Latest / The Daily Writer / How to Shine as a Writer After 50 | Laura Venecia Rodriguez

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How to Shine as a Writer After 50 | Laura Venecia Rodriguez · The Daily Writer

0:06
SPEAKER_00: Hey friends, welcome back to the Profitable Writer Podcast.
0:09
SPEAKER_00: If you're new here, my name is Kent Sanders.
0:11
SPEAKER_00: I'm an author and ghostwriter, and this is the show that helps you grow your impact and income as a writer.
0:18
SPEAKER_00: Well, hey, you probably didn't know this, but I recently turned 50 years old on July 26th, to be exact.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: And even though I don't feel 50 in my mind and my body, I've got to say I'm definitely starting to feel it a little bit.
0:32
SPEAKER_00: You know, 50 is an interesting age.
0:34
SPEAKER_00: It's kind of a watershed moment when many people reevaluate their lives.
0:39
SPEAKER_00: And over the last few years, I've started paying more attention to how different people deal with this really important transition period in their life.
0:46
SPEAKER_00: Whether it's you know, age forty-five or fifty or fifty-five or whatever the specific age may be, I've noticed that people approach this in one of two ways.
0:55
SPEAKER_00: So here's the deal.
0:56
SPEAKER_00: Whenever you enter this period of life called middle age, you stand before two objects.
1:03
SPEAKER_00: You stand before a ladder and a recliner.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: And you have the choice of whether you're going to sit down in the recliner and focus on being comfortable or whether you're going to accept the challenge to keep climbing up the ladder of personal and professional success.
1:20
SPEAKER_00: Now, the sad truth is that most people choose the recliner.
1:25
SPEAKER_00: And when they get to this point in life, most people are tired and they feel kind of beaten down by life and they don't really have an interest in taking on new challenges.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: And so what happens is they feel a little bit tired and they sit down in the recliner with no intention to grow and to learn as a person.
1:41
SPEAKER_00: And the longer they sit in there that recliner, the less motivated they feel to do something besides just kind of be comfortable.
1:48
SPEAKER_00: Now, on the other hand, a much smaller percentage of people realize that life isn't about just being comfortable.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: Life is about growing into your full potential and using the challenges of life to propel you to new heights.
2:03
SPEAKER_00: So instead of turning away from the challenges and checking out of life, instead they take a good long look at that ladder standing there in front of them and they start climbing.
2:13
SPEAKER_00: Now this brings me to my guest on today's episode, who is my good friend Laura Venecia Rodriguez.
2:20
SPEAKER_00: Laura is an author, researcher, and speaker dedicated to helping individuals over fifty regain or discover their mojo and shine with renewed purpose and passion after reaching an impasse or experiencing a major upheaval or change in their lives.
2:35
SPEAKER_00: Laura shares information on ancient and contemporary tips, techniques, and wisdom that enhance the body, mind, and spirit.
2:43
SPEAKER_00: You can find her inspiration and wisdom in her weekly newsletter, which is called Shine After Fifty, Regain Your Sparkle, as well as her Shine After Fifty YouTube channel.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: Laura is also the author of Gentle Yoga After Fifty, Get Fit, Flexible, and Feel Fantastic.
3:01
SPEAKER_00: And in that book you'll learn information and insights about yoga that Laura has learned since starting yoga at age fifteen.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: You can find out more about Laura and her writing at her website, which is ShineAfterfifty.com.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: Well, I've asked Laura to be a guest on today's episode to specifically help those of us age fifty or older, or really anybody in this middle-aged phase of life, to understand what we can do better to shine and succeed as writers.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: And you'll learn about some of the key challenges that we face in this period of life, how to navigate those important life transitions, and you'll also learn lots of insights about how yoga specifically can help you be more healthy and centered.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: And we talk about a lot of other things along the way.
3:42
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, Laura is also a member of our Profitable Rider membership community, and we're so thrilled to have her a part of the group.
3:48
SPEAKER_00: She's amazing.
3:50
SPEAKER_00: All right.
3:50
SPEAKER_00: With all that said, I'm super excited to bring you this conversation with the amazing Laura Venecia Rodriguez.
3:57
SPEAKER_00: Laura, thanks for joining me on this episode of the Profitable Rider Podcast.
4:02
SPEAKER_00: Appreciate you joining me today.
4:03
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited about this.
4:04
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you.
4:05
SPEAKER_02: I'm really happy to be here, Kent.
4:06
SPEAKER_02: I love your podcast and I love being in your group.
4:10
SPEAKER_00: Well, thanks.
4:10
SPEAKER_00: Um, and actually, I'm I wanted to ask you about this.
4:13
SPEAKER_00: And since you mentioned the group, maybe this is a maybe this will be an interesting way to kick off this episode.
4:19
SPEAKER_00: So the vast majority of the guests that I have on the show are not members of the Profitable Rider membership community because they're people that I just know from all different kinds of places, et cetera.
4:30
SPEAKER_00: But I'm curious, what has your experience been?
4:32
SPEAKER_00: You've been in the group for what, about a year and a half now, or something like that.
4:35
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's almost something like, yeah, a year and a quarter, a year, I can't quite think.
4:39
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, something like that, like April of 2023, something around then, I think.
4:45
SPEAKER_00: I've got a list everywhere of all the members and the month they actually joined.
4:50
SPEAKER_00: So I've got a I've got that a record of that somewhere.
4:53
SPEAKER_02: So some around that time, but the spring or late winter of 2023.
4:57
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm just curious, and we and we haven't talked, we didn't even talk about uh bringing up this topic, but I'm just curious, what do you feel like the benefit to you has been of being a part of a community of writers?
5:09
SPEAKER_00: You know, so many writers try to do things basically on their own.
5:12
SPEAKER_00: And I'm just curious what your experience has been being a part of a community.
5:16
SPEAKER_02: Well, that's exactly what I was going to mention is that the one of the biggest values of being in your group is being with other like-minded people because writing is a solitary activity unless you're co-authoring something.
5:30
SPEAKER_02: Or, you know, sometimes if you're you're a ghostwriter, so you're working with clients, but for the most part, if you're writing your own books and publications, you're there isolated.
5:40
SPEAKER_02: So I look forward to your as you say that your pod your group is one of the highlights of your week, it's one of the highlights of my week.
5:48
SPEAKER_02: It's been a real boon to just feeling like I'm part of something.
5:52
SPEAKER_02: I'm not just here totally out on my own and you know, a solopreneur.
5:56
SPEAKER_02: And learning from people in the group has been tremendous.
6:01
SPEAKER_02: Hearing people are all different stages of their writing career.
6:06
SPEAKER_02: And so that's just been invaluable hearing from the different, you know, getting perspectives, getting insights, getting resources.
6:13
SPEAKER_02: It's one of I feel one of the best decisions and investments I've made in the past year.
6:19
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
6:20
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, whatever it is.
6:21
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, it's one of my I'm thrilled to see.
6:24
SPEAKER_02: It truly does make me feel it makes me feel part of something because if I feel because when I I finished my federal career three and a half years ago, well, until the last year of COVID, we then we all worked remotely.
6:36
SPEAKER_02: But you go into the office, you might work remotely once or twice a week, but for the most part, you know, you saw people and you were part of a group.
6:44
SPEAKER_02: But once I completed that career and then focusing on writing on my own, it really is your at least I felt pretty isolated.
6:51
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, out here.
6:53
SPEAKER_02: And so this has given me like an anchor for the week.
6:55
SPEAKER_02: It's like right now, midweek, it's a something I look forward to.
6:59
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
7:00
SPEAKER_02: Unless I'm out of town, like I will be tomorrow traveling.
7:03
SPEAKER_01: Right.
7:03
SPEAKER_02: It's right, it's always on my calendar.
7:06
SPEAKER_02: It's a priority.
7:07
SPEAKER_02: So I've gained a lot, just all the wisdom, your wisdom, experience, and that of the group.
7:12
SPEAKER_02: Everyone contributes a lot.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: Well, I appreciate you sharing all that.
7:16
SPEAKER_00: And it's funny because I the really the whole reason I created this group was because I couldn't find something that I mean, there's a lot of writing groups out there, but I I wanted a particular kind of group that had a focus on some of the business stuff, but also the creative stuff, but also sort of the mindset business journey kind of things that was geared more toward toward introverted people.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: And so I thought, well, I can't really find something like that.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: So I guess I'll have to create it.
7:44
SPEAKER_00: So that's really sort of where this whole thing came from.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: And it's morphed and changed over the last few years, but I'm so glad to have you part of the group.
7:51
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I love seeing you on the calls.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: You always add, you're the kind of person where where I feel like every time you say something, I just want to write it down because there's so much wisdom behind it.
8:02
SPEAKER_00: And I just I love that you're a part of the group, and it's been really cool to see your success uh since I've known you over the last year and a half.
8:10
SPEAKER_00: So so thanks.
8:11
SPEAKER_00: Glad to have you around.
8:12
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
8:12
SPEAKER_00: As always.
8:13
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
8:13
SPEAKER_00: And the cool thing is that, of course, our listeners today get to experience uh a little chunk of your wisdom too uh in this conversation.
8:21
SPEAKER_00: So I'm excited to talk about a couple of concepts and topics that I know are close to your heart and that I'm very interested in learning about too, and learning how you think about these things.
8:31
SPEAKER_00: So um the main topic really is this whole concept of shining after 50.
8:36
SPEAKER_00: And I know that's what that's what one of the things that you do is focused on is this concept of shine after 50.
8:43
SPEAKER_00: So, where did this concept come from?
8:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, how did this idea of shining after 50 get birthed in your heart?
8:51
SPEAKER_02: Well, yeah, I will have to say I'm quite a bit beyond 50 now, almost 20 years.
8:57
SPEAKER_02: But I came across, well, one thing I was thinking of these books.
9:01
SPEAKER_02: I had written this book, General Yoga After 50.
9:03
SPEAKER_02: I did have a business advisor about that.
9:05
SPEAKER_02: Well, 50 is often for many people a milestone and this this half century mark.
9:11
SPEAKER_02: It just gives you pause.
9:13
SPEAKER_02: I mean, years ago, people used to think, oh, turning 40.
9:16
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that seemed to be a marker for a while.
9:18
SPEAKER_02: But I think always 50, it's because it's half a century, and then you think, oh, it's just and often for many of us, at least so far, it may change in the future, but for many of us at 50, we have more years behind us than ahead.
9:33
SPEAKER_02: And that can be scary.
9:34
SPEAKER_02: And so I felt that because of that, especially, and because our bodies, you know, a lot of people go through physical changes, some cognitive changes, sometimes hormonal changes, a lot of things happen.
9:48
SPEAKER_02: And a lot of upheavals, whether some people, you know, parents, empty nesters, sometimes.
9:56
SPEAKER_02: I mean, even though divorce can happen at any time, a lot of people as a result of emptiness, some people don't stick together, you know, married couples changes, occupation, the combination, all those things together.
10:10
SPEAKER_02: And then there are people who lose spouses, you know, they start losing loved ones.
10:14
SPEAKER_02: So that can be really, you know, those upheavals can really be difficult to deal with, to handle.
10:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and a lot of people, and I have a friend who I think she's close to 50, but she was saying a lot of her friends are at 50 or 49 or whatever, they're saying, Oh, I'm so old.
10:33
SPEAKER_02: They keep saying this, I get 50 years old and they're acting like everything's downhill after that.
10:39
SPEAKER_02: And so for years, well, I've always been interested in health.
10:43
SPEAKER_02: And over the years, I've just been impressed by people who just kept shining, kept being vibrant, kept being dynamic, kept being involved in their career past 50, 60, 70, 80.
10:55
SPEAKER_02: Last year I saw Jane Goodall speak in Charleston.
10:59
SPEAKER_02: Now I think she just turned 90.
11:01
SPEAKER_02: She was 89, and she was amazing.
11:03
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
11:03
SPEAKER_02: I mean, she's had this full career.
11:04
SPEAKER_02: I mean, she's not out in the jungle anymore with the chimpanzees, but she's uh very active in like climate change and helping young people, you know, appreciate the earth, all that kind of thing.
11:17
SPEAKER_02: And so, and the way she spoke, she spoke for over an hour, no notes, very vibrant.
11:23
SPEAKER_02: Here, her, you just feel her spirit shining.
11:26
SPEAKER_02: And so I always like the song, it's dating me back at the late 70s, the Earth, Wind, and Fire song, Shining Star, the lyrics from that shining star for you to see what your life can truly be.
11:36
SPEAKER_02: So I always enjoyed that song and that idea of shining star.
11:40
SPEAKER_02: That's why I came up with the word or the term shine after 50.
11:44
SPEAKER_02: And also, I was came up with that term because a lot of the things, although I've done yoga since I was 15 years old, but I did incorporate some new practices after age 50, like rebounding on the trampoline, etc., that I feel have contributed to my feeling still youthful and still feeling energetic.
12:03
SPEAKER_02: All the other night, I didn't for whatever reason, every so often have a bottom insomnia.
12:09
SPEAKER_02: And I don't, it's just you never know.
12:11
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I wasn't stewing about anything.
12:13
SPEAKER_02: And so only on those rare occasions will my energy be a little bit lower.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
12:17
SPEAKER_02: But I feel good.
12:18
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I just look at going to class reunions, seeing the difference in people, you know, same classmates, the contrast, you know, in how some people shine and others don't at the same age.
12:33
SPEAKER_02: It is a matter, I feel, I mean, we can't control everything, but I think lifestyle can definitely help us optimize, you know, at least minimize our chances of declining rapidly, that kind of thing.
12:45
SPEAKER_02: So that's why and just I like the idea of a shining star and being vibrant and again being impressed by many people who just stayed so active and dynamic and didn't buy into this.
12:57
SPEAKER_02: Oh, I'm old and I'm you know, can't do much anymore.
13:00
SPEAKER_02: So I feel like we should just we never know how much time we have.
13:05
SPEAKER_02: And so we should just make the most out of each day.
13:07
SPEAKER_02: That's my philosophy.
13:09
SPEAKER_00: I've noticed something with um some of the people that I went to high school with.
13:16
SPEAKER_00: So I just turned, I may have mentioned this on the podcast recently, I can't remember, but I turned 50 on July 26th.
13:23
SPEAKER_00: So, and we're recording this on August 20th.
13:26
SPEAKER_00: This episode will come out in a few weeks.
13:27
SPEAKER_00: Because I try to plan a few weeks ahead with the show.
13:31
SPEAKER_00: And so we had our uh uh 30th high school reunion uh last year, or was it almost two years ago?
13:38
SPEAKER_00: I don't remember.
13:39
SPEAKER_00: See, I graduated in 1992, so oh, it would have been two years ago.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Holy cow, time's going faster than I think.
13:45
SPEAKER_00: But anyway, I've noticed something interesting with people that I went to high school with.
13:48
SPEAKER_00: There seems to be kind of two groups of people where, and I'm not trying to throw anybody under the bus, this is just kind of an observation.
13:55
SPEAKER_00: I've noticed that there are a group of people who and I'm gonna say somewhere around late 40s, early 50s, or something like that, or maybe just in your 40s into your 50s, there are a group of people who want to reinvent themselves at kind of this middle age.
14:13
SPEAKER_00: They they've worked in maybe a particular career for a long time, and they decide they don't like that or they want to make a shift for whatever reason.
14:22
SPEAKER_00: Uh, maybe they've been through a divorce or some kind of family situation, and they decide they want something different for their life, and then they they kind of reinvent themselves.
14:30
SPEAKER_00: Then there is another group who just kind of decides that, hey, I've I've kind of I kind of have this life set up and I'm kind of just gonna give up a little bit.
14:42
SPEAKER_00: Which means, you know, I'm gonna sort of just retire and I'm not gonna learn anything new.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm just sort of going to just exist for the next 25 years and play golf and just sort of fade out, you know, into nothingness, I guess at some point, whenever I die.
14:58
SPEAKER_00: Have you noticed that trend too with people that there's something like you mentioned around this age 50 where it's almost like kind of a do-or-die moment where you decide you're going to reinvent your life, or you kind of decide you're there's just too much emotional energy that that takes, and I'm just gonna kind of quit trying.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: I I'm I'm curious if you have observed that in other people as well.
15:24
SPEAKER_02: Well, yes, I mean observe people yeah, feeling like they, as you said, they've done what they felt they should do, and then yeah, they're kind of going to coast.
15:36
SPEAKER_00: They're just kind of like one and done, you know.
15:38
SPEAKER_02: Right.
15:38
SPEAKER_02: Although I don't know, I I'm trying to think of friends of mine and class classmates, classmates.
15:44
SPEAKER_02: Um, I mean, most of them are still interested in learning new things or being, but yeah, it it does vary.
15:50
SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's some people who start new careers, and even though I retired from the federal government, but the whole time I had a respectable job.
15:58
SPEAKER_02: I was a writer, researcher, trade analyst.
16:01
SPEAKER_02: And but the whole time I was chomping at the bit to do my own writing.
16:05
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I've always written, do my own writing, do my own thing.
16:08
SPEAKER_02: And so I would have colleagues who would say, Oh, I don't know what I'm gonna do when I retire.
16:13
SPEAKER_02: And I thought, Are you kidding?
16:14
SPEAKER_02: I'm like waiting to like you're like chomping at the bit to chomp at the bit.
16:19
SPEAKER_02: But it depends, yeah.
16:20
SPEAKER_02: So I think I always think it's important to to uncover what animates your spirit, what you're passionate about.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: And often you get clues from looking back at childhood.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
16:31
SPEAKER_02: I mean, when I was a little kid dating myself, you know, we had those cassette recorders.
16:36
SPEAKER_02: I used to like to record things.
16:38
SPEAKER_02: I had an audio pen pal.
16:41
SPEAKER_02: A couple of times I snuck in the recorder in my class in high school because I just like to record things.
16:46
SPEAKER_02: So I like using, you know, recording and speaking that so you and I'll always read.
16:52
SPEAKER_02: I read a tremendous amount and journaled, you know.
16:55
SPEAKER_02: I always had the little diaries when I was a child.
16:57
SPEAKER_02: So you if you look back at things that you enjoyed, then typically that'll give you clues if you didn't pursue something in the same direction.
17:05
SPEAKER_02: So that's right.
17:06
SPEAKER_02: I think there's a whole spectrum of people how people operate.
17:11
SPEAKER_02: But I just think it's unfortunate if people just um I don't know, kind of give up their passion and just kind of coast along, I'd say, and are not interested in continuing to learn.
17:24
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I because as as I said, we never know how long we'll live, but I often think that's right, I want to live at least another 50 years because there's so much, so many interesting things going on.
17:33
SPEAKER_02: And even with technology, you know, there's so many new things to learn.
17:36
SPEAKER_02: I thought, well, I want to do all of this stuff.
17:39
SPEAKER_02: And even all the books, you never have time to read all the books you want to read.
17:42
SPEAKER_00: So gosh, isn't that the truth?
17:44
SPEAKER_00: That's one of the heartbreaking things I feel like I deal with every day is I look in this office and I see, you know, all these hundreds, I don't know, I don't even know how many books I have.
17:54
SPEAKER_00: It's a lot.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: But I've gotten rid of a lot of them.
17:57
SPEAKER_00: That's the thing, is they I feel like they keep multiplying.
18:00
SPEAKER_00: Uh, every time the Amazon band comes in front of my house, my family's like, Did you order another book?
18:05
SPEAKER_00: I mean, literally, right before we got on this call, I got another book from Amazon.
18:09
SPEAKER_00: So it's a job hazard, I guess.
18:12
SPEAKER_00: But for people who are are listening who maybe they're in their 40s or they're in their 50s or beyond or whatever age they are, but they kind of feel stuck.
18:21
SPEAKER_00: They feel like I've got a book in me, or I've got these things I want to do, or I have something I want to say.
18:26
SPEAKER_00: I've dreamed about this thing my whole life, and probably if they're listening to this podcast, it involves writing on some level.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: What would you say to those people who they just kind of feel stuck and they're waiting for somebody to maybe give them permission or give them uh a boost or some, you know, what would you share with them to help maybe get them unstuck a little bit and start moving in the right direction?
18:50
SPEAKER_00: What's been helpful for you in your life, and maybe that can be helpful for them as well?
18:55
SPEAKER_02: Well, I think it's always helpful because I moved here to Charleston area three years ago, knowing, well, my daughter was here at the time.
19:02
SPEAKER_02: She was the only person I knew, but I knew no one else.
19:05
SPEAKER_02: And then I may would make another move.
19:08
SPEAKER_02: Uh, is again, but I think what was most helpful was jumping right in is finding like-minded people.
19:14
SPEAKER_02: You know, if you have an interest in XYZ with a right, well, just like your group, the profitable writer now.
19:20
SPEAKER_00: Great segue.
19:21
SPEAKER_00: Great segue, right?
19:22
SPEAKER_02: Right.
19:22
SPEAKER_02: But it's just that type of thing where I I thought, well, I don't know this area at all.
19:27
SPEAKER_02: So I join, you know, walking groups, I joined a variety of things.
19:31
SPEAKER_02: But whatever, if someone has had something that they wanted to do but don't know how to get started, that to me is always the first step is find a meetup group or something, whether it's in person or online.
19:43
SPEAKER_02: I mean, we did a lot online during COVID.
19:45
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I do a combination now, so I think that's the first step.
19:49
SPEAKER_02: It's hell, it always is so invaluable to meet other people who are doing, you know, they're maybe way ahead of you, but are you?
19:55
SPEAKER_02: Totally agree.
19:57
SPEAKER_02: Because they can give you guidance on how to start and give you support.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: Because it is hard to do it yourself in a vacuum, just all on your own without anyone out without support from anyone, I think.
20:11
SPEAKER_02: That guidance.
20:12
SPEAKER_02: So finding like-minded people would be the first step, in my opinion.
20:17
SPEAKER_00: Oh gosh, that that is.
20:18
SPEAKER_02: In addition to doing some research, you know, online and finding out.
20:21
SPEAKER_02: I mean, first you have to do some research, where are the groups, that kind of thing, but uh that would be one my first.
20:27
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think that's just a real important aspect of being able to move forward.
20:35
SPEAKER_02: Because it's hard to do it alone.
20:37
SPEAKER_00: It is, and and my experience is that when we're left to our own devices, we we tend to sink to the worst version of ourselves, you know.
20:46
SPEAKER_00: Like if I don't have anything on my schedule and I didn't have any responsibilities and I had like an endless supply of money, which really nobody has that, I guess.
20:55
SPEAKER_00: Um I mean, I guess, well, maybe some people do, but most of us don't.
20:59
SPEAKER_01: Right.
21:00
SPEAKER_00: And but it's like just kind of left to your own devices.
21:02
SPEAKER_00: You I would just tend to, you know, order a door dash all day and just watch movies and probably get really unhealthy, and I would never go outside.
21:12
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's like when we pursue our worst impulses, things do not turn out pretty typically.
21:18
SPEAKER_00: So we need other people in our lives to pull us out of that and to help us be the best version of ourselves.
21:24
SPEAKER_00: And we can't do it on our own.
21:26
SPEAKER_00: We need a group to do that.
21:27
SPEAKER_00: We need other mentors and coaches and guides and friends, right?
21:31
SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
21:31
SPEAKER_00: People to challenge us.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: So I appreciate you saying that.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: That's really, really wise.
21:36
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's what's been most beneficial to me, especially in the business side of things.
21:40
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I knew what I wanted to focus on in terms of writing and that kind of thing, but as far as how to go about and creating the business and that that's really been foundational to to moving forward in that area.
21:55
SPEAKER_00: I do want to dive into to some questions specifically about health and yoga because this is.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: An area of your specialty.
22:01
SPEAKER_00: First, though, I would love if you can just walk us through your book projects, uh, specifically your yoga book, which is really, really good and it's just super well done.
22:11
SPEAKER_00: And I need to put more of that book into practice.
22:14
SPEAKER_00: I've tried to learn some of yoga.
22:17
SPEAKER_00: I haven't been very successful.
22:18
SPEAKER_00: So maybe this podcast is a good interview to be reintroduced to that.
22:22
SPEAKER_00: But um talk about the role, if you can, Laura, about uh talk about the role of books in your business and the way that you went to that you go about writing and what being an author has done for you.
22:36
SPEAKER_02: Well, I wrote this book, The Gentle Yoga After 50.
22:39
SPEAKER_02: That's actually the second edition.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: I originally wrote the book and to the published in 2011, recommended by a business coach that I do that.
22:47
SPEAKER_02: Because I had been practicing yoga, doing yoga since age 15.
22:52
SPEAKER_02: Most of it, 95% at least at that time, was at home on my own.
22:56
SPEAKER_02: Because when I first began yoga, there was there weren't there were almost nothing back then.
23:01
SPEAKER_02: That was 1970.
23:03
SPEAKER_02: And there was, I think there was one PBS program at the time, and then it started slowly seeping into the US.
23:10
SPEAKER_02: But as far as I just thought it was important, even though yoga's exploded.
23:13
SPEAKER_02: I mean, now almost everyone knows about yoga.
23:16
SPEAKER_02: Although I was surprised one of the people in my book club, when she read the book last year, she said, you know, she learned things because she really never knew anything about it.
23:24
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I guess if no one ever, if you never took a class and didn't focus on it at all, then you wouldn't know that much about them.
23:30
SPEAKER_02: Just like I don't know much about football because I pay no attention to it.
23:34
SPEAKER_00: I know nothing about football.
23:36
SPEAKER_00: I love it when they score home runs in football.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: That's really fun.
23:40
SPEAKER_02: But the reason one reason I wrote it is I thought, well, what prompted me to start yoga was that I was very unathletic as a child, very uncoordinated.
23:50
SPEAKER_02: And especially by junior high and high school, if you weren't that athletic, you the coaches ignored you.
23:57
SPEAKER_02: You didn't get, you didn't have to run laps, you didn't, they didn't make they weren't concerned about keeping you in shape if you weren't on a team.
24:04
SPEAKER_02: And but I always had an innate interest in health.
24:07
SPEAKER_02: I knew, I thought, I knew that you have to exercise to stay healthy.
24:11
SPEAKER_02: So one day this Philadelphia magazine, because I grew up right outside Philadelphia, was on my mother's coffee table, and there's this guy, Indian guy, and less low disposition.
24:22
SPEAKER_02: It was all about yoga, the article.
24:24
SPEAKER_02: And I guess it gave me the impression that even though many poses appear intimidating, pretzel poses, it it gave the impression that it was something I might be able to do.
24:36
SPEAKER_02: So I found a couple of books at the time, and I still have those books, they're falling apart, but um, they were my teachers because they were very detailed yoga books.
24:47
SPEAKER_02: And so then I wanted to later on, especially for people who felt intimidated by yoga, because I could see that in a class.
24:55
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I still do go to classes now that I have more time, and sometimes I'm still a little bit klutzy in some of the more complicated poses.
25:03
SPEAKER_02: But I did the book just to encourage people, especially if they felt they didn't have time to go to a class, because I didn't have time when I was working nine to five, to give them some simple poses.
25:17
SPEAKER_02: Some are challenging, but they're still relatively simple.
25:19
SPEAKER_02: They don't not all turned or twisted around, that can definitely be beneficial.
25:24
SPEAKER_02: They don't have to be visually impressive to be to be powerful.
25:29
SPEAKER_02: So I wanted to share in as uh non-intimidating way as possible the value of yoga and how it's a holistic practice and how I feel it's a good pillar of a healthful lifestyle.
25:44
SPEAKER_02: So that was the purpose of my book and presenting it in as easy to follow way as possible, non-intimidating.
25:51
SPEAKER_00: So that and yoga does not have a I I think a point of confusion that a lot of people have, and I'm curious uh I would love for you to correct me if I'm wrong on this, um, because I'm here to learn as well.
26:01
SPEAKER_00: But there is not a religious component to yoga, right?
26:05
SPEAKER_00: It is it it's a health practice, it's not like in other words, you can be any fa any what am I trying to say?
26:13
SPEAKER_00: You can be any stripe of faith that you want or no faith at all, and you're still gonna get all the benefits out of yoga because there's not really like a spiritual or religious component, or or am I mistaken about that?
26:26
SPEAKER_02: Well, anyone of any spiritual or religious denomination can do yoga.
26:31
SPEAKER_02: They don't have to change their spiritual focus.
26:35
SPEAKER_02: I mean, yoga is I guess it's boo, I mean, it is, I feel in a way, a spiritual practice, kind of like a non-it can be a right, right, in like a kind of a broader sense.
26:44
SPEAKER_02: Right, in the broader sense, because as you feel better and then practicing the yoga breathing that relaxes you and can get you into a meditative state, that animates, you know, that can enhance your spirit, you know.
26:58
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely appreciate life more from that perspective.
27:00
SPEAKER_02: But there was a lot of pushback, even as recently as a few years ago, like 2021 or 2020, uh, from certain school districts were bringing yoga in to help, you know, with anxiety.
27:13
SPEAKER_02: And then especially, I guess, in southern states.
27:15
SPEAKER_02: I think I forgot the example of my book.
27:17
SPEAKER_02: I forget whether it was Alabama or where it was exactly that.
27:20
SPEAKER_02: There was pushback from some parents because yoga has Hindu roots, and so they were afraid that oh, it's not Christian to do yoga.
27:30
SPEAKER_01: Right.
27:30
SPEAKER_02: And there is, but I actually have a yoga book on my bookshelf that's called Yoga for Christians.
27:36
SPEAKER_02: It was written by a woman who actually presents the yoga poses and she shows how they can even enhance your faith as a Christian, you know, if you a Christian faith if you're you know Christian.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: So I think it's interesting.
27:51
SPEAKER_02: And so that's the same thing, is from the broader sense.
27:55
SPEAKER_02: So, yes, there's still, you know, there probably still some pockets, some areas where people who totally do do not know anything about yoga will push back on and say, Oh, I can't do that.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: In fact, a colleague 14 years ago was in the medical office in DC, and she said to the guy, Oh, do you think my improved blood pressure, et cetera, is because I'm meditating now doing yoga?
28:17
SPEAKER_02: And he said, Well, I wouldn't know I'm a Christian.
28:19
SPEAKER_02: And she was just taken aback by that.
28:21
SPEAKER_02: But I think that's pretty much you know, dying down.
28:24
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think that's declining.
28:26
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
28:26
SPEAKER_00: I would assume so, yeah.
28:27
SPEAKER_02: Yoga is so widespread now.
28:29
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's everywhere.
28:31
SPEAKER_02: So you can find.
28:33
SPEAKER_02: But I think it does enhance your appreciation of life and your spirit and just your awe of life.
28:38
SPEAKER_02: That so, from that sense, it's a spiritual practice from that sense.
28:42
SPEAKER_02: But you don't have to believe anything, you can be an atheist, agnostic, or any religion and benefit from yoga.
28:50
SPEAKER_00: Sure.
28:50
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's it's a physiological thing where anything that's going to help you have a healthier body and have more energy is going to improve whatever spiritual practice you have.
29:01
SPEAKER_00: Plus a lot of other things, for sure.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: Right.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: And I and I do say in the book, I think that as you get more flexible, if you feel more expansive in your body, you tend to feel better.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: I I feel like you do gain flexible, you know, become more flexible in your mind.
29:19
unknown: Yeah.
29:20
SPEAKER_02: So that because you're just more expansive, you feel more open.
29:24
SPEAKER_00: You actually I think there's I feel like one of the hallmarks of maturity is as you get older, I feel like you should you should become more and more of an open-minded person.
29:37
SPEAKER_00: I and I don't mean that believe everything that's out there or just be naive.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: I mean I I had a professor in uh probably my favorite professor of all time.
29:49
SPEAKER_00: Uh this is a guy named Robert Lowry.
29:52
SPEAKER_00: Uh I had him as a professor in grad school.
29:55
SPEAKER_00: Uh probably a small handful of my listeners will know who that is because uh I went to a school called Lincoln Christian Seminary, uh, which turned into Lincoln Christian University in Illinois.
30:06
SPEAKER_00: And he was a wonderful professor of New Testament, and but he had kind of a way of saying things in a really interesting way and having great perspectives on things.
30:15
SPEAKER_00: And I remember one time he said, you know, as I get older, I feel uh, and I think he was kind of talking about the essentials of his faith.
30:24
SPEAKER_00: It was in this context, and he said, There are fewer things that I believe with certainty, but I believe them with more and more certainty.
30:33
SPEAKER_00: In other words, the essential things that were really, really important principles to him, uh every as he got older, that list became smaller and smaller because he realized that there were fewer and fewer things that were truly essential, and that that you could agree to disagree on things that were maybe a little bit more trivial in life.
30:52
SPEAKER_00: And I feel like that's that's a great definition of what it means to become maybe a more mature person as we get older that we realize we're not right about everything and there's other perspectives on things, and right.
31:04
SPEAKER_02: We should have been more experienced and been exposed to more schools of thought, more different types of people, hopefully, I mean not every over time, so that we should be more inclusive and be more open-minded, yes.
31:18
SPEAKER_02: Although, unfortunately, I think some people will put on blinders, but um if you're some the type of person who's always trying to open your and continually learn, then I would agree that yeah.
31:32
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it just the whole the whole thing of just sort of not wanting to learn from people who are different than you, I've never understood that at all.
31:39
SPEAKER_00: Because we're all human, and just because you're different from somebody doesn't mean that you're smarter or more accomplished, it just means you're different.
31:46
SPEAKER_01: Right.
31:47
SPEAKER_00: And I just kind of go through life with the assumption of, hey, here's another person, there's probably something I can learn from them.
31:54
SPEAKER_01: Right.
31:54
SPEAKER_00: In fact, one of my one of my favorite nonfiction authors, Derek Sivers, talks about how he just assumes that everybody else is just a little bit smarter than him.
32:04
SPEAKER_00: And I hope I'm not misquoting him with that, but I remember reading something to that effect in one of his books, and I thought, what a great way to approach life.
32:12
SPEAKER_00: That if you assume everybody else just knows a little bit more than you do, then that means you can approach that person with humility and you always have something to learn.
32:22
SPEAKER_00: I thought, what a great way to go through life.
32:24
SPEAKER_00: That's pretty cool.
32:25
SPEAKER_02: Right.
32:25
SPEAKER_02: Right.
32:26
SPEAKER_02: And also what I believe ties into that is if you've never done yoga and the poses require you to stretch, I think you learn that you can do more than you previously thought.
32:38
SPEAKER_02: And I I I advocate for, especially it's strongly in my book, because not everyone does this instructors, because I had my first injury about a year ago because I moved too quickly.
32:49
SPEAKER_02: And I never did that in my own practice, but I was following the instructor.
32:53
SPEAKER_02: But as long as you you know you gradually ease into this, you you realize, oh, I can do these things that you accomplish something you didn't think you could do before.
33:02
SPEAKER_02: As long as I feel taking it like the atomic habit weight, just inch you know, gradually easing into baby steps.
33:10
SPEAKER_01: Right.
33:10
SPEAKER_02: And then you realize, wow, I can't be more flexible.
33:13
SPEAKER_02: Because one argument against from some people in the past against yoga was, oh, I'm I can't do yoga, I'm not flexible.
33:20
SPEAKER_02: That's the whole point, is to increase your flexibility.
33:23
SPEAKER_00: Right.
33:24
SPEAKER_00: Right.
33:25
SPEAKER_02: And I think the best way to do that is easing in and gradually just and just listening to your body.
33:32
SPEAKER_02: That's what I've benefited from.
33:35
SPEAKER_00: So for writers who are listening, uh, which again, assuming that they are people are writing or want to write because they're listening to this podcast, what are some of the benefits of practicing yoga for writers?
33:47
SPEAKER_00: So, writers typically we do a lot of sitting.
33:50
SPEAKER_00: Uh, some of us are probably a little bit more sedentary than we need to be.
33:54
SPEAKER_00: Um many of us are kind of in that midlife phase or a little bit beyond.
33:59
SPEAKER_00: So, what are some of the benefits of practicing yoga for those of us who fall into some of those categories?
34:05
SPEAKER_00: How can we?
34:07
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yes, it's definitely well to get on stiff.
34:10
SPEAKER_02: One of my other favorite, in addition to you, other favorite writer podcaster is Joanna Penn, and she has a book called The Healthy Writer.
34:17
SPEAKER_00: And she talks about she's great.
34:19
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, she's wonderful.
34:20
SPEAKER_02: And she one of the points that stuff stuck out with me that she mentioned is that for years she neglected her body because especially writers are heady people, and it's so easy.
34:30
SPEAKER_02: Like when I for I have to put a timer on because when I get intense in a project, I can just sit there too long and then get stiffened.
34:38
SPEAKER_02: In fact, two years I know a year ago, I attended an online writing summit, book marketing summit, and went on for two days.
34:45
SPEAKER_02: And we're I don't know why.
34:46
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I thought I was getting up, but I clearly wasn't because I didn't follow my own advice.
34:51
SPEAKER_02: The next day I was really sore, my neck, my shoulders because I had sat too long.
34:57
SPEAKER_02: So yoga helps though when you practice when you preach, offset that, you know, you do have to be mindful and making sure you get up every so often.
35:06
unknown: Right.
35:06
SPEAKER_02: Even though, you know, even if because we do tend to focus and it's like, oh, I want to finish this.
35:11
SPEAKER_02: And it's so easy, and the hours fly by when I'm at my desk.
35:15
SPEAKER_02: But I have to make an effort to remember that.
35:18
SPEAKER_02: And yoga can help with the tension, especially accumulates is right.
35:21
SPEAKER_02: You know, we're at our desk, we're at the keyboard.
35:25
SPEAKER_02: So this area of the neck, the neck rolls that I present in the book are helpful for that.
35:30
SPEAKER_02: Just overall keeping the flexibility, getting rid of the stiffness.
35:34
SPEAKER_02: And I have a saying a while back, it said, you know, yoga every day helps keep the stiffness away.
35:40
SPEAKER_00: So that's one of the key benefits for writers, is that are there some other exercises that you would recommend combining with a yoga practice, like running or weightlifting or uh other kinds of health practices in general?
35:56
SPEAKER_02: Well, yes, I think all of the I well, I used to run.
36:00
SPEAKER_02: I don't run, I have problematic feet.
36:01
SPEAKER_02: I walk, and then I also have a mini trampoline.
36:04
SPEAKER_02: That's one of my other main uh trampolines.
36:07
SPEAKER_02: Oh, nice.
36:07
SPEAKER_02: Jump on bouncing on the trampoline.
36:09
SPEAKER_02: And a year and a half, no, almost two years ago, I started strength training because I'm very small.
36:14
SPEAKER_02: I have not very strong.
36:17
SPEAKER_02: And especially for writers, I heard from some physicians on some other podcast, health podcasts, that strength training is especially important, keeping your to keep your brain sharp as you age, as you you know, as the years go by.
36:31
SPEAKER_02: So I I'd say all of that, a nice broad spectrum of different types of movement that you enjoy are important.
36:40
SPEAKER_02: And to do something daily, um that's what's so walking, especially walking, is great for writers.
36:46
SPEAKER_02: If just you know, if you get stuck, you know, you have a writer's block, you go out and walk and nature, and then you can a lot of I think some of the people in our in the group take notes or bring their phone, you know, dictate as they write because sometimes that helps get you unstuck.
37:01
SPEAKER_02: So all of that, I think the key thing is making sure you set timers or something to remind yourself to get up from your desk ideally every half hour, uh, if possible, but regularly.
37:13
SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's good.
37:14
SPEAKER_02: But any of those swim, I mean, I don't really swim much as far as exercise up here, you know, every so often, but basically it's right, uh it's uh walking.
37:22
SPEAKER_02: I walk walk the dog, jumping on the trampoline I do every day, and yoga or Pilates now that I also added that um and the strength training, the strength training.
37:32
SPEAKER_02: So keep thing is to stay to stay mobile, to keep you know, stay active, physically active.
37:38
SPEAKER_02: You have to have that to balance the time at the desk.
37:43
SPEAKER_00: I mean that is so true.
37:45
SPEAKER_00: Last night I was um so the past few days I've been trying to figure out a um I was gonna say the word not naughty.
37:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't mean naughty like as in bad.
37:57
SPEAKER_00: I mean naughty like K-N-O-T-T-Y.
38:00
SPEAKER_01: Right.
38:01
SPEAKER_00: Um a problem in a problem in my business I've been trying to figure out, and I haven't been able to figure it out.
38:07
SPEAKER_00: And so last night, and it had really been kind of stressing me out.
38:11
SPEAKER_00: And so I decided I was gonna go for a long walk last night, which I do most nights anyway.
38:15
SPEAKER_00: But it was funny because the more that I walked, the more that I became sort of at peace with with this situation, and it's not like anything's bad or anything.
38:27
SPEAKER_00: I was just trying to kind of figure something out.
38:29
SPEAKER_00: And when I got home, I thought, okay, now I I think I know the way forward for this.
38:34
SPEAKER_00: But then I also spent just 10 minutes just journaling my thoughts on this issue.
38:39
SPEAKER_00: And it was funny because once I did that, then I was like, oh, now I I really I know how to handle this.
38:46
SPEAKER_00: And it's just funny how just getting out and walking can be can be such a a great force for us figuring stuff out and dealing with anxiety and coming to solutions about things.
38:58
SPEAKER_00: So, and it sounds like most of us probably should consider adding yoga to that practice too, because uh it sounds like that could be super helpful as well.
39:07
SPEAKER_02: Right.
39:07
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think the combination too of all, yeah, both the yoga, it's especially the yoga that I present is gentle yoga, so that's slow motion.
39:15
SPEAKER_02: So I think it's good to counter to balance it with walking or whatever, and just about your resolving or getting some ideas after your walk.
39:24
SPEAKER_02: Ryan Holliday has an excellent entry.
39:26
SPEAKER_02: It's I think it's last month in the Daily Stoic about walk and how walking can help in so many ways.
39:33
SPEAKER_02: If you have a problem, walk.
39:35
SPEAKER_02: If you have this or that, walk.
39:37
SPEAKER_02: So I think he has a powerful state.
39:39
SPEAKER_02: So the yes, gentle yoga, I would say not just in isolation, but comment combining it with walking, rebounding, some aerobic type activity.
39:51
SPEAKER_00: I love that.
39:52
SPEAKER_00: I love that.
39:52
SPEAKER_00: That's so amazingly helpful.
39:54
SPEAKER_00: What are some of the uh the things that people would need to do to get started with yoga?
39:59
SPEAKER_00: Um, like as far as equipment, would you recommend a yoga mat or any certain type of equipment?
40:04
SPEAKER_00: Or uh how should you dress if you want to get started with yoga?
40:08
SPEAKER_00: Where do people get started with this?
40:10
SPEAKER_02: Well, now it's pretty simple.
40:12
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you don't need much equipment.
40:15
SPEAKER_02: Yes, it's important to invest in a mat, and you can buy them anywhere.
40:18
SPEAKER_02: I mean, there are different yoga shops online.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: You can still get decent mats on um Amazon, or there's a lot of stores that now you can even go to Target or other places and find yoga mats.
40:33
SPEAKER_02: Something that I mean, the purpose of the mat is to separate yourself from the floor or whatever is it might be on the floor, and to give you your body cushioning.
40:40
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's why it's so some people prefer the thicker mat.
40:44
SPEAKER_02: It just depends on your personal preference.
40:47
SPEAKER_02: And only for the first time since I've been taking classes, I got those yoga blocks because that that they're called a prop, a yoga prop, a block to help as a support for your back when you're beginning certain poses or for certain poses later on.
41:02
SPEAKER_02: But that's all you need as far as equipment per se.
41:06
SPEAKER_02: And then you can you don't have to spend you know$90 at Lululemon to get yoga, you know, pants yoga pants, but anything that's comfortable.
41:17
SPEAKER_02: The key thing is when you're doing yoga, you want to be able to move around easily.
41:20
SPEAKER_02: You don't you don't want to be wearing jeans or anything that's constricted, you know, that constricts you.
41:26
SPEAKER_02: So you want I mean you can wear gym shorts if you wanted, um, but just loose, non-constricting clothing is what's important.
41:34
SPEAKER_02: But of course, now you have a whole array.
41:36
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I have in my first the book that I learned from, which goes back to the 60s.
41:42
SPEAKER_02: I mean, they showed women back then, it was just funny they were dressed in um clothing that looked, it just looks so funny now looking back at the oh yeah, I guess they wore leotards and they they still had like traditional bras on, like things that you wouldn't see now, people but um style saying that.
42:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so the key thing is now just comfortable clothing, non-constricted, and you know what so that you can move easily in a variety of directions.
42:13
SPEAKER_02: So simple yoga map, that's all you need to get started with.
42:15
SPEAKER_02: Some people use straps, but I don't do any kind of poses with straps.
42:19
SPEAKER_01: So okay.
42:21
SPEAKER_02: But it's very simple.
42:22
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it doesn't cost much to start if if you don't want to go to class.
42:26
SPEAKER_02: Now there are tons of online yoga classes.
42:29
SPEAKER_02: I think one of the best beginner ones on YouTube is a woman named Adrian.
42:34
SPEAKER_02: She's she presents very some great videos for yoga beginners, and she's very easygoing and not she's a very nice, appealing demeanor.
42:47
SPEAKER_02: And she's not one of these like just supermodels.
42:50
SPEAKER_02: You know, I mean she's attractive, but she's not, you know, some people get intimidated.
42:53
SPEAKER_02: Oh, everyone, you know, they're these supermodels giving instruction, and they feel put off by that.
42:58
SPEAKER_02: But she's very approachable, down-to-earth, just very genuine, and she clearly enjoys what she's doing, and she's taken off, she's very popular, but provides good training.
43:09
SPEAKER_02: And I wrote the book too, is because when I learned, I learned from two books.
43:13
SPEAKER_02: I didn't have there weren't, except that one program on PBS.
43:17
SPEAKER_02: Um, if you but you have to, you know, look through the book and the instructions, and you can either record them to yourself.
43:24
SPEAKER_02: I haven't yet recorded the book that's on the back burner to guide people through the poses.
43:30
SPEAKER_01: Gotcha.
43:31
SPEAKER_02: Um, but anyway, you have lots of options now.
43:34
SPEAKER_02: But I keep I would say the key thing is if you're starting from scratch and if you go to a class is to make sure that the instructor really understands beginners and is not throwing you because someone could go and walk in a class and it wouldn't be necessary for beginners, and they're giving these terms they don't know.
43:52
SPEAKER_02: So go into downward dog, and you think, well, I don't know what that is, you know.
43:56
SPEAKER_01: Right.
43:56
SPEAKER_02: Because there are classes like that.
43:57
SPEAKER_02: They don't they assume everyone already knows.
44:00
SPEAKER_02: So you have to make sure it's a beginner-friendly.
44:04
SPEAKER_00: So the point here is just to pick something and get started, whether it's going to a local class, grabbing your book, which obviously we want to recommend, uh, or also maybe watching say some YouTube videos with the instructor you recommended.
44:16
SPEAKER_00: So there's lots of options for just getting started.
44:19
SPEAKER_00: I think just taking action and doing something.
44:22
unknown: Right.
44:22
SPEAKER_00: It almost doesn't matter what it is, just do something because anytime you take action, that breeds more action in your life.
44:29
SPEAKER_02: Right.
44:29
SPEAKER_02: And I say as in my book too, I'd say just start with five minutes a day, you know, to get the habit.
44:36
SPEAKER_02: Because I mean, that's how I started everything.
44:38
SPEAKER_02: And when I was running back in my early 20s, or I just made that commitment to exercise every day.
44:44
SPEAKER_02: But I started small, like five minutes just to get in the habit.
44:48
SPEAKER_02: Then I added every week, and then it was 10 minutes up to 30.
44:52
SPEAKER_02: So just start small.
44:53
SPEAKER_02: So because you don't want to just jump in, okay, now I'm going to do an hour every day.
44:56
SPEAKER_02: Well, that's not realistic.
44:58
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
44:58
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
44:59
SPEAKER_02: I believe in that whole atomic habit concept.
45:02
SPEAKER_00: So I do too.
45:04
SPEAKER_00: And you know, it's really funny what you can get done in just 10 or 15 minutes.
45:10
SPEAKER_00: I mean, if you sit down and you really focus on something for just 15 minutes, you can I mean even just in terms of writing, you can get actually a good chunk of writing done.
45:19
SPEAKER_00: If you just write and you're you're not hopping on YouTube or answering your email or answering text or whatever it is.
45:26
unknown: Right.
45:26
SPEAKER_02: And the same thing with doing yoga.
45:28
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you can just if you really put your heart into it in 10 minutes, just focus and stretch and just being mindful.
45:36
SPEAKER_02: You will you know you'll benefit from that.
45:38
SPEAKER_02: Like if you did 10 minutes a day every day for a week or so more than an hour on the weekend.
45:45
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love that.
45:46
SPEAKER_00: Gosh.
45:47
SPEAKER_00: It's funny because almost everything you're saying about yoga also applies to writing.
45:51
SPEAKER_00: You know, start small, just take action, try to do it every day.
45:55
SPEAKER_00: You're gonna get way more benefit out of it than trying to cram everything on the weekends.
45:58
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
45:59
SPEAKER_01: Right, exactly.
46:00
SPEAKER_00: Uh well, this has been great, Laura.
46:02
SPEAKER_00: Gosh, you've really inspired me to dive back into yoga.
46:06
SPEAKER_00: I've I think I've tried to do six or eight sessions.
46:11
SPEAKER_00: Uh this has been a few months ago.
46:13
SPEAKER_00: I got kind of on a kick there and I gave it up.
46:15
SPEAKER_00: So I need to dive back into it.
46:17
SPEAKER_00: So you've inspired me with this.
46:19
SPEAKER_00: So I appreciate it.
46:20
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you.
46:21
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
46:21
SPEAKER_02: You're welcome.
46:22
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, and these more it's it's funny, it's kind of ironic as a lot last thought that I mean now there are a few men in my the yoga class I attend, but it's definitely more women.
46:32
SPEAKER_02: But the irony is that one of the this woman I met, Dal Porshawn Lynch, who was a famous beloved yoga instructor for years.
46:40
SPEAKER_02: She died four years ago at age 101, and apparently still teaching yoga class, like five days before she died.
46:47
SPEAKER_02: When she learned yoga in India, it was she was told she shouldn't try, she was fascinated, and she said, Well, that's only for men.
46:55
SPEAKER_02: You know, girls don't do yoga.
46:57
SPEAKER_02: So it's funny that it seems like the worst, although there are more and more men now doing it, but for many years, it seemed like in the United States at least, it was mainly women.
47:07
SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
47:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I've got a a good friend, Andy Storch, who um he's been doing yoga a long time and swears by it.
47:15
SPEAKER_00: He does it, he posts a lot on social media about it.
47:17
SPEAKER_00: So so yeah, I think a lot of a lot of guys have perceived that it's a female thing, but it's it's not.
47:23
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's a it's a human thing.
47:25
SPEAKER_02: Right.
47:25
SPEAKER_00: For sure.
47:26
SPEAKER_00: Where can people learn more about Shine After 50, uh, your yoga book, and anything else that you want to share?
47:33
SPEAKER_02: Well, the yoga book, Gentle Yoga After 50, get fit flexible and feel fantastic, is on Amazon.
47:40
SPEAKER_02: Um, and you can anyone who's interested can contact me at Laura L-A-U-R-A at Shine After 5050, the number, or either one works, but 50.com.
47:54
SPEAKER_02: If they have any questions, and uh I do offer, well, they can contact me.
48:00
SPEAKER_02: I have a free download on 10 steps to start, you know, to successfully start a yoga practice.
48:04
SPEAKER_02: So that's about oh perfect.
48:06
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
48:06
SPEAKER_02: So and um awesome.
48:08
SPEAKER_02: I'm also happy to chat.
48:10
SPEAKER_02: No obligation chat.
48:11
SPEAKER_02: If someone's having trouble or wants uh wants support and getting started, happy to chat, 30-minute chat.
48:19
SPEAKER_02: There's to help someone get started.
48:22
SPEAKER_00: Love it.
48:23
SPEAKER_00: Well, Laura, thanks again for being a guest today.
48:25
SPEAKER_00: This has been a fantastic conversation.
48:27
SPEAKER_00: You've inspired me.
48:29
SPEAKER_00: And um, gosh, I'm hoping that our listeners go to your website, check it out, and grab your book and start getting healthier.
48:36
SPEAKER_00: And for those who are after who are past 50 to really start shining, I mean you can shine at any time, but right.
48:44
SPEAKER_00: But specifically if you're if you're kind of past 50, uh, it's so tempting just to kind of give up and to quit on the dreams that you have.
48:52
SPEAKER_00: So I'm really grateful for you being in the Profitable Rider Membership Group and adding so much value there, but also encouraging us to shine.
48:58
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I love it.
48:59
SPEAKER_00: So thank you again.
49:00
SPEAKER_00: This is gonna be great.
49:01
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
49:01
SPEAKER_02: Well, thank you.
49:02
SPEAKER_02: It's been a pleasure and honor to be here.
49:04
SPEAKER_02: Thanks so much.
49:05
SPEAKER_00: Man, that was a lot of wisdom that Laura shared with us, wasn't it?
49:08
SPEAKER_00: I really, really love this conversation.
49:10
SPEAKER_00: You know, one of the interesting things that I've noticed about doing a podcast for a long time, I think this is my 11th year doing a podcast, and I've always done interviews, and at this point I've done many hundreds of interviews on the various iterations of this podcast.
49:25
SPEAKER_00: I think I've had like four or five actual versions of my podcast, but basically I've talked about the same topics the whole time creativity, success, writing, and so forth.
49:34
SPEAKER_00: One of the things that I've noticed about podcast interviews is that oftentimes I will start a conversation wanting to dive into a few topics.
49:43
SPEAKER_00: You know, we'll talk about those topics beforehand and I'll kind of have an idea of the topics that I want to discuss, but oftentimes they go a different direction, and that was definitely the case with this conversation in the best way possible.
49:55
SPEAKER_00: And this is the reason why I have guests on the show is because I not only get to bring these conversations to you, the listener, obviously, but I, as the interviewer and the host, get to benefit from these as well.
50:08
SPEAKER_00: And as you have heard in this conversation, Laura is one of those people where you just have to talk to her for a few minutes, and you get a clear sense that this is a person who is really accomplished, really kind, and maybe most important, just really wise.
50:22
SPEAKER_00: And so that's why I hope that you will go to Laura's website, shineafter50.com, and there's by the way, a link in the show notes for that.
50:30
SPEAKER_00: I hope that you go to her website and that you check out her book, Gentle Yoga After Fifty, and that you subscribe to her newsletter, Shine After Fifty, Regain Your Sparkle.
50:39
SPEAKER_00: Do all those things because Laura is really, really inspiring.
50:41
SPEAKER_00: She's really smart and wise.
50:43
SPEAKER_00: And as you've again, as as you have heard in today's episode, you're gonna benefit from spending some time with her, whether that's through her book, YouTube channel, newsletter website, whatever that happens to be.
50:53
SPEAKER_00: So again, I hope you've enjoyed this episode.
50:55
SPEAKER_00: I feel really inspired to continue shining uh at this current age of 50 and well into the future as well.
51:02
SPEAKER_00: And my friend, I hope that it does the same thing for you, no matter what your age.
51:06
SPEAKER_00: Well, I want to thank Laura for taking the time to be a guest on today's episode, and as always, I will see you next time.