The Community Of Hope With Christine Zapata
Download MP3Paul Nottoli (00:02.005)
Welcome to the believe the hope podcast. I am here with Dr. Christine Zapata, who is actually my business coach. And we're going to talk about hope today. And it's kind of fun being on this side of the, of the interview table versus her asking me questions and trying to figure things out on my end. So a little bit about Christine, she's a, excuse me, a successful chiropractor, business coach, international speaker, and author of book yourself solid for chiropractors.
Christine's leadership in her community and advocacy for supporting small business through COVID, led her to be awarded the 2023 Business Leader of the Year by Internationalist. She now teaches service professionals how to replicate her success and how to become a leader in the community that they can reap the huge rewards in their business. So thank you for being on. Thank you for taking your time to talk about hope on the Believe the Hope podcast.
Dr. Christine Zapata (00:55.586)
Thanks for having me. I'm super excited for this.
Paul Nottoli (00:57.463)
So the first question I always ask as we go into these episodes is because everyone has a different perspective is what does hope mean to them personally?
Dr. Christine Zapata (01:09.314)
Well, for me, hope is a feeling that empowers us to keep moving forward. I feel like for a lot of people when they go through and face challenging times or uncertainty, hope is the thing that will keep us, again, moving forward. I think that hope also enhances our ability to dream and can give us motivation to pursue goals and
And just remind us that change is possible. Like we're not stuck in one place. I think if we can stay hopeful, we can change.
Paul Nottoli (01:47.051)
And do you have an experience or something you can share that where you felt hope brought you through to give you that hope to move forward, that permission to change and believe in something bigger than yourself?
Dr. Christine Zapata (02:04.366)
Yeah, this is a story that I tell people often because it was probably a really dark time for me. was a couple years after I had graduated chiropractic school. I was actually fired from my first associateship position. I was $250 ,000 in student loan debt. I was in a place where
I was sharing a tiny four -bedroom apartment with four other roommates in the heart of San Francisco because it was honestly the cheapest way that I could live in the city and be close to work. The office that I was working in was right in the heart of San Francisco and again that was the only way that I could afford being close to the office. But I now had no job and I really had no clear
path to move forward and have the thriving chiropractic career that I had envisioned while I was in school. for several months after getting fired, I kind of bounced between a bunch of random jobs because I didn't really have, again, I didn't have a clear path to have my own clinic. I didn't know what it was going to take to build a practice. And I definitely didn't have
money. So I went from selling boutique wine to wine enthusiasts for a hot minute. I worked as a marketing assistant for a really good friend of mine and I picked up bartending shifts when I could just to make money because I didn't have the quote -unquote real job. That was something that at least in my family like you went to school, you got a good job that was in the career that that
the curifil that you went to school for. And I just really had no idea at that time how I was going to get out of this particular situation. And it fallen into a really deep depression. And I just got to a point where I hit rock bottom. I felt like I was on the verge of just giving up on the dream of making a dent in my community and helping people heal through chiropractic.
Dr. Christine Zapata (04:27.404)
I vividly remember laying in bed one morning. It was like a Tuesday. My friends, family, close friends, they were all at work and I was just laying in bed thinking like, what's the point of even getting up each day? Because I have no purpose. And like I said, I hit rock bottom. I'm generally a very positive person and some of my closest friends kind of had an intervention with me. They pulled me aside and they were like, hey, like.
Paul Nottoli (04:48.823)
Mm -hmm.
Dr. Christine Zapata (04:54.892)
you're not acting like yourself and we know that something's going on, how can we help you? How can we help support you out of whatever situation that you're in because we know that this is just not like you. And a friend of mine said something to me that really, it just hit me like a ton of bricks. it was, Christine, you have to understand that every setback
is a setup for a comeback. And I think that I needed to hear those words at that time because that hope allowed me to take a step back and just reevaluate my goals and my dreams and seek support from people who were willing to help me. I didn't have to figure things out on my own. ultimately, I think by having hope, it
it allowed me to have a breakthrough that actually transformed my career. After that conversation with my friend, I ended up meeting a very influential mentor who ultimately gave me a chance and he gave me an opportunity to build what I had always dreamed of. And the opportunity brought me to Seattle, Washington. I am born and raised in California.
I never left California and I figured, you know, let's see what this is, where this is going to take me. I'm open to anything. So I moved to Seattle. I learned how to build a, actually two, really successful high volume upper cervical chiropractic practices and ended up meeting and marrying the man of my dreams. Like I just feel like none of that would have been possible if I didn't have hope for...
something better or something to look forward to. That is one particular situation that I'll share with people because I think that there are times where people feel really hopeless when it comes to things that they may have dreamed up, goals or aspirations that they have, and then just things don't line up for them. And I think it's just easy to get discouraged, but that hope that I had was really bad.
Dr. Christine Zapata (07:22.062)
crucial for me, I think, in getting to where I am.
Paul Nottoli (07:25.601)
And it's interesting because almost every person I interview or that share that story, one, there's some type of community or friend that that they that pulls them out of that, which is always a common thing. And another thing is that they take massive action, even though like you were hustling just to try to make it and try to find your way, even though you did hit rock bottom and you're like, what's the point of all of this? You were still moving forward in some direction, even if it seemed like aimlessly or you were lost. And
Dr. Christine Zapata (07:49.347)
Yeah.
Paul Nottoli (07:55.691)
I think that's crucial with any type of hope or any type of finding that the next comeback is that staying stagnant in any way, shape, form and having community is extremely important to give you that permission to move forward and to find the next best thing.
Paul Nottoli (08:20.095)
What if someone doesn't have, what if they've lost hope, they've hit rock bottom and what if they don't necessarily have a community? How would they maintain or cultivate hope to come out of that?
Dr. Christine Zapata (08:33.27)
I think that when it comes to maintaining or cultivating hope, especially during really challenging times, it requires intentional practice. I think that practicing gratitude, that really helped me focus on the good that I had in my life. While I think mindfulness techniques, meditation, those things kept me grounded.
And I think that those things really helped me personally try to maintain hope. And I think that again, it requires that someone is intentional about doing these things. And I also think that setting goals, realistic goals, so that you can celebrate small wins, I think that that can help just reinforce the belief that
there is something better in the future that could come out of all this. So I just think that being more intentional is really important when it comes to trying to cultivate or maintain hope.
Paul Nottoli (09:46.369)
And by doing so, you think others by doing these and being mindful and working on these things, does that spread hope in one's community or is there other things that you would recommend to try to spread hope, more hope in the community, more positivity in someone's community, especially as you as a community leader, you want an award for being part of the community. So you did it through being like benevolence campaigns. what's yeah. So just interested in seeing how.
Dr. Christine Zapata (10:02.358)
Yeah, you know, I think that... Yeah.
Yeah.
Paul Nottoli (10:15.497)
one would do it more for the community.
Dr. Christine Zapata (10:16.418)
Yeah, I think that I definitely think that being intentional about wanting to help and inspire the world, whether it's you as an individual or as part of a community, I think that that's important. I think that if people actually share stories of resilience or kindness, I think that that can inspire hope. think that volunteering
supporting local initiatives, local causes. I think that that can also inspire hope because just simple acts of kindness can really create a ripple effect of positivity. And you had mentioned it, I'm real big on building community. During the pandemic, my office is right in the heart of Seattle and we were ground zero for COVID.
and at least in the United States. And I remember at the time just how much stress and anxiety people had during the beginning of that pandemic. And I decided to try to lead the community and do something that would inspire people or just brighten their days. And that was leaving a hundred dollars at local businesses each week.
so that people in the community, whether they'd fallen on hard times or just needed something to pick them up, I wanted to try to do something that would benefit them. And so I would each week tell people that, hey, I left $100 at this business, stop by. You can get a drink, a lunch, a latte on me. Just tell them to put it on Dr. Christine's tab.
And I think that the reason why I have gotten the exposure that I have gotten, gotten the recognition, like you had mentioned in my intro, I was voted the community leader of the year last year. And I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was actually trying to inspire hope in people and try to bring some sort of positivity and kindness.
Dr. Christine Zapata (12:41.582)
during a really challenging time for everybody. And I think it's just those small acts of kindness that can go a long way. And I don't think that people necessarily realize how big of an impact their small act can have. For instance, there's one story that I tell people during that early time in the pandemic where I left $100 at a local business. I think that week I had...
I left $100 at a local donut shop and it was one of those like super fancy like donut places. It wasn't just like a like Dunkin Donuts kind of place. It was like very artisanal and I left my $100 there. I told people in the community to go there and get something on me and I ended up getting a direct message from a woman who said, Dr. Christine, I have to thank you for what you're doing. I think that
Paul Nottoli (13:19.464)
Yeah. Yeah.
Dr. Christine Zapata (13:38.926)
these acts of kindness, like I don't think that you realize just how incredibly impactful this has been because I have a five -year -old daughter. I've fallen on hard times because I've been furloughed from my job and she has been begging me to take her to General Porpoise to get a donut. And I saw that you left $100 there. So we went there this morning. We got a couple donuts and some drinks and I can't tell you.
just how happy I was to see the joy in my daughter's face. And that wouldn't have happened without your generosity. So thank you for doing what you're doing. think that more people need to support others in the community just like you do. And that meant a lot to me because again, I didn't realize how big of a deal that small act.
would have on a five -year -old daughter or this woman who couldn't provide for her daughter but was able to look like a hero to her daughter because she finally got to take her to a place that she's been asking for. So I think things like that, again, small acts of kindness can really go a long way and can inspire hope for people. Because you never know who's having a bad day or who's fallen on hard times. And if you do something that is selfless and
again, might be very minor, it might end up being huge for the other person.
Paul Nottoli (15:10.431)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, that's I mean, that's an amazing story because yeah, we don't know what those acts of kindness how far they reach. And we think, this kind of I'm just giving a hundred dollars and whether people do it or not, I don't know. then you get a message like that. You're like, that was a bigger that was bigger than I than I than I expected. I mean, it's the reason why I started this podcast, too, because they're I feel like negativity wins. I'm sure people are sick of hearing me talk about this on every episode, but I feel like negativity wins.
evil wins in terms, well, just because it gets the most attention. And right now it seems like attention is the number one commodity for anything or anybody that. And so not necessarily. Yeah. So it tends to just get more. More publicity because it drives attention. And I feel like we can provide more hope and positivity. And I, I it doesn't necessarily have to be monetary either. So some people may be thinking, man, I don't have enough to give to charity or I don't.
Dr. Christine Zapata (15:57.868)
Yeah.
Paul Nottoli (16:10.189)
But you have time. have, yes, you can, or just compliment somebody that if you like their shirt or something like that. And those things do go a long way. And I hold the door for somebody, say hi to somebody that maybe have their head down and you say hi to them. And then they pop up and they smile and you can tell like, I, you just, you just know like that made their day a little bit better just by saying hi, because they may just be in a bad, a bad place at the time. I think little things like that are just subtle.
Dr. Christine Zapata (16:12.899)
Yes.
Paul Nottoli (16:40.215)
But they do add up. if more people are doing that, more people are listening to this, and they're sharing, they're in similar stories as you, which is why I'm trying to interview a lot of different type of people, because everyone has different backgrounds and life and experiences. But yes, the more people that are doing it, the more people that are doing consistently will have more of an impact. It will just spread.
Dr. Christine Zapata (16:58.584)
Yeah.
Paul Nottoli (17:10.145)
Yeah, like a good virus, a bad one. Like, yeah.
Dr. Christine Zapata (17:13.504)
Yeah, yeah. And like you said, it doesn't have to be monetary. Like you can share your time. You can mentor someone who needs support and who needs guidance. That goes a long way. It doesn't necessarily involve any exchange in money, but there's time. And I think that that is probably the one thing that
Paul Nottoli (17:17.996)
Mm
Paul Nottoli (17:36.385)
Mm -hmm.
Dr. Christine Zapata (17:41.08)
people can do that doesn't require a lot of money, it can still inspire hope just by sharing their time with other people.
Paul Nottoli (17:51.782)
Absolutely. How does one measure, so Hope gives them more focus onto the future and having a better outcome. How does one measure that where they're looking at the future, but they're also in that reality of what they have to do to build towards that? How do they balance that yin and yang of focusing on the future and the positive and the next thing, the comeback, so to speak, in your case, but also
Dr. Christine Zapata (18:12.174)
Hmm.
Paul Nottoli (18:20.255)
each day they're in that reality like, this still sucks, but I know I'm doing the right things type of thing.
Dr. Christine Zapata (18:24.854)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I definitely think that there's a balancing act between like just balancing hope and being present to right now. I think that it involves creating a vision for the future and also appreciating the journey that is required to get there. I think that if
someone has a vision for what it is that they want, then they always have that final destination and they can reevaluate the things that they're doing right now. Are the things that you're doing right now moving you closer and closer to that future goal or the thing that you're trying to accomplish? I think that practicing mindfulness can also...
help ground people to the present moment. Like I had mentioned earlier that mindfulness practices is definitely something that I incorporate so that I can stay grounded. I'm a futurist by nature, so I'm always dreaming up the next thing. And I think that that definitely helps to make sure that I know where I'm going. But practicing mindfulness and trying to be present in the moment and
and also seeing what is in front of me right now, I think that it is just a reminder that every step, no matter how small, is part of a larger picture. I think also setting realistic short -term goals so that there are at least like small little checkpoints between where you are now and where you're trying to go. I think that if you have those short -term goals set or those different checkpoints,
then it allows you to celebrate those small achievements while still being able to focus on the bigger picture. So I think that it just helps maintain motivation and a sense of hope if you have a vision of where you're trying to go.
Paul Nottoli (20:33.911)
Good points, good advice. Is there anything you'd like to add that we didn't discuss regarding hope, inspiration?
Dr. Christine Zapata (20:45.406)
I think that, I think that it's worth mentioning that hope isn't just a wish for better days. I think that hope is really an active choice that we have to make every day. And I think that hope also requires that we have courage and that we're okay being vulnerable. I mean, that's one of the things that I learned about myself when I have been in the deepest, deepest
like darkest valleys, it's okay to be vulnerable, especially during those really tough times. And so I think that I mentioned it earlier, cultivating hope, you have to be intentional and it takes practice because I think the more that we choose hope, the more resilient that we can become. And I think that if we can foster this or create this culture of hope, I just think that it can really
not only uplift us or ourselves, it can uplift people around us. that's the only thing that I would add.
Paul Nottoli (21:50.253)
Mm
Paul Nottoli (21:54.187)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I don't really have anything there. I thought I did, that was, yeah, that was, yes. I know where I was going with it. Just asking for help sometimes can give you hope. And I'm one those people that are chronic. I'm just going to dig down and do it myself type of thing. And I'm trying to get better at asking for help when I need it, because it can open more doors if you're trying to find your way out.
asking for help when you really need it. Whether it's small, large, whatever. You find that the answer is no if you don't ask anyway. So, and you're already in quote unquote not where you want to be. So it's not going to change anything whether it happens or not. But if it does happen, it's a big, it could be a huge opportunity for you. I mean, you had that with your mentor finding a place in Seattle and it just kind of spiraled from there going through that and your friend that told you.
But, know, just gave you that kind of advice that you're going to make it out. So, yeah, but you did, but you had to, you were willing to ask for help or at least hear somebody give you help. I think those are really important. How can people connect with you and learn more about what you're doing, coach with you, et cetera?
Dr. Christine Zapata (23:06.444)
Yeah.
Dr. Christine Zapata (23:15.778)
Yeah, I'm on social media platforms at Dr. Christine Zapata and you can also check out my website at drchristinezapata .com.
Paul Nottoli (23:26.423)
Perfect. And I will link those in the show notes as well as on the website and everything too. So thank you so much for your time, Dr. Christine. And yeah, I'll be talking to you more since you are my coach and you'll help me find hope and keep building, keep building this podcast, keep building my practice, et cetera. So appreciate your time. I appreciate your mentorship and advice for me over the years and helping me move forward in times in my life that were kind of hopeless or just frustrating.
Thank you for coming on today.
Dr. Christine Zapata (23:59.604)
Thanks for having me. This was a lot of fun.
Paul Nottoli (24:01.197)
All right, and until next time, we'll give you another episode of the Believe the Hope podcast.