Nicole Lapin - The Super Woman Guide to Tips, Treatments, and Therapies for Balance on a Budget

Contents

Contents

T he universe whispers until...it screams. At least, thats what happened for me just before I had a breakdown. Go take care of yourself, that little voice said. Then, Go on a retreat or seminar it said, louder. Finally, it screamed, GO AWAY!

That voice didnt mean go away as in leave me alone. It meant go away as in You are burnt-out and need to GTFO...stat. Whenever Im in a good place, I dont want to go anywhere. Being satisfied has a way of making a girl feel complacent; after all, if I feel good, why change anything? It was only in the darkest of times, times when my depression and anxiety set in, that I wanted to be on the move, to be anywhere but where I was. When you are in need, you are tenacious, on the hunt for somethinganythingto satiate you and bring meaning to your life because you have none (or, more accurately, you feel like you have none). And any meaning, I would think to myself, is better than no meaning at all. Sometimes, you need forward movement in order to move forward.

So, go away! In this e-book Ill show you where that little voice took me, what I learned there, and how much my adventures really cost. That way, you, too, can collect the valuable nuggets of wisdom and important pieces of advice I collected from all around the world as I moved one mile closer to Emotional Wellnessno wallet or passport necessary.

BUY THE TICKET, TAKE THE RIDE

You could spend your whole life going from seminar to seminar, exploring every alternative healing remedy and seeking out all of the most influential healersif you had a bottomless bank account. The wellness-seminar industry caters mostly to women and has exploded in the last decade, with seminars covering topics from mindful eating to minimizing stress to Marie Kondo-ing your home and life. These seminars range from half-day workshops to weeks-long experiences. But, I wouldnt recommend maxing them out even on the most baller Rich Bitch budget and flexible schedule. Thats because, as I quickly realized myself, while this world of seminars is vast and magical, its not the real world. As much as I wanted to, I couldnt live there full-time. To have a career and relationships requires being out in the world (at least Monday through Friday); pretending you exist outside of it is just not sustainable. And while a well-structured and inspiring seminar can be a much-needed kick in the pants during hard times, being disconnected from real life is ultimately not going to help you get back to your best, most balanced life.

So, I signed up for some of the most exclusive seminars and retreats out there, vowing to learn as much as I could and then to take the best parts of each one back to the world I live in (you know, the real one), incorporating those hard-fought (and hard-bought) lessons into my own life in a practical way. I gave myself one year to travel to as many places and explore as many modes of healing as I could. And while I live by the Hunter S. Thompson buy the ticket, take the ride philosophy, the tickets can be expensive. Lucky for you, I didnt travel empty-handed. I documented everything I saw and learned at various seminars and retreats and by experimenting with alternative medicine all around the world so that you can free-load off my ride of a lifetime.

RETREATING

Daring myself to do things that pushed me outside my comfort zone was the only way I was able to go there. It was the start of what I called my Truth and Dare tourand and not or because with every dare, I discovered more truth. And the most important one I found was the ability to travel alone. Sometimes you only have enough strength to carry your own baggage. But carry it long enough and youll be so strong that your bags will feel empty.

The first big dare I gave myself was to go to Bali, alone, and do all of the spiritual things because they are in pretty high concentration there (Eat Pray Love, anyone?). It was the first solo trip I had ever taken and, yes, I ate a lot and prayed a lot but I didnt find love like Elizabeth Gilbert did. Rather, I loved myself. And I loved being by myself.

Destination: Bali

Cost: $475/night at Fivelements Retreat plus airfare to Denpasar, Indonesia

The Gist: Everyone who has read Eat Pray Love is familiar with the legendary healing powers of this small Indonesian island sanctuary. The entire island (and its economy) is wellness oriented, and people come from all over the world seeking spiritual guidance and tranquility here. Bali likely has more healers and yogis per capita than any other region of the world.

My Experience: The Balinese are the kindest and happiest people Ive ever come across. I found myself asking everyone I met what their secret was and if their seemingly permanent Zen state was just a show for tourists like me. Nopeits real. When asking around for the secret, the two answers I got the most were balance and Brahman. Brahman is the Hindu word for God or the absolute. Pretty much everyone in Bali wears a bracelet of a red, white, and black string braided together to represent the three versions of God (all Goddesses!): the creator, the protector, and the transformer. Blending them together honors the different roles of one omniscient Goddess, as well as the different roles we play throughout the various stages of our own livesmother, daughter, student, doctor, etc.all which come together to form our complete selves.

Shortly after arriving in Bali, I headed to the cultural center of Ubud to visit a highly respected healer about whom I had heard a lot. My guide said he had heard stories from other people who visited this healer, spending hours with him, and saying that his predictions and suggestions were spot-on. I had visions of leaving this holy man as a whole new holy woman. But, instead, I left after about five minutes, maybe less, of him telling me I was totally fine. WTF?! I thought. No, Im not fine! I came to Bali to get healed and you are my first stop, and I want a diagnosis, dammit!

Of course, I didnt actually say that to the ninety-five-year-old sitting cross-legged on the ground before me. Im fine? I asked, instead. Check again. He humored me, putting his fingers in my ears and around my neck and toes in the healing equivalent of a doctors checkup, but all he found was that I had a busy mind. He told me not to hold on to so many things and not to be stressed. Yeah, okay. Easy. I was so disappointed. I wanted a list of everything that was wrong with mephysically and mentallyalong with magical potions to fix it. After days of travel and high hopes, it was deflating to have this healer tell me the same thing any magazine back home could have told me. I think too much. Im stressed. Duh. Who isnt?!, I thought.

But then, I realized...he wasnt stressed. And none of the other Balinese I met were, either. As we were leaving, I asked my guide why the healer didnt give me more remedies and healing potions for happiness. He said that thats because its not his job; its mine. That only meditation, practicing mindfulness, and establishing rituals and routines for myselfin other words, Emotional Wellnesswould make me happy.

Takeaway: I left the healer with a small vial of yellow oil to rub on my neck and the realization that I had traveled thousands of miles only to get the diagnosis that theres nothing wrong with me. The only prescription I needed to fill: to be a fierce participant in my own healing and happiness. And he was right, I was going to be just fine.