Preston Smiles on How to Love Louder with Lewis Howes

Self-Awareness

Preston Smiles highlights the significance of self-awareness and honesty in personal growth. He explains that people often avoid facing themselves by engaging in distractions like overeating or excessive screen time. True self-love, according to Preston, involves having tough conversations and confronting one's inner self.

The most successful, abundant, harmonized, filled people on this planet are those who face off with those things. They don't shy away. They walk in, they move in. That's bravery.

--- Preston Smiles

Lewis Howes adds that facing oneself can be terrifying but ultimately liberating, leading to greater presence and connection in life 1.

   

Healing Wounds

Healing core wounds is another crucial aspect of personal growth discussed by Preston Smiles. He mentions that many people carry unresolved trauma, such as sexual abuse, which affects their relationships and overall well-being. Addressing these wounds is essential for moving forward and achieving emotional freedom.

Most people have a core wound, something that happened when they were seven, five, nine, most people.

--- Preston Smiles

Lewis Howes shares his own experience of holding onto childhood trauma for years, which impacted his emotional state and relationships 2.

   

Structure

Embracing structure and discipline is vital for balancing creative freedom with organized living. Preston Smiles admits that while he thrives in a spontaneous environment, adding more structure could enhance his productivity. He believes that structure can create more freedom for artists and help them produce better work.

Organized chaos is what I live in. So, for instance, people say, dude, you're one of the most consistent people on social media. That's structure. It's scheduled into my life.

--- Preston Smiles

Lewis Howes agrees, noting that mastering structure is a skill that requires time and practice 3.