\u201cFollow your feels.\u201d\n- Nick Onken\n\nWelcome back to ONKEN RADIO (previously NION Radio) \u2014 the podcast where we explore the body, mind, and soul of the creative entrepreneur. It\u2019s my goal to help you take your creativity, business, and life to the next level. I\u2019m so glad you\u2019re joining me on this journey.\n\nToday, we\u2019ve got something slightly different. I want to share 11 excellent life-optimization hacks that have helped me out over the last few years to access my creativity. Not only that, each has been instrumental in helping me live a better life and feel good. I\u2019ve been disciplined about learning what techniques there are and figuring out what works for me over the last couple of years.\xa0\n\nIt\u2019s important to realize that not everything I share will work for you, but these 11 optimization hacks can start your journey. I\u2019m excited to share them, so let\u2019s get into this episode! \n\n \t\nPersonal Development\n\n\nThere was a time my business was failing, so I decided to enroll in the Mastery In Transformational Training (MITT) that my friend Lewis Howes introduced me to. It focuses on teaching about living in possibility and how our negative thoughts construct limiting beliefs. Once I understood the limiting beliefs creating my life, I could break free and build new beliefs that have been game-changers for the last few years.\xa0\n\nInterviewing hundreds of guests on this podcast has shown me that any form of success starts with mindset \u2014 I can safely suggest that this is a great place to start.\n\nNot all beliefs are conscious, though, and through my emotional intelligence leadership course, I learned that the subconscious mind makes up 95% of our beliefs while the conscious mind represents only 5%! Traumas and belief systems are embedded in the subconscious, so utilizing tools like psychedelics such as psilocybin and ketamine to navigate the subconscious \u2014 to rewire the subconscious \u2014 can be tremendously advantageous.\xa0\n\nIt\u2019s on the rise, and people are using psychedelics for therapy to treat depression, PTSD, and addiction. I\u2019ve learned the important difference between medicines and drugs \u2014 medicines help heal trauma while drugs tend to focus on symptoms.\xa0\n\nPsychedelics can be daunting, but more studies are coming out showing how highly transformative they are, and if you\u2019d like to hear more on the subject, Episode #185 talks about my journey with psychedelics.\n\n \t\n Health\n\n\nHealth has been one of the most significant investments I\u2019ve committed to over the last ten years and that I\u2019ve accelerated to optimize my body during the last three years.\xa0\n\nAs I get older, I\u2019ve become more in tune with not just how my body looks but, more importantly, how I feel after eating foods like carbs and sugar. To start, I changed my diet to include fewer carbs and sugars.\xa0\n\nIt\u2019s important to recognize that everyone\u2019s body works and reacts differently based on our sensitivities to different foods. Eating fewer carbs and sugar is working for me \u2014 but you\u2019ve got to investigate what\u2019s good for you and create healthier habits. A documentary that helped shift my perspective, That Sugar Film, shed light on what sugar does to your body.\xa0\n\nThe effect of sugar hits home too because my mother has cancer, and sugar feeds cancer. My decision to decrease my sugar intake has become abundantly clear for longevity. It\u2019s taken discipline and new habits, but it\u2019s been hugely rewarding, and I can feel it physically.\n\nAvoiding sugar doesn\u2019t mean sacrificing taste either! If this too feels daunting, listen to Episode #78 with Rocco Dispirito, where we discuss incorporating healthy eating into your lifestyle.\xa0\n\nSupplements have also become a big part of my regime, and after loads of experimenting to feel what worked best I settled on Organifi. When I\u2019m on the road, it\u2019s easy to add their sachets to water and all the nutrients and electrolytes I need. When I\u2019m at home, I have my protein smoothies, which start my day off perfectly.