Managing Your Mental Health When Living with a Chronic Illness or Disability + How to Turn Any Challenge into an Opportunity (With Adam Bremen, Keto Krisp Founder)

On this week’s podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Keto Krisp founder and successful businessman Adam Bremen. This was definitely one of my favorite interviews, with the creator of my favorite keto snack bar! We discuss everything from finding the joy in life, how he overcame his disability, how keto changed his life and inspired him to start his company, why having fun in life and in business is so important, how to be a successful entrepreneur, his desire to celebrate and empower others to take charge of their health, how to build mental resilience when times are tough, what to say to someone who is going through a really tough time, and the power of learning to see the good in every situation.

Adam learned early on that life is about what you can do, not what you can’t do. Diagnosed at the age of 2 with cerebral palsy, he has learned to overcome numerous odds, including life in a wheelchair. Thankfully, he grew up with a loving and supportive family who encouraged him to never put limits on himself, and to always find ways to celebrate his life and the lives of the people around him.

This mentality drives his company, Keto Krisp. Going keto changed Adam’s life, helping him get in shape and take back control of his mental and physical health. Adam wanted to share his experience with the world, empowering people to take back control of their health and lives, which is why Keto Krisp focuses on great taste and clean ingredients. He truly believes that life is a gift and should be enjoyed.

How did Keto Krisp become so successful? What should you do if you are looking to start your own business? Adam believes that the foundation of any good business should be:

1. Focusing on the needs of the customer. It is always important to listen to feedback from your customers and be aware of what they are looking for and the environment they are in. Ask yourself: what is the context of what you want to sell? Why do you want to do this? How will this improve your customer’s life?

2. Learning from your failures. Failure always answers other questions. Never be afraid to fail. Every day, push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Be willing to take risks and put yourself out there. This is how you will learn and grow.

3. Asking questions. When starting a business, you don’t have to know everything, but you should always be willing to listen and learn. Lean on people that have been there and done that: always ask a lot of questions!

4. Being open to change. Be willing to change and adapt; don’t pigeon hole yourself. You have to be flexible while holding on to your values as a company, because things can and do change. 

5. Reflect at the end of each day or week. What went well? What went wrong? Where can you improve? Always think of ways that you can move forward.

6. Enjoy the process! Find ways to have fun and enjoy the work, or it is not worth it.

Of course, running his own company isn’t always easy—Adam still faces challenges on a daily basis. However, even with a busy schedule, he makes time for his own health and mental wellbeing by:

1. Trying to see the good in every situation. At the end of each day, Adam always asks himself “what is the best thing that happened today?”. He knows that success breeds success, and positivity breeds positivity, so he always tries to focus on the good in every day and draw on his joy reserves—even when times are tough.

2. Focusing on helping and celebrating others. As I always say, when we focus on helping others, we improve our own mental and physical health!

3. Journaling is a great way to organize your thoughts and calm down your mind, which will help you focus in the moment and see what is urgent and what can wait for later. 

4. Exercising every day. Moving, whether this means dancing around the house or going to a workout class, is a great way to improve your mood and energy levels. For more on the mental and physical benefits of exercise, see my recent podcast (episode #139) and blog.

5. Having fun. This will inject joy and positivity into your day, whether it is watching your favorite movie, going for a walk with your dog or cooking your favorite meal.

6. Talking to loved ones. As I have mentioned many times before, having a strong support system is integral to our wellbeing. Not only does talking to someone we trust provide perspective, but it can comfort us when times are rough.

I understand that now more than ever we all need a little help getting through each day. COVID-19 has uprooted normality and exposed the uncertainty of life, which is why it is so important that we take steps to protect our mental and physical health, taking one day at a time and just focusing on the few things we can get done by planning the day.

Life doesn’t just stop when tragedy happens. We have to find ways to keep moving forward—even in the middle of a global pandemic! Whether this is doing something you enjoy each day, taking it one day at a time, writing down what concerns you, talking to the people that love you, or reaching out and checking on your friends and family, start small and build on that. We are all in this together! 

For more on overcoming hardships, starting your own business, the importance of enjoying life and how to protect your mental health during the current pandemic, listen to my podcast with Adam (episode #185), and visit the Keto Krisponline store. Use the coupon code DRLEAF25 to get 25% off your order! The code is also valid on their Amazon store page.

If you enjoy listening to my podcast, please consider leaving a 5-star review and subscribing! And keep sharing episodes with friends and family and on social media (don’t forget to tag me so I can see your posts!).

Podcast Highlights

2:13 How seeing life as a gift can improve our mental health

5:00 How helping others helps us 

7:16 The power of a strong support system 

10:06 Adam started Keto Krisp to inspire people and empower them to live better and healthier lives 

19:14 Great advice for people wanting to run their own business

22:43 How to deal with failure in a business

24:06 How Adam manages his business and his mental health

26:17 Mental health tips to deal with the current pandemic

31:21 How keto has helped Adam mentally and physically

35:12 What to say to someone going through a really hard time 

Switch On Your Brain LLC. is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific viewpoint or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by our organization. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. If you have any questions about this disclaimer, please contact info@drleaf.com.