Holiday Season is upon us and my next guest can transform your life in more ways than one. Today I’m soooo excited for my next guest to share her story. 

Meet Desi Bartlett – Celebrity Fitness Trainer + Author + Wellness Expert

Thank you so much Desi for being apart of my community, my various platforms and sharing your inspiring journey.

Please help me welcome my next guest✍🏽✨

Desi Bartlett

Celebrity Fitness Trainer + Author + Wellness Expert

 

Featured Entrepreneur: Desi Bartlett – Celebrity Fitness Trainer + Author + Wellness Expert

Interviewed by: Anna Svetlik De La Rosa 

Episode: #101

Date: 11/14/2022

MY INTERVIEW WITH DESI BARTLETT

Q1.   What did you want to be growing up?

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina:) I love the feeling of movement and how I could connect to the feeling of inspiration.

Q2.  How can Women claim their power?

We must recognize that we are whole beings: body, mind, and spirit. In order for us to claim our power in its entirety, it’s important to take the time to consider all aspects of self. An easy entry point to this work is to ask yourself questions that allow you to connect to your truth in each arena. For example, “What thoughts occupy my mind, do they serve me?” and “The feeling that is revealing itself today is______.” Once we begin to feel more comfortable being open and honest with ourselves. we can be more open and honest with others. Using our voices can take practice, and practice makes progress. Each time we speak up for ourselves, we trust ourselves more. In the same way that we can build relationship equity with others in the world of business, we can apply these same principles to the relationship with ourselves. We can give to ourselves without an expectation of wanting something in return, other than the joy of the experience.

Q3. If someone wanted to get into a career in your field, how would you suggest they start?

Before starting, I would suggest pausing and really checking in with yourself and asking if you can imagine your life without yoga. If the answer is, “no!!,” then it is important to cultivate your own personal practice. Personally, I prefer to learn new skills from practitioners (and not just theorists), and a skilled practitioner delves deep into techniques and embodies them. Once the skills have been embodied through personal practice, yoga teacher training, and anatomy & physiology courses, then you can hang your yoga teacher shingle on your door. For me, the title of yoga teacher has blossomed into author, online teacher and presenter, pre and post natal expert, product designer, and influencer. The beauty of the practice is that you can follow the path that is right for you and your own growth, and always with a heart for service.

Q4. Can you give us a few pointers on how to tap into inner joy and let movement be a form of our outer expression?

Yes!! When you wake up in the morning, stand up and inhale as you reach your arms overhead. Notice how the simple act of lifting your arms will allow you to move into a new state. Our bodies reflect what we feel inside. If we are sad, we often hunch over, if we are stressed, it is common for our shoulders to scrunch up, and if we are truly happy and joyous, our arms lift overhead. Allow yourself to tap into that state by lifting your arms, enjoying a deep breath that helps bring oxygen into your body, and feel your body mind awakening. Allow yourself to connect to the feeling of joy, through gratitude…gratitude for the infinite possibilities of the new day, gratitude for the people that you love, gratitude for your health, whatever resonates and is true for your can be added to your gratitude list. When we set the metaphorical station in our minds to the “gratitude channel,” we tap into joy. The simple act of giving someone a hug is also an example of an outer expression of inner joy. Dancing in your living room to your favorite song is another example of this state. It is a high vibrational state that is expressed through the body.

Q5. Is it possible for us to start practicing boundaries when you have never implemented them?

YES! Boundary setting can be intimidating if you have never practiced this because as females, we are often taught to be sweet and agreeable. In Spanish there is a phrase, “calladita te ves mas bonita,” which means, “you look more beautiful when you are a quiet girl.” I do not agree with this mindset at all and it is important for us to use our voices. An easy place to start is in the mirror. If you know that someone is going to ask you to do something that will be too much of a burden on your time, emotions, or even finances, you can practice saying, ” no, I won’t be able to do that,” in the mirror. From there, try practicing with a dear friend or close relative through role playing, allowing the other person to play the part of the person that you are saying “no” to. After that, progress to small opportunities to say “no thank you,” or “I won’t be able to do that,” such as when you are making an appointment and are offered a time that does not work. From there, it is time to try out your new skill and use it in your life. Remember that your voice matters, your feelings matter, you matter.

Q6. What lights you up most about health and wellness?

I wake up every morning excited about health and wellness! There’s a country song called, “Dirt,” in which Luke Bryan sings the lyric, “do what you love and call it work.” I love sharing the joy of movement and watching how movement helps to move emotion through us. You can see how a well designed warm up brings enough warmth into the body to help warm up the muscles that help us breathe. As we breathe deeper, the bodymind comes alive and the additional oxygen awakens our life force. The yogis call the life force, prana. Watching the life force energy awaken and thrive in others, especially in women, makes my heart happy. I am grateful to share this work through product design (I created the first-round yoga mat), books, articles, videos, social media content, you name it!

Q7. Tell us about “Total Body Beautiful”

In 2019 I wrote a book called, “Your Strong Sexy Pregnancy: A Yoga and Fitness guide through Human Kinetics (as the publisher). I have great fondness for HK as they were the publishers for many of the books that I used in my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and now again in my doctoral studies. I approached them with the idea for this book and knew that it should be a collaboration of experts who are passionate about their work. I am thrilled to share that I wrote “Total Body Beautiful” with two of my besties, Nicole Stuart and Andrea Orbeck. Nicole is an expert Pilates teacher, and Andrea is an amazing personal trainer. We collaborated to share our forms of movement and how they support one another. We also felt it was incredibly important to address that fitness begins on the inside and we share information on mental health and emotional health as well.

Q8.  Tell how you process work load stress or personal stress or just to much coming at you at one time?

If I am super stressed, the best way for me to find calm is to jump into the ocean. The Pacific is a powerful teacher for me and reminds me that life comes in waves and rather than trying to fight the wave, I can ride it! Also, the negative ions help take away the feeling of overwhelm.

Q9. If you could speak to one woman from history, who would it be?

Michelle Obama, and I have set an intention to do so in this lifetime:) She is from the same city that I am from (Chicago), and her husband grew up where I live now (Oahu).  I love when powerful people use their platform to educate, uplift, and empower others, and she embodies that. She enacts small, yet powerful changes on a large scale, and I admire her for that!

Q10. Favorite quote?

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” ― Henry David Thoreau

Q11. Where can we find you?

Website: desibartlett.com – HERE

Instagram: mothersintolivingfit is the main one,

I also use @desibodymind for mental health and @totalbodybeautiful for our new book
Facebook: desibartlett
Twitter: desibartlett
Pinterest: desibartlett
LinkedIn: Desi Bartlett
Youtube: Desibartlett