Missi Bantner

I really attribute my success to being willing to trust myself and learning to develop a relationship with myself where I am trustworthy. I trust myself to know when to take advice from others and when to discard advice. It's not just all about what's going on inside of me - I am informed constantly by the people outside of me, but not everything is a fit. Having the ability to discern what to take in and what to let go of, and being willing to make mistakes and learn, has been crucial. I think most times, tremendous growth comes through error. It really is about being willing to trust yourself and learning to embrace curiosity and lifelong learning. The people who have been most influential in my life are Martha Beck, whose book The 4-Day Win helped me pull myself out of bulimia when a clinical setting couldn't, my personal coach Debra who helped me understand my mind and the parts of myself that were telling and keeping alive certain stories that were being experienced through my body, and Dr. Eric Cobb, the creator of Z-Health, who has been an unbelievably powerful mentor. But I really am very trusting of my inner compass. One of the biggest pain points in my 20s was being a hypocrite, being a personal trainer giving people really good advice but then not taking it myself, so walking the talk is really important to me. I have boundaries around when I go to bed, my downtime at night, my morning time, and how I start today. I fill myself first mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually before I'm going to pour into someone else's life. Throughout the day, I listen and really work on listening to the little signals that my nervous system is giving me, and whether it's a 30 seconds break or a 20-minute break to close my eyes, do some vision drills, stretch my spine, go for a walk, or call a friend, that's how I restore myself - by it being a living example of what I'm hoping other people will be able to do for themselves.

The most influential guidance I received came from Martha Beck's book The 4-Day Win, along with the support of my personal coach Debra and my neuro coach Dr. Eric Cobb. Martha Beck's work helped me pull myself out of bulimia when a clinical setting couldn't - the clinical setting actually made me feel much more trapped and bad. My coach Debra really helped me understand my mind and the parts of myself that were telling and keeping alive certain stories that were then being experienced through my body, and she gave me another layer of understanding. Dr. Eric Cobb has been an unbelievably powerful mentor - he's intelligent, funny, and thoughtful, and he really cares about accuracy and helping people understand themselves. I just pulled pieces from these coaches throughout the years. But what I've learned is that it's really about being willing to trust yourself and develop a relationship with yourself where you are trustworthy. You have to trust yourself to know when to take advice from others and when to discard advice. It's not just all about what's going on inside of me - I am informed constantly by the people outside of me, but not everything is a fit. Having the ability to discern what to take in and what to let go of, and being willing to make mistakes and learn, has been the most valuable lesson.

I would encourage young women entering my industry to stay curious and open-minded, while not being afraid to question what they learn and sit with uncertainty, as it often leads to deeper understanding. I believe there is no substitute for experience, so I would advise seeking out a wide range of opportunities, starting within your comfort zone and gradually pushing beyond it as confidence builds. Just as importantly, I would focus on self-discovery—taking the time to understand who you are and who you want to become, allowing yourself to grow and change over time, and embracing mistakes as valuable opportunities for learning and personal growth.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is helping people move beyond quick fixes and toward sustainable, whole-person approaches to health and wellness, while also navigating the reality that women in this industry often balance caregiving responsibilities, business demands, and their own well-being. At the same time, there are significant opportunities as awareness continues to grow around mental health, stress management, nutrition, and mind-body wellness, creating space for more integrative and preventive approaches to care. I believe women are uniquely positioned to lead this shift by bringing together science, compassion, and holistic understanding, and I remain passionate about empowering others to create lasting change through the connection between the brain, body, and beliefs.

Walking the talk is really important to me. One of the biggest pain points in my 20s was being a hypocrite - being a personal trainer giving people really good advice but then not taking it myself. So I have boundaries around when I go to bed, my downtime at night, my morning time, and how I start today. I fill myself first mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually before I'm going to pour into someone else's life. I take time in the middle of the day to take breaks, and throughout the day I listen and really work on listening to the little signals that my nervous system is giving me. Whether it's a 30 seconds break or a 20-minute break to close my eyes, do some vision drills, stretch my spine, go for a walk, or call a friend, that's how I restore myself - by it being a living example of what I'm hoping other people will be able to do for themselves. Community is absolutely important to me. It's impossible to separate us from each other. When people are around each other, we co-create, we laugh, we cry, and we just help each other be a better version of ourselves if that's how we choose to show up. I'm very trusting of my inner compass, and I believe in being willing to trust yourself and develop a relationship with yourself where you are trustworthy. Having the ability to discern what to take in and what to let go of, and being willing to make mistakes and learn, is crucial to me.