Transforming through retreats with Emma Walkinshaw

#64 - Emma Walkinshaw (EDITED)

Wed, May 01, 2024 2:24PM • 50:16

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

india, love, retreat, women, beautiful, run, hosted, business, talking, emma, moment, yoga, wonderful, life, set, sri lanka, trip, bought, kerala, husband

SPEAKERS

Emma Lovell

Emma Lovell 00:01

Do you want to live a life of freedom and adventure? Are you wanting more than the daily grind? Me too. Welcome to the Emma Lovell show, a place where we talk about living a life you love now, I'm your host, Emma Lovell, and my number one value is freedom. I've spent the last 14 years running a business and traveling the world. And now I take my husband and toddler along for the adventure to it's possible and I know you can create a life doing what you truly love as well. This podcast will inspire, motivate and encourage you to go after your dreams to create a life you love until you get now don't wait for a time and or someday in the future. I'll be sharing episodes weekly about how I harmonize business travel and self care. I'll also bring on incredible guests to share their journeys, wins the challenges and how they're creating a life they love. Let's jump in and get dreaming. This is a space for you to manifest a life you love. I would like to acknowledge and recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of this place now known as Australia. I am grateful for the continuing care of the land waterways and skies where I work live. Listen, learn and play. From here on you can bear country and from wherever you are listening. I pay my respects to the elders past and present. Welcome to the podcast today. I can't wait for you to meet me Walkinshaw, an incredible transformational coach. She's also an accredited yoga instructor and a dynamic entrepreneur with a passion for empowering women. She is the founder of the transformative 21 minutes of morning magic and embody me program and she creates spaces for growth and self discovery. Emma also leads the body LOVE REVOLUTION online summit and hosts the inspiring Whole Heart retreat for women here in Australia and internationally. And she's also an author of 365 days of mourning magic which is a daily guide to setting your intuition and embracing a life of clarity and purpose. Emma and I met through a amazing group Money Boot Camp group that potentially maybe just online we're not sure but M has recently hosted a retreat in India which I helped coach her to to do with her amazing co hosts Lou and it was a complete sellout and incredible experience so we're gonna be talking a lot about that today. The power of retreats the power of India, and NS amazing work as a transformational life coach, which I've personally experienced. So please do welcome the incredible wonderful delightful nurturing soul giving romantic that is in a warm welcome to the podcast Emma Walkinshaw.

02:51

Hello, em, it's absolute delight to be here. My love.

Emma Lovell 02:55

Like this is a long time coming. And it is a bit of an AMA Inception where we talk. It sounds like we're talking in third person, but we are both Mr. Both fabulous. But yes, I feel like this is a very long time coming to actually have you on the podcast. So welcome.

03:10

Thanks, am looking forward to a good chat.

Emma Lovell 03:14

Like full disclosure, we have been talking for an hour off air. We're well warmed up and we will try to keep it tight for the audience. But I feel like this is going to be the first of many Mr. Because I I'd love to do some dedicated ones with you too. We're going to talk today about you and your story. But you are also my star student case study extraordinaire of taking being a retreat host in Australia and taking it to India.

03:44

Yes, yeah, that I think em you know, a lot changed me when we met I had a desire to run retreats internationally, and particularly India. So my background I guess I should give a quick little overview. I

Emma Lovell 04:01

I did a bio but I hear in your words. A quick Who is Mr.

04:06

I'll do a very quick on so I started business at the ripe old age of 23. My first business of five years was a hairdressing salon. And then after that I had a couple of children and my husband's work change. So we moved in came back to the Gold Coast. So moved from my hairdressing salon was on the Gold Coast move came back. I went into training long term unemployed people as a contractor and I really, really enjoyed that. But then just before my husband turned 40 went into business with his occupation, which was town planning. And then as I started this town planning journey with him, I realized that town planning was so not my thing. And it was just to look I was used to chatting to people and in a town planning office. Everyone's very quiet and yeah, it was just not my thing. So I I happen to be listening to the radio, Hay House Radio, I think it's still an app. So Louise Hay House Radio. And I was right into yoga at that stage. You know, we had children, I was working in the town planning office. And the little ad came on and said, a life coach by the name of Jennifer Grace was going to India, and she was running a retreat with yoga and personal development and photography and a bit of contribution work. And I went, I'm going, you know, that little whisper, I'm going anyway. So I said to my husband, I'd already studied to be a life coach, and I kinda was in the business, but I was at a real crossroads in life, like I was, I wasn't quite 40. And I was like, ah, what don't you know, what am I doing with my life? So I said to my husband that night, I have heard about a retreat, and it's in India. And of course, he was like, India, and I said, Yeah, I said, I'm gonna go. So six weeks later, I was on a plane to India by myself met the retreat group. And while in India with Jennifer grace, a wonderful thing happened, she offered for me to run a workshop here in Australia, which I still do to this day, our personal development workshop for women. But when I was in India, it's almost when you make a declaration to yourself. And the declaration was I remember sitting there one night and thinking to myself, I'm going to bring a group of women to India. And me, that was in 2016. So it took me to this year. Well, I met you a while back. But then I spoke to you about running a retreat in India last year. Yeah. And then you my darling made it happened for me, because I knew what I wanted. But I didn't know the how you had the how

Emma Lovell 06:48

do I do?

06:52

The house. So that was tremendous to actually have that come to fruition. And in that time of coming back from India in 2016, I then opened a yoga studio, and I ran a yoga studio for four years, almost four years, and I sold it 12 months ago. And actually, while I was in India, with the group of women, I had been 12 months since I sold my yoga studio. So the yoga studio in a lot of ways was a great bouncing off place to have a community of beautiful women to take to India. So I ran some retreats here in Byron Bay, which was wonderful. But India, you know, I don't know if I'll ever run, you know, another retreat, maybe environment again, I went, I always thought I'll run it, but I'll run a retreat in Byron Bay this year. But now I'm going back to India,

Emma Lovell 07:42

as you heard my episode a few weeks ago.

07:47

Never run a retreat, why

Emma Lovell 07:48

I will never run I have no problem with people running retreats environment in Bali. I just don't want to. Yeah, and, you know, I funnily enough, I'm running one very, you know, like, I'm not, I'm not I like I like them both. But I just said, It's too expected. And in a way as you know, how I feel about it, and you might have experienced in a way it's easier in India. And actually, I sold India and Sri Lanka much easier than I'm selling my current one, which you and I are working on northern New South Wales, because it is almost It's too obvious like, whereas India and Sri Lanka like scares people. It's almost like, Oh my God, and if I don't do it, now, when will I do it? It makes people leap the way it made you caught your breath, and you're like, I'm doing it. I've got to do it. It's non negotiable.

08:40

Yeah. And I think India to like the retreat that I just ran, and it was very much my story. You know, I'm at a stage in life now where I'm going to have a holiday with my husband a year a holiday with the kids, their adult kids now and a holiday for me. And I felt like that was very much the India trip to the women who joined us on that trip all had a desire to go to India and explore Yeah, we did a bit of yoga and we did some beautiful sightseeing and had the most wonderful time but a lot of them there has been it's probably not their to do list. You know, my husband loves the Rugby World Cup. He done the Rugby World Cup in Japan. I did go to Europe with him for the Rugby World Cup and because it was in Europe, but your he has his thing and I have my thing. Yeah, and it's it works just beautifully. So I think that's how I feel. The India trip fits in beautifully with the women that I took was it was really a trip for them. Didn't

Emma Lovell 09:38

you say? I think you said to me, it's like the ultimate girls trip sort of thing. It's like, not girl women if you want to call them that, you know and we might not have friends. You brought this point up to me like you might not have friends and because I'm around people and it just so it's in my world. I'm like why wouldn't you go to India, but I'm still aware that people it is frightening for people and it is daunting and it is a big deal. It's not for me, it feels like home. But, you know, there are people that my mom hasn't been. And it's a situation. Yeah, like her partner is not interested. She doesn't want to go by herself. I mean, she's got a daughter who's an expert, so probably should go with me. But like, but she's that sort of ideal, ideal client. She's in her 60s. It's sort of times not getting on. And if I want to do this, I kind of got to make it happen.

10:25

Yeah. And India, too, is such a, you know, this was the biggest thing that a lot of the women realized, because a couple of women had quite a fair bit of trepidation about coming. And you. And because of the questions, you get pre retreat, you understand there is a bit of trepidation. But that was one thing that a lot of the women said was all of the misconceptions. And perhaps, you know, media does a wonderful job of traumatize choosing people at the best of times, but particularly India, and look, I am sure that there are things that happen, like any country, and I often liken it to, it's almost like, if you were to watch the news and think about the Gold Coast Surfers Paradise, you probably wouldn't want to come here either thinking that goodness knows what's going to happen to you, when most of the time people are okay. And you're quite safe. And I think our trips to India, were in a group of women, we aren't you I and your guidance, I had a fabulous, fabulous representative who was with us the whole time. So no chances are taken but it's not as horrific, or

Emma Lovell 11:32

you're more aware of your safety opinions, you're more aware like I am, honestly, and I've said a number of times, I know I've been more apprehensive in, like worried for my safety in Melbourne, in more recent years than I have been in foreign countries. I'm not worried in India, because I'm already at a higher level of, you know, I'm not going to take silly, I'm not going out at night walking by myself, I call my friends when I'm in the taxi and make them talk to the driver, I didn't really have a driver that is through our reputable company, we're saying in combination is of a level that is safe. You know, and unfortunately, I have had some horrible incidents in India, those hotels are now the safest in the world. Like they set off that sort of high level of security. So in a way, it's safer, I feel safer. Whereas in Melbourne, you know, I might go oh, I'll just walk to my friend's house instead of getting the Uber I'll catch the tram. And in what we're seeing horrifically in Australia is is a very high rate of women being murdered. And I'm sure there's population wise, higher rates in other places, but we are meant to be a safe country.

12:43

Yeah, yeah. But it is you are when you are traveling, you're a little bit more village and is that the word village? vigilant. That's the word Gosh, on us. And yeah, so we, you know, in India, we don't did all feel and with the feedback, everyone said that they felt safe, but there was no chances taken. And you know, where we went was absolutely breathtaking to India truly is a pretty incredible place.

Emma Lovell 13:11

Isn't it like, like I was, what I've said is is retreats, I think are about transformation. You had a transformation experience for yourself. I've had the same I've had that experience for myself. I'd also had the same in India hadn't been on a retreat in India, where there's a tourist or my dad for an event, I had that same life changing transformation. And so I feel like when you're a retreat host, India's doing the heavy lifting for you. Like honestly, you can have a very low touch program or itinerary. Simply taking them to India 60% or 70% of your job is done because they're just going to be like, wowed by the sheer shift that you have to go through. When you land in India. You get it you can't come back, not change whether you love it or hate it, you are changed, but this

13:59

is true. Yeah, I agree. And that was most definitely you know, a lot of the women that we talked that that was what they spoke about just seeing the beauty of India and it's deeply spiritual. You were in Rishikesh, which was you know, along the Ganges and that was pretty when I got back the feedback like a lot of the women just had so much admiration for that place just it's the energy it's just the energy and

Emma Lovell 14:27

I've ever been so watching your photos and when you first got to the river and I was like I've been to like places that vibe off that but it is another I'm very anti the it's my Maverick I'm the rebel right I didn't realize how rebellious I am. But Rishikesh is very popular for foreign tourists because of its association with yoga and the Ganges River. So a lot of you know, foreign tourists do go there is one of their first points of call, so I haven't been 14 times and counting. So maybe I'll come with you next year.

14:59

But India is so big. That's the thing. You know, we were in the north and that I had done the South in 2016. You've done the south a few times. And it is just so big. I mean, there is so many delights how

Emma Lovell 15:12

big the like, it's on the continent of Asia, but they say the subcontinent. Do you look at the map, I think people don't realize geographically how large it is, as you say, but also had densities is 1.4 billion people. So like, every you cannot drive very long. Like here, you can drive. So many US there are parts of us you could drive for, for miles and miles and miles, and you're going to be in desert or you'd be in something even in the desert, a rough astan you're still going to see people, you're still going to be towns, you're still gonna see something that tells you this civilization there is it is just so densely populated that it is weird to not see a person.

15:53

Yeah, it was yeah, without a doubt. And even the statistics when we were there, they were saying that almost the population of Australia catches a train a day in India. I mean, moving that amount of people is phenomenal. I really enjoyed to you know, obviously, it's quite an up and coming progressive country, we really enjoyed a lot of our guides, had a lot of great information about women in India, and they'll say they call it you've probably heard this too. At the train station, the very front carriage traveling forward, they call it the Barbie box, because it's women only.

Emma Lovell 16:29

So when I didn't get the train this time. So I haven't heard that. Yeah, so you women,

16:33

I know. So cute. So they called the Barbie box. And it's women are only in the front traveling forward in that carriage. And they said, If a man is caught in there, he's fined or at all, he can end up in prison for three months. So that was really cool. The other thing that they've done too, is all women can travel for free on buses, on their local buses. So you have they've got different classes of buses, like there's the Annette conditioned, open window, there's the windowed air conditioner, there's all these different colors of buses with different levels. I'm not sure which one but women get to travel for free, which was Yeah, really good. So I can see how it's definitely up and coming. So maybe that's next shift to yes changes

Emma Lovell 17:13

that's changing. And you know, again, it's just trying to educate and steal information to country bar Kerala, the state of Kerala, which has has, it's one of the highest literacy and education rates in the world. Apart from that, like you're trying and education rates have gone up a lot in India, it's on the rise for sure that you're just trying to educate that many people to change the minds of people to change the mindset of people. But when they do, like, they can turn things around, like you've seen those videos of the guy who just started picking up rubbish. And then like a week later, the entire community and the beaches claim one dude, and then a few other people were inspired, and they have that critical mass. And if they can get the critical mass to adopt the new mindset or the behavior, then they can do it. And Matt often talks about it and admires my husband is a marine biologist and very into animal conservation and environmental conservation. You know, what we learned is that the Tigers and we're watching my son's enjoying watching a tiger documentary at the moment. They've brought more animals in India back from the brink of extinction than any other country. And tiger population has doubled because of their understanding and efforts to make way for the Tigers to be in the natural they call it a tiger corridor, which is fabulous. And I'll be going in June this year, but you know that that's because they've got the communities and the maths in those areas on board. And if they can do that, and you know, you and I are not just rose colored glasses there are problems there are huge Indian but it's so nice when people can see the change or see the see the positive side, at least. At least they were their dirty laundry on the outside. What a shit going on in Australia that's there is probably equally as much shit we just don't have the size of the population size. And we cover it up with all our nice society.

19:11

Yeah, we do, don't we? Yeah, exactly. There's plenty things we're not addressing, at least like you say in

Emma Lovell 19:19

their event about it. Like yeah, that's corrupt. Like okay, whereas

19:24

we yeah, we want to Yeah, hide and sweep things under the carpet. So very interesting. But it was such a fabulous location for a treat, like you say transformation and I want to say thank you to you like I like I said, you know, you really had the house for me, which was wonderful. I think that's the beautiful thing. You are so open in sharing what you need to do to make it happen and you've got a fantastic partner over in India who couldn't have done more for us bent over backwards. So it was really quite a wonderful experience with ease like it was easy. For me as a retreat host, and I co facilitated with Lou Oh dear friend, and it was it was easy. Without a doubt,

Emma Lovell 20:07

it makes me so happy. And I loved how you came to me. And when someone said clear about, you know, when you trusted, but you also did things like sometimes people like join a course or join a program or hire a coach or whatever. And they don't do the things like you asked for support. You asked me what to do. I told you, I gave you recommendations and guided you. And you took those recommendations and you ran with it. And you did what you needed to do to make it successful. So I always say I admire I just think, you know, you're sitting my staff student, my case study and But seeing you all just so happy, like just that vicarious joy of just watching you and I would love to have been there with you. But I also got so much contentment, I was like it's your trip to your group. It's your experience. It's beautiful. Like, I could just see all of it. Your radiant, it was so joyful. And I'm so excited that you can do it all again.

21:04

Yes, yes. So and that was pretty much what happened. I I believe I knew like on day two, I thought I'm running this again next year. So then by the end of the trip, and of course like anything, you know, the first trip, even though it was planned beautifully. And really there was there wasn't a lot that we're changing. There's just a couple of little things, of course, because that's a preference. But that's well, yeah, but could run the trip again, you know, hands down exactly the same. There's just a few tweaks only because I want to longer in J poorer because it was so incredible as a city. And we were just we were probably there we were there two nights, but I just would really live three nights there. Because

Emma Lovell 21:45

it's so nice. I like I like it more and more every time I go, I think I again, my prejudice against popular things. Jaipur was part of the Golden Triangle. So people coming to India, the most popular places to go the easiest places to access, especially people coming to business or whatever. If you don't have much time, you can at least do the golden triangle triangle which is Delhi Agra, Jaipur. Agra is where the Taj Mahal is, it's generally a must so if you only have that amount of time, you can go to Agra and back in a day, or you can keep going into the triangle. So it's very popular, it's very common. And so I think sometimes I've had to like I don't say you know, dipolar again, but we were there in said so just before you and I was like it is very beautiful. And it is very charming and the women we did the pink rickshaws and the city palace is gorgeous. And they have the new bougie restaurant in the middle of it, which is ama you are going to go here and have a drink at least. And then the rooftop stripe was just there terrorists the way they do terraces and courtyards of their boutique hotels. You were at jazz, weren't you?

22:51

We were one of the most charming places and even at that gorgeous field that we were at which was just stunning, all of the hand painted and the gold it looked like wallpaper it wasn't it was all hand painted. And meeting Lily and her husband who owned it. They'd been married 50 years and I was staying at the front of the property with her daughter in law and son and the kids. I mean, I have my own room of course but this beautiful marble floor this garden, the pool the food, it was like it was literally like the Marigold Hotel.

Emma Lovell 23:31

Charming. It's like you know, it's so charming and they can say like real estate. Something's charming. You're like, No, this is what you think charming should be it is charming. Heritage authentic. Yet authentic. You know, ornate

23:45

yeah ornate. But, and lush

Emma Lovell 23:48

like because the Bogan Vilia and you've got the and you just they have all the hanging to have a photo of sitting in the hanging chair and it just very Yeah, it's very instant Instagrammable as well. So instantly my moments just, oh, let me just drape over this balcony or let me just stand by this pool. Let me sit on the edge. Maybe just me. Yeah,

24:09

it was gorgeous. And that particular spot to in the morning we did yoga on the grass. And I was I was leading yoga and it was it was a pinch me moment. I'm looking around this absolutely magnificent property. teaching yoga like it was really quite breathtaking. Like very, very beautiful. And we went to of course Jay Paul has the beautiful gems and my daughter's name is Ruby. I bought her gorgeous little ruby ring and she just loves it so it was just very, very beautiful. So again, that's why I want to go back next year because I think I might fancy myself a little ruby ring next

Emma Lovell 24:44

one I think it's really what did you buy yourself a gift in?

24:49

Okay, hello. I bought myself a few gifts for you.

Emma Lovell 24:53

I saw your photo coming back on the train with your luggage.

24:57

We had to put an extra bag so yeah, so I bought in the market I bought the most gorgeous bedspread, which I'm just in love with. So that took a bit of space and spices bought some beautiful spices home, which we went to declare straight through. They're all sealed. So that was great. They weren't taken off of us. So that was fabulous. And I bought some beautiful fabrics and things but and Ruby, of course the ring, but next time but I mean, yeah, the shopping was really quite beautiful. But very

Emma Lovell 25:27

the reward because today I've been today's beats, you know this, but today's big day, I'm settling my house and I chose to do a video because I wanted to nk that feeling before the changes. So it hasn't, you know, yes, I've got the things saying that it's settled, but I haven't the money hasn't learned in my account. And I wanted to like, catch that moment. So I think you and I are both in this wonderful program called Money bootcamp. It's actually how we really bonded. But, you know, she talks about anchoring so that like when you have these great milestones, these moments and like that moment, for you of deciding to go to India, the first time was anchored, you still remember that feeling right. And in that moment, when you're Indian India, and you were like, I'm coming back with a group. And I had that same moment sitting on a boat in Kerala, I remember I'm coming back and then to be back there and to do it. But I nearly denied myself that the rhythm I forgot to reward is I nearly deserve denying myself that because I don't like the trips the reward, and I just been on a three and a half week trip before I went in hosted a retreat because that's how I do things. That sounds like I've had enough. And then one of my gorgeous clients was buying a bag for herself. And I was like, I'm gonna be so jealous now because I love that bag. And she was like, there was another one that she was put, she's getting that too and bought the bag for me. So then again, I was like, Oh, I've got this lovely bag and it was a gift from her and thank you want I'm gonna receive that mine's called rest and receives I was like, I need to practice because she said practice receiving. You're welcome. Thank you. And then I was like, No, I need to incur this. I need to have something that is that and I actually gonna wear it tonight and going out for dinner. I'm gonna wear the dress tonight. I want a border dress in Delhi. And I saw it and as soon as we walked in the shop, this beautiful purple dress. I've been loving this print that I've been seeing around and I was like, it was $100 5000 rupees and I was like $100 to anchor this moment and go I did it. I set an intention. I did it I hosted the retreat and this is my retreat success dress. I've got a photo in it and I'll always have that moment and so I've done for my next retreat for Sri Lanka I've decided I'm going to anchor the moment with I've been before and I love sapphires but I want to Yellow Sapphire and Sri Lanka is quite famous for sapphires so I love for you now you've got I hope that we can make this your your Ruby reward but having something that you go it's that reminder like I did it once and I can do it again. And just to really celebrate that moment so it may be it is the bedspread or something I just something that you can go yep, I did it and I can do it again. Hey, lovely. I want to open the doors to incredible opportunities for you on an all inclusive luxury retreat exclusively for people who are ready to live a life they love. I invite you to join me for five inspiring nights in sensational SriLanka for the rest and receive retreat, hosted from second to seventh of November 2024. by yours truly, Emma Lovell. I've asked you to disconnect your senses and immerse in this exotic culture while you reconnect with yourself. You get to share this luxurious experience with 12 incredible people while forming connections that last a lifetime. I really cannot undersell or overestimate this incredible retreat and the magic of going to a place to give yourself space and time. I want to share it with you and if you are interested, then please head to my website. Emma lovell.au/srilanka Retreat. I'd love to see you there and I'm happy to chat if you have any questions whatsoever please take this opportunity to come along and join me in stunning Sri Lanka

29:15

Yeah, m actually didn't want let's let's set that because I did see a gorgeous ruby ring that I wanted for myself but I didn't I bought rib the ring and that's what you do. Right? But I I will let's that's going to be my anchor. I'm gonna go back to that beautiful gemstone. It was incredible. And purchase that ruby ring next trip because I know in my heart of hearts, I believe I'll get there and do another trip to deer again because he hits it. Yeah. And like you said it. It is such a magnificent place for transformation. And because I have such a love of yoga and I have a love of I guess that what would I say? I think it really lends itself to women. For that it's experience of a lifetime that potentially it's just for them. Yeah, it's not for their children. It's not for their husband. It's a bucket list thing. Because I think people who go to people who say yes to India, it's a hell yes. Or it's a hell no. There's nothing in between. Although it's a body, yes, yeah.

Emma Lovell 30:17

Yes. But I love that as well. That yeah, the the reward and having that anchor and choosing for you. And you know, we've just done an exercise Emma and I, before we were talking for an hour. So one of the things that I'm doing now is teaching people and and basically, sort of evolved over the last year and a half to tell the story and other day, but how, if somebody's going, you're pretty good at this, this whole retreats thing, and you actually could help people with this, or you should make a PDF about it. Or you could make a masterclass or whatever it's just kind of blown out into now it's like, probably going to be the bulk of my business is teaching people how to run profitable retreats. And so when you came along, you the, you know, my first kind of private coaching client of how we could do it. And so, yeah, I just think, oh, so one of the things we talked about, though, is pricing, and pricing for profitable profitability. And so what we've just sat down, and it's done the numbers for him, because it's all well and good to run this retreat and have a great time and all that sort of stuff. But I don't want my retreat hosts and my coaches going into resentment, if they're running and doing the most amazing thing, having the best time and then coming back and going, Oh, I made like $1, or, Oh, actually, that cost me $1,000. Like, you're not gonna be able to keep doing it. And it's going to be the first time is great, and it's wonderful. And I know that you weren't profitable. But this could be a really like, you know, this could be a business, this could be your business, it could be a huge part of your income and your rip, like not just revenue, but your profitable income. And so, one of the things that we allocated, though we do it by percentage is we actually have built in their profit. And so regardless of the expenses of the flights of the tax of the, what you want to be paid, as an owner, we've set aside 5%, which is based on profit first, that 5% So that 5%, and I can tell you the number based off four people, six people, 10 people, 12 people, and you know that that 5%, you've got a budget of let's say, $2,000 to buy that beautiful ruby ring. And that's me, I've got I know that if I have 10 people come to Sri Lanka, by percentage that I've got, let's say arbitrarily $3,000 that I'm quite happy and comfortable to buy myself a beautiful maybe it's less, maybe I decide to go a bit more, but I've comfortably can go I can treat myself. All the expenses are paid. All of my income is covered. This is just chip cream on top. But little Mr for doing it awesome thing. I'm going to have that set, that's that Yellow Sapphire ring and just go, Yeah, well, don't you? Yeah, I love that money, you have that pit set aside, you have a budget for yourself. And if we're not rewarding and, and gifting ourselves, then we're just grinding and hustling and on to the next and on to the next and on to the next and not actually stopping and going like what am I doing this for? Or why am I doing this? Or what is what am I getting out of it and the more that your your cup is full, not only from the beautiful experience that you've delivered, but also financially remunerated, you can keep going and keep delivering this amazing transformative experience to your clients.

33:27

Yeah, I agree. And I think that's why I came well, first of all, it was with ease to go on that trip to India. And why I'm I pretty much said Let's book another one. Straight up, because I came home and I was not depleted. I was not resentful. I was harvesting with joy. Felt so full on in so many ways. And I think you're right, you've got to celebrate those moments. And whether it be just a gift for yourself or, and it doesn't even have to be anything big. I mean, it can be the $3,000 ring. Or it can merely be you know, I mean, I bought a gorgeous little top for I think you know, 40 bucks, which I love and got my India top B or whatever it is, it's a off, day off

Emma Lovell 34:12

to go. I don't have to work because I just ran a successful retreat. I can actually have a whole day off.

34:21

Yeah, that's exactly right. But I think that's why your guidance and using that beautiful Profit First calculator that you have so graciously helped me quite a few times with M has been wonderful because there is that feeling of this is a win win a win win for my beautiful women who came and a win win for me. Everyone's happy. Everyone was taken care of everyone had a tremendous time and that's wonderful and the fact that it's also profitable and you know, knowing that no one has kind of it's not been at the cost of anyone is wonderful. I think that's a beautiful flow in life that's flow. Yes.

Emma Lovell 35:01

And yeah, I'll come back to that with you. And I got like, I don't want to keep you forever today because we've been talking a long time. So I want to talk to you about so many things, but I love the way we met. Either we connected through Tina towers, her Empire Builder, because I was in the group or it was money bootcamp, I feel like our names were just flooding around. And we just sort of went, I've seen you I've seen like, let's just have a chat. I think it was a little bit of that. And we went had a coffee at funnily enough, we went to a coffee at a cafe called Bumble, which is like got to be on the sign. And we ended up connecting over this Denise Duffield Thomas's Money Boot Camp and talking about our money profiles and how and I just, and her group used to be called or her business up called Lucky Bitch, then they started saying lucky B. And so the B has kind of been the talisman for this group. And then I couldn't believe I think was like a third visit, it's kind of where we meet now that the cafe's got to be on it, I think. There's just so much alignment with you. And I love that you've got we've both got the woowoo. But we've both got the business hats on as well. But I love I'm so grateful to be able to talk so honestly and openly about money. Because it's not always the case. And I'm doing I'm trying to lead by example, and do that more. And I felt funny at first talking, like I'm talking to my clients, you know, pretend I'm talking to two audiences at once I'm talking to audiences who are going to pay me for my retreat. But I'm also talking to people who are going to run retreats, and I'm talking about how to make money from them. But that's the reality. Like, yeah, we're not deluding anyone, I'm delivering a service and I make money and I can only that's how I live. And I'm a good person, but I'm not here to, I have to live and I have to make an income. I just do in a really fun way, though, being able to talk to you and you're in a different stage of life to me and have to walk a different path, but somewhat similar in some ways, too. But I love the sage and calm way that we meet in your approach. I've just been so grateful. You

37:11

to em, buddy that'll match made in heaven to Emma's

Emma Lovell 37:16

you know, like, I just it's like, I think he's such a great example, as well of how you can be spiritual, you can be feminine. But you can also be a super smart switched on Shark in business. Like, you know, that like you would do very driven. And I think you know, driven and ambitious. And it's always listen to that hard thing, but you're very soft and very feminine and very loving, but, but you get down to business. Yeah,

37:43

it's an I think that's the thing, like you say, it's just what did you say to me before and which I love clear is kind. And that's so true. When you're clear. There's a kindness in that when you're opening up front. That's the way to do it. And you're right, you know, we're here to make a living. And yes, we're here to also have a very beautiful business that is of service and it's joyful. It's full of transformation. It's heart centered, it's heartfelt, but it's also how we make our living. Like it's an you know, as a business owner, we eat what we catch. It's no use, you're never going to be what's that saying you never going to be broken off to help anyone, you're never going to be sick enough to help anyone. So when you're well, mentally, emotionally, physically, you can then provide a really great time for everyone and have enough energy to go again. Yeah, and I think that's the sweetness of life is getting that right. No one has to lose. Everyone

Emma Lovell 38:40

come in. Everyone wins. It's beautiful. Yeah, I want to cover two more things before we jump off. I'm definitely gonna have to get you back because they were the three more things. So one thing I want to celebrate an idea come back on. I might be announcing it without you. You've written a book. Yeah, once you come back on, like, she just kind of like, rocked up to my retreat. And you're like, Oh, he's just like, I'm my book. And I'm just like, I'm, I'm sitting here going, like, look, everybody I'm writing. Look, everybody, did you hear him writing a book and you just like stealth come in and go, Oh, here it is. So we'll have to talk about that another time. But I just want to celebrate and congratulate you and it's beautiful offering you also bought with you to that day. So I hosted my first retreat day retreat on retreats on the Gold Coast and you came and attended and that you bought these beautiful shot chakra sense, which you can really tell you that it's better but you guided us through a future vision exercise, which I really was. I knew you'd be great at but I just it was next level. So I loved your participation in the day because you had read hosted retreats and you're planning your India one and you could share your successes but you also showed were a great demonstration of what it can be like to bring in a facilitator. So what do you do in that respect? Like how can you help people with that? Ah,

40:00

yes. So, of course, I am a life coach, a transformational coach. That's what I do now I run a workshop my signature programs called embody me. And it really lends itself to the woman who I really started to move a little bit more into, as you know, am the body acceptance, body positivity, because being a yoga teacher, and being a size 16 yoga teacher, I know that often people feel they can't do yoga or, or they feel that it's for a certain kind of woman. So I'm very much an ambassador for all bodies are good bodies, particularly when it comes to yoga, because that's my thing. So I run the embody me program, which is a transformational personal development workshop that's online, I run free, which me you can share the link to your listeners, 21 minutes of morning magic, which is every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday morning at 6am. And I go live in Facebook, we do seven minutes a yoga, seven minutes of meditation and seven minutes of flower tree, which is journaling. And that's the book I've written 365 days of money magic. So there's a book that accompanies that, with the journaling prompts and the affirmations. That's my little book, my little big book, because it's quite the size because of the 365 days. And also, of course, retreats in India, as we've just chatted about. And what else do I do, I do one on one coaching as well. So that keeps me very busy. So that's pretty much it, you know, if you're interested, come and just join the free group 21 minutes of money magic, it's for a person who wants a morning practice or wants some to start their day, not on their phone, not opening their emails, not looking at the news, or, you know, social media, and starting their day with 21 minutes that I often say that 21 minutes in the morning, is the gift that keeps giving all day, if you can just allow yourself to set an intention for the day, a little bit of meditation, a little bit of gentle movement, it really sets you up. Because I think we you know, one, I think we often find that we hit the ground running and our nervous system is really not in a great state. So that's the whole little hack. It's just a morning hack. And I've just recently been doing lots of stuff in the future self. Meditation is wonderful, which I've got the link to that as well that I can share him. But that really is about you're like you and I both did, you're in Kerala. And you said I'm going to be in India back on this house. But and you were I was in India, and I think it is really thinking about what's my future self look like? And that's a lot of our, you know, morning practice too, is really thinking about what's the life I want to create. I don't necessarily know how but like I wanted to go to India, I didn't know the how but then am you come into my life and there's my house. So it's, you know, fine tuning yourself in them in that morning practice. So your intuition is turned on and open to receive really,

Emma Lovell 43:10

yeah, I can still like the future vision that I had is going to stay with me for so long. That I had on our retreat day and it's so nice to be the host but to get to sit back and you took over and and what I journaled out and watershed and I just I couldn't picture all of it. And it was such a nice fusion for me of multiple things in my life and just confirmation of the path. It's amazing how powerful it is like it is. And when you talk about that they feel like you get into that place and how can you see like that and, and all of us had a different sensory experience know that some of us could see it, some of us could taste it, so it was could feel it. Some of us could hear it. Like how did you like was it like watching a movie? Or was it like more like, you know, a dream, like there's different ways that we experience it. So that was so nice to see. And I'm very excited because you know, I'm hosting a retreat 24th to the 27th July my signature restaurant received in northern New South Wales. And you are my beautiful co host and facilitator.

44:12

I cannot wait him it's gonna be wonderful. I'm

Emma Lovell 44:16

like no, I don't care if anyone else comes to you and I go I'm just gonna have it all to myself maybe like we're doing yoga in the morning and you're taking me to my future vision and and you're gonna be doing your yoga every morning. So that's going to be beautiful guided guided yoga. And you're also going to be doing a lovely intention setting for us because I'm going to done if I've told you that we are definitely doing that future vision setting the space for us for as we start and you're also going to be doing your embody me body accept love acceptance workshop for us so we can just love on ourselves.

44:48

Can't wait so excited Am I cannot wait. It's going to be wonderful. There's something to be said about getting into a little bubble with other women and allowing yourself to You leave everything at home and just step into a bit of space just to stop the traffic. So you can hear your voice of wisdom, you're often our voice of, you know, our inner critic or our voice or judgments, running the show a lot of the time telling us all the things do more, be more, get more, all of that. And we need to sometimes stop and just let our voice of wisdom speak to us. And then we know what the next step is, do I want to go to India? Do I want to, you know, do this next business? Do I want to turn left? Do I want to turn right? You know, you tap back into that, which I think is, you know, the biggest gift you can give yourself is give yourself time to hear your voice or wisdom? Because you have the answer. You know what you know,

Emma Lovell 45:41

when to write that might be the name of the episode? I love him. And final question. How are you living a life you'd love? And what does living a life you love look like now?

45:58

Gosh, that's a big question in I think,

Emma Lovell 46:03

like, just love a lot, a lot. And they just please answer this philosophical question go.

46:09

Yeah, I feel I'm at a beautiful stage in life, because I've got grown up children. And I love this time in life now, because I feel like I've done a lot of heavy lifting. And my life now is it's gonna sound so cliche, but I really do have a lot of freedom of how I choose my day, who I spend time with. And what I do, and I really love that. And I think that a fulfilled life for me, is having really quality relationships, and I have a lot of them. And I also enjoy the fact that I have time to nurture those relationships. Yeah. I hope I answered that, em,

Emma Lovell 46:54

no, it's your answer. And that's what I love about everybody's answer is different. And you have helped me to find that question over time, too, and what a life you love, looks like and at the stage of life that you're at, compared to the life that I love, and the stage of life that I'm at with just the children thing, you know, we're very different. And you've really helped me to be where I am, and to accept where I am. And to know that there's, I just look at you as a role model. And I'm like, what a beautiful life to come. I can enjoy the whole I'm not I don't, I don't want to be where you are, because I want to be where I am. And when I am, where you are, I'll be where I am. And, but I know there's a lot to look forward to. I think sometimes people are looking at going, Oh, when I was younger, it was better. And I'm like, I don't know, I feel like there's some mature women in my life, or people who are 1020 3040 years ahead of me. And I'm like, I feel like they're doing pretty great. And I'm just like, cool. It can look good. Now it can look good, then it can. It's just that what what we love and what our life looks like, looks different.

47:57

Every stage is beautiful. It's like raising children. Every stage is beautiful. A marriage, every stage is beautiful. And they all have their two sides to it. You know, there's like, you know, you've got a young family. I mean, Finn's still young, it's a lot of you're in the engine room of life. Like there's a lot of talk about that. Well, it is it's pistons pull in and you've got to you cannot miss a beat. The family has to run uh, now I'm in this different phase. But yeah, it's a good every phases good. I think.

Emma Lovell 48:29

Yeah, I'm forever grateful for you. M And you've, I cannot obviously we are friends and we are connected. And we've swapped client, a client collaborator, friend Polly rolls so much. And I love your dear mentor, Tina tower said, you know, there's that whole, like, don't make friends with the client thing. And she's like, but no, no, it just it does. But that's my pleasure. Life is mixing business and leisure. And you know, having you really helped me and I cannot recommend it more highly as a life coach because you helped me through some really tough spots in the last few months as I was getting to this next milestone of selling and settling this house and I thank you from the bottom of my heart like you. You really helped me in space for this talk. And I'm so grateful that we get to do some wonderful things together in the future as well. So understand Thank you.

49:25

Love you in love you to beat Sterling.

Emma Lovell 49:30

Thank you for listening lovely one. I hope this has inspired you to dream big and start creating a life you love today. If you love what you're hearing, don't forget to follow and rate on Spotify and rate review and subscribe on iTunes. It helps other awesome people to find this podcast and get motivated and inspired as well. Want to stay connected. Come and join the live a life you love group on Facebook or connect with me on Instagram. Emma lovell.au The same as my website But all the details are in the show notes lovely I'll see you next episode for more inspiration motivation and freedom seeking Now go out there and live a life you love