Advocate, Activist, Author, Academy Award-nominated Actress, Producer, and Mother of two. A truly extraordinary woman who is grounded, radiant, and with a laser focus on mental health, physical health, and living a more meaningful life.
interview by Dina Morrone
You were born into a family of celebrated writers. And today, you are an author, but growing up, did you ever want to follow in their famous footsteps and become a writer?
I never thought about becoming an author when I was young, although I did love to write, especially poetry which I have been writing for myself for many years. I love to write not for the possible fame of it (as a Hemingway that is too daunting), but it is so rewarding in enabling me to express how I feel on my inner landscape.
What is something you enjoyed doing as a child that you wish you could back and do today?
The irony is I still do many of the things I did as a kid. I still run through the mountains, play in rivers, lakes, and streams and laugh with my partner on a daily basis. I love the question because it makes me realize that I am really living a life that makes me happy now. I realize that my life is connected to being playful like a child’s life is. Bobby, my life partner, and I have a brand called Williams & Hemingway that is focused on living your best life through food, exercise, Nature, laughter, water, sunshine, and meditation. Play and laughter are among the biggest parts of our brand, and being childlike is a daily practice for us.
When did you decide you wanted to be an actress? What were your first steps towards making that become a reality?
It was an accident becoming an actress. I was 12 yrs. old, and my sister was starring in a film called Lipstick, and she recommended me to play the role of her little sister. It was a shock to be able to be in a movie. It was very exciting for a little girl from Idaho.
You were nominated for an Academy Award®, Bafta, and a Golden Globe at a young age. How did this mega-stardom impact your life at the time and your career?
I was thrilled to be recognized for the work I had done though I am not sure I really understood the impact of those first nominations I received at the time. Later, when I received a golden globe or Emmy nomination for a TV show I had starred in, I was far more aware of the impact of awards and how that affected your career. I was a little shocked by the sudden attention I received as a teen.
Is there a role you played that you wish you could do all over again today, knowing what you know now?
You know, I am not a person who goes over the past. I know that everything that has happened in my life, the roles I have played on-screen or in life, have been exactly right in order to further my ability to understand human nature. So, I don’t have a role or a past experience that I would want to change in any way!
You practice Transcendental Meditation and Yoga. How has creating a healthy mind and body changed your life?
I practice ™ and Kriya yoga and breathing techniques along with my asana yoga practice, all of which have helped me to maintain a sense of balance. All of my practices have been transformational for me and continue to be. The journey of health, well-being, and balance is ongoing and always will be. That is why it is called a journey.
In the documentary Running from Crazy, the film chronicles your family, their mental health struggles, and even suicide. Today, more than ever, many families are struggling with mental illness, and the rate of suicides keeps going up every day, especially in teens. Please tell us how you have been able to stay balanced and grounded.
Again, a healthy lifestyle and tuning into what Bobby and I call the seven greatest Doctors in the world help me, you, and everyone to create balance. Our doctors are Dr. Sun, Dr. Air, Dr. Water, Dr. Exercise, Dr. Nutrition, Dr. Earth, and Dr. Rest. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and they are FREE! My belief is that how we lead our everyday lives physically, mentally, and emotionally helps us create a sense of peace, and that is what a balanced brain is. It is a brain at and in PEACE, and that is something I focus on daily.
What advice would you give to young adults struggling on their own or living in families with severe mental issues and overwhelming challenges?
First of all, I would say to the young people struggling with mental health issues (anxieties, fears, or whatever is bothering them), please remember that no matter what you are feeling in this moment, the feeling will change. The Nature of energy (which feelings are) has to change. Energy is always shifting and moving and changing. It is hard when you are young because of a lack of life experience to realize that everything changes, so what feels like an everlasting hell actually has to shift. I would say, please trust that you are loved and guided and that you are 100% NOT ALONE.
You wrote Healthy Living from the Inside Out and Finding My Balance, a how-to women’s guide on strategies for beauty, renewed energy, and a radiant life, and Mariel’s Kitchen, which was one of the first cookbooks with creative gluten and sugar-free recipes. Healthy living is certainly essential for you. How can we protect ourselves from all the toxic foods and preservatives that are in the foods that surround us?
I do not believe that we have to struggle so much with what to eat. In Bobby and my book Running with Nature we recommend you look at your history, genetics, and where you live, and the season you are living in. Go to Farmer’s markets in the spring and summer (75% of the US population is within 5-10 smiles of a farmer’s market). Buy fresh vegetables and if you shop at regular markets, stick to the outer aisles of the store where the food is REAL food, not boxed or processed. Make it a fun game to find simple, fresh food and teach yourself to cook a few uncomplicated meals. Understand that good food is also truly the best tasting food. There is a bigger explanation in several of my above-mentioned books about eating, but that is the idea in a nutshell.
When you hear the words “Global Warming,” what is your first thought?
I do believe we MUST be conscious of this planet’s health, and we must cut back on Fossil fuels. That said, I think that most of us love this planet, and I believe most all of us want to preserve this incredible earth. We all need to come together in an effort to be more aware of the needs of the planet and be less gluttonous with our accumulation of things. Awareness is a first step towards making kinder earth choices. And those choices start at home with your personal consumption and focus on the simplicity of living.
When you hear the words “Global Warming,” what is your first thought?
I do believe we MUST be conscious of this planet’s health, and we must cut back on Fossil fuels. That said, I think that most of us love this planet, and I believe most all of us want to preserve this incredible earth. We all need to come together in an effort to be more aware of the needs of the planet and be less gluttonous with our accumulation of things. Awareness is a first step towards making kinder earth choices. And those choices start at home with your personal consumption and focus on the simplicity of
living.
What are the charities that are close to your heart?
I started a foundation for the prevention against suicide called The Dead Poets Foundation deadpoetsfoundation.org I am working with my partners right now to be able to launch this foundation at the end of this year, and we are creating an extraordinary event plus actionable solutions that will highlight education and lifestyle and music to bring awareness to his subject and solutions for the problems. The foundation is currently in the process of creating an app with a definitive protocol that helps people to see their world from a different perspective. I want people to know there are solutions to mental illness and that suicide does not have to be a choice in anyone’s life, especially in a child’s life. Suicide, depression, and mental illness are at epidemic proportions, and I want it to stop. I am also producing and hosting a TV show that will focus on teen suicide and solutions for it. Together we can do this.
Where is that one place in the world that you feel you are most connected with?
Without question, I am most at home and happy in Ketchum, Idaho, but I must say that my time in Southern California is always wonderful. (I spend half my time here in California and in Idaho, which is my home state).
What is your idea of a perfect day?
It’s a bluebird sky, and I am watching the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean. I meditate, pray and do my breathing exercises. I then practice yoga overlooking the ocean. I drink my biodynamic coffee, then an amino acid drink, and head out to take the dogs for a walk, barefoot in the Santa Monica mountains (or the Sawtooth mountains if I am in Idaho). This all happens before noon. Then I answer some emails eat lunch, and write and take calls. If I start my day this way, and I usually do, then the rest of the day falls into place because I have set the foundation for a day of ease by manifesting it and being grateful for it already. Bobby and I move in and out of one another lives and business schedules with ease and so much laughter. I am truly happy with my life, and that wasn’t always the case in the past, so I feel very blessed.
Please share a few tips with our readers on how they can work on achieving a healthy body and a healthy, peaceful mind.
I think one of the best ways to start having a healthy life is to focus on how you start your day. Look at my answer to my perfect day and think about how one or more of my morning rituals could be implemented into your day. Start a breathing practice (begin by reading James Nestor’s book BREATH) and start watching sunrises (or sunsets). Take time in the morning to do things totally present… meaning when you make your coffee or tea, you do it with your full attention, doing only what you are doing in the moment. Smell the ground coffee, or pour hot water over your tea leaves, feel the cup in your hands and watch the leaves unfold, or watch the coffee turn its dark rich color. Be conscious of every simple thing you do in the morning. Another great practice is to take 5 minutes to be quiet in Nature every morning and, in those few minutes, say thank you to everything and everyone in your life (even yourself). And if your desire is to be truly healthy, take a few more minutes seeing yourself eating well, exercising in a playful way, and sleeping deeply. Take time to visualize exactly what you want and see it in your mind’s eye. If you make this a devoted daily practice, you can actually manifest the day you envision for yourself.
Special Thank you to:
Mariel Hemingway
Location: Sue Wong Malibu Residence, Arthaus
Photography: Artin Mardirosian (Nexision)
Makeup & Hair: Edward Hakopian
all Living Beings
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