Proof You Can Change Gears and Do Something You Love!
So inspired by these gals!
Got invited to take part in the My Writing Process Blog Tour by a friend and colleague, Sheryl Burpee Duglinski. We met through our mutual energy medicine teacher, and had a lot in common, as we were both fusing energy medicine with fitness. We wound up doing some work together, and Sheryl was one of the original members of my first Circle Class. In that class, she spoke about her dream to write again, and it has been so inspiring to witness her growth as a writer since.
I remember when she first had the idea that she wanted to write a book, and I am so impressed to see how far it has now come!
I remember Sheryl talking about how she was going to set time aside to write, and work on letting go of any emotional resistance to taking action as it came up. Its tough to change gears and start something new; in fact our bodies are hard wired to put up chemical resistance to change, to keep us safe and in familiar territory. This response is left over from jungle days when heading into new territory really could have cost us our lives. And although doing something new – like taking on a project to write a book – is not going to physically kill us, it may take time away from making a living, which can be a scary proposition.
Sheryl is a great example of someone who has had the courage to clear resistance as it comes, take the necessary actions to structure her life, so she could free up time to write her book. And, she is well on her way to making this a reality! Check out the Easiest Stress Relief Exercises Video below, which is one of the main tools we use in my class to release fear and resistance – and an exercise that I know Sheryl has used to help her stay focused on this project:
For this Blog Tour, I was asked to answer four questions about my writing process::
1) What am I working on?
I am working on my blogs and writing a new class at the moment.
My blogs lately have been exploring some interesting ways to think about stress, and they include tips on how to successfully alleviate it. Two weeks ago, my blog was about-
“Changing how we think about stress can change our body’s response to stress. Re-thinking our outlook on stress can affect its effects on our health. “ It also explained the physical benefits of stress, like the production of oxytocin.
My last blog discussed how having faith, and giving one’s worry up to a Higher Power, can alleviate stress.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I often include physical exercises which alleviate stress, so rather then just talking about different ways to think about it, there are exercises one can do to feel immediate relief.
3) Why do I write what I do?
I love to share the insights and inspiration I feel doing my work every week. I am spurred by my clients’ emails thanking me, because they read just what they needed to hear that morning.
4) How does my writing process work?
I get inspired by an insights or emotional breakthroughs that occur in my own life, in one of my client sessions, or in one of my group classes; and I write about it. I think about the post while walking my dog in the park, jot down ideas on my Blackberry, then give myself a limited amount of time to write it, so its not too long.
I actually find taking the time to do something else I find inspiring, like being in nature while thinking about what to write, really speeds up the process for me; and it also rids me of writers block.
I am passing on the tour to these three women, also inspiring ladies who are following their passions and creating businesses and blogs which are not only fulfilling their own lives but also touching the lives of others in a profound and healing way:
- Faina V, sassy vegan chef
- Leora Edut, founder of Goddess on the Go
- Joy Lynn Alegarbes, Director of Global Operations for The Condom Project & Master Trainer for the United Nations Population Fund’s CONDOMIZE! Campaign
I have been blessed to get to know these ladies through my Circle Class, and to watch their dreams become a reality!
Links to all these amazing ladies’ sites, and their bios are below.
They are all living proof that you CAN follow your bliss and do something you love!
I realized in answering these questions that you guys are really my inspiration, and interacting with you and hearing your feedback is why I do what I do. So thanks for reading and being in my life!
Much love,
Lara
I am starting another round of Circle Classes at the studio on Monday, March 31st, 8-930pm. So if you would like some help getting motivated to live your dream, email me at info@thelaratouch.com.
Faina’s story:
Working in the hospitality industry coupled with various other stints cooking in diffuse capacities, as well as attending her mother’s school of “If you want to get hitched you have to learn how to cook” ideology since the age of 5, Faina V made a conscious decision to step out on her own. With various mentors and fellow culinary aficionados, her career path was determined. Considerably inspired and otherwise impassioned, she bade farewell to the mundane and expanded her skills, thanks in part to her pals. While slender in stature, she is bold and exceedingly exciting in flavor. She insists on thinking creatively, relying upon the knowledge she has gained over the years, and adding a heaping portion of sass to every delectable meal. She has been trained and certified as a raw/vegan chef by Alissa Cohen, a pioneer in the industry, who has been eating and teaching the raw vegan lifestyle since 1986. She was one of the first to begin a Certification Program in this field.
Faina V is a graduate of the Institute For Integrative Nutrition and offers holistic health and wellness coaching coupled with private cooking instruction to ensure success on your journey to a more healthful and conscientious living.
Check out Faina’s blog: My Sassy Chef
Leora’s story:
At a young age Leora Edut had a passion for bringing women together. Whether it was gathering for a Girl Scout meeting or the disco Leora noticed that women thrived in community. Growing up in the city of Detroit Leora went through her own transformational journey rejecting a lot of the the joy she had learned as a child. From being in abusive relationships to almost spending time in prison. Leora took these lessons later in life and transformed them into a way of giving back. For a few years Leora worked as a celebrity make-up artist working with celebrities like Rihanna, Molly Sims, and others. After spending 10 years on her own spiritual path she went back to her roots and created what she knew was her purpose to bring women together to heal, celebrate life, and support one another. From Leoras own personal journey she knows her life is dedicated to be of service, she works on a continual basis with GEMS, women who have recently been released from prison, and women who have come out of abusive relationships. In 2014 she is excited to extend a Community Service Goddess On The Go where women will gather to bring beauty back to our homes and businesses!
Check out Leora’s blog: Goddess On The Go
Joy Lynn’s story:
Joy Lynn is a community-based artist and international sexual health advocate. She appears frequently on television and in the media throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, educating communities about male condoms, female condoms, personal lubricants and additional safer sex supplies. As Director of Global Operations for The Condom Project, Joy Lynn develops and facilitates culturally specific safer sex programming and establishes condom distribution initiatives worldwide. In her role as International Master Trainer for the United Nations Population Fund’s CONDOMIZE! Campaign, she focuses on condom destigmatization and education about condoms beyond prevention, encouraging governments to invest in condoms and to give people around the world access to quality condoms, free of stigma. A member of UNFPA’s Condom Inter-Agency Task Team and the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities: Female Condom Technical Resource Team, Joy Lynn’s All About Condoms workshops are currently available in 10 languages.
Joy Lynn earned her BFA from New York University, where she studied Community-Based Arts with a focus in Human Sexuality and a minor in Deaf Studies; she is currently completing her Masters in Public Health, with a Specialization in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Joy Lynn remains committed to examining the social constructs that influence behavior and communication in the realm of human sexuality, finding fun and innovative ways to encourage dialogue about both safety and pleasure. HIV prevention has long been a focus of her work, as she remains intrigued by this epidemic that is perpetuated largely by the fundamental, innate desire that we all have to be close to one another.
Check out Joy Lynn’s blog: Circa Joy Lynn
