September 4, 2023 • 33 mins
There's so much brewing this year. Brace yourself for a candid conversation about all the things: how it feels to quit my job, the head first dive into creating the life I desire, how I feel about Vanderpump rules and the co-creation of an epic in person event.
Links to share:
Bloom Event on IG
Andrea on IG
To learn more about The Bliss Retreat, visit thebalancebliss.ca/retreat
BLOOM Event Information- visit thebloomevent.com
The Holistic Body Connection information is here!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This show is brought to you by Female Alliance Media,
by women for women.
Welcome to the Balance andBliss podcast.
I'm your host, andrea Mondu, athree-time published author,
speaker and a lifestyletransformation coach who
believes everyone should begiven the gift of knowing how to
live their lives feelinghealthy and empowered.
(00:20):
Things like moving your bodyregularly and feeling it well,
taking care of your mind,setting boundaries, practicing
self and body acceptance,personal growth, manifestation
and everything in between.
Wellness is not linear and it'snot just one thing.
It expands into so many areasand on this show we're going to
(00:41):
talk about just that.
We're all striving to live alittle more healthy and a little
more well, but what does thateven mean?
My goal is to help you see thatyou can move from the mundane
to the magic when it comes toliving aligned and fulfilled,
and by tuning in each week youcan be assured you'll leave with
nuggets of wisdom that you canimplement into your day to day,
(01:04):
like right now, to help youmaximize your health, wellness
and your life.
Now let's dive in.
Good girl.
No noise.
Honestly, without fail, everysingle time I come down to my
studio to record, the dog comesbecause, like the studio, also
(01:26):
known as the basement.
The dog likes to come and hangout with me, but I think I say
this all the time because sheliterally does it all the time.
She gets her bone, she laysdown, she's whining, all the
things.
Anyway, welcome back to a newepisode on the Balance in Bliss
podcast.
It is we're officially into thefall.
(01:48):
I'm going to call this likeofficially season four, because
all summer long we had thosere-releases with a few new
episodes, but now we are likefull into new episodes, fresh,
look, fresh vibe.
There's a whole new energyhappening around here and I'm
going to tell you a little bitabout what that energy is.
(02:10):
So I'm down here recording inthe basement.
Before I came down here, Iliterally said to Mike all right
, well, I'm going to go down tothe basement and talk to myself
for a little bit now.
And he's like, yeah, thatsounds super weird, have fun
with that and bantering,obviously, because he knows I'm
coming down to record thepodcast episode.
But I was like I'm not talkingto myself, I'm talking to
(02:31):
everybody who's listening.
And then he's like, yeah, yeah,ok.
So then I'm down here by myselflike setting up all the
equipment.
Sometimes I record on my deskbecause I just do, but sometimes
I like to record.
You know, chilling out, sittingon the couch, I like set up my
podcast arm and microphone sothat I don't have to hold it,
and then I'm just literallysitting on the couch in like a
(02:54):
laid back chill position, I cantalk with my hands I don't hit
the microphone, hopefully andit's like I'm literally sitting
on the couch talking with afriend, right, because I'm here,
I'm talking to you, so I'msetting up all my stuff.
I'm thinking about like thisinteraction that we just had and
I'm like, oh my gosh, us aspodcasters I mean, unless you're
(03:16):
in like a studio where you havelike a production team and
you're just like sitting in aroom talking in there in the
other room, you know, doing allthe things that you want, or
maybe you have a co-host or youhave a guest, but like if you're
doing a solo podcast or a solopodcast episode, you are indeed
in your space talking toyourself for an extended length
(03:40):
of time, like I'm about to talkto myself for 30 minutes, but I
know you're on the other endlistening, so that's the
ultimate right that I know thisis going to be in your ears at
some point in time.
So, anyway, I'm here talking toyou in my basement, like you're
sitting on the couch acrossfrom me.
I'm really excited to get intotoday's episode because I
(04:05):
honestly like we have a lot totalk about, we have a lot to
catch up on.
I feel like it's been a reallylong time and so much has
happened.
So much has happened that Ijust can't wait to tell you all
of the things, and there's somany things coming up in this
world of balance and bliss thatI'm so excited to share with you
.
But I have to tell you what hasbeen consuming me for the last.
(04:29):
Like I was trying to think backof, like how long I have been
watching this for, and I guessit's been like the last couple
of months.
So I have been deep intoVanderpump rules.
Okay, it is not like rivetingeducational television, but
(04:50):
instead it is like mind numbingentertainment.
I Full disclosure, I'm a suckerfor reality TV shows and I know
there's some people that justthey can't handle it, they can't
watch it.
But I have been like a realityTV junkie since, like Jersey
Shore, like I used to Jersey DayDoes anybody remember Jersey
(05:12):
Day?
Because I remember how much Iloved Jersey Shore.
Every Thursday night.
I would sometimes on thepremieres or like the finales.
I would have parties and wewould dress up.
People were here for it.
They would come to my cousinand I.
We would talk about JerseyShore Every week when it was on,
and this was like back whenMike and I lived in the condo.
(05:33):
So this was before we gotmarried.
Like a before my gosh, I wantto say probably 2010, 2011 is
when, like, my reality TVobsession began.
That was a long time ago and sosince then, I have been eating
up all of the reality TV thatgets put out onto Netflix, like
(05:54):
love is blind and too hot tohandle and the bachelor I used
to love the bachelor, like allof these things.
So I love reality TV andVanderpump rules delivers hard
on the reality TV.
If I think about you know, if Isaid to you like oh, what do you
think of reality TV?
As People making really poordecisions, people doing things
(06:20):
that they should not be doing,having conversations, calling
people names, like Just carryingon in such a way that is so
extravagant, and you know, I Iguess there's some degree of
truth that, like it's probablyembellished on or they're
exaggerating or they're beingextra for TV.
But I also think that thesepeople, just these people I
(06:45):
don't mean it like that, butpeople who are on reality TV
shows, they that is maybe theirpersonality, they're more
extroverted or they're outgoing,or I don't know.
Anyway, if you're not familiarwith Vanderpump rules I was not
for a really long time.
There's like 10 seasons of it,and the episodes that I'm
watching right now they'retalking about it being like 2017
, so I'm late to the Vanderpumptrain.
(07:09):
I 100% realized that.
But the reason that I startedwatching it was because a couple
months ago on Instagram, I sawa ton of people talking about
the end of season 10 and theywere like, oh my gosh, like
there was a hashtag Scandivalfor like one of the characters
on the show.
His name is Tom Sandoval, andthere was like a big scandal
(07:32):
that happened with him.
And people were like onBusiness trips.
Like I remember the birdspapaya was on a business trip
with her friends and they'rewatching the reunion like at the
table at the restaurant.
And a bunch of other peoplethat I follow were like Talking
about the reunion in theirstories and this huge scandal
that's happening and there waslike.
It piqued my interest, let metell you and I hadn't heard of
(07:57):
it before then the whole premiseof this restaurant that they
are all working at is In WestHollywood.
So, like I was in LA in Apriland I keep saying to Mike, I
wish I knew Vanderpump existedwhen I went to West Hollywood,
because I 100% Would have atleast tried to walk by it.
I went and walked by Oppenheimgroup when I was there,
(08:19):
obviously because I love sellingsunsets reality TV but I anyway
.
This is getting really long.
But I decided to start watchingit because I was like I need to
know what this scandal was and Iwanted to, like start from the
beginning because if I wanted to, I could very easily go into
Google and say what happened onseason 10?
(08:40):
And I would likely find out.
Or I could probably just asksomebody that I know that
watched it.
But I don't want that.
So there's a whole point tothis story.
So I've been watchingVanderpump rules like crazy.
You know, every free momentthat I have, I either have it on
in the background, I'm watchingit, like it's always on, and so
(09:01):
I was sick recently and I waswatching a lot more of it.
I was in about season six atthis time and Vanderpump is.
So Lisa Vanderpump, from what Iunderstand, used to be on the
housewives, like the realhousewives of something maybe
Orange County, anyway, itdoesn't matter.
She was a housewife and sothat's, I think, where she kind
(09:23):
of got some of her fame.
But she's really philanthropic,she's a very smart business
woman and she's like a serialentrepreneur In the sense that
she keeps opening up all theserestaurants, but anyway it's.
It's all based at thisrestaurant called sir, which
stands for sexy, uniquerestaurant, which is hilarious,
but in the show she's got sir.
She also owns a housewife it'shilarious, but in the show she's
(09:46):
got sir.
She also opened up a restaurantcalled pump, and then there was
another restaurant that she waswanting to open With two of the
characters, tom and Tom, andshe wants to call the restaurant
Tom Tom.
So I'm watching this while I'msick and I'm curious.
I'm like, oh, I wonder if,because again, this is like 2017
, this season that I'm watchingright now, and I'm like, oh, I
(10:08):
wonder if, if pump has, or ifTom Tom has opened yet.
So I get on my Google and I'mlike has, has Tom Tom opened yet
in West Hollywood, or whatever?
And so Google, of course, givesyou the answer and then below
that it gives you, like otherpotential Google searches that
you may want as a result of that.
(10:30):
So you know, our top is his.
Schwartz and Sandoval stillequal partners in the in the
restaurant.
It's all these like differentprompts.
Well, I'm not going to ruin itfor you, just in case you want
to watch Vanderpump, because Ihave been doing a really good
job up until this point ofavoiding finding out what the
(10:51):
scandal is.
And there in the Google searchSuggestions for me was a
question that relates to what Ican only assume is the scandal
that happened in season 10,because it asks a question about
a storyline or a plot line thatI have not heard of yet and
(11:11):
that I was blown away reading,and I was.
So I Was so mad at Google, likeGoogle played me really hard in
that Moment and I was not happy.
So, anyway, I'm still gonnawatch it all the way through.
Maybe that's the scandal, maybeit's not, but like I'm not even
(11:33):
gonna, I'm not even gonna Tryand Google to find out or not,
because I don't want to find outanything else that I don't want
to know.
So anyway, that's what'shappening with me in terms of
Vanderpump.
You know the update that youdefinitely didn't ask for, but
I've been watching a lot ofVanderpump because I've been
home more and things have reallyshifted for me in my life.
(11:56):
So if you don't follow me onInstagram which, hello, I would
imagine that you probably do Ifyou don't, though I'm the dot
balance, dot bliss you canalways find my Instagram and the
show notes.
But if you follow me onInstagram or you're on my email
list, you'll know that I made areally fucking big decision in
(12:17):
the summer to quit my part timejob.
Now you might be saying what?
You had a part time job, butyou're a podcast host and an
author and a coach and all thesethings, and truly I am all of
those things.
But I had a part time job aswell just to help to supplement
some of that income coming in asI have grown this balance and
(12:40):
bliss business.
So balance and bliss has kindof been like a dream of mine
since 2018.
That's really when, like, theseed was planted of the balance
and bliss dream, and I have beenhustling hard since 2018 to
make that happen.
So, in addition to you know,making that happen, obviously
(13:00):
there's the stability of incomethat we needed in our household
with one now two children, andso I've always had some sort of
job corporate job on the side.
So right up until the summer,the last three years, I three
years, yeah, four years actuallyI had been teaching part time
(13:25):
at a private college herelocally.
So my background is in socialservices and I've always kind of
had my hand in the helpingfield.
So I taught social services tostudents who were wanting to get
a second career and I lovedlike I love teaching.
It was a really great gig.
(13:47):
But one of the things that wewere really finding in our life
that we needed more of wasflexibility and freedom, and
that's really what I have beenworking towards since 2018.
You know, I have this goal insight of wanting to create
change in the world with people,but also being in business for
myself meant that I hadflexibility and time freedom to
(14:10):
create my schedule and to alsocreate my reality, which, of
course, isn't something that oursociety tells us that we can do
or that's possible for us.
So I remember when I wastalking about wanting to have my
own coaching business and nothave, you know, an employee or
an employer who is paying me.
(14:32):
You know, some people in mylife are like, why are you doing
that?
Like that's so, it's, it's ascary move, right?
Because we're not conditionedto believe that like, yeah, you
can just go out and make it onyour own, but you have a family
and you need to be moreresponsible and all those sorts
of things.
So I really bought into thatlike need to be responsible for
(14:55):
a long time and I'm not sayingthat you don't have to be
responsible, but it just it keptme feeling scared, and I think
that that's a large part of thereason of why I've held on to a
consistent employer employeetype of dynamic for so long is
because it's scary, right, whenthere's a lot of unknown, when
(15:18):
you decide to leave a stableposition and move into something
that likely is the thing thatbrings you more joy or that you
feel more passionate about, orthat you that you really feel
drawn to and pulled to.
There's a lot of scarinessaround that.
(15:38):
So it was a really, really bigdeal for me to make that shift.
One of the things that it reallymeant for me was that I was
fucking leaning into trust.
Let me tell you that becausethere is no better way to tell
the universe that you are readyfor what it is giving you by
(15:59):
quitting the last.
I honestly call it, like youknow, slowly I've been cutting
all the.
It's like the parachute, right.
So the parachute I'm going tomake an analogy here with you so
I'm free falling, right, we'reall free falling through life
and we have this parachuteattached to us and the
(16:19):
parachutes are keeping us safe.
And so for me, I've kind of beenslowly cutting all of those
cords that were no longerserving me to create the life
and the reality that I waslooking for.
And I think that for me, thelast cord was getting rid of
(16:41):
that type of means of gainingincome.
And so now that I've cut thatcord and said, okay, universe, I
am going into the free fall.
I'm here, I'm here to trust you.
I am now in the free fall, andso what I've done is I've really
just hoped that, that theuniverse was going to provide,
(17:04):
or that you know that I'm goingto be taken care of.
All that to say, I've obviouslyput some things into place that
are going to help with thatstability and help with that
like time freedom.
So I'm going to back up alittle bit.
I said that you know that wewere really finding that having
time, freedom and flexibilitywas something that that I was
(17:27):
needing.
It's also, honestly, somethingthat's a lot easier for our
family to have Now with havingEloise two kids, you know going
back to school, and what if akid is sick from school, and
what if this needs to be done,or what if X, y and Z like
there's all of these, what ifs?
(17:47):
That it's really helpful ifthere's a primary parent that's
there to pick up that slack.
Right?
We're just coming out of thesummer and those who have full
time jobs where you have to bethere in an office setting maybe
, or even at home, from likethat nine to five structure,
it's really hard to figure outwhat the hell you're going to do
with your kids during that time, because if you can't put them
(18:10):
in a camp and you don't have ababysitter, then they're at home
.
And I remember talking toClara's hygienist like earlier
at the beginning of the summer,we were talking about this whole
like need for help and stuffand like what do you do with the
kids?
And blah, blah, blah, and shewas saying like it's such a gift
because she is working in this,like she's be there at seven,
(18:35):
like having to be in herbuilding at seven am and she's
there till five.
So her kid, her daughter,during the summer is like can't
be home alone for that amount oftime, Like that's a long time
for kids to be home alone.
And so she's like it's, it's agift to be able to, to have that
flexibility and that freedom.
(18:56):
So that was really what we wereneeding right now, and what
that has afforded me is thisability to one be creative with
the ways that I am bringing inincome into our family.
And it's also here's the here's.
The thing with cutting that lastparachute cord is that we try
(19:21):
so hard to control the outcomeof every single experience that
we have.
I'm very guilty of this.
Okay, I try so hard to like,okay, if I do this, then this is
going to happen, and if I dothis, then I know that this is
going to happen.
And if I don't know, right, ifwe don't know what the outcome
is going to be of a decision,and if we're just being asked,
(19:45):
or if we're asking ourselves orif we're asking other people you
know this happens a lot inclient conversations that I have
when people are interested inworking with me for the holistic
body connection, or even inthemselves.
They're like okay, I'm feelingat a place where I want
something to change.
You know, I've been.
I've been doing the same thingfor a long time and I want
(20:06):
things to be different and Ithink I need a coach, or I'd
like to work with you, but Idon't know what that's going to
look like and I don't know whatthe the end result is going to
look like.
And when you can't see whatthat, what's on the other side
of the decision that you'regoing to make?
It's, it's too fuzzy.
You don't know what that thingis.
(20:26):
Oftentimes we shy away from thator we decide not to do the
thing, not to hire the coach,not to quit the job, because we
don't know what's on the otherside and the protective part of
our brain automatically assumesthat it's shit's not going to go
well, it's going to be afucking disaster if we do that.
Or we're scared, right, we'rescared of what that could look
(20:47):
like.
But but I am once againlearning another lesson.
The day before I handed in myresignation actually even like a
week before I handed in myresignation I was fucking
freaking out.
I kind of told Mike a littlebit like oh, I'm starting to
(21:08):
like panic about money a littlebit, and I was telling a friend
of mine, um, the same thing, andyou know, it was like I was
feeling two things at the sametime.
I knew that this was a stepthat I needed to take, but I was
really terrified about whatthat was actually going to look
like.
Right, because there are billsto be paid.
(21:29):
There's no if ands or butsabout it.
There's bills to be paid.
There is some uncertaintythat's happening in the world
right now that we're kind offeeling like with the inflation
and all that kind of stuff.
So all of these things are alsohappening.
But I'm just feeling this callin this poll of like now is the
time.
(21:50):
Now is the time to make thischange that I have been working
for since 2018.
And I'm telling you this storybecause I want you to believe
that it's possible for you.
I really strongly believe thatit is possible for anybody to
create any sort of change thatthey want to.
I think that what happens for alot of us is that it just
(22:13):
doesn't happen at the speed orthe pace that we want it to.
It didn't happen at the speedor the pace that I wanted it to,
because I moved into thispart-time position that I just
recently released, in 2019,because I was moving away from
full-time but my coachingbusiness expanding wasn't
(22:34):
happening fast enough for me.
You know, I wasn't getting theamount of clients quickly enough
to be able to let go of thatcorporate structure and that
stability and that securitycompletely.
And so I took this step intopart-time, which every single
step that you make is a step inthe right direction, because my
gosh, being an instructor forfour years, the skills that I
(22:59):
have been able to learn that Ican now use in all of the work
that I'm doing, like all of thespeaking.
I mean, fuck, I wouldn't havehad the confidence, I think, to
start a podcast if I didn't haveto lead a classroom every
single day for four hours.
People sat in that class andjust listened to me talk.
(23:20):
Can you imagine you get me forlike 30 minutes in your ear for
fucking hours of time that I hadto fill with my students, and I
did that for four years, right?
And so the skills that Ilearned in terms of people
management and even, like thetechnology skills, the practical
skills that I can apply goingforward to speaking and
(23:43):
presentations and workshops thatI'm now doing.
You know, I think that everystep that we take on our journey
is there for a reason itteaches us something, it allows
for us to shed an old story thatwe've had about ourselves,
about what we're capable ofdoing and being.
So all of these, you know, I'mnow realizing all of these
(24:05):
stepping stones, or all of thesethings have been kind of the
stepping stones continuing toget me to where I want to be,
and so now, in this moment, I'min a place where I have the
ability to be present for myfamily when they need it, to be
available at the drop of a hat,right, I'm not tied to a
(24:27):
classroom.
I'm also really able to pourinto and focus on the things in
balance and bliss that reallyreally light me up.
So things like this event that,uh, that I'm planning for 2024.
So me and three other women umare planning this like never
(24:48):
been done before in the, in theregion that I live in, um, we're
looking at creating this like150 person event for women who
are feeling stuck.
Women who are feeling stuck intheir lives, who are searching
for something more, who arelooking for more fulfillment,
(25:09):
who are wanting to continue tobe in the spaces and places
where people are striving toelevate themselves, where people
who are saying this life is nolonger serving me and I want to
break free from that and I wantto continue to grow.
We're creating thistransformative experience, full
(25:30):
day kind of live event here inWaterloo region that is just
going to, quite frankly, blowyour socks off today.
I had an excellent meetingtoday, being the today that I'm
recording this episode, not thetoday that it comes out.
Um, by the time this episodecomes out, the venue is going to
be secured and it is going tobe the one that I spoke to today
(25:52):
, but I had this incredibleconversation with the space that
we're wanting to host it in andyou know, she said to me when I
heard about the event thatyou're having, I got goosebumps.
I feel like this is so neededin our community.
People are realizing that theywant to prioritize themselves,
(26:12):
that they want to bring morehappiness into their lives, that
they want to bring more joyinto their lives, that maybe the
things that they've beentelling themselves for years are
not working and they're readyto really dive into that and let
go of that and instead createthis new reality, this new
(26:33):
elevated, like blooming, type ofexistence.
We need that Like people needmore of that, and so me and
these three other women are justplanning this kick-ass
experience March 2024.
I'll make sure to include inthe show notes where you can
follow us on Instagram.
It's called Bloom is the nameof the event, and the Instagram
(26:55):
is let's bloom kw.
And, yeah, tickets are going tobe on sale for that really soon
, and so that is.
That is a really big kind ofexciting thing that I am working
on with them right now.
And the other thing, too, thatI've been doing a lot more of is
workshops and seminars and youknow, half day experiences and
(27:19):
symposiums where people cometogether to learn to do.
I'm thinking of bringing visionboarding workshops back.
Those were like such a such anexperience and such a hit around
around like New Year's whenpeople are looking to create
some new intentions.
So vision boarding workshops,like other type of workshops,
(27:40):
I'm doing retreats with certainbusinesses.
So when I was pregnant withEloise, I went to Niagara on the
lake with a team from anOntario college and we had they
were having a three dayexperience.
I was just a part of one of themornings with them, but in 2024
, I am doing a whole day withthem and it's going to be so
(28:03):
much fun.
It's actually one thing that Ican help.
That I can help with, or thatI've been doing, is helping
businesses who have health andwell being strategies, who are
wanting to support theiremployees in their wellness and
in their work life balance.
I have been working with themto craft hours or half days or
(28:26):
many days of workshops and andretreats, and so that's
something that I get to leaninto and ultimately like what
that.
What that allows for me is tojust really live out this
passion and purpose that I havefor being the change that I want
(28:47):
to see in the world Right now.
It's also it's also allowing metime to work on my next book.
So I my first book came out in2020.
Then, of course, I have thesebody bliss projects, but this
next book that I'm working on isa is a solo project, and in
that book, I was talking aboutthis whole be.
(29:09):
The change kind of came fromthis quote that I saw from
Gandhi when I was in college.
I literally saw that quote whenI was in college and it has
been my driving force foreverything that I have done ever
since then, both in the socialservices field, helping people
through mental health crisis andhelping them to, you know,
(29:30):
change their reality and theircircumstances and grow and
evolve as humans.
And then, of course, now thathas just morphed into kind of
helping people in general, youknow, helping them to.
I mean having conversationslike this where I say to you hey
, if there's something that youwant in this world to accomplish
(29:52):
, to do, to achieve, to be, toget rid of, to not be a part of
anymore, you have the ability todo that Right.
We have that power and thatability to create the reality
that we want.
So I got a lot of really coolstuff coming for you in the rest
of this year, in 2024, in thepodcast.
(30:14):
We have a packed podcast rosterfor the next couple of months
and I said to Mike earlier today, this is going to be the season
of men joining us forconversations on the podcast.
I have a couple really kick-assdudes lined up to have some
conversations with, and lots ofreally cool stuff happening
(30:36):
around here.
So thank you so much forcontinuing to be along for the
ride, for sitting on the couchwith me today in my basement and
I will catch you next week onthe Balance and Bliss podcast.
Until then, have a great dayand stay well.
Thanks so much for being here.
I hope you're leaving with afull heart, some inspiration or
(30:58):
you're feeling the kick in thebutt you felt like you needed.
If you really enjoyed thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend or let me knowRates, reviews, subscribing and
sharing are all great ways tosupport the show and if you want
to stay in touch, follow meover on Instagram at
thebalancebless.
Thanks for listening today andstay well.
This show is brought to you by Female Alliance Media,
by women for women.
Welcome to the Balance andBliss podcast.
I'm your host, andrea Mondu, athree-time published author,
speaker and a lifestyletransformation coach who
believes everyone should begiven the gift of knowing how to
live their lives feelinghealthy and empowered.
(00:20):
Things like moving your bodyregularly and feeling it well,
taking care of your mind,setting boundaries, practicing
self and body acceptance,personal growth, manifestation
and everything in between.
Wellness is not linear and it'snot just one thing.
It expands into so many areasand on this show we're going to
(00:41):
talk about just that.
We're all striving to live alittle more healthy and a little
more well, but what does thateven mean?
My goal is to help you see thatyou can move from the mundane
to the magic when it comes toliving aligned and fulfilled,
and by tuning in each week youcan be assured you'll leave with
nuggets of wisdom that you canimplement into your day to day,
(01:04):
like right now, to help youmaximize your health, wellness
and your life.
Now let's dive in.
Good girl.
No noise.
Honestly, without fail, everysingle time I come down to my
studio to record, the dog comesbecause, like the studio, also
(01:26):
known as the basement.
The dog likes to come and hangout with me, but I think I say
this all the time because sheliterally does it all the time.
She gets her bone, she laysdown, she's whining, all the
things.
Anyway, welcome back to a newepisode on the Balance in Bliss
podcast.
It is we're officially into thefall.
(01:48):
I'm going to call this likeofficially season four, because
all summer long we had thosere-releases with a few new
episodes, but now we are likefull into new episodes, fresh,
look, fresh vibe.
There's a whole new energyhappening around here and I'm
going to tell you a little bitabout what that energy is.
(02:10):
So I'm down here recording inthe basement.
Before I came down here, Iliterally said to Mike all right
, well, I'm going to go down tothe basement and talk to myself
for a little bit now.
And he's like, yeah, thatsounds super weird, have fun
with that and bantering,obviously, because he knows I'm
coming down to record thepodcast episode.
But I was like I'm not talkingto myself, I'm talking to
(02:31):
everybody who's listening.
And then he's like, yeah, yeah,ok.
So then I'm down here by myselflike setting up all the
equipment.
Sometimes I record on my deskbecause I just do, but sometimes
I like to record.
You know, chilling out, sittingon the couch, I like set up my
podcast arm and microphone sothat I don't have to hold it,
and then I'm just literallysitting on the couch in like a
(02:54):
laid back chill position, I cantalk with my hands I don't hit
the microphone, hopefully andit's like I'm literally sitting
on the couch talking with afriend, right, because I'm here,
I'm talking to you, so I'msetting up all my stuff.
I'm thinking about like thisinteraction that we just had and
I'm like, oh my gosh, us aspodcasters I mean, unless you're
(03:16):
in like a studio where you havelike a production team and
you're just like sitting in aroom talking in there in the
other room, you know, doing allthe things that you want, or
maybe you have a co-host or youhave a guest, but like if you're
doing a solo podcast or a solopodcast episode, you are indeed
in your space talking toyourself for an extended length
(03:40):
of time, like I'm about to talkto myself for 30 minutes, but I
know you're on the other endlistening, so that's the
ultimate right that I know thisis going to be in your ears at
some point in time.
So, anyway, I'm here talking toyou in my basement, like you're
sitting on the couch acrossfrom me.
I'm really excited to get intotoday's episode because I
(04:05):
honestly like we have a lot totalk about, we have a lot to
catch up on.
I feel like it's been a reallylong time and so much has
happened.
So much has happened that Ijust can't wait to tell you all
of the things, and there's somany things coming up in this
world of balance and bliss thatI'm so excited to share with you
.
But I have to tell you what hasbeen consuming me for the last.
(04:29):
Like I was trying to think backof, like how long I have been
watching this for, and I guessit's been like the last couple
of months.
So I have been deep intoVanderpump rules.
Okay, it is not like rivetingeducational television, but
(04:50):
instead it is like mind numbingentertainment.
I Full disclosure, I'm a suckerfor reality TV shows and I know
there's some people that justthey can't handle it, they can't
watch it.
But I have been like a realityTV junkie since, like Jersey
Shore, like I used to Jersey DayDoes anybody remember Jersey
(05:12):
Day?
Because I remember how much Iloved Jersey Shore.
Every Thursday night.
I would sometimes on thepremieres or like the finales.
I would have parties and wewould dress up.
People were here for it.
They would come to my cousinand I.
We would talk about JerseyShore Every week when it was on,
and this was like back whenMike and I lived in the condo.
(05:33):
So this was before we gotmarried.
Like a before my gosh, I wantto say probably 2010, 2011 is
when, like, my reality TVobsession began.
That was a long time ago and sosince then, I have been eating
up all of the reality TV thatgets put out onto Netflix, like
(05:54):
love is blind and too hot tohandle and the bachelor I used
to love the bachelor, like allof these things.
So I love reality TV andVanderpump rules delivers hard
on the reality TV.
If I think about you know, if Isaid to you like oh, what do you
think of reality TV?
As People making really poordecisions, people doing things
(06:20):
that they should not be doing,having conversations, calling
people names, like Just carryingon in such a way that is so
extravagant, and you know, I Iguess there's some degree of
truth that, like it's probablyembellished on or they're
exaggerating or they're beingextra for TV.
But I also think that thesepeople, just these people I
(06:45):
don't mean it like that, butpeople who are on reality TV
shows, they that is maybe theirpersonality, they're more
extroverted or they're outgoing,or I don't know.
Anyway, if you're not familiarwith Vanderpump rules I was not
for a really long time.
There's like 10 seasons of it,and the episodes that I'm
watching right now they'retalking about it being like 2017
, so I'm late to the Vanderpumptrain.
(07:09):
I 100% realized that.
But the reason that I startedwatching it was because a couple
months ago on Instagram, I sawa ton of people talking about
the end of season 10 and theywere like, oh my gosh, like
there was a hashtag Scandivalfor like one of the characters
on the show.
His name is Tom Sandoval, andthere was like a big scandal
(07:32):
that happened with him.
And people were like onBusiness trips.
Like I remember the birdspapaya was on a business trip
with her friends and they'rewatching the reunion like at the
table at the restaurant.
And a bunch of other peoplethat I follow were like Talking
about the reunion in theirstories and this huge scandal
that's happening and there waslike.
It piqued my interest, let metell you and I hadn't heard of
(07:57):
it before then the whole premiseof this restaurant that they
are all working at is In WestHollywood.
So, like I was in LA in Apriland I keep saying to Mike, I
wish I knew Vanderpump existedwhen I went to West Hollywood,
because I 100% Would have atleast tried to walk by it.
I went and walked by Oppenheimgroup when I was there,
(08:19):
obviously because I love sellingsunsets reality TV but I anyway
.
This is getting really long.
But I decided to start watchingit because I was like I need to
know what this scandal was and Iwanted to, like start from the
beginning because if I wanted to, I could very easily go into
Google and say what happened onseason 10?
(08:40):
And I would likely find out.
Or I could probably just asksomebody that I know that
watched it.
But I don't want that.
So there's a whole point tothis story.
So I've been watchingVanderpump rules like crazy.
You know, every free momentthat I have, I either have it on
in the background, I'm watchingit, like it's always on, and so
(09:01):
I was sick recently and I waswatching a lot more of it.
I was in about season six atthis time and Vanderpump is.
So Lisa Vanderpump, from what Iunderstand, used to be on the
housewives, like the realhousewives of something maybe
Orange County, anyway, itdoesn't matter.
She was a housewife and sothat's, I think, where she kind
(09:23):
of got some of her fame.
But she's really philanthropic,she's a very smart business
woman and she's like a serialentrepreneur In the sense that
she keeps opening up all theserestaurants, but anyway it's.
It's all based at thisrestaurant called sir, which
stands for sexy, uniquerestaurant, which is hilarious,
but in the show she's got sir.
She also owns a housewife it'shilarious, but in the show she's
(09:46):
got sir.
She also opened up a restaurantcalled pump, and then there was
another restaurant that she waswanting to open With two of the
characters, tom and Tom, andshe wants to call the restaurant
Tom Tom.
So I'm watching this while I'msick and I'm curious.
I'm like, oh, I wonder if,because again, this is like 2017
, this season that I'm watchingright now, and I'm like, oh, I
(10:08):
wonder if, if pump has, or ifTom Tom has opened yet.
So I get on my Google and I'mlike has, has Tom Tom opened yet
in West Hollywood, or whatever?
And so Google, of course, givesyou the answer and then below
that it gives you, like otherpotential Google searches that
you may want as a result of that.
(10:30):
So you know, our top is his.
Schwartz and Sandoval stillequal partners in the in the
restaurant.
It's all these like differentprompts.
Well, I'm not going to ruin itfor you, just in case you want
to watch Vanderpump, because Ihave been doing a really good
job up until this point ofavoiding finding out what the
(10:51):
scandal is.
And there in the Google searchSuggestions for me was a
question that relates to what Ican only assume is the scandal
that happened in season 10,because it asks a question about
a storyline or a plot line thatI have not heard of yet and
(11:11):
that I was blown away reading,and I was.
So I Was so mad at Google, likeGoogle played me really hard in
that Moment and I was not happy.
So, anyway, I'm still gonnawatch it all the way through.
Maybe that's the scandal, maybeit's not, but like I'm not even
(11:33):
gonna, I'm not even gonna Tryand Google to find out or not,
because I don't want to find outanything else that I don't want
to know.
So anyway, that's what'shappening with me in terms of
Vanderpump.
You know the update that youdefinitely didn't ask for, but
I've been watching a lot ofVanderpump because I've been
home more and things have reallyshifted for me in my life.
(11:56):
So if you don't follow me onInstagram which, hello, I would
imagine that you probably do Ifyou don't, though I'm the dot
balance, dot bliss you canalways find my Instagram and the
show notes.
But if you follow me onInstagram or you're on my email
list, you'll know that I made areally fucking big decision in
(12:17):
the summer to quit my part timejob.
Now you might be saying what?
You had a part time job, butyou're a podcast host and an
author and a coach and all thesethings, and truly I am all of
those things.
But I had a part time job aswell just to help to supplement
some of that income coming in asI have grown this balance and
(12:40):
bliss business.
So balance and bliss has kindof been like a dream of mine
since 2018.
That's really when, like, theseed was planted of the balance
and bliss dream, and I have beenhustling hard since 2018 to
make that happen.
So, in addition to you know,making that happen, obviously
(13:00):
there's the stability of incomethat we needed in our household
with one now two children, andso I've always had some sort of
job corporate job on the side.
So right up until the summer,the last three years, I three
years, yeah, four years actuallyI had been teaching part time
(13:25):
at a private college herelocally.
So my background is in socialservices and I've always kind of
had my hand in the helpingfield.
So I taught social services tostudents who were wanting to get
a second career and I lovedlike I love teaching.
It was a really great gig.
(13:47):
But one of the things that wewere really finding in our life
that we needed more of wasflexibility and freedom, and
that's really what I have beenworking towards since 2018.
You know, I have this goal insight of wanting to create
change in the world with people,but also being in business for
myself meant that I hadflexibility and time freedom to
(14:10):
create my schedule and to alsocreate my reality, which, of
course, isn't something that oursociety tells us that we can do
or that's possible for us.
So I remember when I wastalking about wanting to have my
own coaching business and nothave, you know, an employee or
an employer who is paying me.
(14:32):
You know, some people in mylife are like, why are you doing
that?
Like that's so, it's, it's ascary move, right?
Because we're not conditionedto believe that like, yeah, you
can just go out and make it onyour own, but you have a family
and you need to be moreresponsible and all those sorts
of things.
So I really bought into thatlike need to be responsible for
(14:55):
a long time and I'm not sayingthat you don't have to be
responsible, but it just it keptme feeling scared, and I think
that that's a large part of thereason of why I've held on to a
consistent employer employeetype of dynamic for so long is
because it's scary, right, whenthere's a lot of unknown, when
(15:18):
you decide to leave a stableposition and move into something
that likely is the thing thatbrings you more joy or that you
feel more passionate about, orthat you that you really feel
drawn to and pulled to.
There's a lot of scarinessaround that.
(15:38):
So it was a really, really bigdeal for me to make that shift.
One of the things that it reallymeant for me was that I was
fucking leaning into trust.
Let me tell you that becausethere is no better way to tell
the universe that you are readyfor what it is giving you by
(15:59):
quitting the last.
I honestly call it, like youknow, slowly I've been cutting
all the.
It's like the parachute, right.
So the parachute I'm going tomake an analogy here with you so
I'm free falling, right, we'reall free falling through life
and we have this parachuteattached to us and the
(16:19):
parachutes are keeping us safe.
And so for me, I've kind of beenslowly cutting all of those
cords that were no longerserving me to create the life
and the reality that I waslooking for.
And I think that for me, thelast cord was getting rid of
(16:41):
that type of means of gainingincome.
And so now that I've cut thatcord and said, okay, universe, I
am going into the free fall.
I'm here, I'm here to trust you.
I am now in the free fall, andso what I've done is I've really
just hoped that, that theuniverse was going to provide,
(17:04):
or that you know that I'm goingto be taken care of.
All that to say, I've obviouslyput some things into place that
are going to help with thatstability and help with that
like time freedom.
So I'm going to back up alittle bit.
I said that you know that wewere really finding that having
time, freedom and flexibilitywas something that that I was
(17:27):
needing.
It's also, honestly, somethingthat's a lot easier for our
family to have Now with havingEloise two kids, you know going
back to school, and what if akid is sick from school, and
what if this needs to be done,or what if X, y and Z like
there's all of these, what ifs?
(17:47):
That it's really helpful ifthere's a primary parent that's
there to pick up that slack.
Right?
We're just coming out of thesummer and those who have full
time jobs where you have to bethere in an office setting maybe
, or even at home, from likethat nine to five structure,
it's really hard to figure outwhat the hell you're going to do
with your kids during that time, because if you can't put them
(18:10):
in a camp and you don't have ababysitter, then they're at home
.
And I remember talking toClara's hygienist like earlier
at the beginning of the summer,we were talking about this whole
like need for help and stuffand like what do you do with the
kids?
And blah, blah, blah, and shewas saying like it's such a gift
because she is working in this,like she's be there at seven,
(18:35):
like having to be in herbuilding at seven am and she's
there till five.
So her kid, her daughter,during the summer is like can't
be home alone for that amount oftime, Like that's a long time
for kids to be home alone.
And so she's like it's, it's agift to be able to, to have that
flexibility and that freedom.
(18:56):
So that was really what we wereneeding right now, and what
that has afforded me is thisability to one be creative with
the ways that I am bringing inincome into our family.
And it's also here's the here's.
The thing with cutting that lastparachute cord is that we try
(19:21):
so hard to control the outcomeof every single experience that
we have.
I'm very guilty of this.
Okay, I try so hard to like,okay, if I do this, then this is
going to happen, and if I dothis, then I know that this is
going to happen.
And if I don't know, right, ifwe don't know what the outcome
is going to be of a decision,and if we're just being asked,
(19:45):
or if we're asking ourselves orif we're asking other people you
know this happens a lot inclient conversations that I have
when people are interested inworking with me for the holistic
body connection, or even inthemselves.
They're like okay, I'm feelingat a place where I want
something to change.
You know, I've been.
I've been doing the same thingfor a long time and I want
(20:06):
things to be different and Ithink I need a coach, or I'd
like to work with you, but Idon't know what that's going to
look like and I don't know whatthe the end result is going to
look like.
And when you can't see whatthat, what's on the other side
of the decision that you'regoing to make?
It's, it's too fuzzy.
You don't know what that thingis.
(20:26):
Oftentimes we shy away from thator we decide not to do the
thing, not to hire the coach,not to quit the job, because we
don't know what's on the otherside and the protective part of
our brain automatically assumesthat it's shit's not going to go
well, it's going to be afucking disaster if we do that.
Or we're scared, right, we'rescared of what that could look
(20:47):
like.
But but I am once againlearning another lesson.
The day before I handed in myresignation actually even like a
week before I handed in myresignation I was fucking
freaking out.
I kind of told Mike a littlebit like oh, I'm starting to
(21:08):
like panic about money a littlebit, and I was telling a friend
of mine, um, the same thing, andyou know, it was like I was
feeling two things at the sametime.
I knew that this was a stepthat I needed to take, but I was
really terrified about whatthat was actually going to look
like.
Right, because there are billsto be paid.
(21:29):
There's no if ands or butsabout it.
There's bills to be paid.
There is some uncertaintythat's happening in the world
right now that we're kind offeeling like with the inflation
and all that kind of stuff.
So all of these things are alsohappening.
But I'm just feeling this callin this poll of like now is the
time.
(21:50):
Now is the time to make thischange that I have been working
for since 2018.
And I'm telling you this storybecause I want you to believe
that it's possible for you.
I really strongly believe thatit is possible for anybody to
create any sort of change thatthey want to.
I think that what happens for alot of us is that it just
(22:13):
doesn't happen at the speed orthe pace that we want it to.
It didn't happen at the speedor the pace that I wanted it to,
because I moved into thispart-time position that I just
recently released, in 2019,because I was moving away from
full-time but my coachingbusiness expanding wasn't
(22:34):
happening fast enough for me.
You know, I wasn't getting theamount of clients quickly enough
to be able to let go of thatcorporate structure and that
stability and that securitycompletely.
And so I took this step intopart-time, which every single
step that you make is a step inthe right direction, because my
gosh, being an instructor forfour years, the skills that I
(22:59):
have been able to learn that Ican now use in all of the work
that I'm doing, like all of thespeaking.
I mean, fuck, I wouldn't havehad the confidence, I think, to
start a podcast if I didn't haveto lead a classroom every
single day for four hours.
People sat in that class andjust listened to me talk.
(23:20):
Can you imagine you get me forlike 30 minutes in your ear for
fucking hours of time that I hadto fill with my students, and I
did that for four years, right?
And so the skills that Ilearned in terms of people
management and even, like thetechnology skills, the practical
skills that I can apply goingforward to speaking and
(23:43):
presentations and workshops thatI'm now doing.
You know, I think that everystep that we take on our journey
is there for a reason itteaches us something, it allows
for us to shed an old story thatwe've had about ourselves,
about what we're capable ofdoing and being.
So all of these, you know, I'mnow realizing all of these
(24:05):
stepping stones, or all of thesethings have been kind of the
stepping stones continuing toget me to where I want to be,
and so now, in this moment, I'min a place where I have the
ability to be present for myfamily when they need it, to be
available at the drop of a hat,right, I'm not tied to a
(24:27):
classroom.
I'm also really able to pourinto and focus on the things in
balance and bliss that reallyreally light me up.
So things like this event that,uh, that I'm planning for 2024.
So me and three other women umare planning this like never
(24:48):
been done before in the, in theregion that I live in, um, we're
looking at creating this like150 person event for women who
are feeling stuck.
Women who are feeling stuck intheir lives, who are searching
for something more, who arelooking for more fulfillment,
(25:09):
who are wanting to continue tobe in the spaces and places
where people are striving toelevate themselves, where people
who are saying this life is nolonger serving me and I want to
break free from that and I wantto continue to grow.
We're creating thistransformative experience, full
(25:30):
day kind of live event here inWaterloo region that is just
going to, quite frankly, blowyour socks off today.
I had an excellent meetingtoday, being the today that I'm
recording this episode, not thetoday that it comes out.
Um, by the time this episodecomes out, the venue is going to
be secured and it is going tobe the one that I spoke to today
(25:52):
, but I had this incredibleconversation with the space that
we're wanting to host it in andyou know, she said to me when I
heard about the event thatyou're having, I got goosebumps.
I feel like this is so neededin our community.
People are realizing that theywant to prioritize themselves,
(26:12):
that they want to bring morehappiness into their lives, that
they want to bring more joyinto their lives, that maybe the
things that they've beentelling themselves for years are
not working and they're readyto really dive into that and let
go of that and instead createthis new reality, this new
(26:33):
elevated, like blooming, type ofexistence.
We need that Like people needmore of that, and so me and
these three other women are justplanning this kick-ass
experience March 2024.
I'll make sure to include inthe show notes where you can
follow us on Instagram.
It's called Bloom is the nameof the event, and the Instagram
(26:55):
is let's bloom kw.
And, yeah, tickets are going tobe on sale for that really soon
, and so that is.
That is a really big kind ofexciting thing that I am working
on with them right now.
And the other thing, too, thatI've been doing a lot more of is
workshops and seminars and youknow, half day experiences and
(27:19):
symposiums where people cometogether to learn to do.
I'm thinking of bringing visionboarding workshops back.
Those were like such a such anexperience and such a hit around
around like New Year's whenpeople are looking to create
some new intentions.
So vision boarding workshops,like other type of workshops,
(27:40):
I'm doing retreats with certainbusinesses.
So when I was pregnant withEloise, I went to Niagara on the
lake with a team from anOntario college and we had they
were having a three dayexperience.
I was just a part of one of themornings with them, but in 2024
, I am doing a whole day withthem and it's going to be so
(28:03):
much fun.
It's actually one thing that Ican help.
That I can help with, or thatI've been doing, is helping
businesses who have health andwell being strategies, who are
wanting to support theiremployees in their wellness and
in their work life balance.
I have been working with themto craft hours or half days or
(28:26):
many days of workshops and andretreats, and so that's
something that I get to leaninto and ultimately like what
that.
What that allows for me is tojust really live out this
passion and purpose that I havefor being the change that I want
(28:47):
to see in the world Right now.
It's also it's also allowing metime to work on my next book.
So I my first book came out in2020.
Then, of course, I have thesebody bliss projects, but this
next book that I'm working on isa is a solo project, and in
that book, I was talking aboutthis whole be.
(29:09):
The change kind of came fromthis quote that I saw from
Gandhi when I was in college.
I literally saw that quote whenI was in college and it has
been my driving force foreverything that I have done ever
since then, both in the socialservices field, helping people
through mental health crisis andhelping them to, you know,
(29:30):
change their reality and theircircumstances and grow and
evolve as humans.
And then, of course, now thathas just morphed into kind of
helping people in general, youknow, helping them to.
I mean having conversationslike this where I say to you hey
, if there's something that youwant in this world to accomplish
(29:52):
, to do, to achieve, to be, toget rid of, to not be a part of
anymore, you have the ability todo that Right.
We have that power and thatability to create the reality
that we want.
So I got a lot of really coolstuff coming for you in the rest
of this year, in 2024, in thepodcast.
(30:14):
We have a packed podcast rosterfor the next couple of months
and I said to Mike earlier today, this is going to be the season
of men joining us forconversations on the podcast.
I have a couple really kick-assdudes lined up to have some
conversations with, and lots ofreally cool stuff happening
(30:36):
around here.
So thank you so much forcontinuing to be along for the
ride, for sitting on the couchwith me today in my basement and
I will catch you next week onthe Balance and Bliss podcast.
Until then, have a great dayand stay well.
Thanks so much for being here.
I hope you're leaving with afull heart, some inspiration or
(30:58):
you're feeling the kick in thebutt you felt like you needed.
If you really enjoyed thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend or let me knowRates, reviews, subscribing and
sharing are all great ways tosupport the show and if you want
to stay in touch, follow meover on Instagram at
thebalancebless.
Thanks for listening today andstay well.
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