Miranda was recently interviewed by Jay Shetty on his podcast, On Purpose. The two spoke about their shared passion for predominant plant-based wellness and integrity in business—and how Miranda has been encouraged to shine her light and put her heart into everything she does.
You can watch this inspiring duo speak at length on their matching mindsets & reverence for wellness—with a few written moments below.
Jay: Welcome to ‘On Purpose’ with Jay Shetty. Today’s guest is someone that I’ve been excited to talk to for a long, long time. I feel like I’m finally connecting with a special soul. We have a couple of mutual friends that have talked to me about her, and I’ve been watching and admiring her incredible journey and her phenomenal work. I’m talking about the one and only Miranda Kerr, who’s a well-known face in the world of fashion.
She started a modeling career in her early teens when a friend entered her into a modeling competition which sparked significant media attention and she soon became the most sought-after new face in modeling in 2007. Victoria’s secret signed Miranda as an Angel making her the first and only Australian model ever to hold the coveted title. Miranda continued to work closely with fashion titans across the world and now Miranda is the Founder and CEO of the leading global certified organic skin care brand, KORA Organics. Miranda welcome to the podcast; welcome to On Purpose and thank you for being here.
Miranda: Thank you so much for having me, that was quite an introduction.
Jay: Well, you’ve had quite a life, so I think it’s worth celebrating. I think it’s worth reminding people you seem like a very modest and humble soul and so it’s always wonderful to take a moment to celebrate these incredible achievements because they do matter in the sense that you’ve been representing yourself, representing a community, and representing what you believe in through all your work. So, I said it with energy because I think it’s phenomenal and congratulations on all of it.
Miranda: Oh, thank you so much. I really feel like if you’re going to do something you have to put your whole heart into it. I just love that about you as well, and that’s the way I’ve lived my life. Actually, my mom taught me that as a young child and it’s something that I do every single day. No matter if I’m changing a diaper, I’m like putting my whole heart into making sure that diaper is perfectly clean and tidy. I’m a mother of three boys!
Jay: That’s such a good point though because I think sometimes, we think we need to put our all into the big things, but it starts with putting your all into the small things. How did your mother teach you that habit? I think that’s a brilliant mindset to start off with. How did she train that in you?
Miranda: Yeah, my mom is such a strong incredible woman and she really taught me from a young age, that if you’re going to do something, put your whole heart into it, or don’t bother doing it. That was with everything, whether we were cleaning the car or tidying our room, doing our homework or if I had just started a job—she was always saying: “If you’re gonna do it just put your all into it or don’t do it at all.” I hear that in my head every day and it inspires me with whatever I’m doing.
For example, if I’m creating a new product for my skincare line, KORA Organics, or if I’m writing a response to an interview—whatever I’m doing, I really think about that and really put my whole heart into it. That’s honestly why I believe my products are getting such incredible results for people’s skin because I really give it my whole heart, with a 360 approach to everything that I’m doing.
Jay: I love that mindset and I think people may know you as the Founder and CEO of KORA Organics, and your modeling career, but I think something that a lot of people don’t know is you actually studied nutrition and health psychology before you became a model.
I want to understand a bit more about that journey because to me that shows that your journey with your business today actually started a very long time ago with this passion and this desire to learn about nutrition and health psychology. Can you talk about what you learned at that time, which you think has been relevant to today?
Miranda: I feel like for me, I’m the type of person that wants to be learning until the day I die. I just feel like there is so much to learn out there and I’m super passionate about health and wellness, psychology and how the mind, body and spirit is all interconnected. So, I studied in Australia first by correspondence and then I studied another course at Integrative Nutrition and graduated in 2010 and that course was based out of New York. Just recently, I studied another course through Coursera that Stanford was offering, and I really enjoyed that as well.
Like I said, it’s something that I’m passionate about and it feeds my soul because I like learning—anything from the nutrient content of something, to the way that you perceive something that can then shift your whole life. You have the choice to see something in a certain way; to see something in a positive light or a negative light or in a neutral light—and that can affect your whole day. These types of topics really interest me and find learning about this way of life, really appealing.
Jay: Yeah, absolutely. What would you say is the most recent thing you’ve learned about the mind, body or spirit, or what is something that you’ve come across that you’re just like: Wow I didn’t know this, and I didn’t realize this? Or something that has it’s changed a habit in you? Has there been something recently that you’ve learned from a course, book or a podcast, or anything else that stands out at all you can share with us?
Miranda: Well, something that I’ve learned from having an interest and a passion to study nutrition, and being a health-conscious person, I often encourage the 80/20 rule for balance. 80% being super healthy and conscious and 20% of the time being more flexibility with yourself and enjoying a piece of cake with your friend, and to really enjoy that moment rather than sitting alone eating a salad and being unhappy.
Another thing that works for me is being predominantly plant-based and trying to get a lot of my vitamins and minerals directly from the food that I eat as opposed to relying heavily on supplements. I know that is well known, but I’ve learned it more in the last couple of years and noticed a big difference with my own digestion. It’s not being vegan or vegetarian as such, it’s more a focus on being plant-based with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. I do love my celery juice in the morning—that’s been a game changer for me.
Jay: Everything you just said I’m so aligned with, because my wife and I are plant-based, and we would define it the same way. We also try and eat as few unprocessed and unpackaged goods and try not to eat things out of a box as much as we can and avoid having packaged goods in our home. The Medical Medium was the person who introduced me to celery juice when he came on the podcast a few years back, and so I started taking celery juice and that has helped my gut more than anything that I’ve tried—and so I’m completely aligned with you and believe in it too.
Miranda: I thought I was super healthy but have taken my health to the next level by incorporating more of plant-based diet, although I’m not 100% because my husband is not plant-based and enjoys when I make him roast chicken with turmeric. So, I’m not super strict with it but I do notice a huge difference in my energy levels and focus when I’m predominantly eating that way. There are a lot of studies to back that up in science. The course that I mentioned before, via Stanford University, was focusing on this. Saying that we should predominantly be eating more plant-based, less processed food.
Anthony, the Medical Medium got me on to celery juicing each morning. I take 32 ounces after I have water with one lemon to start off with. After the juice I have the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie. It contains barley grass and spirulina in powder form, wild blueberries, banana, fresh orange juice and seaweed dulse. So, you’re getting many vitamins and minerals that way.
Jay: That’s incredible, can you tell me and our listeners about the detox smoothie?
Miranda: Anthony put this specific smoothie together, which is easy to make. I make it for the whole family, the kids love it. The ingredients that I mentioned help to help draw out any heavy metals from the body. (Oh, and it has cilantro in there too, because the cilantro helps draw out minerals.) You’re also getting protein from spirulina and barley grass powder, and it is high in antioxidants from wild blueberries. It contains Vitamin C from the orange juice and potassium from banana. I really love it!
Jay: I love that tip; I’m definitely going to try that one out. It’s amazing to be able to access all the benefits of food naturally, and it can be so powerful for our mind and body, and even shift our energy. I found when I made these shifts, instead of reaching for a sugary soda drink I was reaching for a celery juice. When I made the shift of switching to a natural protein drink from a powdered one, which is what I have every day, there are so many great benefits in there.
Your mother obviously taught you all these mindsets, what are some of the mindset’s lessons, or health and wellness tips, you’re sharing with your kids to try and help them. Could you walk us through that process of how you’re passing that on, like your mother taught you so many beautiful insights?
Miranda: One other thing that my mother taught me as a young child was to let your light shine, and by shining your light you then give permission for others to let their light shine too. Being the best version of who we are and coming from a heart space shares our individual and beautiful essence. I try to encourage that within my children; I try to cultivate their own individuality. My three boys are all so different.
That’s what makes the world so magic; honoring our individual personalities and seeing what everyone can bring to the table. It’s really fun being a parent and having the opportunity to help cultivate that and in a loving way. They have little rough and tumble moments and I like to say to the boys, let’s take a breath, let’s make peace—because I really want to cultivate peacemaking. I ask them to say: I forgive you, please forgive me. Let’s forgive each other, let’s make peace, let’s be grateful for each other. Let’s be grateful that we have each other, that we have our health and let’s get on with the rest of the day.
I’ve done Mommy & Me yoga with each of them and there’s also this other program called Cosmic Yoga that I do with the little ones. I put on a little meditation and calming music at night, and we say our prayers before bed. I try to cultivate that attitude of gratitude with my children because that to me is something that’s important. Life is a precious gift, and we should be grateful for every breath and every moment that we have together, and I really want to instil that within our children because if you don’t start from that place of gratitude then it feels to me like you’re not coming from a loving space—and to me it’s the most important thing is to have—that loving foundation.
Jay: Absolutely that sounds so wonderful and beautiful, and by the way that’s so inspiring. What I love about what you shared is that it sounds like you’ve created lots of experiences with your children where you’re all learning together, and you’re growing together, and it’s not just spending time with them. I think we often feel like it’s just about time and quality time, but it actually seems like you’ve built rituals and practices, meditations, prayers and experiences together which allows you to form such a deeper bond with them.
How do you wear all of those hats but still give yourself the time and permission to take care of yourself? Obviously, you’re someone who’s very mindful and take care of your physical and mental health. How do you give yourself permission and how have you been able to make space for your own health and wellness while you’re building a company, and being a mother, a wife, provider and family person too?
Miranda: I try and be as organized as I can be and then if things don’t go to plan, then I try and be like a willow tree because in a storm the willow tree doesn’t break. It’s the rigid oak tree that is assumed to be strong, yet it’s important to have flexibility and to adjust and adapt accordingly.
Jay: I’ve loved that analogy for so long and you just shared that so beautifully. I think it’s such a great lesson for all of us as it is the flexibility and adaptability that allows you to continue to flow and grow during tough times. I have heard that you have launched another exciting product.
Miranda: Yes, the newest moisturizer is our Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer. The jar is symbolic of an Aquamarine crystal, and it is filtered through, and touches upon Rose Quartz and Aquamarine crystals in the manufacturing process.
It is a beautiful gel moisturizer that has a refillable jar, so you buy the glass jar once and then the refill pods thereafter. What I love about this is it’s hydrating, lightweight and bouncy. It’s for people that are looking for deep hydration yet lightweight because our Turmeric Glow Moisturizer has more of a rich and creamy texture.
People are obsessed with our Turmeric Glow Moisturizer and our Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer is the lightweight version, yet both of them have incredible results and super powerful ingredients. I call this the green juice superfood for your skin because it literally is like a green juice superfood, for your skin. People are just loving it and that’s what makes my heart sing, to make products that are healthy for people and super results driven too!
Jay: Miranda, you’ve given us so much to consider. I feel like you’ve given everyone a lot of confidence and reassurance that knowing that you’re creating something that’s going to get people results and that’s going to make a change that is the authentic and the integrity-based version of what you want to create has a space in the world.
What I’m really taking away is that as a founder and as an entrepreneur, all I’m hearing from you is authenticity and integrity into building something that you really believe in, and you know is going to help people. You’ve been so kind and generous with your time, and we end every episode of On Purpose with what I call the Final Five:
1. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Miranda: I think it’s probably from my mom again if you’re going to do something do it with your whole heart.
Jay: I love that, and I think that’s a beautiful piece of advice.
2. What is the worst advice you’ve ever received or heard?
Miranda: To not go against your intuition.
Jay: I love that I’ve done that so many times and I’ve always regretted it when I have.
3. What is something that you used to value but you don’t value as much anymore?
Miranda: Well, I used to value (I don’t know if value is the right word) but I used to appreciate the whole glamour thing. Now I much prefer to stay home and be with my family.
Jay: And then fourthly:
4. What’s the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
Miranda: Kiss my husband!
Jay: That’s awesome what a great answer—and the fifth question and final question:
5. If you could create one law that everyone in the world had to follow or one habit that they had to do every day, what would it be?
Miranda: To have an attitude of gratitude.
Jay: That’s such a beautiful message, Miranda. You can tell that you live that, and it flows effortlessly from you and radiates from all your energy. Thank you so much today for teaching us so much through your ideas and your passion.
I was really moved and touched by how much I can tell these products mean to you and how much you know they mean to others, and to hear how deeply refined your approach is. It gives me so much confidence that anyone who listens to this episode will recognize that you want to create something that positively impacts people’s lives. So, thank you for showing us that and showing us how amazing that can be.
Miranda: Oh, thank you, I really appreciate your time and you’re doing incredible things in this world so I can’t wait to actually catch up with you in person but until then, take care.
