing that a four-day week could reduce the UK's carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking 27 million cars off the road!!!
It's fair to say this has been a game changer.
Have a listen and see how adopting a 4 day week might be something for you to try and improve your wellbeing.
Chris & Jim chat to the amazing Iain De Havilland & Dr Philip Schoettle from the NAD Clinic Group about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we have been testing the impact NAD+ has on our energy, our focus, and even Jim's football team (spoiler alert - he got man of the match!).
The NAD Clinic Group are research driven cellular innovators and NAD+ pioneers, who deliver IV infusions that boost your cellular health so you can function at the top of your game.
It's fair to say this is the most scientific of our Energy Experiments to date, and one we've loved being involved in.
Have a listen and see how NAD+ might be something for you to play with when thinking about your energy.
Chris & Jim chat to the wonderfully talented, Chef, Author and Food Writer, Gill Meller about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been creating food memories with those we hold dear as an incredible way to give our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy a huge boost.
Gill writes a monthly recipe column in Delicious Magazine, his 2017 book ‘Gather' was nominated for best debut cookbook at the André Simon awards, and his latest cookbook `Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower' is available now.
Have a listen and see how creating Food Memories might be something for you to play with when thinking about your energy.
Chris & Jim catch-up with the fantastic Elena Anguita, Founder of the Spread Thanks Movement about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been exploring the impact spreading thanks has on our emotional and spiritual energy and look at how a renewed focus on gratitude can give us all a massive energetic boost.
Elena is a change agent, author, and speaker who passionately supports education, literacy, and helping people learn. She launched the Spread Thanks revolution in 2017, a movement to encourage personal gratefulness through the sending of daily thank-you notes
Have a listen to how we got on with our experiment and hear how the simple act of sharing gratitude is both powerful but also ensures we start each day with a “Thank You” in our hearts.
We've loved this one and we'll be keeping this with us for sure...
Chris & Jim chat to the brilliant Darryl Edwards from Primal Play about our latest #ElvisEnergyExperiment where we've been exploring the impact movement has on our energy, and looked at how moving our bodies brings an enormous energetic return!
It’s fair to say that most of us don’t relate exercise to playtime, but Darryl Edwards, leading movement expert, disagrees and says it's about time that we reframe how we view our journey to fitness, focussing more on ‘movement snacks’ and making it fun.
Darryl Edwards is a former Investment Banker Technologist and after almost two decades of becoming increasingly sedentary and sick, he decided to transform his health and designing the Primal Play Method of wellbeing. A back to basics approach with fun, and playful, animal moves at its heart.
Check out the podcast and see how you can bring some Primal Play to your life...
Chris & Jim chat to the fantastic Katherine Blackler from SortMySpace.co.uk about the #ElvisEnergyExperiment we ran with her recently and how de-cluttering is an amazingly powerful way to bring a new energy to our environment.
In fact it's often said that our physical environment is a mirror image of what goes on in our head (and vice versa), so it’s likely that cluttered and disorganised spaces are not going to do us any favours in terms of how we live and feel energetically.
Katherine is the immediate Past-President of APDO Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers having served on the Board since 2016. She runs SortMySpace.co.uk based in London and in July 2019, Katherine became the first person in the UK to become a CPO® (Certified Professional Organizer).
Check out the latest episode to see how a good de-clutter can give you and energetic boost...
Chris & Jim chat to the brilliant Cara & Sam from ProNappers about the #ElvisEnergyExperiment we ran with them recently and how napping is a superpower we all have at our finger tips, but yet we don't always use.
Napping gets a bad press at times and can carry a stigma of being a bit lazy, but nothing could be further from the truth!
ProNappers are Wellbeing Consultants, and Sleep Experts, dedicated to normalising power naps for healthy and productive working days. Working with businesses to ensure napping is a key part of how they support the wellbeing of their people.
Check out our chat about the power of a nap...
Chris & Jim chat to Kat lewis, founder of Creative Writing consultancy With The Undertow about how creative writing is not only an opportunity to express yourself creatively, but it can help us to process our emotions and even help us form stronger connection with those around us.
Something happens when you set pen to paper and allow the words to flow through you without interrupting yourself.
It's powerful stuff and we love it...
Have a listen and found out what we uncovered through our latest Energy Experiment.
Chris & Jim chat with Kyle Hermans Founder and CEO of Be Courageous, about February's Energy Experiment which was all about Acts of Courage.
Research suggests that courage is a habit, which like any other, needs to be practiced to become part of who we are. It’s the secret sauce that allows us to act despite those fears we might be harbouring. It gives us the ability to put aside our fears of failure and take the first steps towards something new and exciting.
Throughout the month we uncovered some amazing insights into how courage affects us and where we actually get it from.
Have a listen and found out what we uncovered through our experiment...
Chris & Jim chat about Novembers Cold Water Immersion experiment set for us by the Wild Swimming Brothers.
The physical and mental benefits of taking an icy plunge have long been celebrated; from Victorians gathering in public baths, to the lido boom of the early twentieth century. Science now backs this up with studies suggesting that there are lasting positive effects of a bracing outdoor dip...
The Wild Swimming Brothers set us a series of challenges to take on, starting with cold showers and building to full immersion in the icy depths to discover the bubbling rush of cold water immersion.
Chris & Jim chat to James Wallman about the impact our time has on our energy, and how using our time more positively, productively and on the things that creat stories for us, not only feels good, but gives us more energy for the things we;re doing too.
James set us a challenge for the months of July & August built around his 7 rules for richer, happier days. These 7 rules create an acronym; a checklist to use when we select our experiences called STORIES.
Each week we took on a different challenge from STORIES to see the impact it had for us and what shifts they created in our energy.
Chris & Jim chat to Andy Ramage, co-founder of One Year No Beer about breaking the social stigma's around drinking.
We discuss how taking a break from the booze means not only are we saying goodbye to those wasted hours and days feeling hazy from a night on the sauce (we all know that feeling right?), but we’ll have more clarity, more consistency and more energy to play with, every day, so we can do more extraordinary things with our energy and our time.
Whilst we’re all aware of the benefits of taking a break from the booze, and we might have tried the odd ‘Dry January’ in the past, this Months Elvis Energy Experiment and podcast are all about having a programme in place to help us make that break a reality and keep it going.
Upping Your Elvis is all about energy. In 2019 we are exploring how our energy affects us physically, mentally and spiritually. We have hooked up with a series of experts who will set an experiment every month to help us discover a way of managing our energy.
On this months Upping Your Elvis Podcast we've been chatting to Tanya Goodin about how we can bring a sense of balance and digital wellbeing to our lives. Tanya is an award-winning digital entrepreneur, digital detox evangelist, tech ethicist, and author.
For 20+ years she was founder and CEO of one of the UK’s first digital marketing agencies, now she’s a digital consultant to brands and schools and founder of digital detox movement Time To Log Off.
Have a listen below and follow us @uppingyourelvis for more Energy Experiments...
Chris & Jim talk about our Social Enterprise Talk It Out, where it came form, how it works and the impact it's has been having on their energy, and the energy of our clients.
Chris and Jim from Upping Your Elvis explore how to get your energy right, to get your extraordinary on.
Upping Your Elvis is all about energy. In 2019 we are exploring how our energy affects us physically, mentally and spiritually. We have hooked up with a series of experts who will set an experiment every month to help us discover a way of managing our energy.
In our monthly podcasts we'll be sharing the highlights of our experiments, what worked, how we felt after the experiments, and what the impact on our energy has been.
Follow our progress and join us on our energy journey!