This month we want you to meet ACMM graduate Mick Davies! He is a personal trainer who is now integrating his meditation teaching skills into his business, Kudos Health based in Newcastle. Mick is excited to be creating a new offering called the The Mindful Men Project.
Continue reading to find out more!
Hi Mick! Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Mick – I’m 36 years old and live in Newcastle.
My passion for health, fitness and well-being has been evident my entire life. But formally began by entering the fitness industry as a Personal Trainer 10 years ago.
I then studied to also become a Health Coach and work with clients to help them modify ingrained destructive lifestyle habits, along with better dealing with both stress and anxiety.
Over the past 5 years my passion has been pulled more in the direction of mental health and happiness.
I entered this space because stress and anxiety were so prevalent in my daily life, that I decided to research them and learn as much as I could to enhance my own health and happiness. Then, I naturally wanted to pass this on to help others.
I came across meditation and mindfulness when my research for strategies to aid anxiety kept landing me there. My passion quickly grew!
When I’m not working (which seems like a rarity these days!), I’m hanging with my beautiful wife and two incredibly fun, crazy and happy kids. We live for the beach and the outdoors and get away for little adventures in our caravan at every opportunity we get.
What attracted you to become a meditation teacher and study with ACMM?
Meditation was something I quickly became obsessed with when I experienced first hand the benefits across all areas of my life.
I was already teaching the hugely powerful benefits of mindful living and decision making to my coaching clients around lifestyle behaviours, and meditation was a brilliant add-on. I therefore wanted to formalise my qualifications.
After extensive research it was evident that there was no other choice than ACMM.
How has meditation impacted you on a personal level – what are the benefits you have seen?
Meditation has impacted me in many ways. I am:
- able to enjoy my amazing life more fully as I can more often remain in the present and live in the now
- better able to deal with anxiety and stress
- more present with my kids, and less in my head about what other things I think I should be doing
- more open-minded and accepting of people, opportunities and ideas – this has been a game changer in both personal and professional life
- more often able to respond in situations where I previously would have simply reacted on autopilot (these reactions were often not so rational)
- more in control of my life, rather than my thoughts and emotions taking the rein
My default state is now one of more inner calm.
What does your personal meditation practice look like? What styles or types of meditation do you enjoy?
I meditate first thing in the morning. Being self-employed and having what seems like one thousand and sixteen things on my to-do list each day (like most of us!), I was so used to waking up and automatically being in “GO-MODE”. By waking up and being in “STOP-MODE” I find my day is much more settled, clear and productive.
I meditate daily for anywhere between 10-30 minutes.
I am a firm believer that when it comes to habits (including meditation) consistency and frequency trump duration.
If you can’t sit and dedicate 30 minutes a day to meditation that’s fine! Sit for 3 minutes and focus on your breath.
I dabble in all styles of meditation. I like guided meditations where I get to sit back and let someone else take the reins, but I also like sitting with no plan in silence and allowing the technique / style to just flow based on how I’m feeling on the day.
Do you have your own meditation/mindfulness/holistic business, plans to start one?
My business is Kudos Health – here I have clients for personal training, boot camps, health coaching, mindfulness and meditation.
I am however, currently also working on The Mindful Men Project – which is all about elevating men’s mental health and well-being.
I am so passionate about this space!
The Mindful Men Project has 7 key pillars:
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
- Breathwork
- Movement
- Nutrition
- Gratitude
- ConnectionThe client base for The Mindful Men Project is men of all ages that are wanting to enhance their mental health and well-being.
This doesn’t mean they need to have a diagnosis of chronic anxiety, depression etc.
To work on your mental wellbeing is to simply have a desire to build metal strength and resilience. In today’s day and age with the inevitable stressors related to work, relationships, finance, social circles etc, mental wellbeing is a fundamental component of our happiness.
Do you have any classes or workshops coming up?
I have a few projects in the pipeline, one of which is Elevate28 – a 28 day program delivered both online and face to face, designed to enhance both the physical and mental health of men.
It will be based around the 7 pillars of The Mindful Men Project.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a meditation teacher?
Always follow your gut. If it feels right – dive in!
It’s a crazy, deep, powerful and rewarding experience. Even if I had never taught a single meditation class in my life, the tools, knowledge and strategies I’ve learned would still be worth the investment.
This course has been an absolute game-changer in my life and in the lives of my family – I am extremely grateful that I found ACMM.
What have you enjoyed about studying at ACMM?
The content, support, delivery and overall approach at ACMM has my tick of approval 100%. The coaches are brilliant and the online community is invaluable.
You can find out more about Mick and his offerings at:
Would like to integrate Meditation and Mindfulness into your wellness business, or start something completely new? Check out ACMM’s accredited Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Training Courses.
