Embrace Your Authentic Path: An Inspiring ReLaunch Story

Hilary DeCesare: 00:00:00

Welcome, everyone. What a show we have in store for you. These are the ones that I love the most. Why? Because I have actually been with this guest on her show. And I swear to God, it was one of the most, like, exciting, eventful, like we were bouncing ideas off each other and I'm like, you gotta be on my show. You gotta be on my show. And so we have now had an opportunity and I've gotten to know her. And you guys, it's so amazing. This woman, Heidi Kristoffer is a mom to three. We're going to talk more about those, those wonderful bursts of those because they are we have some similarities there. And she is also she created the cross flow yoga app and cross flow X. She is co host of off the gram podcast, Dr. Oz collaborator, creator, producer of Microsoft being fitness, yoga and MS and yoga. She is a wellness expert, you probably have seen and heard of her on so many I couldn't even like list all of them. She's everywhere. She's a contributor to multiple publications platforms. Her goal is to make yoga, inversions, health, strength, and whole happy living accessible to everyone. She is rated one of the hottest trainers in America by Shape magazine. She's most inspiring yoga teachers in the world by Do you yoga, and most popular Instructure instructors in New York City by rate your burn and class paths. Heidi often can be seen featured as an expert on TV, magazines, you name it. Why? Because she's that good. She's a former award winning actress of stage film, TV, and the graduate of Cornell University. She makes it her mission to bring happiness to every one through every medium. So good, so good.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:02:34

You're listening to the ReLaunch podcast and I'm your host Hillary DeCesare, best selling author, speaker and transformational coach widely recognized in the worlds of neuro psychology and business launches, which cultivated the one and only three HQ method helping midlife women. Yep, that's me to rebuild a life of purpose, possibility and inspiring business ventures. Each week, we'll be diving into the stories that brought upon the most inspirational relaunches while sharing the methods and secrets that they learned along the way, so that you too can have not just an ordinary relaunch, but an extraordinary relaunch.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:03:25

Oh my gosh, it. Honestly it just like it. It is such a great day, knowing that I had you at the end of the day. So excited for you to be here and to share your wisdom, your journey your relaunch. So I'd love to start with, you know, before we get into all of the relaunches, you know, what would you say at this point that you're most proud of through all the relaunches through everything you did? I'd like to know a personal and a professional one.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:03:59

Hillary first of all, thank you so much for having me here today. I am so excited that we get to hang out more because I had the best time having you on off the ground. So thank you. Thank you so good. So good. So happy to be here and oh gosh, what a big question to start with.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:04:15

I knew I kind of like just decided I might click what's really like what, what really just lights you

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:04:21

up? Wow. Gosh, personally is the easiest answer in the world. My children they are the thing I am the most proud of I love them so deeply and I did wait longer to have them than some people and I think that was the right move for me because it put me in a place where I could just savor every moment with them and just be so grateful for it because it didn't happen easily. So

Hilary DeCesare: 00:04:45

that so when they asked her really really really quiet really quickly you had twins and how old twin mom club? Yeah. For those that for those that know you also know I have twins and how old were you when you decided to have your babies?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:05:02

Well, we decided to have babies two years prior to having them. Because it took that long. You mentioned in that amazing entry, like, intro, like entry level into

Hilary DeCesare: 00:05:19

our study at every level.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:05:22

You know, I'm so flattered, thank you. But you mentioned that I was an actress. And I was and I was very heavily working. And I never, you know, I think you hear a lot of people who are, they want to be an actress or their actress slash this or an actress slash that. And I, I was a working actor, and I worked nonstop. But I did notice and it wasn't conscious, but I was losing weight and losing weight, losing weight, and working more and more and more and more. And I'm just under five, six. And one day I woke up and I couldn't get out of bed. And I was I just knew something was wrong. And the world just felt so heavy, like, heavy with the air felt heavy. That's I physically felt like I couldn't get up. And I was like, oh, something's wrong. And I had a scale in a closet, linen closet and back of like, 900 towels, and I drew it out. And I was like, Oh, I weighed 85 pounds.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:06:18

No. Oh, my Wait a second. So you were What show are you doing at that time? Because I know you've done a ton. What were

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:06:27

Yes. You know, at that time, I had actually just shot three back to back network pilots. So for anyone who doesn't know what that is, when networks like major networks, are doing new shows, they're looking at new shows, they will green light, what are called pilots, which are the pilot episodes. So the origin story of a series is the pilot. And so I had shot three back to back pilots, which is really intense to do one a season. So three was like, oh my god, this is amazing. But I also woke up weighing nothing. But the correlation was the lower I weighed, the more I worked. And that is when I decided that we wanted to be pregnant. And my body was like, yeah, that's not happening. Yeah,

Hilary DeCesare: 00:07:14

we eat a little bit more. Well, you need a little bit more fat on those bones when you're going to try to have babies and all that. And I can't believe having grown up in LA. And in the school that I went to had a lot of celebrities, a lot of parents and everything. Three pilots. That's crazy.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:07:34

Yeah, I I was I struggled not to say I was so lucky because I worked my patootie off i Yeah. You know, as you mentioned, I went to Cornell, I went and did Bada, which is the British American drama Academy. So I got to work with Royal Shakespeare Company like I did theater, I got that classical training. I really dug into it. I had no interest in being on camera whatsoever. But that's where the money so that's what agents and managers send you on. But that's the moment that I was like, Oh, this isn't healthy. This isn't sustainable. This isn't I can't have a family. With this body. I physically can't. Every doctor is telling me that at some point. I have to listen, because they went to medical school. Not me.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:08:18

You were so you were really feeling just wiped out fatigued. You had lost all this weight? Were people telling you? I mean, I guess not industry. People are like, Oh, you look great.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:08:30

Yes. And that was exactly what I was getting. And I you know, I'm very fortunate in that as a teenager, I never had an eating disorder. It wasn't. That wasn't what was the fabric of me. I was too busy doing musical theater at the time to worry about something as silly to me as wait. Because camera wasn't my world back then. And it just, it's sort of like you're so busy on set. There's never time to eat. If you do eat, maybe you shove a protein bar down your throat, maybe some of the fruit from craft services. And that's it and you're exhausted when you get home. When you go to bed you wake up, you do it again. So it was yeah, it was just such a wake up call. And I didn't love what I was doing. And that was also the part of it that so many people would kill to do what I was doing. And I really didn't enjoy it because I loved theater. And so when I got pigeonholed into television and movies, and I was on a soap opera for 10 years, I just kind of fell out of love with entertainment as a profession as an actress.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:09:36

And everyone wants to know what soap opera As the World Turns. The world was the first

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:09:43

soap opera back when they were sponsored by soap companies on the radio.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:09:48

Totally. And by the way, I was a soap opera fanatic. Like I would watch the afternoon and I'd come home from school and I get my little fix. So rate in 10 years. I mean, I did Oracle for 10 years when I felt like I was a dinosaur, right 10 years at a company and here you are doing that for 10 years, then you're doing all these other things you're getting in a more and more publicity, they want you, you're the it girl. And now all of a sudden, you're wanting to have a family, and it's not working out for you, besides the weight loss, and not if that that wasn't enough, because that was so much. But besides that in the fatigue, are there any other physical things that were happening with you at that time? Physical, like I think about when I was burning out, and I was doing what you were doing, and I was raising money, and I was on the road all the time. And I was leaving at that point, my kids at home and I was just constantly I had this massive, almost like rash that Oh, like blew up on my chest that look like open wounds. It was so awful. It was like finally, like, I have to like, hello, I have to take care of this. And that caused me to have a little bit of that, you know, wake up call. And, uh, you know, I'm sure I was super skinny. And like I looked at where you are. But it is it's so sometimes we do not listen to our body. And clearly, you know, that was happening to you to get down to that weight. So how do you do? I mean, what, what was the point when you went to your husband, you went to your family what happened?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:11:38

So I knew that day that I couldn't get out of bed I will never forget, it was it was such a different sensation than I've ever felt in my life. And I'm very grateful to not felt it since then it really felt like I had an actual anvil, like you see in cartoons was like giant tons, those big things of metal really felt like that was on my chest. And I couldn't physically sit up in it. By the time I got the scale out, because I was like, oh, something's wrong. And I honestly that whole summer, I'd been like, Oh, it is so hot in New York that my clothes are expanding. It was like the opposite of a college girl with a dryer. That's like, you know, for the first time drinking all this beer and gaining weight. And it's like, oh, well, it's the college dryer shrinking my clothes. I literally was like, the humidity in New York is making my clothes expand. I was like, oh, it's not the humidity in New York is it? We tell ourselves things to keep us going. And that was the story I was telling myself. And I, you know, I was there weren't very many other, I don't know what else I bought, it could have done other than shut down, which is what it did. I wasn't getting hives, I wasn't getting that type of reaction, but my body just shut down. And and at that point, I had been really disenchanted with the industry for a lot of other reasons. And I've been in a lot of situations that you know, could have if I had let them go been a me too moment. But I was like, I had a temper before yoga. And so I consider myself very lucky that I can get arrested for punching someone in the face. I mean, just, it's just not who I was it. It's not how I wanted to make my way through an industry. And I always hated that part of it. I always hated that that situation would exist. And you know, you'd be up for a roll and you'd be the producer session that final callback, and you'd show up and it would just be you and one guy and you're like, Wait, this isn't this is supposed to be and I'd be like leaders you later. And then where are you

Hilary DeCesare: 00:13:36

at that point? Because you've always been incredibly confident. Did you ever feel like, okay, you know, this is what everyone's doing in those roles and trying to get those bigger, you know, bigger acting roles, did you ever have to compromise yourself?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:13:57

I refused, which is why I left the industry. It's just an you know, God bless anyone who can do it any other way. I just, I didn't have the resiliency to be able to face that situation over and over and over and over again and not getting angry, I got angry. And that was

Hilary DeCesare: 00:14:18

left I have to ask this. So now that everything's come out, right over the last few years, and you know, the disgust that we all are feeling about these these people in power and what they were doing to these victims, I mean, arch or do you feel so fortunate that you were able to get out before something before something happened?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:14:44

Yes, yes. And I do and that was calculated on my part because I saw the trajectory of it. I saw the way it was going and I just I refused to take part in that I just I worked too hard for too long to get somewhere because of that and it just It was never going to be my path. So I'm definitely grateful that I exited when I did. My agents managers were not happy with me. But we're still friends all of us. That's good.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:15:12

And so you you made the decision, you told the agent, you're like, I can't do this anymore. And of course, they're saying, What are you crazy? Yeah, because they're a hot ticket, and you know, the entertainment world. But yet you had that inner voice? And it really seems like it's loud.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:15:35

Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes it's allowed. I did have help. I did. So at some point in my acting career, we moved very last second. And as an actress on your non shooting days, you're auditioning. And what that looks like is you could be in 10 different places. I was in New York City at that time, I also did LA for a little bit, but I was in New York at the time, and I became a member of a sports club that had locations everywhere. Because on your audition days, you have to show up to one audition, looking like a heroin addict. And the next one, looking like a lawyer for law and order. And the next one, you have to have brown hair and blue eyes, you better have those contacts ready. And the next one, your blonde curly, it's just and you have to have all those things. And you have to be able to change, go change, go change, go change, go. So being a member of a sports club was imperative I needed to change.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:16:30

Pause right there, because this is so good. And it leads us into your next relaunch. So everybody, stay where you are. We'll be right back. And we will be talking to Heidi about the next part of her significant relaunch. This episode is brought to you by my very own labor of love my most recent book relaunch. This book is a collection of my stories, other stories and is a motivational guide to living a new three HQ lifestyle, sparking your heart to ignite your life. It's available for purchase via Amazon, get ready to try on the three h q method that I've been using for years, throughout my entire life, reaching the next level in all areas, both professionally and personally. Get your copy today at www dot the relaunch book.com Welcome back, everyone. Okay, I've got Heidi Christopher with me. And what an interesting way that she has come to this point. In the relaunch journey. Again, she has been a successful, first off academic student and just nailed it with all of the different ways that she was able to highlight her career in acting on stage. And then she realizes, as you know, so many actors do that. The path that's laid before you is is a tough one. And before we went on break, we were discussing, she's, you know, running here, she's curly, with green eyes here. She's, you know, a heroin addict here. She's doing all these different things. And that allowed her to end up going into a gym,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:18:25

right? Yes, I use these gyms to change all the time. And since I had the membership, I was like, Oh, well, I should take these classes. And then I enjoyed gym classes. And when we it was a very New York story. We had a perfect apartment. It was amazing. And one day, there was a contractor. He was an architect to knock at the door and he was like, Oh, your landlord didn't tell you I was coming. I was like, no, he's like, okay, but you know, are gutting the place in like two weeks. And I was like, no, nobody told me that. So I had to find a new apartment really quickly wound up somewhere that was very far away from any of these gyms. So and I need very far. So there was no shot in February that this girl was ever going to set foot in a gym. So I googled gyms in the zip code, and a yoga studio came up. And I just took a really deep breath. And I was like, oh, that sounds so boring.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:19:21

Isn't it funny that your thought because I remember my first thought when I was younger and getting into yoga that actually helped me get my body back after my twins was Yoga. But I remember like, Oh, God, here we go. It's the only thing I can do. I might as well do it. So yeah,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:19:40

yeah. So I, you know, took a deep breath, rolled my eyes and like everybody's telling me to try this stupid yoga thing. It sounds so lame. And I looked at their most advanced class because, you know, if I was going to break a sweat, it clearly wasn't going to be the beginner class. Like I am my own worst nightmare. If I said As a student, I'd be like, Yeah,

Hilary DeCesare: 00:20:03

I can do it again. Of course I can do that. Oh, so hard,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:20:09

right. And the first class I was in halfway through was a 90 minute power. vinyasa, like heavy on the arm bounces heavy on inversions. I was dripping with sweat and just euphoric. And I was like, what is it that makes me so happy? I feel so good. I feel so. And that class, because I chose that one. That's why I got hooked into yoga, because I had the enthusiastic teacher who was showing me that my body was capable of all these things, I never imagined possible that I was stronger than I ever imagined possible. And getting into yoga was the first thing that prompted me to think about food as fuel. So that when I hit the point where I wanted to have children, I could actually think of it that way. It's like, I want to be stronger. So you have to eat more to feel that way. And so that was a tool for me.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:20:58

And so how old are you at this point? How old are we? What do you think?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:21:04

I don't know. When I first discovered Yoga it was before 30. For sure. Because I definitely remember like a big 30th birthday party with my yoga friends.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:21:15

It's the birthday parties we remember. So no, all of a sudden though, you now are at this, you know, very 8586 pound weight. You're shy of five, six, you're trying to like, okay, get back healthy. You're told that they're about to get your apartment, you gotta move. Now. Interesting. You move to a place was it too far for you to go? And

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:21:40

Jim? It was much too far. But the other?

Hilary DeCesare: 00:21:44

Was it also too far for you to go and audition? Was it kind of like, everything? No, you could still audition,

Unknown: 00:21:50

I could totally still audition. It was just the like, maintenance gym, you know, on the rag was never gonna happen. Like ever. I was never going to class to like sweat. It was just going to be used for changing

Hilary DeCesare: 00:22:03

or changing. Okay, yeah. So now you're kind of doing both, you're kind of

Unknown: 00:22:09

sign up for the new person special go like, there are some days I went to three classes today, I would leave set because you you are on set for hours and hours and hours doing nothing. And they would read you your hair and makeup when you came back anyway. So I was just going all the time. And I loved it so much. And then every buddy kept asking me questions as if I was a teacher. And I was like, Oh, I'm not a teacher, I'm not qualified to answer that. I can't help you. Because I'm not a teacher, I don't have the credentials to help you. And then at some point, three films in a row that were completely unrelated to one another, it was one of the financial crises, dropped funding. So I had six months of no work ahead of me, which was unprecedented for me. And it just so happened to be the time in New York run all the teacher trainings around like a similar cycle, kind of like semesters for colleges and all that. And the training was about to start. And I was like, Well, I always wanted to learn more about yoga, never in my head in a million years was going to teach yoga, I just wanted to learn more about the practice, that made me feel so good. And so I signed up for a training, loved every second of it, couldn't have loved it more. And then at the end, they give you one class to teach that people can come right at the end of this grueling training. It's so funny, my husband was getting his executive MBA at the same time, I did more work. There are plenty of yoga teacher trainings that are like certificates, you know, Mills, but this was not one of them. And I, but I loved every second of it. And I did, I taught this class, and all of my teacher friends sent studio owners to it. And they were like, Would you like this class? Would you like to teach here? Would you like to teach here? And I was like, in New York, there are more yoga teachers than actors. So it's so weird that I was getting offered all these classes. And I was like, Oh, but I work during the week, you know, like, how about a Saturday class, which by the way, is the most coveted spot because you get paid by the head. So every yoga teacher wants 7pm at night on a weekday or weekend because those are the times you can fill a room and earn a living. And so I was like, Well, okay, fine. I'll teach on the weekends. I will say yes to subclass. If the night before my agency manager say I am free. And then one night hit that I said yes to subclass at a Wednesday at 12pm. But it was probably going to make $20 No joke to teach. And I got a call late night from my manager about a producer session, which is like the final final final final callback. It's between like you and a superstar for a main role on a main show, like a big, big show. And I was so angry, because I had said yes to so this $20 yoga class the next day, I was furious that they just assumed that I was free for them the next day, at night. And I was telling my friend about this who owned a studio. She was like, you know, Heidi It sounds to me like you really don't love this acting thing. But the yoga thing was like falling in your lap. And you know she was Deepak yo, Deepak Chopra is personal yoga instructor. And so anytime I needed to hear something she would say, so Deepak says, it's like, well, you have to listen at that point. Really? That's a good one. Like,

Hilary DeCesare: 00:25:23

you know, if you hear

Unknown: 00:25:24

you're like, oh, yeah, you're like, I guess I have to listen. Yeah, so this is my friend, Tara Stiles. And she said this to me. And she was like, sometimes Deepak says that, you know, easy road is the road you're meant to take, and you're not supposed to keep fighting for what you think you should have. And I was like, well, that's lazy.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:25:47

referred to as the struggle bus. How can this be on the struggle bus? Like it has to struggle? Or is it really worth anything?

Unknown: 00:25:55

Right? Yeah. And so her words, like sat with me. And then this thing happened with his producer session. And I had that moment where I was like, wow, somebody else deserves to be getting this call tonight, not you, because you don't want the call. And that's not fair to anyone. It's really not. And, and at the time, I had just actually shot something with Shape magazine with Tara together, and she had asked me to do all these write ups for it in like, a couple hours. And I was like, Oh, sure, no problem. But other than that, and they were like, Oh, hey, do you want to write our first yoga column? And I was like, Oh, sure.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:26:35

Not go to the callback. No. That's a good story. And then look at what it turned out. I mean, it turned out to just open up the gates the floodgates. And actually, Deepak was pretty much right on

Unknown: 00:26:52

he was and the thing I feel like so many people cling to something they are doing that is no longer right for them, or doesn't fit them any longer. Because it's just the only identity they've known. And they're afraid that they'll have wasted all the time that they put into this particular thing. And like, let me tell you, I never could have done the things that I do with yoga, if I hadn't had every moment of experience. I was the one take wonder for all the fitness magazines doing videos, because I had the soap opera training for 10 years where you get fired. If you need a second take like I never needed a second tape, not ever. I need it. We're Oh god, that's so good. So it's like all of the things, you know, hindsight is always going to be 2020. But everything leads up to where we are right in this moment, right. And every ounce of work that I put into my acting career allowed me to be comfortable teaching 1000 People at Bryant Park over the summer to be comfortable leaving a room in any country no matter what the language was. Because it's a comfort level that I don't know if you can learn it after a certain point. I'm not honestly Sure. You know, people are like, Oh, she has it. And you're like, Okay, well, what is it? It's like comfort.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:28:04

What is that? But you? So you've been doing this? How long at this point right now, you've been doing the yoga,

Unknown: 00:28:11

I think I think I had that meeting with my agents and managers where I fully stopped acting in 2010, or 2011. It was what it was winter of that year is when I was like, I mean, I've been teaching but I will say I'm out, out out out like there will be no more distractions from my yoga at this moment

Hilary DeCesare: 00:28:32

or have. But what's interesting is that you haven't gone back to acting as you had known it before. Yet. You're using your skills you built on it every single day. And now like I said, you know, you you do these massive yoga, you've got a candidate, hundreds of 1000s of people that follow you, and you've built up really this incredible business around something that you really love. I call it as you know, three HQ, your head, your heart, your higher self, and you really are in alignment. You really are and people are going to say, Oh, I'll do yoga. Of course she's in alignment. But you You went

Unknown: 00:29:14

there. Yeah, no doubt, most inflexible people that I've ever met in my life are some of the most successful Yoga people and it blows my mind every time and I'm like, oh, like they're preaching flexibility. And they're so inflexible in their mind. They don't get it. So it's not of course, for sure.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:29:35

I was super impressed when we talked and you're explaining this concept because I think that it is yoga has such a mind body. It's mind body spirit. It's exactly

Unknown: 00:29:48

yes. Why resonated so much listening to you talk.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:29:52

Why I was like, oh my god and everything you are saying I'm like, aha, that's exactly it. But you take Take the practice of yoga. And you I mean, and by the way, everyone, you need to go and see these videos, the positions this girl can get in. I mean, like, I am so impressed. And you have convinced me just by the short friendship that we've had that I am now getting back into yoga, like I live classes, because I was feeling like every, every year, you get stiffer and stiffer, and I went to try to do a cartwheel. Oh, and I know, I know. I know. And I tried. And I went down i My Holy smokes. I really can't. I haven't done one since I was you know what, in my 20s. And if your hamstrings aren't torn,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:30:45

I would give that a win.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:30:49

Yeah, but I thought at that point, it was right after we had you know, we had had that great conversation. I'm like, Alright, that's it. I'm in. And I have to tell you, I already I was talking about how I felt like the tin man. And can somebody just like, you know, do a little oil lube here because I get on like a squeak squeak or I'd be the one that stands up and my body's like, I'm like, Yeah, that was me. And even in the short amount of time, but I've noticed that I'm like, already. It's it's already impacting me. But how help everyone understand the mind body spirit connection of what you have really allowed to shape your life with yoga. Yeah,

Unknown: 00:31:35

I mean, I couldn't touch my toes. When I started my yoga practice. I couldn't. And you know, as you've seen in pictures, now, my toes are above my head behind them, and all these all these different things. And I, it happened when I allowed my mind to believe that I could, because if you believe you can, you will. And if you believe you can't, you won't. Whatever you decide in your brain is true, will come to fruition in life. And that is just it. And so everyone out

Hilary DeCesare: 00:31:59

there who is raising their hand with me right now and saying My story is I'm not flexible anymore.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:32:06

Use your brain it is not your body, it is your brain.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:32:10

And so when people say I want to start to, you know, all right, I'm gonna you know, I've heard Heidi, I've seen her. I've heard Hillary Hillary sounds a little bit more like me can't touch my toes. I sound like you know, I'm, I'm an old lady and a younger woman's body. But how do you what do you suggest is kind of that first entry into a yoga practice?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:32:33

Well, so that's why I created crossflow x and I was asked to create that class or boutique fitness in Manhattan based on my shape, mash up yoga videos, because there's only so many times you can do both blasting yoga or tummy taming yoga before you are bored to tears with it. So we started mashing up things and I was recording a yoga Tabata mashup. And for anyone who's not familiar with Tabata, it's a very short workout, but incredibly intense, it's 20 seconds on, like, to the point of you want to throw up, it's so hard with the cardio, and a 10 second dead rest. And so when I did the mash up, what I did was I did hit so like a mountain climber. And instead of just stopping and resting, I would do a restorative yoga pose, like a pigeon. And up until the recording of that video pigeon was my nemesis, it's a hip opener, and it was my nemesis and I hated every second of it, I'd pick up my toes, like be like, Oh, that'd be new manicure pedicure. You know, and you just do not mind when I'm giving you

Hilary DeCesare: 00:33:33

hold on. Before we continue, we have to take another quick break. And when we come back, everyone, we are going to be on this path together this journey because the more you can do it now trust, trust her, because this is what she says that you're gonna get stronger, we're gonna get the core stronger, and you're going to actually feel better as you age. And that's what we all want to be able to do. So don't go away. We'll be right back. This episode is brought to you by my very own labor of love my most recent book relaunch. This book is a collection of my stories, other stories and as a motivational guide to living a new three HQ lifestyle, sparking your heart to ignite your life. It's available for purchase via Amazon, get ready to try on the three HQ method that I've been using for years throughout my entire life. Reaching the next level in all areas, both professionally and personally. Get your copy today at www dot the relaunch book.com

Hilary DeCesare: 00:34:41

Hey everyone, welcome back. I am with my good friend Heidi Christopher. She's in the house and let me tell you we are talking now about how an actress who was killing it and in yoga, creating one of the biggest yoga movements out there her. And she now is trying, as we're talking to discuss, how do you get into yoga when we all feel like we can't touch our toes? I mean, touch our toes. How about let's start with our knees? So I'm asking Heidi, how do we do this? How do we make this a practice? What can we expect? And where are the videos that we can come watch you?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:35:21

Yes, ma'am. I love all of it. So it's crossbow Yoga is the app I eventually created because I worked for so many other people, and didn't get to create the content that I felt like people really needed. We were talking about right before the break crosshill acts and how I combined hits with restorative yoga. And that was the genesis of crosswalks. Because when I was shooting that video, after a mountain climber, I went into pitch and without giving my mind a second to think I hate this pose, I can't do this pose. And my body just did it. And I've never felt so good in my life. And it was this giant exhale of my entire being was just like, I can let go like it's okay. And it was it was life altering. And that's why when I was asked to create a class, I was like, I'm creating it around this concept that if you fatigue your body, and you heat it up from the inside, it's forced to let go because we have to find a balance in all things. Right. So yoga in India was created for teenage boys to exhaust them. What it came to be in America. Yes. Yeah, it's boys just to exhaust them. Yeah. And it has been so watered down that your first reaction and my first reaction to yoga was like, oh, that sounds so boring. And that's not what it was meant to be. So with crossflow, I was trying to sort of claw back the original intention of it. Well, making it a little bit shorter, so that it's more realistic for today's person. Because most of us work can do 500 things. And cross will X specifically with the hits involved allows it to be so much shorter. And when I was first creating videos for shape, I was like, nobody wants three minute yoga, nobody wants and then I finally got five minutes. And then finally seven minutes. And they was like, only do one side and tell them to repeat it on the other side. And I was like, awful, but okay. So just think

Hilary DeCesare: 00:37:13

like me, that would be an old. Like, wait, I did one side. But how do I feel so uneven? Yeah, there's definitely as we're like, putting our heads have you do? They were saying that, but you're like, No, no, yeah,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:37:28

I was like, it's too short, and then cut to postpartum and twins. I'm googling seven minute yoga videos with my name because I'm like, I know they exist. I don't know where they are anymore. But I know they're out there. And so it came to this moment where I was like, Oh, well, people do need five minute yoga videos that are effective. And not just like, oh, let's create, like breathing is great. There's a place for breathing. There's a place for grounding, there's place for all those things. But there are also a giant amount of humans who need to move who need to sweat need to get their endorphins up and need to loosen up their bodies in a very short amount of time. And that's what crosswalk allows for. So I have an entire section on the crossbow yoga app, which you know, you can also do on Apple TV on the internet. It doesn't have to be on your iPhone, it can be on any phone anywhere.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:38:13

Hold on everyone who's listening right now she's saying cross flow at yoga

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:38:18

across all x is the first class and then I built an app and a program called crossbow yoga, which also has like crossover vinyasa, Z for sleep, our x i do with surgeons for specific conditions. So it helps heal specific things because I have had to start over many times with modeling. Yes, I had to relaunch many, many. I wanted you to say it many times.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:38:46

Yeah. The thing that I also remember reading, which we haven't discussed is that you did get into a pretty serious car accident.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:38:54

Well, so that was when I was 18. And they didn't, they were so concerned with my neck and being paralyzed for the rest of my life, that they never even took film of my lower back. And I was complaining of back pain the whole time as an 18 year old and they were like it's referral pain. It's referral pain from cervical spine. And at a certain point, I'm like, alright, well, I'm going to college now by and then in my when I first started yoga in New York, I was walking up Broadway and I collapsed. Because the scar tissue from my broken vertebra from that 18 year old accident had finally hit the sciatic nerve. The surgeons were like, I can't believe you're walking. I've never seen somebody walking with these injuries. And I was like, Okay, well clearly, I don't need back surgery because yoga is doing something for me. So I worked with a PT to build up the muscles that protect the spine. And so that's just one of the things I've learned through so many injuries, how to heal through yoga, and I never had a back surgery and I'm so grateful and obviously there's a time and a place I've had to risk surgeries and not because of yoga

Hilary DeCesare: 00:39:58

was really what Is it maybe skiing? Or was it snowboarding?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:40:05

Um, sadly, the reason I moved out of New York a year ago is because I was attacked in broad daylight by five people, and they completely shattered my wrist. And yeah, so that's another relationship because I'm the Yoga expert without risks, right. And so I created an entire section of the Act that was risk free, which by the way, was the number one requested COVID, because everybody was at home without equipment, and all of a sudden did yoga without supervision. So they were having improper misalignment and getting carpal tunnel, and then they couldn't do the yoga on their wrists. So it was this whole vicious cycle. So I created an entire section for that. Okay, how

Hilary DeCesare: 00:40:43

you were talking about how everything is building on? You know, what's happened? Yeah. Talk about it, when you said, you know, the whole mind body and how long you've had, you've had injuries, this one where you had your, your wrist broken, and then now you've really shown yourself that you can do it. And I'm a big advocate where if you can see it, you believe it? Yes, then you know, others can have it happened for them. Right? You see your clients and you're like, Hey, I've, I've seen what some would call a miracle. And it's not. It's repeatable. It's you can do it. I believe, if you see one that has had it happen for them, it can happen for you. And that's so you coming through such a real traumatic event. If you hadn't had yoga, if you hadn't been working with your body? What would What do you think your outcome would have been?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:41:45

I know what it would have been, they wanted to fuse my wrists, which means they never bend again. And I refused. Because for a surgeon, I mean, I had the best surgeon in the world, but the people that I saw prior to him, wanted to fuse it because that's their surgical record. It's perfect surgery, it's a victory for them. If basically, when they're repairing a joint, you're never actually going to get 100% of the mobility, almost certainly back even it's 99.9 that makes their surgical record have a scar on it that they don't want. And so I thankfully my father in law was a massive orthopedic surgeon in New York for 40 years, he was the head of a major hospital there. So he pulled in favors for me, which I was so fortunate to have. But you know, the whole time I'm sitting there and I'm like, I'm not using my wrist like it has to, it has to be gone. He said, you as

Hilary DeCesare: 00:42:37

your advocate, my dad was an orthopedic surgeon and my grandfather.

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:42:41

So you know, all about second

Hilary DeCesare: 00:42:42

opinions, which most people don't owe, everybody, everybody gets second opinions is even a third I had a third. And it changed the outcome of the surgery that I just had. It was a womanly surgery. But literally, it changed everything. So yes, please, please do that. But that, you know, Heidi, your journey, it's so incredible. Do you find now that you have, you know, even more of an appreciation for what yoga can do and how you can help people

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:43:17

100% Because I've had to start over so many times. And listen, I know no one can see me. But like, when I got out of my wrist surgery, they said to flex my hand and it basically, it basically didn't move. And I felt like I was flexing it like I was in a handstand and that devastation is like it's like your body betrayed you because you feel the movement and it's not doing it. And you have to start so from scratch and I you know, after my twin pregnancy, it was an emergency C section, I had had to have a cert collage at 22 weeks, I was on bedrest, they dislocated my ribs, I have been through so much physical stuff, which has been a blessing and a gift at the end of it all. It's hard in the moment always to see it. Because I get to be a beginner again. So it reminds me what it's like to start over in yoga, like from having your core completely cut through every layer. You have to rebuild your core from the beginning from scratch from the start. And so you can remember what your students are experiencing. And it's so much more fresh in your mind that it was from decades ago. Right. So every time I've had a setback and have relaunched. I just view it that way. It's like I'm going to be a better teacher for this, because it's more relevant to me their experience right now. I can relate to it more than I could before. So this is wonderful. And it gives me a whole other slew of doctors to tap from for the app for different conditions. And so it helps people along that journey so they can realize their potential and their strength and you know, see that it's possible because you have to know that it's possible.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:44:54

What you're saying just resonates and it goes back to when we were just Starting and we weren't recording yet we you mentioned you know God I've had so many relaunches okay. I had been coined the relaunch queen and I'm like I also love the the real are the energy, the energy queen. I'll take that one. You

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:45:19

totally Are you give me so much energy. I'm so grateful. Thank you.

Hilary DeCesare: 00:45:22

I love but when you start to say like the relaunch queen, kind of like I'm expecting more and more and more, and I already know relaunches around the corner I already know they're gonna happen. I already know that. I'm like, I'm like, you know, merci, merci. No more right now I just need to like, get my get myself back like you've been doing with your relaunches to the point where you're like strong again, you have that inner core strength, which is, you know, a metaphor for everything that you're doing in your life. And so I'm really curious what now, and I love that you opened up with your relaunch personal that business wise, what what? What is Heidi going to be doing? What's next for you in terms of what you want to do? And that next direction?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:46:11

Yeah, I mean, I really want to help moms, I know that's, you know, because I'm a mom and I, I have, I just don't think there are enough fitness programs that are actually effective for moms, and certainly not enough that address, mind and body. Because moms need both of those things desperately. Many moms don't get to talk to other grownups. Many moms don't have two seconds to themselves. So if I can give them a five to 10 minute video that like really gets their heart rate up, really gets them breathing deeper, opens their chest, and helps them have a better day than my day is made. Right? Because if I can help somebody else feel better and, and feeling better, allows them to have hope allows any of us to have hope. Because if you're in a dark place, it's hard to see light. But if you have just a glimmer of that light, it allows you to believe that it's possible that other things are possible that you can feel better, that you can be stronger that you can feel competent, that you can feel capable. And you can remember who you started off to be. Because a lot of moms lose themselves being a mom, and they forget who they really were as a person. And I am all about my children and putting them. I love them with every fiber of my being I wanted them so much. And I tell them every day, I say how much do I love you and they reply more than anything in the whole wide world. And it is true. It's true. They know because I just repeated I love them so much. But it's also important to remember who we are as humans and what who, who we are to share with the universe. You know, each of us are unique, and we're here for a reason. And you have to remember that

Hilary DeCesare: 00:47:56

reason. Okay, Heidi, it's not just the younger moms, we are midzone. Mom, right with five kids. I've got three of my own two stepkids. We're like going good moving, what is the age range? We have from now? 20 to 25? I mean, what's your college graduation this week? I mean, we are everywhere. And every weekend, it's like something else is happening. So that whole mom yoga thing? Yeah, I think, to me, being as I call it, the Oh diet, the oxytocin diet, we all need it. And that is that connection to self. And it's so incredible. So are you creating these videos? How do we get involved in your world? Girl?

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:48:43

Yes. So the the app, the online program, again, it can be accessed on the internet, you do not need a fancy smartphone to access it. You also can access it on your smartphone, Apple or not Apple, like any of them. And yeah, and you know, there's so many platforms, but it's cross flow yoga, cross flow is one word, because I like to cross yoga flow with other modalities so that you maximize your time on the mat. And feel your very best. Oh, crossflow yoga is

Hilary DeCesare: 00:49:19

I got it you need to learn out there. And again, you said you've got shorten programs, longer programs, you've got whatever a person actually

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:49:28

everything from five minutes to 265 minutes and you can you know if that's not long enough for you amazing that you have that time you can put them together and they're all broken down into categories, segments, and my latest is a made for mamas an entire category. I have 250 some odd videos on the app right now. So and I take requests from our members all the time because I need ideas too. So it's doing me a favor when you ask for what you need. And so I always make what everybody needs happen on you That's

Hilary DeCesare: 00:50:00

every person, honestly, I yoga is probably the best gift you can give yourself. I mean, trust me, in the short amount of time that I've been doing it just recently. I'm like, I missed it. Back, I feel good again. So, unfortunately, it is time to wrap this show up. Heidi, thank you so much for being here. As always, I love I love the connection. I am excited to get onto your app, we'll have everything in the show notes. And everybody, let us know. I mean, let us know after you've done how many how many sessions do you need before you can start to get into feeling a little bit like you're not you know that that Crickety thing. You know,

Heidi Kristoffer: 00:50:47

I think three is always the magic number for everything. I always feel like the third one is like is the trier so I think try it three times. Let's try short ones that that are not above your level, like just be honest with where you are, because it's the perfect place. You are at the perfect place right here right now for you. So don't hurt yourself by doing something, you know, as idiotic as I was going to my first yoga class. I was 20 You know, like I

Hilary DeCesare: 00:51:15

don't anymore. Everyone. Again, it was so great having Heidi Christopher here. Check her out, follow her Instagram. And yeah. And that's it. And so right now, everybody, it is time to be you and re launch in to the next awesome version of you. We'll see you next week. And again, make sure you check out Heidi.