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Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott

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Today’s shared story comes from movement coach Karin McDermott.

Karin McDermott

Experiencing life from the soul’s point of view is what drives and sustains me. I’ve made it my mission to revere soul through the enormous gift of the senses. They offer nourishment and sanctuary to my body, yet also deliver the bewilderment needed to continually be enchanted by life. My own journey taught me that enlightenment is not a destination – it’s a philosophy of living. It means cultivating a fully considered and continually evolving life, accepting challenges with grace, and then luxuriating in the everyday resolution…with passion.

Honoring the wisdom of my senses took an unwavering faith in their ability to orchestrate my decisions. It had become vividly clear that my soul was yearning to be seduced by an honest connection to the Divine. For me, that put meaning into meaningful. I call that grace. Grace saturated my life when I surrendered to being impassioned and replete with soul.  I strive to live there…every day.

Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott karin1

We’re collectively joined by a craving for beauty, serenity and meaning. The senses are my refuge into those cravings; they’re a tangible connection to a union with my self, my family and my surroundings. I’ve always been a mind-body-soul seeker, but my refuge wasn’t always assured. My early twenties found me continually entrenched in a stack of self-help books that either explained how to chase my toddlers while still smiling, or how to lock the door so a bath would magically engender the promise of balance. Great ideas for living in the moment, but they left me continually searching outside of myself for the big-picture answers. I was an overwhelmed, over-exhausted single mother so deeply absorbed in caring for others that I forgot to nourish the innately essential me. I had insidiously fallen away from the wisdom of my senses, and yearned desperately to be enlivened again. So I began to revisit my physical self, first and foremost through my love of movement. I realized it was the one thing I instinctively trusted for the safe exploration of my soul. My senses were awakened there. What I discovered in the process was the deeply galvanizing truth that the human body demands refuge within itself for authentic exploration. Physical connection to the outside world is the resplendent expression of the soul’s yearning to re-engage the senses. This became the driving force behind the sojourn back to me, and the revelation that changed the direction of my life forever. I pledged faith in the wisdom of my senses to unearth my passionate human soul. And I never looked back.

Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott karin2

Of course, some of life’s journeys come the very hard way and force us in yet another direction, but it’s how we take the next step that defines us. In my case it also forced me to take a penetrating look at how my time would be spent and how going forward it needed to be only ‘doing what I love.’ Yes, I had been an overwhelmed, over-exhausted single mother for whom physical depletion sadly became my normal way of life. And yes, I found a method to reinvigorate that life through my senses. But in the meantime, I was given the diagnosis that Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) had already found it’s way into my body, and on that day I knew my life would again change direction. A drastic shift in lifestyle was immediate and compulsory. A good team of doctors, an overdue divorce, less stress, more sleep, new daily affirmations and my Soultree™ movement practice became the collective kick-start to my journey of cultivating a life ‘Doing What I Love’. Next came infusing the senses into every area of my life with the fierce devotion of a righteous warrior, and I prevailed. I realized the re-engagement of my sensual life was also the missing piece of my wellness puzzle, and it was that discovery that reinforced the direction of my calling. I have been abSOULutely compelled to share my methods with others ever since. It’s my quest, and I respect it deeply. Since 2000, I’ve been teaching movement as a method for unearthing the passionate human soul to clients in the U.S., Europe and Australia.

Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott karin3

In 2004, I founded Soultree Motion, Inc., a movement and lifestyle company based in Manhattan Beach, California. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to share my philosophy with features on Oprah, Discovery Channel, 48-Hours, HGTV, Univision, SoCal’s Best & Celebrity Overhaul. The opening of my proprietary Soultree™ studios on both U.S. coasts gave sacred space its aesthetic due as a vital mechanism for cultivating a soul-directed life, as well as providing women the evocative serenity they craved. My teaching methods continue to garner enthusiastic accolades due to my SOULutions proffered with humor, grace and my uniquely familiar and forthcoming book title…abSOULutely! I do what I love daily, I luxuriate in the sensuality of every moment, and through my own phenomenally blessed journey, I discovered I had a knack for sharing how. That makes me smile. I live passionately every day…from my soul. Join me.

Doing What I Love… is cultivating a deeply authentic and passionately inspired life of sensual harmony.

Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott karin4

[All images courtesy of Karin McDermott.]

To find out more about Karin visit her website or connect on Twitter @Karin_McDermott.

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Meet mind-body-soul seeker Karin McDermott RT logo

Have you heard about my collaboration with surface pattern designer Rachael Taylor?

The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design is open for registration now! Find out more here.

Textile study in the mountains of Kyoto

 Textile study in the mountains of Kyoto school

(Image via KnitJapan)

Do you remember the thrill of that moment when your acceptance letter for a new school, or university dropped through the letterbox?  Well these days it’s by email, but I got the same feeling this morning when I opened up the mail that said I have been accepted* into the Kawashima Textile School in Kyoto for a delicious month studying traditional Japanese textiles, during my time in Japan next year.  (*There isn’t actually an entrance exam or anything, but it’s always nice to be accepted!)

KTS is somewhere I have wanted to study for a long time. Besides the alluring fact that the school is nestled in a village in the mountains north of Kyoto, its courses have always drawn me in.  I must have read and reread their website 50 times over the last few years, always trying to work out how I could squeeze in the time to go.  But now I am going to be living down the road for several months, so it is perfect.

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(Image via KnitJapan)

The school – one of the oldest textile academies in Asia – has been teaching textile studies since 1973, and has substantial facilities for dyeing and weaving, including a variety of looms. They teach traditional techniques and culture, alongside modern textile practices.  One of the courses will be in English and one in Japanese, so I’d better get learning some textile-related vocabulary before then!   The school was founded by Kawashima Textile Manufacturers Ltd and students have the chance to see the company’s specialised textile processes up close.  I cannot wait.

So much for my plans to have no plans while in Kyoto next year…

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If you have ever dreamt of seeing your designs on stationery, fabric, homewares or other products, sharing your art through pattern, and monetising your designs this groundbreaking course is for you! The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design featuring Rachael Taylor’ is the definitive guide to becoming a surface pattern designer. Find out more here.

Announcing expert contributors for The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design

Announcing expert contributors for The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design contributor logos

So thrilled and honoured to be able to announce a stellar line-up of contributors for The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design featuring Rachael Taylor. The logos above show some of the experts who will be joining us – our contributors include designers, trend companies, leading design bloggers, authors, trade show executives and pattern buyers.  See here for links to our contributors’ websites.

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The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design featuring Rachael Taylor is the only place online where you are able to hear from and see the work of these experts all together. See here to find out more about this groundbreaking course, or register now to secure your place!

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Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories

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Today’s shared stories come from interior designer Sukanya (Suki) Taylor, business start-up coach Stormy Sweitzer and financial coach Bari Linden Tessler.

Suki Taylor

Suki Taylor

As a passionate artist, crafter and blogger, I find inspiration everywhere; and as an interior designer, I try to channel that inspiration into my designs. I like to take risks, to discover and explore the new. For me, life is a journey, an adventure, endlessly interesting and rich with possibilities. Needless to say, I’m absolutely passionate about what I do.

My first memory of art was when I was in primary school. I was given a homework assignment to draw a picture entitled “My Home”. When I showed my picture to the teacher, she didn’t believe that I had drawn it. This made me very upset and I started drawing like mad at every opportunity … that was the beginning of my designer journey.

My schooldays came and went, culminating in a degree in interior design. Soon after, I landed my dream job: working as an interior designer and teaching drawing on the weekends. Needless to say, this kept me pretty busy but I was finally getting paid for doing what I love.

Five years on and I decided to broaden my horizons in the UK, a country just brimming over with great art and design, so I signed up for a marketing course at the University of the Arts London – a fantastic experience that really challenged me.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories studio suki sketch

Right now, I’m living in Australia and running a little design studio from home. It was really tough in the beginning. The biggest obstacle was not having a regular income. There were times I found myself thinking ‘what if?’, but I tried to keep sight of my current dreams as well as the ones I plan to chase.

In the beginning, I had to do retail work part time to support myself while I was building up a regular clientele. But I never gave up and nowadays I’m as busy as a bee. It’s meant lots of late nights and gallons of coffee but it’s been a labour of love and when the jobs are done, the smile on my clients’ faces always makes my heart beat a little faster.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories studio suki desk

The best part of working from home is that I get to do my research on a comfy daybed with a little daydreaming thrown in and any time is Me Time.

Sometimes, I put up twinkle lights and let myself drift away into a designer fantasy where my dreams are magically transformed into reality and creativity sparkles like fairy dust…

…and then the phone rings.

“Studio Suki; Suki speaking.”

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories studio suki quote Albert Einstein

[All images courtesy of Suki Taylor.]  

Find out more on her website or connect on Facebook.

Stormy Sweitzer

Stormy Sweitzer

Have you ever had an experience, a moment, or an encounter that struck you upside the head and soul so clearly that you couldn’t shake it?  Maybe it lingered, lifted, created curiosity, found its way into your thoughts and actions whether you recognized it or not at the time.

For me, this moment occurred when I was 8 years old – almost 30 years ago.  I was at a slumber party.  As an early-riser, I was the first to wake up.  And with nothing to do, I turned on the TV.  On Sunday mornings in the early 80s, it was common to see infomercials from relief organizations that did work in the developing world.  The program that was on that morning was about leprosy in Africa and how it affected so many people there.  It affected me, too – though in a very different way, and was a sign of how I would engage with the world as I grew older.

When my school-teacher grandmother took me to Eastern Europe (before the Berlin Wall fell) one summer, it cemented my feelings that the world was a curious place, full of wonder as well as woe.

From that point forward, I spent a great deal of time doing three things:

  1. Travelling abroad (living in 4 and traveling through 25 other countries by the time I was 22);
  2. Studying languages (Spanish, Russian, Romanian, and a smattering of French) and subjects that might allow me to make an impact (Economics, Public Health); and
  3. Doing volunteer and social impact work.

My first job earned me a poverty-level wage, but I was helping raise awareness about hunger and build emergency food stores for people around our state.  Months after starting the job, I set my sights on joining the Peace Corps.  I had heard that the application process took a very long time, so I was shocked when just four months after my initial enquiry, I was invited to be a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) Development Consultant in the former Soviet Republic of Moldova.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories peacecorps Stormy

I’d never even heard of Moldova, but soon, I was helping people start not-for-profit entities and learn how to write grant proposals.  This, I believe, was the start of my love for creating new organizations, for building systems, and for teaching about the start-up process.

These skills came in handy for me over the next 10 years in the various jobs I held, where I often took on the role of start-up go-to-person, and as an on-and-off-again consultant.  And then one day, the dam broke and I quit my job.  I wanted to use these skills to make my own ideas happen and to find a way to combine my interests in environmental, health, and social justice issues with my start-up tendencies.

My first business was a green one – selling fair trade and eco-friendly baby gifts and clothing. The next was a technology business that was inspired by the frustrations I encountered with children’s clothing.  Both ultimately closed, but in the process of running them, I learned that I loved to solve problems, make a difference, be involved in the excitement of starting something new, and use business – something I had previously wanted nothing to do with – as a tool for doing it.

Today, I have my fingers in many pies as a food-loving, world-travelling, do-gooder with a love of start-up activity and making lemonade.  I have returned to my social impact roots, helping nonprofit organizations/NGOs and social entrepreneurs that want to change the world create revenue-generating enterprises that allow them to do just that.  There’s no better thing for me than being able to work with organizations and causes I support, while using my skills and interests to help them create sustainable impact.

In addition to my social impact coaching and consulting, I blog about food and help others transition to a healthy, gluten-free and dairy-free diet through classes and group support.  And, I’ve come full circle with the Africa experience, helping my husband, a South African, market tours to his home country.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories Stormy China Town 9

It’s been a challenging and, at times, frustrating and time-consuming journey, but to be able to spend my time creating my own way, helping others create theirs, and making a difference in the process is a fabulous thing.  And, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  It is this drive to do what I love that keeps me going and helps me stay focused on the things that allow me to do it – like making sales calls and sending out proposals, like filtering out distractions and saying no to opportunities that really aren’t, and like staying within a budget when I have to.

I hope that, if you are reading this, you understand that the effort is worthwhile and that the journey is not impossible if you are willing to work towards it.  Do what you love, by starting every day with the conviction that you will and by taking one small step forward.  The momentum builds from there.

[All images courtesy of Stormy Sweitzer.]

To find out more, visit her website here.

Bari Linden Tessler

Bari-Office-Purple

My desire to be a therapist, business woman and/or dancer had been circling around me since I was a kid. At 23, I realized I wanted to be a Dance-Movement Therapist. Dance + Movement has always helped me get in touch with my feelings and articulate my vast inner world.

In my mid 20s I earned a master’s degree in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University.  The program was fabulous. It helped me mature and develop in many ways. But there was a significant missing piece in my education that became apparent when my school loan came due.  This was a scary event at the time, but it served as the catalyst for my Money Initiation. It shined a light on my complete lack of financial education. And it sent me down the path that led to my larger work in the world.

I then learned everything I could about bookkeeping and money management from the ground on up.  After long hikes in the woods, I had the vision to blend my body–centered psychotherapy background with all of the practical tools and systems that I was learning.  In 2001 I conceived the Conscious Bookkeeping Method, which integrates Financial Therapy, Values Based Bookkeeping, and Life Vision Planning. It’s a powerful blend of practical tools, deep therapeutic experiences, and expansive inspiration.

I have been offering my private Financial Therapy and the Conscious Bookkeeping Method course work for over a decade now for individuals and couples. I deeply love my work.  This works includes lots of body check-ins and chocolate!

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories bari forest 3

At age 38, I suddenly had the vision of having a child. I had been with my husband for seven years, and it was a surprise for him. We’d agreed that we were not going to have kids. But hey, a girl can change her mind, right?! So, my husband and I found a great therapist, and over the course of six weeks we were able to get on the same page again — this time as parents! We actually conceived Noah a few hours before our final therapy session.

Some people are long-term planners but I’m not one of them!  I tend to plan a few months, to one year, at a time. My style is to keep listening and opening up to what is present and then take one step at a time as it makes sense to me. So, my current reality has happened one small step at a time.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories Family at farm Jpg

To me doing what I love means that my family life and my work life are full of passion, fun, choice, creativity, depth, and growth. It means that at times I take control and make things happen and, at other times, I let go and allow life to just happen, trusting in its shifting cycles and phases.

It means that I get to find the best rhythm for my work time and my mommy time and that I get to enjoy each of these roles to their fullest expression.  It means that I get to teach, mentor and lovingly guide people through a money initiation and into a place of maturity, consciousness and hope.

It means that I get to help people build bridges between money, body, mind, and spirit…  while eating chocolate along the way!  Doing what I love means that I get to work from home, hike the mountains just outside my front door, have tons of time with my 3 year old, walk a mere 100 ft. to visit my husband in his office, and get to be creative on a daily basis.  Happiness is working your tushy off to do work you love, and sharing it with those who need it.

Happiness is doing what you love and sharing that with others: Suki Taylor, Stormy Sweitzer & Bari Linden Tessler share their stories 4 screenshots of launch videos

[All images courstesy of Bari Tessler Linden]

Bari is a Financial Therapist, Mamapreneur, and Founder of The Art of Money. You can find out more about Bari on her website and find out more about her latest programs here.

A tribute to a true visionary – Steve Jobs

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As the world mourns one of the greatest innovators of our time, the words being shown over and over on our TV screens are from Steve Jobs’ commencement address to Stanford University back in 2005.  They go like this…

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

(Watch the video here)

He gave us the Apple Mac, the iPhone, the iPod and all those fantastic Pixar animations.  But perhaps these wise words are one of the most valuable things he gave us.  After all, what is the point of spending your life doing something you don’t love?

Making memories

DWYL retreat memory book

While we are on the subject of the Do What You Love retreat (with the film launched on Tuesday and the Mingle article yesterday!) I wanted to share the gorgeous hand-bound book made by the very talented Rachel Hazell, using individual pages crafted by retreat participants.  I will treasure this as a wonderful memory of the first Do What You Love retreat – thank you all!

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3D page above by mixed media artist Priscilla Jones.  NB Other pages have not been credited due to the personal nature of some sentiments shared on the pages!

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If you have ever dreamt of seeing your designs on stationery, fabric, homewares or other products, sharing your art through pattern, and monetising your designs this groundbreaking course is for you! The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design featuring Rachael Taylor’ is the definitive guide to becoming a surface pattern designer. Find out more here.

13 page spread in ‘Mingle’ (new magazine from Stampington!)

DWYL retreat article in Mingle magazine

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the preview copy of Mingle, the gorgeous new magazine from Stampington which is all about ‘creative ideas for unique gatherings’.

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The Do What You Love retreat is brought to life in 13 beautiful pages, featuring a few words from me and a host of photographs from the very talented Christine Boyd and Xander Neal of NavyBlur. Editor-in-Chief Christen Olivarez has done an incredible job.

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This is a sneak peek of some of those pages… you can get your own copy from bookshops across the US or by mail order direct from Stampington.

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By the way, if you missed it the Do What You Love retreat film premiere is now showing here!

Do What You Love film premiere!

So excited to finally release this short (4 minute) film from the Do What You Love retreat held in Yorkshire in May. It was a really special event, which Jack and Rafael of Nut Films have captured perfectly in this short film featuring Matt Stinchcomb (European Director of Etsy), Flora Bowley, Rachel Hazell and me (excuse me for looking very tired!)

Thanks so much to everyone at the retreat for letting us use this footage.  It will be archived on the retreat page here.  I’d love to know what you think!

PS News of the next one will be announced at some point in the coming months.   If you want to be the first to hear about it make sure you are on the mailing list (sign up here).

Do What You Love film premiere! DWYL 2461(Image: Navy Blur)

 

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone: Claire Maguire shares her story

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Today’s shared story comes from Claire Maguire.

Claire Maguire

To do what you love means each day is a joy.  An adventure.  A discovery.  Being able to see the world with fresh eyes.  To be thankful that the moment is a gift to be cherished.  It’s when work loses meaning.  You’re in flow.  Work, life is harmonious, it’s easy, effortless.  You become lost in that which you do.

It sounds so romantic.  And is it even achievable?  For a duality of life in doing what you love means leaping with faith and that can evoke fear…yet to quote Neale Donald Walsche “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”.

For me the leap is saying yes to pursuing the pleasure I gain when I teach women about the sensuality in food, in particular raw food; to give women the ability to re-connect into their purpose; to release old pain and to say yes to innermost desires.  To be able to put yourself first and lose the guilt.  And I have the absolute honour of doing that through running retreats.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone: Claire Maguire shares her story 1 SFH spring

The realization that this is what I wanted to do, could do, even dare to dream of, hit me over 4 years ago.  When I discovered that raw food can literally change your life it sparked within me the passion to share this information.  I became a coach and in doing so, my life and the path I had followed made sense – what a relief!  I visualised the sound of women laughing as I showed them how to make sense of their lives, dreams and desires.  I knew that I loved creating experiences and events and so the seedling of an idea to run retreats was planted.

It’s been a slow process of seeing that dream become a reality.  I started a coaching practice initially which finessed my craft. I run on-line coaching programmes and I have participated in courses and worked with mentors myself.

I fortunately had a supportive family who saw the value in my dream and together we renovated an old farmhouse in North Yorkshire (UK) into a luxury boutique retreat centre.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone: Claire Maguire shares her story SFH rainbow 1

It’s been a monumental journey; I left a marriage, moved with my children, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  I had to make a ‘comeback’ with my coaching practice. I had to re-inspire myself and my passion for food, I learnt more and more deeply about the importance of self-care on all levels – mind, body, spirit and the impact our emotions play in our well-being.

It’s been an eventful 4 years.  But with the loyalty of my clients, the faith of my family and the support of my friends, the opening of The Retreat at Split Farthing Hall was a treasured event.  I was living, breathing, doing what I love.

With hindsight I realise that everything takes much longer than anticipated and a plan of working 6 months ahead instead of reacting in the moment would have been beneficial.  I could have held more belief and networked like crazy.  Yet I do believe everything happens when you’re ready.  And it’s only now that I’m ready to take the next big leap and see The Retreat at Split Farthing Hall become an in-demand; much loved boutique retreat; featured in the glossy magazines and Sunday supplements; to build a community of passionate women and to touch the lives of the women that come here to experience the magic.

[Images courtesy of Claire Maguire]

Find out more about retreats at Split Farthing Hall here. To find out more about well-being and food coach Claire visit her website here.

On a mission to take back our plates, one delicious bite at a time: Sue Ann Gleason shares her story

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Today’s shared story comes from nutritionist Sue Ann Gleason.

Sue Ann Gleason

I am a food lover, food writer, and food-based healer. (aka: culinary nutritionist) I started my business because I wanted to create a delicious approach to radiant health. But the road has been a little bumpy.  You see, before I set off to study every form of mind-body-health and nutritional science I could get my Type-A hands on, I was simply a happy, “healthy” food lover.  Or so I thought.

And then, I lost my health and found it again through a deep, introspective look at the food I was eating, or not eating when I was on one of my extreme diet or exercise regimes.  And when I found the courage to dig a little deeper, I discovered it wasn’t only about the food. My beautifully complex life needed more than just the application of glorious greens and fresh vegetable juices.  Non-stop, copiously compulsive Type A overachiever.  That was me. I used to shave one leg in the morning and one at night to save time. My calendar was color-coded. Even “spontaneous” moments had a color—blue.   I was proud of my resourcefulness. I was an accomplished multi-tasker and it even earned me the distinction Teacher of the Year.

On a mission to take back our plates, one delicious bite at a time: Sue Ann Gleason shares her story IMG 2905

Taking on a health crisis was, for me, just another project. I attacked it with tenacity. I started studying things like cellular rejuvenation through raw food nutrition. I climbed into bed with The Autoimmune Epidemic instead of my favorite memoir.  My body became a human laboratory. And I healed.

But old habits die-hard. Even in healing mode, I found a way to live life in the extremes. It started with my raw food journey. Instead of reveling in the vibrant colors and textures of homegrown tomatoes, ravishing red peppers, crunchy cucumbers and glorious greens, a meal became a contest. Anything less than 100 percent raw somehow became less nourishing than its cooked counterpart.

There I was—immersed in my new career with more degrees, studies, certifications, awards, and endorsements than I knew what to do with—surrounded by healthy, like-minded nutrition gurus and healers, when I came to the striking realization . . .  I WASN’T HAVING ANY FUN.

I found myself longing for the companionship of food-loving friends who appreciated beautiful, wholesome meals, and . . . CHOCOLATE.  One blustery weekend, I attended an Integrated Health Symposium in New York City. You know, the kind of conference that fills both your brain and your CEO bucket.  The presenters were brilliant. The information was cutting-edge. But the exhibit hall was filled with powders, potions, pills, bars, and supplements. I was trying to find my way out of the tangle, bumping into voracious vendors hawking their wares, when a bright-eyed gentleman blocked my path,

“Our products come from whole food botanicals, optimally cultivated, fair trade and sustainable, rich in human compatible/absorbable vitamins, minerals, EFA oils and antioxidants, especially vitamins C and E. Do you use super food powders with your clients?” he asked.  “No, I use food,” I replied.  Though, admittedly, I was impressed with the number of words that spilled out of his mouth in just one sentence.  That was a pivotal moment. I knew it was time to reclaim my relationship with real food, all food, fun food, and start hanging out with people who actually ate it.

On a mission to take back our plates, one delicious bite at a time: Sue Ann Gleason shares her story flirting fig salad watermark e1441299031739

So, I tried a little experiment. What happens when you take away all the fear-based notions around food and health and you just focus on the blissful benefits of consuming colorful, vibrant meals?  What happens when you slow down and enjoy what you’re eating?  What happens when you shift the pace of your life and make a commitment to engage in at least one delicious activity each day that makes you laugh?  What happens when you start eating chocolate for breakfast?

I can tell you, ‘my’ life changed. I didn’t throw away my credentials or the gazillion books I had collected on biochemical imbalances or nutritional theories.  But I did create a shift in my life and in my practice. I discovered that I have a unique gift. I can transform even the most contracted eater on the planet. I know how to laugh. I know how to use my creative powers to get to the heart of their nutritional stories because I’ve explored the shadows and contradictions in my own story. And I am passionate about my work as a culinary nutritionist, because embedded in this work, is a heartfelt mission: that we take back our plates, one luscious bite at a time.

[Image courtesy of Sue Ann Gleason.]

Sue Ann, founder of Conscious Bites Nutrition, is a Washington DC-based culinary nutritionist, dynamic eating psychology coach, speaker, and writer. Find out more about Sue Ann on her website or her blog.