Women In Wellness: Author Neelou Malekpour On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
No one knows what they’re doing. This is the biggest myth about adulthood (in my opinion). Dispel the notion that people know better than you because they are further along in their careers or have more education, or whatever is psyching you out. People are great at faking things and even the smartest, most successful people are fumbling through life just figuring it out one day at a time. So there’s really no need to wait until you feel ready or have enough experience under your belt — just do the thing.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Neelou Malekpour.
Neelou Malekpour is an entrepreneur and author. She was born in Seattle and raised in Tehran, Iran, before moving to Los Angeles during the Iranian Revolution. She started SMUDGED as a tribute to her late grandmother, who taught her to be responsible for the vibrations she put out into the world.
She has worked with brands such as UNICEF, YogaWorks, 1 Hotels, Selina, Soho House, Sydell Group, Guerilla Union, Real Dog Rescue, and more. Malekpour has contributed to publications such as New York Metro, the Los Angeles Daily News, Us Weekly, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Yes! I got my undergraduate degree in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing and then I went to law school (which I hated). When I got my JD I had a bunch of jobs from the United Nations in peacekeeping to finance to events and more. The one thread was that I was always on a spiritual path that started with what I had learned from my grandmother when I was little. Eventually, I started a side business which was in alignment with all the teachings I have had over the past 20 years and SMUDGED was born.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I think the way I found an agent and got a book deal is pretty interesting — in that everything that I’ve read in publishing blogs was not my experience. I found the agencies of authors whose books were in my genre and that I really loved and I shared my proposal without really thinking about it too much. I just sent the emails in the middle of the night one night when I felt restless. The proposal itself took me a few hours to write. Rather quickly I got an amazing agent and my publishing deal came with that ease as well. I even received almost the exact amount I wanted as an advance. Nothing in my experience was typical and I am sharing this with you because anything can be a reality. Just hold the vision very clearly as your intention and then get busy and do the work.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I made a lot of mistakes starting off. I really can’t remember a huge mistake because really everything always works out. The important takeaway about mistakes is to learn from them quickly and keep the energy moving. Don’t dwell — move on!
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
In my opinion, it all starts with us. How we feel. How in alignment we are. Like take Putin, that man is so out of alignment — look at the chaos he is causing. Energy is real. So, SMUDGED is all about attaining and maintaining an elevated vibrational frequency. If we are feeling bad or out of sorts, it’s likely we are going to take that out on the people around us to varying degrees. So if we want the world to be a better place we have to start by being aligned internally — mind, body, soul. From that place, you can facilitate so much positive change that ripples out globally.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
- Morning practice — in the mornings I always do a breathing exercise, light a bit of sacred smoke before chanting a mantra, focus on gratitude and what fills my heart with joy, and a visualization exercise — all before turning on my cell phone or computer.
- Drink lots of water — water is magic — drink enough and your whole life will change.
- Find a group of like minded people and support each other — we have an online community where we chant together — it’s a sacred space that brings so many blessings to the people who participate.
- Breathwork — this is a life changing practice — I hold breathwork circles on zoom regularly, if you’re curious join one.
- Evening practice — I turn off my electronic devices about an hour before bed and wind down mindfully — I look back on my day and choose the thing I was most grateful for — consciously choosing my last thoughts before sleep.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Breathwork. I always think about how different my life would be if I had access to breathwork when I was in high school. It is a powerful healing modality utilizing the breath to heal old patterns, dislodge stuck energy, and balance the chakras. Practicing in a group setting, even virtually, has a powerful collective healing energy that facilitates deep release.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- No one knows what they’re doing. This is the biggest myth about adulthood (in my opinion). Dispel the notion that people know better than you because they are further along in their careers or have more education, or whatever is psyching you out. People are great at faking things and even the smartest, most successful people are fumbling through life just figuring it out one day at a time. So there’s really no need to wait until you feel ready or have enough experience under your belt — just do the thing.
- Cut the fat. If you have any naysayers in your life — friends, family, whoever — who make you feel like your dreams are dumb, unattainable, people who encourage you to play small, and especially the ones who plant seeds of doubt into your mind — distance yourself from them. Do not let their limiting beliefs influence you. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and are willing to help you. Find your tribe of HYPE women (or men) who are willing to share their knowledge and help open doors for you. Being successful in anything takes a community.
- Embrace your own uniqueness. Find the thing that lights you up and expand it. Competition and comparison are traps to keep us all in a rat race. Find a way to share your personal gifts with the world and make that your focus, not what anyone else is doing.
- Release the notion of perfection. Get comfy with making mistakes and share things before they feel perfect. You will get SO much more done and it will feel a lot better than stressing yourself, and others around you, out trying to be perfect.
- Align instead of hustle. So rest, drink enough water, move your body, quiet your mind, have fun and really live a life filled with joy — like romanticizing your life! Because, what’s the point if you’re not enjoying yourself?
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health is so important. We are in a society full of struggle and overwhelm. Almost everyone is medicated. How many people do you personally know on some kind of antidepressants, antianxiety medication or self-medicating with alcohol and cannabis? With the social media addiction and the negative effect that’s having on the mental health of younger generations — we need some relief. I wrote The Art of Sacred Smoke because I struggled with such bad anxiety in my 20s and 30s — I wish I had a book like that or tools like breathwork and mantras to support me when I was struggling. My hope is that it brings peace of heart and peace of mind to anyone who reads it.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
@smudged.co on Instagram and you can join our mailing list from www.smudged.co
Thank you for these fantastic insights!
Women In Wellness: Author Neelou Malekpour On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.