Today, I am so honored and privileged to have my first interview on Hanha Hobson. I love learning about other people’s stories, and how they are using their gifts and talents to honor Jesus. I think you will enjoy reading about Lauren and how she is using her small business to build the Kingdom. Read what God says about our health through her words, and find some reflection questions at the bottom of this post.

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1. Tell me about yourself and how Inside Out Active came to be.
In one long run on sentence, my name is Lauren Folsland and I’m a 24-year-old, Jesus loving/following, married, Cali-girl living in Hawaii, who has always loved fashion, makes a living selling clothing and real estate, and spends her free time with family, friends, fitness, furthering the Kingdom, learning, and adventuring.

Inside Out Active all started when I attended college at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) in Los Angeles and took a textile science class. What really sparked my interest was learning about the different uses and processes of creating different textiles, and I was immediately drawn to bamboo and organic cotton as more sustainable options. I didn’t just want to contribute to the massive waste and pollution generated by the fashion industry, so I set out to create headaches for myself by sourcing ethical manufacturers and eco-friendly textiles to start my brand.

Believe me, it was not easy, I hope to see this changed in the future where using fair trade manufacturers and eco-textiles become the norm and more accessible. Then as I was praying for direction, I heard God’s still small voice tell me that He wanted me to spread the message of inner health along with my endeavor to promote physical health.

Thus, Inside Out Active became the brand’s new name. Inner health in terms of character building, the main characteristic being love (check Galatians 5:22). I believe that when we cultivate love for God, others, ourselves, and the environment, we will truly create healthy communities, not just on the outside but on the inside. And this will bring positive change to the world.

2. What type of products do you sell and where does your inspiration come from?
I carry eco active wear styles for both men and women – tops, bottoms, sports bras, etc. My inspiration mainly comes from scripture and nature. God is always at the forefront of my mind as I am thinking about what to design. The whole idea is to point back to Him by dedicating the business to His purposes. Whether that is sharing something He has impressed on my heart or financially supporting a cause to love on others in His name.

3. Why are you so passionate about inner and outer health?
It is definitely something God gave me a passion for, that’s the only way I can explain it!

4. What advice do you have for individuals who struggle with body-image? For individuals who struggle with self-esteem?
I think at one time or another even the most confident among us has struggled with or is struggling with body image or low self-esteem to some degree. I know I have, and still do at times. So for one thing, you are not alone! God handcrafted you exactly the way He thought was beautiful, unique, and did so with great purpose. It is our job to steward what He has given us, not what He gave someone else.

So my advice is to take the time to discover the things that you were specifically created for, passionate about, and work to embrace and build those gifts. We all have weaknesses or things we wish were different, but if we focus on those things, we miss opportunities to live life in the fullness and freedom that Jesus wants for us.

[bctt tweet=”Take time to discover things that you were specifically created for and passionate about.” via=”no”]

A good practical starting place is gratitude. You can always find something to be grateful for, and the more you give thanks to God for those things, the less room you have for discontentment and disappointment. I can attest to this from personal experience. I was always self-conscious about my arms, they just seemed too muscular to me and I wanted dainty arms which with my body type would never be achievable. I just wasn’t made that way. So then I started practicing gratitude. I would give thanks for being able to use my strength in sports, lift heavy things, and now I can actually say I love my arms!!

5. Any favorite workout or fitness plan? If so, what are they?
Well my all-time favorite way to workout is by getting a sweat in outside, whether that means hiking, biking, sports, swimming, kayaking, or long walks on the beach I love it because it doesn’t feel like work. As far as a fitness plan, I do love me some BBG (bikini body guide by Kayla Itsines). Mostly because it’s doable, scale-able to your fitness level, the community is amazing, and I don’t have to spend hours in the gym to see results. If I’m not doing BBG I will use fitnessblender.com, bodybuilding.com, or make up my own workouts.

6. What are some practical steps people can take to improve their health?
I think the some practical steps to lasting health are:

1) Find a compelling “why?” For those times when it gets tough, you need to have it made up in your mind why this is important to you. Having a “why” goes beyond just having a goal by helping you achieve that goal. Your why could be, “I want to be healthy and a good example for my kids,” or “I need to take care of my body in order to fulfill this lifelong dream.” Your why might change depending on your life season.

2) Find YOUR how. What works for one person may not work for you. Not everyone enjoys marathon running and not everyone enjoys sprinting. Personally, I prefer hiking. We are all different and life is not a one size fits all deal. I think it’s very important to find the fitness activity that you love, the faith activity that helps you grow, and a balanced eating lifestyle that works for you specifically.

Don’t just follow fads or trends blindly because sometimes they do more damage than good. Diets and cleanses often don’t work because they’re not sustainable for the long term. Once they end, you are back to square one or could end up binge-eating. Whatever lifestyle change you choose, just be realistic about if you can commit to it.

3) Find your who. I find accountability to be so helpful. It could just be one other person or even a whole community. Whether you’re doing it together or just checking in with each other, having a supportive community will push you to keep going. That and I think it’s more fun to have others to relate to who understand the struggles and celebrate the triumphs with you.

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What wise and thoughtful words, yeah?! Wow. Thank you, Lauren! You can read what I think about beauty and self-worth here and here, but I’ve got some reflective questions that will help process how you view yourself and your health. Grab it down below!