The Choose Yourself Channel

Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane

Hosted by Hakeem Bourne McFarlane, author of Choose Yourself to Be Chosen and founder of the Choose Yourself Community (CYC). Welcome to The Choose Yourself Channel : where personal growth gets real, faith gets practical, and healing comes with humor. This isn't your average self-help talk. It’s the CYC-GYM - where we flex the dorsal cortex, roast our old habits, and build foundations stronger than our excuses through accountability and innercise. We talk discipline, desire, detoxing from dysfunction, and designing a life that actually feels good based on balance ... from cold showers to calling yourself out. One episode might sound like therapy, another like stand-up, and the next like church with better playlists and preachers. Here, we don’t fake peace for followers. We face our triggers, evaluate our environments, and invest in our evolution. Because choosing yourself isn’t just a slogan ... it’s the daily sport of self-respect! 🐬 Expect truth. Expect laughter. Expect to be uncomfortable - in the best way. Join the movement every Tuesday at 10 a.m. with the Choose Yourself Community on zoom to meet other self choosers virtually hosted by Hakeem. This is The Choose Yourself Channel. Raw. Relatable. Real as growth gets.

  1. 🏝️ Waren English - Foundation Over Feelings

    FEB 4

    🏝️ Waren English - Foundation Over Feelings

    In this episode, we sit down with Waren English for a real, unfiltered conversation about health, discipline, and building a foundation when life doesn’t give you ideal conditions. From immigrating from the Caribbean and living with his family in a single bedroom in New York, to navigating injury, career pivots, and uncertainty, Waren shares how action became the bridge between confusion and confidence. Grow with Waren : CLICK HERE We talk about why so many people will clock in early for a boss they barely like, but won’t clock 20 minutes for the body they’re stuck with for life. The conversation moves through obesity, overconsumption, and the modern contradiction of being overfed, overstimulated, and still exhausted. Waren breaks down how fitness became his anchor for energy, focus, and self-trust and why protecting your health is foundational to leadership, purpose, and contribution. The episode also dives deep into Warren’s background in pharmacy and why he ultimately walked away from traditional pharmaceutical pathways. We explore prevention over reaction, food quality over food noise, and how modern systems often treat symptoms while ignoring behavior, sleep, nutrition, and movement. A major portion of the conversation unpacks peptides and GLP-1s what they actually are, how they work in the body, why they’re effective, and why they fail without discipline, nutrition, and training to support them. This isn’t a conversation about shortcuts. It’s about alignment. About treating the body like a performance machine instead of a rental car. About using tools as tools not crutches and about understanding that when your foundation is strong, pressure doesn’t break you, it reveals you. Takeaways from the episode: Confidence doesn’t come from clarity, it comes from actionHealth is a prerequisite for focus, leadership, and longevityOverconsumption isn’t a hunger problem, it’s a regulation problemPeptides and GLP-1s can support change, but habits determine outcomesPrevention, movement, and nutrition outperform willpower every timeAre you building a body that can hold your purpose or one that negotiates under pressure? Grow With the CYC ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Accountability Zoom (weekly) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Opportunity Zoom 🏝️ CYC Retreat (Annual) 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel (please leave a review!)

    50 min
  2. Strong Opinions, Weak Habits (Waren English Preview)

    FEB 4

    Strong Opinions, Weak Habits (Waren English Preview)

    This preview episode opens in real time: hunger, pressure, stress, and the temptation to cope instead of stay disciplined. It sets the tone for a conversation about choosing yourself when life doesn’t slow down for you. You don’t wait for perfect conditions to choose yourself... you choose yourself inside the chaos. We introduce Waren English through a moment that captures the heart of the episode: realizing what’s possible simply by being around someone who trains, thinks, and lives differently. From immigrating with his family into a small New York City apartment to navigating injury, uncertainty, and career pivots, Waren’s story highlights gratitude over victimhood and action over excuses.. As he says in the episode, “Without clarity, the only thing that can give you any type of confidence at all is action.” This preview walks through the TEFIC : recognizing trigger points, evaluating environment, building a foundation, investing intentionally, and contributing from overflow. It touches on movement as non-negotiable, treating the body with respect instead of like a rental car, and why so many people will clock in for money but refuse to clock in for their health. The episode also tees up deeper conversations around metabolic dysfunction, peptides, discipline, and alignment for longevity and purpose. If pressure showed up today, would your preparation hold or would you negotiate? Grow With Us ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Zoom (Tuesdays 10 a.m.) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Webinar 🏝️ Costa Rica Retreat 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel

    12 min
  3. Jeanette Donnofrio AKA Ms.FitVegan - Raw Sound Bites

    JAN 29

    Jeanette Donnofrio AKA Ms.FitVegan - Raw Sound Bites

    In this episode Big Dream Hakeem engages in a vibrant conversation with Jeannette also known as @Mis.FitVegan. They explore the transformative power of choosing a raw vegan lifestyle, discussing how it can lead to improved health and emotional well-being. Jeannette shares her personal journey from struggling with depression and weight issues to embracing a raw food diet, which she credits for her vitality and youthful appearance. The discussion touches on the importance of self-acceptance, spirituality, and the impact of food choices on overall health, emphasizing that the journey to wellness is deeply personal and varies for everyone. Throughout the episode, Jeannette highlights the significance of understanding one's relationship with food and the environment, advocating for a lifestyle that prioritizes fresh, whole foods over processed options. The conversation also delves into the spiritual aspects of health, with both speakers reflecting on their experiences with loss and how it has shaped their current beliefs and practices. The episode is filled with humor, insights, and practical advice for listeners looking to improve their health and well-being by making conscious choices. Grow with Jeanette Ms. FitVegan Instagram Website (free book ) Takeaways Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Raw Veganism 01:30 Jeannette's Transformation Story 05:14 Spiritual Awakening and Health Choices 11:46 The Impact of Food on Health 20:42 Belief Systems and Health 27:22 The Role of Fresh Foods in Wellness 38:03 Navigating Food Choices and Supplements 49:51 Final Thoughts on Choosing Yourself

    57 min
  4. Choosing yourself through food, grief, and purpose (Ms. FitVegan Preview)

    JAN 29

    Choosing yourself through food, grief, and purpose (Ms. FitVegan Preview)

    In this preview episode leading to the conversation with Jeanette aka Ms. FitVegan we open with a raw truth: we live in a world where food lasts longer than relationships, obesity is at an all-time high, attention spans are shrinking, and people are confused why their bodies feel inflamed, tired, and disconnected. What we eat has become fast, fake, and cheap and it’s quietly shaping our gut, our energy, and our identity. This episode isn’t about perfection or extremes... it’s about awareness, balance, and understanding what food is actually teaching the body. CLICK HERE TO CONNECT WITH MS FITVEGAN Jeanette, aka Misfit Vegan, shares parts of her story.. being depressed and suicidal at 26, nearly 200 pounds at 5’2”, struggling with cystic acne, and willing to try anything after every diet failed. Her journey into raw food wasn’t about trends, it was about survival. Through learning how to choose food intentionally, she built a foundation that restored her health, shaped her discipline, and eventually became her brand. From investing her severance into learning and travel, to volunteering at fruit festivals, to now running the largest fruit festival in the world, Jeanette’s story shows how healing, education, and consistency can turn lifestyle into purpose. This preview also touches on grief, loss, and contribution. Jeanette lost her mother, sister, and grandparents, and caring for her sister deeply shaped her discipline and direction. Food became a way to honor life, not numb pain. Her story reminds us that choosing yourself isn’t about raw food versus cooked food .. it’s about whether you’re willing to live differently so your future doesn’t look like your past. The Choose Yourself process shows up the same way every time: triggers wake us up, environment shapes us, foundation keeps us steady, investment creates energy, and contribution gives it meaning. CLICK HERE TO CONNECT WITH MS FITVEGAN The question this episode leaves us with is simple: If food is information, what have you been teaching your body? DM ME for information on the gut repair solution. Grow With Us ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Zoom (Tuesdays 10 a.m.) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Webinar 🏝️ Costa Rica Retreat 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel

    10 min
  5. Dr. Dan Gubler - Choosing Yourself at the Molecular Level

    JAN 17

    Dr. Dan Gubler - Choosing Yourself at the Molecular Level

    This episode of the Choose Yourself Channel explores what it really means to choose yourself when motivation alone isn’t enough. Dr. Dan Gubler shares how science has been part of his life for generations — from growing up in his grandfather’s lab to witnessing his grandfather’s battle with cancer, a moment that shaped his lifelong mission to use chemistry to transform health. What began as a career in synthesizing pharmaceutical drugs turned into a defining realization: many of the same effects could be achieved through molecules found in plants, without the harsh side effects. That realization led him away from synthetic drugs and into the natural product world. Throughout the conversation, we walk through the Choose Yourself process in a practical, human way. Triggers show up as illness, fatigue, inflammation, food noise, and chronic cravings. Environment expands beyond people and habits into food, water, air, soil, and the chemical overload of modern life. Dr. Dan explains why inflammation sits at the root of nearly all disease, how lifeless food lacking vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients disrupts hunger hormones, and why the body often isn’t craving more food — it’s craving nourishment it’s not receiving. We dive into GLP-1 signaling, weight regulation, and the difference between synthetic injectables and natural peptides. Dr. Dan breaks down complex science using simple metaphors, explaining how synthetic drugs act like keys jammed into locks, while natural molecules gently activate and release receptors as the body was designed to do. He explains why preserving lean muscle, bone density, and metabolic balance matters more than rapid weight loss, and how appetite suppression becomes healing only when it restores awareness rather than eliminates hunger altogether. The conversation also expands into fasting, gut health, and energy regulation. Dr. Dan shares how fasting allows the body to step out of crisis mode and resolve deep-seated inflammation, why regulating blood sugar and insulin is critical for repairing gut-brain communication, and how GLP-1 acts as a master regulator influencing metabolism, neurotransmitters, and even addiction pathways. Together, we explore why small, consistent changes compound into massive health outcomes .. not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Episode Takeaways Choosing yourself applies to biology just as much as mindsetInflammation and nutrient depletion quietly drive cravings and fatigueSynthetic shortcuts often solve symptoms while creating new problemsNatural regulation supports long-term balance, not just short-term resultsHunger, energy, and discipline improve when physiology is supportedSmall daily changes compound into massive health outcomesThis conversation invites a deeper question: if your body had the right tools, would choosing yourself finally feel sustainable? Dr. Dan’s work reminds us that discipline becomes easier when the body is supported, awareness returns when systems are balanced, and real health is built through alignment .. not force. Choosing yourself isn’t just a mindset. It’s a biological process. Grow With Me ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Zoom (Tuesdays 10 a.m.) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Webinar 🏝️ Costa Rica Retreat 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel

    49 min
  6. Choosing Yourself Is Universal - Season 2 opens + (Dr. Dan Gubler Preview)

    JAN 17

    Choosing Yourself Is Universal - Season 2 opens + (Dr. Dan Gubler Preview)

    Season one showed us something powerful: choosing yourself isn’t a personality trait, it’s a process. Different guests, different stories, different “meat suits,” but the same pattern every single time TEFIC: triggers, environment, foundation, investment, and contribution. We didn’t just talk about success; we talked about survival, alignment, integrity, and what it actually took to get there. Most people weren’t broken — they were just unprepared — and when motivation faded, they fell to the level of their preparation. This Season 2 preview sets the tone for what’s next. Choosing yourself is still the mission, but now we’re going deeper into the environments that make that choice harder : toxins in food, water, air, screens, chemicals, and overstimulation. We get into inflammation, fatigue, cravings, weight gain, discipline, and why self-control becomes nearly impossible when the body is depleted and inflamed. This next episode also introduces Dr. Dan Gubler’s story .. leaving synthetic pharmaceutical sales, questioning the systems he was told to trust, and turning back to nature to support gut health, metabolism, hunger signaling, and real regulation instead of shortcuts. The question that opens Season 2 is simple: If choosing yourself feels harder than it should… is it really a character issue, or is it an environment issue? Grow With Me ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Zoom (Tuesdays 10 a.m.) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Webinar 🏝️ Costa Rica Retreat 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel

    10 min
  7. Nate O'Brien - You Don’t Rise to the Moment, You Fall to Your Foundation

    JAN 16

    Nate O'Brien - You Don’t Rise to the Moment, You Fall to Your Foundation

    This conversation with Nate O'brien centers on a simple truth: preparation matters more than motivation when pressure shows up. We talk about why so many people want the glow-up without the groundwork, praying for growth but panicking when adversity arrives because the work wasn’t done beforehand. Nate speaks from lived experience - not theory - sharing what it looks like when life applies real pressure through loss, responsibility, and uncertainty, and why foundation, not talent or hype, determines what holds. Throughout the episode, we move through the Choose Yourself process in real time. Triggers are named, especially numbing, masking, and avoidance, and why they don’t disappear when ignored .. they get louder. We explore environment beyond substances, into conversations, media, habits, and energy drains, and why choosing yourself can feel lonely when old people, places, and patterns no longer align. Discipline, early mornings, cold exposure, and routine are framed not as punishment, but as preparation for grief, stress, and the uncontrollables that eventually come for everyone. Tap in with Nate on IG Episode Takeaways Preparation matters more than motivation when pressure shows upTriggers get louder when ignoredChronic stress and avoidance weaken decision-making and emotional controlEnvironment includes people, media, and daily inputsDiscipline isn’t punishment — it’s preparationPoor systems cost more than humility and mentorshipThis episode ultimately comes back to responsibility, not in a heavy way, but in an empowering one. We talk about ego, systems, mentorship, and how one honest conversation or apology can completely change the direction of a relationship, a business, or a season of life. The message isn’t to do more.. it’s to be ready, so when life shows up, you don’t fold. “If opportunity or adversity showed up tomorrow, would your mind, body, and character be ready?” Grow With Me ⬇️ 🐬 CYC Zoom (Tuesdays 10 a.m.) ❤️‍🩹 Choose Yourself, Heal Your Gut Webinar 🏝️ Costa Rica Retreat 📖 Choose Yourself to Be Chosen 🎙️ Choose Yourself Channel

    58 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hosted by Hakeem Bourne McFarlane, author of Choose Yourself to Be Chosen and founder of the Choose Yourself Community (CYC). Welcome to The Choose Yourself Channel : where personal growth gets real, faith gets practical, and healing comes with humor. This isn't your average self-help talk. It’s the CYC-GYM - where we flex the dorsal cortex, roast our old habits, and build foundations stronger than our excuses through accountability and innercise. We talk discipline, desire, detoxing from dysfunction, and designing a life that actually feels good based on balance ... from cold showers to calling yourself out. One episode might sound like therapy, another like stand-up, and the next like church with better playlists and preachers. Here, we don’t fake peace for followers. We face our triggers, evaluate our environments, and invest in our evolution. Because choosing yourself isn’t just a slogan ... it’s the daily sport of self-respect! 🐬 Expect truth. Expect laughter. Expect to be uncomfortable - in the best way. Join the movement every Tuesday at 10 a.m. with the Choose Yourself Community on zoom to meet other self choosers virtually hosted by Hakeem. This is The Choose Yourself Channel. Raw. Relatable. Real as growth gets.