#SH with Marnie Schneider
“Hi Marnie, can you introduce yourself to us?
I am a CEO of a startup lifestyle company, speaker, author, philanthropist, dog rescuer and best of all daughter and mom. I am also a certified happiness life coach! My roots are in football. My grandfather Leonard Tose was the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles and a founder of the Ronald McDonald House Charities. My mom Susan Tose Spencer was the first female GM of an NFL team. My pride and joy are my three kids—Jonathan, Goldie and Leo.”
Can you take us through your self-love journey to where you are now?
The things that were upsetting to me, I am now grateful for. I learned that the things that were absent in my life and that I thought were personal, were part of my journey.
What are some of your favorite self-love + self-care practices?
Morning gratitude journal, spend 3 hours a day with my mom in the morning (who has dementia), I get in the shower while it is cold for about 30 seconds, I try to stay in my lanes emotionally and physically.
What are you most proud of so far in your journey? What have you overcome that you used to struggle with?
Being able to be flexible and make good choices by doing my homework. I had a vision of the way things were but there were a lot of ways to get there.
How would you like your self-love journey to inspire other people?
I genuinely care about making a difference. While it seems like I come from a privileged family, we still had our dramas and traumas. We all have things that are unpleasant and have to find a way to keep moving the ball down the field. Exercising discipline has been my coping skills.
What is one major change that you made in your life that has affected you most positively?
Packing up my family and moving across the country from California to the Carolinas. I was able to get my business going and showed my publisher I was invested in making my book series work.
What are you currently struggling with that you could use more assistance or practice with to improve?
I struggle with guilt and not wanting to disappoint anyone. I realize that sometimes I may disappoint people and it is ok. I cannot please everyone all the time.
What are you most looking forward to in your future?
Being able to create my own legacy.
What is your favorite part of your morning ritual?
My favorite morning ritual is filling out my gratitude journal having a cup of coffee watching the sunrise with my mom !! These moments are my most precious times and I’m creating memories for a lifetime!!
What is your favorite part of your evening ritual?
Walking the dogs, thinking about my day and checking in with my loved ones.
What would your ideal wellness ritual look and feel like?
Adding in healthy habits such as vitamins, food and exercise.
What tools/resources do you currently use to improve your life?
My friends are my tools! Having friends and loved ones I rely on are a gift.
If you met your future self today, what would you be most excited to talk with them about?
If I met myself now I would be excited to share how much growth I’ve had! Some things in my life have come as a curveball and I’m so grateful I’ve been able to keep swinging!! That’s what makes me happy is knowing that I am going to keep swinging for the fences!! See some of my fun adventures - https://www.instagram.com/marnieschneider1/
Can you tell us more about your experience as a certified happiness life coach and how it has influenced your work as a CEO and entrepreneur?
Happiness is often a choice and often is a result of discipline…. I have found that the more disciplined I am the happier I am. Discipline is the gift we can give ourselves and the results are almost always going to create more opportunities and I believe opportunities bring more happiness! Happiness is also about being appreciative of your blessings. If you can take a moment each day and think about how fortunate you are, even if it’s just one tiny thing that makes you blessed that can bring happiness and joy! Worth trying it…..
Can you tell us about your philanthropic work and how it relates to your overall mission as a CEO and public figure?
I grew up watching my Mom and Grandfather being philanthropic and doing things to make a difference!! I find that the more I give back the better I feel!! It’s also part of my family legacy to continue the charity work they started and continue to support the foundations that they were part of! It’s part of my DNA to help others and share my blessings. As a public figure it’s important for me to do the best, set a good example and roll up my sleeves and make things happen! Otherwise I’d be squandering the gifts my family gave me!!
How has being a dog rescuer impacted your life and work, and do you have any plans to expand your involvement in animal rescue efforts?
I love animals and Fumble the Dog has been such a joy of my life! Being able to rescue Dogs is pure love and I only wish I could have more space for many more animals! Giving a voice to those who don’t have one is a special kind of kindness! I will always find time to help dogs and cats and horses and all animals big and small!
Can you share some insights into the challenges and rewards of being a mother while also juggling a demanding career as a CEO?
Being a mom to me means that you have to be like Sherlock Holmes and discover all the clues that make your kids grow….everything I do as a mom and ceo is about growth and learning and maturing. The parenting and CEOing skills are similar in that you have to learn how to get the best from yourself, the people who you work with and your kids! It’s a tricky balance, and sometimes I mess it up but it’s important to, acknowledge it, apologize for it, be gentle on yourself when you do make mistakes and just keep on going!
How has your family's legacy in football influenced your personal and professional journey?
My mom’s influence on others is incredible and it’s my personal journey to keep her story alive and share her accomplishments and experiences with others! Writing our book series Football Freddie and Fumble the Dog is so important to me because I can celebrate my love of football and everything it’s given me.
As a public speaker, what topics do you feel most passionate about and enjoy discussing with audiences?
I love sharing my love of sports being the universal language, being a single mom of 3 kids, building a successful business when everyone doubts you, sharing how to find some love, joy and happiness in your life!!
Can you share some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and women in business, based on your own experiences and lessons learned?
Keep pushing yourself, don’t follow others patterns create your own, people won’t understand your methods and that’s ok, if you’re consistent and comprehensive then you’ll have success and keep improving and learning and listening and being open minded and grateful and grounded and positive and it will happen!
Can you tell us more about your morning gratitude journal practice and how it helps you in your daily life?
I love my morning gratitude journal! It’s a few minutes of the day that makes me happy!! Writing down the details of what you’re grateful for is a beautiful way to celebrate getting an opportunity to have a great day! It slows me down to just be still and focus on what I’m doing and what I can accomplish and achieve and it keeps me motivated and accountable!
How has your experience spending time with your mom impacted your perspective on life and self-care?
Being able to spend hours a day with my mom is a gift I treasure!! It’s hard watching her decline! I’m grateful to be here for her and I still learn so much from her, in ways I never expected. She is the same resilient, brave, strong, gritty, generous, funny, kind, smart and loving Mom only we communicate differently than we did before her dementia! Life is about being flexible and accepting it so the more flexible you are and the more ok you are with discovering life’s plans are often unpredictable then you’re going to be ok!!
What inspired you to try the cold shower therapy and what benefits have you seen from it?
I had done cryotherapy and loved it! So I thought why not get into my shower every day when the water is cold and then wait until it’s warm…. It’s been so interesting knowing I don’t like it but craving it at the same time….because it feels good to be uncomfortable and then seeing how long I can tolerate the cold water and then being like YES I feel the heat!! I feel like my skin has improved and my sense of calmness is deeper! I love it!
How do you maintain emotional and physical boundaries in your daily life, and what strategies have worked best for you?
Thats tricky! I have a lot things I want to do and a lot of things that I’m asked to do so I realize that balancing it all is not easy and not even good because I put my full attention and effort into things that matter to me my family, business, friends, charities, my health and then do what I can to assist others and that’s what gets tricky is saying no but it’s important to nicely communicate when you can’t do something because other wise it’ll be a bad situation and then it’s a lose lose not a win win which is the goal!
Can you talk about how you cope with guilt and disappointment, and any advice you have for others struggling with these feelings?
Guilt is sometimes a good reset and way to reflect and focus. When I feel guilt I ask myself it’s because of my choices or is it just me being upset because I stood up for myself……if it’s choices then I fix it by doing the work to ease the guilt… if it’s because I stood up for myself then I remember to give myself a high grade on that one assignment. Guilt is often from lack of discipline…. Here I go again with discipline but it’s the cure for many things! Exercise Discipline! Watch the results!!
How has your desire to create your own legacy shaped your personal and professional goals, and what steps are you taking to achieve that goal?
I realize that now I’m the one who has the opportunity to make and implement the next generation of legacy so I’m using all the tools that I’ve been given to build upon my mom and grandfather’s commitments! It’s exciting and empowering and emotional!!
What self-care practices do you prioritize during times of stress or anxiety, and how have they helped you cope?
Oh wow, I volunteer during stressful times I find that helps me get through a stressful time and gets me out of my head!! Seeing how much we as humans can help others is rewarding and inspiring and makes me appreciate even more the blessings that I receive on a daily basis!!
Being kind, having a gentle heart and remembering that stress is normal but I try to keep my situations manageable so I don’t add stress! I try to eat healthy mostly because it makes me feel better and then my body and brain are better and then I make better choices and then I’m less stressed…..
Can you share some examples of ways you have had to set boundaries with others to prioritize your own well-being and self-care?
I think that when you’re trying to make yourself better outside and inside it can seem odd to others so sharing some ideas and thoughts can look like no boundaries but it’s a great boundary because often people don’t know so enlightening them on what you’re doing usually creates a positive impact and boundaries! Communication is important for boundaries! It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it!!
What advice would you give to someone who is struggling to prioritize their own self-care and well-being in their daily life?
Communicate to yourself first, practice little things like running cold water on your hands for a few seconds, writing down one thing that you are grateful for, remembering that you have start somewhere so why not now! Be your own best cheerleader, Then you’ll be excited to cheer for others!
What is your favorite gift that you have given yourself? How about one that you’ve received from someone else?
My favorite gift I have given myself is reminding myself that I am allowed to have fun every once in a while. The example is spending a few hours watching reality TV, drinking coffee and cuddling with my dogs. My favorite gift was my kids surprising me and paying for the adoption fee for my dog, Irving. I love surprises and I love surprising people!
Have you ever gone on a date with yourself? If yes, what was your favorite experience? If not, what would you like to do?
Traveling and doing events on my own. I like my own company and comfortable in my own skin.
What improvements would you like to see within the self-love culture?
People choosing to eat and take better care of themselves. Taking care of you mind, body and spirit is the best medicine.
