She’s one of Australasia’s most in-demand health gurus, so it’s little wonder Dr Libby Weaver’s new book is all about being exhausted.
The wellbeing wonder woman spends 150 days of the year sleeping in hotel rooms around the world, juggling sell-out seminars and event appearances with television and radio interviews, as well as keeping on top of her research and managing her own private practice.
“I live in the same real world as everyone else,” she says. “I own my own business and I travel a heap.”
But although Libby, 41, may be an expert on exhaustion, she insists she’s far from fatigued herself. When Woman’s Day catches up with her on the release day of her eighth book, Exhausted to Energized, she looks the picture of heath, with glowing skin, sparkling eyes, shiny hair and an infectiously positive attitude.
“I have a morning ritual to set me up for the day that I don’t compromise,” Libby explains, smiling brightly. “Whatever I think is going to nourish me best, I’ll do it no matter what. It might be exercise, meditation or simply sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, looking out the window at nature and feeling grateful.”
How we feel when we wake up each morning is a great indicator of our health, she believes, and the wellness warrior’s new mission is to encourage people to become more in tune with their bodies.
Sleep on it
“Instead of that morning ritual of waking up and weighing self-esteem on the scales, I want people to check in with how they are feeling,” Libby tells. “Sure, there will be nights where we don’t sleep as well as normal, or nights when children disrupt us, but what I’m talking about is that relentless, lousy feeling every morning, day after day, which turns into year after year.”
Libby thinks low energy is so destructive to our health that degenerative disease and other major health problems could be avoided if we identified and addressed it sooner in life.
The idea for her book came about earlier this year, when she realised the most common complaint she heard from clients, colleagues, friends and family was being tired.
“These are people who have created extraordinary lives,” insists Libby. “They have been blessed with children, they have wonderful jobs and partners. They travel, and they have extended family and friends who they love to spend time with, but they find it all so hard.
“I want people to be able to enjoy the extraordinary lives they’ve created – and having better energy will allow them to do that.”
Bubbly and full of life, Libby splits her time between New Zealand and her native Australia. She insists that none of her success would’ve been possible if it wasn’t for her Kiwi business partner and husband of seven years, Chris, 47.
“We’re a great team,” Libby laughs. “I always joke that I’d probably still be sitting in my local organic café, writing my first book, if I hadn’t met him!”
While she has reached rock-star status Down Under, she’s also making waves around the world, sharing the stage with US stars like Dr Oz and Tony Robbins, and reaching millions through articles for global news sites The Huffington Post and Times of London.
Libby with billionaire Sir Richard Branson
Island bliss
In July, self-made billionaire Sir Richard Branson invited Libby and Chris to join him and 25 other influential people on his private Caribbean paradise Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands, for a Virgin Unite and Business Chicks Australia conference.
“It was extraordinary and an insane privilege,” tells Libby. “It was truly life-changing.”
Home to 70 endangered species, Necker Island is famous for its biological diversity and Libby was especially taken with the giant tortoises. She giggles, “I was so in love with them. I went to visit them every day. They were beautiful and so handsome – they looked like big rocks.
“The whole island was incredibly picturesque. The turquoise blue ocean spreads out and you see the horizon wherever you look. That really expands your mind, to know there’s a world of possibility out there.”
This Caribbean opportunity came up for Libby when she was halfway through writing her new book and, as a result, it had a profound impact on the process.
Libby explains, “Inspiring is not a strong enough word when something affects your soul like that. It opens your mind, your heart, your eyes and your brain about what is possible.
“After that, I decided to bring the concept of possibility into people’s lives. Physical energy plays a massive role in being able to tap into that belief that anything is possible.”
