Meet Sequioa Lawson: Founder, Executive Chef & Certified Health Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sequioa Lawson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sequioa, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?

I know whether to keep going or give up by truthfully acknowledging whether or not what I’m doing is working to achieve my goals, purpose and dreams…or working against it. By keeping it simple, I keep myself free to move progressively and gain confidence through the experiences that arise to challenge my fidelity.

Staying focused on what I’m protecting, projecting, accepting and expecting also helps me to determine whether to give up or keep going. It’s crucial to know truthfully what these things are, their origin and purpose to determine their continuance or their cancellation. I prefer to safeguard those things that are good, peaceful and unifying. They matter most to me so, I keep going with what helps me increase in those and give up on what distracts and deters me from that.

To keep going I personally rely on encouragement, agreement and evidence of what I believe. They let me know I’m close to my goals, purpose and dreams so I’m less likely to give up on pursuing them. To give up, I look for the contradictions to what I believe and measure them against the truth I know. The truth when challenged won’t change but the contradictions will; pinpointing them helps to eliminate their strength in opposing me.

At this point I consider it like finishing a race and crossing the finish line. I have to keep going because that’s where my love and support are.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My Art is my food and my food is my Art. I use organic produce as the vibrant colors of my palette and use them to capture and communicate love and encouragement in an edible moment that I am able to share as a service. It is a true labor of love. I’ve devoted my life to learning herbalism also.  Therefore, I am able to build a customized dining experience that is a holistic treatment for the issues that affect the health and wellness of the body’s mind and soul. I once thought that this was too time consuming and tedious, until it helped save my life. Then it became my personal lifestyle and the foundation the Living Phenom Empire is built on. This path is not easy but was a necessary step for me to take in order to live to complete the journey. I overcame being blind, deaf, 50-90% in paralysis, morbidly obese at nearly 400lbs, addicted and most recently homeless among other things. I bested these challenges by keeping focused on learning the information that will best help heal, detox and restore the “Me” after the trauma I sustained from decades of abuse and medical procedures. I learned not to rely on what I see in front of me to determine where I’m going or who I am; what is currently seen is subject to change, but a made up mind will produce the changes you want to see. Make up your mind and inevitably the situation will change to what you changed your mind to. The Living Phenom brand extends to those who learned the hard way that there’s a better way, are committed to converting negative experiences into positive ones as an act of defiance to rebel against the opposition that would dare to dictate who you are. It is my expressed goal, honor, purpose and dream to cater to those who serve the public as well. It brings me joy to care for those that the masses care about. I respect their work ethic to provide a service to the world and am fully prepared to nurture them as they endure to meet the demands of the public.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
On my list of places to go in LA are: Farmer’s markets! There’s always a reason to go to a Farmer’s market and they are really great places to connect with like-minded people that are practicing the same good habits as you. It makes it easier to grow into good habits when you have a community that’s thriving in the practice of those same habits. My favorite markets so far are the Calabasas Farmer’s and Brentwood markets. The organic produce selection is by far the most extensive and I really appreciate that for my Vegan family. You may not feel like going shopping but you always feel like being around good people, doing good things. To be certain, finding a Farmer’s market is highly recommended! Whip up a quick picnic from your local Farmer’s market and pack up your bag for the beach! I just recently went to Dockweiler Beach and had a remarkable time. The water was terribly cold but beautiful and produced treasures from the Pacific Ocean that my eyes had never seen before, being a NJ native. I would say it is great for walking, photography, lounging and for renewing your mind so you can reconnect with you. I also enjoy Malibu and Santa Monica beaches and although I haven’t been to the market there I enjoy Beverly Hills because of the eucalyptus trees that grow there. They smell amazing and help to encourage a breath of fresh air that stimulates the mind to think of the security of living in a luxurious neighborhood that has air purifying trees that help relieve congestion and improving breathing clarity lining the streets. Very awesome. I’m still VERY new to LA (California too) so I don’t have more to share right now but I will say that being in CA has been an absolutely life changing, amazing experience.  I am grateful to live everyday as I grow into it and make it my home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this shoutout to Love!

Thank You for always making the effort it takes to get to know me better. Thank You for showing up when no one else did. Thank You for always meeting me wherever I was and for never being afraid of what I was going through. Thank You for being brave enough to correct me, I know I needed it now, so I appreciate everything that You are, do and did for me. I love You!

To the People who still choose Love in spite of hatred: Thank You for your strength and shining light. I found my way through because of You, thank You for being You!

To the People of Tomorrow: The food that grew before there was a “Me” and before there was a “You” are the true foods. Honor life by honoring You and partner with the earth to eat, drink and live to consume good seed bearing fruits…and remember, the whole planet is a Farmer’s market, choose organic…You’re SO worth it!!

Website: www.livingphenom.com

Instagram: @livingphenom

Linkedin: @living phenom

Twitter: @iamlivingphenom

Facebook: @iamlivingphenom

Youtube: Living Phenom

Image Credits
Tanysha Costales and Sequioa Lawson