“To Know Thyself is to Heal Thyself”: Savio P. Clemente’s Path From Personal Healing to Global Impact

• Through lifelong learning, Savio P. Clemente found invaluable life lessons through challenges. 
• As a firm believer in healing and compassion, Savio prioritizes self-reflection and being kind to oneself.
• Savio’s ultimate goal for the future is to make the world better by achieving balance.
• He believes that the concept of “loving your inner stranger” becomes the key to finding balance in life.

1. Please share with us about your childhood. What values have shaped who you are today?

My parents are from Goa, India, and I was born in Mumbai. We moved to the United States when I was three, settling in a suburb of New York called Westchester County. It’s a small, cute town. I studied at a Catholic elementary school for eight years, then went to high school and college in New York City. I also lived in New York City for a few years, which was a wonderful experience.

From all those experiences, I gained a few important guardrails that my parents instilled in me very early. Indian parents tend not to be overly expressive; they mostly teach important qualities and virtues, such as taking responsibility to do what you’re supposed to do and excelling in what you need to.

Beyond that, college opened up a whole new world for me. I grew up Catholic because of the region of Goa, where most inhabitants are Catholic, but I’ve always been open to different belief systems and schools of thought. This openness has shaped my worldview, influencing how I see life’s challenges and what we need to do to rise above them.

2. Please share with us about your professional journey. What’s your favorite memory at work?

I went to school for four years, studying a dual program in business administration and information systems. When I graduated, the ‘.com boom’ was happening around the world. I worked for many interactive companies for numerous years, loving what I was doing and being very good at it. But then came a point when I questioned: “Is this what I’m supposed to be doing?” In 2014, cancer came into my world. That set me on a journey to explore for myself and ask: “What can I do to overcome this?”

I was diagnosed with stage 3 Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in July 2014. I was in the hospital for a total of 15 days, and seven days into that, I was bedridden because of the nephrostomy tube. Three days before my discharge, I was told by the medical director that I needed to start my first round of chemo. That set me on a journey to ask: “What link do I share with other cancer patients?” I was given my remission status four and a half months later that same year, five days before Christmas. It was the best Christmas present I could ever have.

The next few years set me on the path to getting my board certification in wellness coaching to begin coaching cancer survivors on their next stage and how they want to live moving forward. This past December of 2023, I was in India for a whole month working with National Geographic Journeys. I was sent to do a travel and wellness experience there for 15 days. 

My recent TEDx talk, called “7 Minutes to Wellness: How to Love Your Inner Stranger,” has been well received online. People often ask me: “What are you talking about when you mention the word “stranger’?” The genesis of the stranger appeared to me in 2014 when I was bedridden in the hospital because I saw a vision of my physical body dying. That was the stranger. But I also saw the other parts of me — the mental clarity, connection to God / Universe and other people, and the emotional aliveness that was still there.

3. How did you maintain a positive outlook during the challenging times? What advice do you have for others facing similar challenges?

I relied heavily on structure, and growing up Catholic provided that. Even though I’ve studied comparative belief systems from Buddhism to ancient science and the Vedas, I relied heavily on the practice of “There’s so much in life that we can’t control, so what can we control?” I think that’s the core aspect I want to underscore. It’s the idea that horrible stuff happens to us, but we have certain measures and levels of control. If we rely on that aspect, it will carry us forward.

I had a reality check during my hospital stay. I had four roommates, two of whom had brain tumors and needed radiation. One of the individuals there was constantly fighting with the nurses and yelling at the doctors. After a couple of days, I asked him: “What do you need to get home for?” He said: “My dog’s there.” I spoke about this to a friend, and my friend said, “Savio, you don’t get it. He’s afraid to die.” I understood that I have a different mentality and viewpoint on life and that I needed to have more compassion to understand others.

It was one of the biggest life lessons I’ve learned: to meet people where they are. I happen to be the type of person who, if given a challenge, will do the best I can to meet the expectations. If you complain about something or pretend it’s not there, it’s not going to get you closer to the goal.

4. What role does gratitude play in your life and how do you incorporate it into your wellness coaching practices?

Gratitude is a big buzzword, and everyone uses it. I think it’s good because it allows people to be mindful, appreciative, and notice connections they might not otherwise see. I believe it connects you to something greater than yourself. Gratitude lists are wonderful, but in one of my certifications with Dr. Siegelmann, a professor from the University of Pennsylvania, he states that you can write lists, but the key element is to ask yourself: “Why did that particular thing that you’re grateful for happen? Why are you grateful for it?” For example, if I’m grateful for the house that I live in, why did that happen? How did that even come to be? It adds another layer of beauty and reverence to it.

Moreover, gratitude lists allow you to see a wider vision. A vision is not a goal; it is how you want to feel, how you want to be, identifying your intention, and how you may want that to flourish.

5. Your work as a media journalist and author has brought your message of empowerment to diverse audiences. How do you approach storytelling to connect with individuals on the unique path to healing and self-discovery?

I’ve had the great fortune of interviewing thought leaders, experts, cancer doctors, medical professionals, wellness experts, and even celebrities like Venus Williams. While people see Venus as the epitome of sports, she relayed that she’s had gastrointestinal issues that impeded her ability to perform as well as she has. I’ve also interviewed Ice-T, Debra Messing, and Carson Kressley. This isn’t to brag, but it’s to underscore that storytelling is about piercing the heart of the matter. I’ve also flown to Italy and Mexico covering various wellness experiences.

Recently, I had the great honor of covering the red carpet at the Academy Awards Celebration in Los Angeles. Being there really opened my eyes because I’m a regular person first, but I’m also a coach. So, I mindfully used active listening and other telltale signs to glean and understand the situation. I realized that celebrities, to a large degree, act for their peers, be it their managers, producers, or us as press. The idea of belonging made me delve deeper into my weekly newsletter – do I belong in a sea of Hollywood’s elite?

Storytelling not only pierces the heart and truth of the matter but also lets people put their guard down. I had a stuttering impediment for several years in elementary school and also had social anxiety in high school. To overcome such things, you have to first confront them.

Storytelling isn’t just fluff; it prioritizes deep-down connections and getting to the heart of what someone is trying to express, and not just what they’re saying. Especially because people say what they want us to hear, but what are they actually meaning to say?

6. What is a quote or mantra in your life that resonates with you?

I speak a lot about my “call to action” in my TEDx talk, which I deem as the A.L.O.H.A. Reboot. A.L.O.H.A. is an acronym, and it originates from my search for healing. I firmly believe that true healing doesn’t always occur in a specific way. It doesn’t always happen in a medical office or on the chemo bed but can occur in small moments, even while you’re sleeping. Healing is something we need to search for and seek out — in the highs and the lows. In my research, I discovered a Hawaiian practice called Huna healing. It also includes an offshoot called Ho’oponopono, which revolves around the idea of self-forgiveness and self-compassion.

The acronym that I use is A.L.O.H.A. — A stands for Acknowledgment, signifying awareness of where you are in your life and what’s happening. L is Listening to that inner voice within you. Now, of course, I’m not saying that you need to start talking to your body in front of other people. Do it in the privacy of your own home. O is Opening, opening yourself up to self-compassion and self-forgiveness. H stands for Harnessing, harnessing that inner wisdom you’ve accumulated. And lastly, A is for Acting on all that you’ve gleaned. It’s very easy to do in 7 minutes, and it allows you to come back to yourself very quickly.

Overall, the Golden Rule has always stuck with me: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But the key phrase is not only to others but also to yourself. You can only be as kind to others as you are kind to yourself. That’s a work in progress for all of us who constantly get bombarded by seeking. It’s evident that social media does a great job of making us want to be better or at least want more things. But we always have to come back to ourselves, as personal responsibility is the only responsibility.

7. What was the idea behind forming The Human Resolve® LLC and what are your future plans for this organization?

The Human Resolve® LLC was formed after I received my board certification in wellness coaching. I’m also an ICF-certified ACC coach, which probably means nothing to a layman, but it’s a huge deal in the coaching world. It centers around the idea of how to help your clients solve the problems occurring in their lives. The “human” in The Human Resolve® reflects my desire to understand the human condition. The question that I always ask is, why do people do the things that they do? And I ask that of myself too. I find it fascinating because sometimes we’re motivated by things but don’t know where they might be taking us.

When I graduated from college, I always wanted to get an MBA. So, at some point, maybe I’ll pursue that. I’ve always had two dreams. One of them is to start a company to do what I love, and now it’s wellness. Back in the day, it was technology — I would love to marry the two. Through my international speaking engagements, I aim to increase general awareness, a theme I echo in my TEDx talk on loving your inner stranger. Externally, we can rely on other people’s expertise, but you have to listen to that inner voice to figure out what’s going on with you. Going back to my overall premise, which is echoed in an ancient saying, “to know thyself is to heal thyself.”

8. What is your ultimate goal in life or vision?

I want to leave the planet a little better than when I came into it. I’m borrowing this from a friend of mine who also believes in the same ethos. This can manifest and take various forms. I’m a coach, journalist, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author, but does all of that really matter? I believe we’re all here to explore ourselves a little deeper, allow others to feel a little freer, and be more expressive about themselves.

I believe the key is to find some level of balance within yourself. Some people I know who are in spiritual circles talk about this idea of enlightenment. To me, those seem like lofty goals to have, but our actions do not always follow; they’re also dictated by our circumstances as well. So I would say, I want to be a more expressive human on this planet and give as much as I can because I think work, love, and service are the key truths that will never go away.

9. Beyond your professional life, what other passions or interests do you have that make you happy?

I love to travel. Fortunately, as a journalist, I get to travel for work. People always ask me, “Are you sure you’re working?” Travel has always been a huge part of my life. Believe it or not, when I was young, I wanted to be an astronaut, but in 1986, the Challenger explosion happened, and I decided to derail my plans of pursuing that. Space has always been an area of interest for me. I recently had the good fortune of interviewing Matt Mountain, one of the James Webb Space Telescope scientists.

I love wellness. It’s not only what I do, but it’s also what feels like a mission and a calling for me. I also love fashion and seeking situations that test my mind. After my five-year remission mark, I took a trip to Phuket, Thailand, to do a two-week fitness challenge. We worked out twice a day, and one of the challenges was climbing up a mountain to the big Buddha with your workout partner carrying 20-pound kettlebells in each hand under the hot sun. A few of my friends texted me, “Only you would survive stage 3 cancer and do something like this.” Life may not be easy, but I love seeing what it has to offer. I think it’s a shame when we don’t allow ourselves to fully live.

10. How do you prioritize self-care and maintain the resilience that you have while supporting others through their own challenges and transformations?

I have a switch that I can turn on or off. For example, last year, I was in super self-care mode. Why? Because I knew I had to do a TEDx talk, and I made sure I felt and looked good. Another instance was being away for a whole month in December. Being in India and not having a regular fitness regimen schedule or access to my tools or resources was difficult, but I managed. I live by my digital calendar, which helps me stay focused. Also, just revisiting my goals and thinking about the positivity I want to generate for the month helps tremendously.

The third thing I like is the idea of community. When COVID happened, I bought a spinning bike. I rarely used it because I realized that I really love the idea of community. I love sweating with other people and being in the same room with people who are in a particular mindset of healing.

You can find out more information about me and subscribe to my weekly Substack newsletter at https://www.saviopclemente.com. I can also be found on social media @thehumanresolve.

Through the ups and downs of life, Savio P. Clemente finds beauty in healing. He encourages the importance of understanding and loving oneself first through self-compassion and forgiveness.