Latest / Tone It Down / Come Back to Yourself: Trainer Chyna Rae on Motherhood, Creativity & Finding Real Joy
Transcript
- 0:00I thought when I had all of these things, I would just be happy, I guess.
- 0:05And yet there was something inside of me that was like,
- 0:09oh my gosh, it's still not working.
- 0:11I'm so used to like kind of being a people pleaser.
- 0:14So that was a big first step of breaking that off.
- 0:18I didn't realize how much I still was looking at outward things to fix
- 0:22whatever the inward thing was inside of me.
- 0:24So working out has really become that moment kind of like a meditation in a way.
- 0:28I have like a newfound appreciation for fitness.
- 0:31I have taken a lot of fitness breaks.
- 0:34That is something that 20-something-year-old me would have been terrified of.
- 0:38It's okay if you take a while off of fitness,
- 0:40and that's how I'm healthfully going to come back to it.
- 0:43I'm really excited to help so many women understand that...
- 0:48Hello, T-I-U team.
- 0:51I hope you're having a beautiful day.
- 0:52It's Karina here.
- 0:55So happy to be back for episode seven.
- 0:57I don't know about you, but I'm really enjoying being able to communicate
- 1:03and connect each week for Tonit Down Tuesday.
- 1:07If you don't know, obviously it's anywhere that you can listen to podcasts.
- 1:11And it's also on the Tonit Up YouTube channel where you can watch the video.
- 1:17So come hang with us.
- 1:18Also subscribe YouTube and anywhere that you listen to the pod,
- 1:23because then you will not miss an episode.
- 1:26The other thing is, I'm going to be in Palm Springs again,
- 1:29soon filming for your summer series challenge.
- 1:32And while I'm there, I'm doing another AMA.
- 1:36And so you can go to KarinaDawn.com slash message.
- 1:39And you can leave me a voice mail, anonymous or not.
- 1:43And I listen to everyone respond to some when I can,
- 1:46and we play them live on the show.
- 1:49So I love every message.
- 1:51You all are so sweet.
- 1:52So I'm just so excited how this journey has really brought us here.
- 1:59Anyways, I'm currently in Austin, Texas sitting at my kitchen island.
- 2:03Had a great day, had an active rest day.
- 2:06I really try to make sure Sundays I don't work too much.
- 2:10I get outside and some sunshine.
- 2:13Active rest days are my things to just kind of mill around.
- 2:17So hope you are taking your Sundays to take time for you as well.
- 2:23So as I mentioned, I am going to be in Palm Springs
- 2:27next week filming summer series.
- 2:29And guess what?
- 2:31Then the following week is the launch of your trainer Christina Ernest
- 2:35Challenge.
- 2:36So it's a two week thing.
- 2:37Like those of you who have been asking for something a bit more
- 2:42intense, this one's for you.
- 2:44It's evergreen, start whenever you want.
- 2:47It's there just like all of the other thousand plus workouts in your app.
- 2:52Always there.
- 2:53This weekend I did a yoga with Alex on yesterday.
- 2:57My body just wanted a yoga flow on the beach.
- 3:00So I did that.
- 3:01So excited for Christina's program coming out.
- 3:05And of course, as you know, every Monday,
- 3:08there is a new workout.
- 3:09Every Monday when there's not a new program that's being launched,
- 3:13there is a new workout or content in your tone or app.
- 3:16So that's really cool.
- 3:17That's one of the things I really wanted to change
- 3:20is just consistent content.
- 3:22And again, all the old workouts are there.
- 3:24And then a lot of new stuff.
- 3:26So anyways, enough yibber yabberin.
- 3:29Enjoy this discussion with China, your trainer China.
- 3:34So when I was in LA, China came to the hotel room as well.
- 3:39We sat down to have a beautiful conversation about China's journey.
- 3:44She's been in over the past five years.
- 3:47So navigating a life-changing divorce in her 20s,
- 3:51rediscovering who she truly is,
- 3:53to falling in love, getting married, and becoming a mama.
- 3:57And I really love how China opens up about all of it.
- 4:00And together, we dive into the transformative power of creativity
- 4:05as a path of joy and why taking long breaks from fitness helped her build
- 4:11the healthiest relationship with movement she's ever had.
- 4:14And I can totally understand that as well.
- 4:17Now, also talking about how becoming a mother
- 4:19brought her fully into the present moment.
- 4:23Joy isn't found in checking off boxes
- 4:25or achieving the perfect life from the outside in.
- 4:27It lives inside of you and it's time to get unlocked.
- 4:31So whether you're navigating change, stepping into a new season
- 4:34or simply craving more presence and creativity
- 4:36in your everyday life, you are exactly where you need to be.
- 4:41Enjoy this episode.
- 4:43Share it with a friend.
- 4:44I loved one that you think needs to hear it as well.
- 4:48All right, I love you.
- 5:01Welcome back to Tona Down.
- 5:03And today's guest, China.
- 5:05Hello, hello.
- 5:07Hello.
- 5:08Welcome.
- 5:08We've also got Max here for emotional support.
- 5:13We were just talking in China recently lost a puppy
- 5:16and we're like such dog people.
- 5:19It's really hard.
- 5:20It hits you so much harder than you think it would.
- 5:22It's like, like at first I was like, I can't be the sad for dog.
- 5:26And then what am I talking about?
- 5:28I'm really sad.
- 5:30She was so special.
- 5:31Yeah, but this is so nice to have a little dog right now.
- 5:36All right, so China needs no introduction.
- 5:39You've been working out with her again.
- 5:42And I kind of want to go back
- 5:45to the last time you worked out with Tona,
- 5:48you had just gotten engaged.
- 5:50And I remember that ring.
- 5:51You can wear your own set.
- 5:53And Elsa Gunnows, the old Lululemon store.
- 5:55Okay.
- 5:56And you came in while you were filming.
- 5:57You're like, okay, I don't remember this.
- 5:59And you're like, I'm okay.
- 6:01I remember, I think I remember this.
- 6:04Yeah.
- 6:04Is there like a trailer or something?
- 6:06No.
- 6:07No, okay.
- 6:07Anyways, all right.
- 6:09So let's go way back.
- 6:11Let's talk about where you're from.
- 6:14Well, hello.
- 6:15Okay, this is fun.
- 6:16Yeah, where I'm from like, like where you grew up.
- 6:20Okay, so I ended up in California.
- 6:22Oh, this is fun.
- 6:23I was born actually in California in Camarillo.
- 6:28Okay.
- 6:29So I have a bunch of family out here.
- 6:30Like aunt uncles cousins grandma.
- 6:32We moved to Wisconsin when I was like five years old.
- 6:36So I grew up in the Midwest.
- 6:38My whole life and moved back out here.
- 6:42Right when I started toning up the first time.
- 6:44I know.
- 6:44Yeah, we met when you had just moved out.
- 6:46Yes.
- 6:47I met you for the first time and we're like, we like,
- 6:51we make Midwest.
- 6:52Yeah.
- 6:53And so you got into fitness.
- 6:55How I got into fitness just
- 6:59actually like my whole life.
- 7:01I don't know if it's a Midwest thing or what,
- 7:03but it was really focused on sports and athletic
- 7:06studies from where I'm from and I loved it.
- 7:09So I started out my main three sports.
- 7:13I guess we're track and field volleyball and a dance too.
- 7:16I don't know that you dance.
- 7:18I did.
- 7:19Yeah, I danced for a long time.
- 7:20I forget that for and I was like, you should do a dance video.
- 7:24We should do a dance TikTok since now.
- 7:25But that's literally another life.
- 7:27Like at this point, that's 20 years ago.
- 7:31It was another that's crazy to me.
- 7:33But yeah, I did dance.
- 7:34But track and volleyball, I loved.
- 7:37I was very into sports.
- 7:38So that's where I got into fitness.
- 7:39And I think it was leaving high school for me.
- 7:43I didn't play sports in college.
- 7:45And I was like, well, now what do I do?
- 7:47I'm so used to having practice.
- 7:49I wasn't coaches to tell me what to do.
- 7:51And so that's when a lot of people, I think,
- 7:53start developing their own interest in fitness more personally.
- 7:58So why the move back to California?
- 8:01The move.
- 8:01Oh, well,
- 8:03it's dark and then happy.
- 8:06That's fine.
- 8:06I know the story.
- 8:08The move back was because I actually had a divorce.
- 8:13So my early 20s, I got married.
- 8:17All I want to say is I don't think I really knew myself.
- 8:21I don't think I knew myself.
- 8:22I don't think I knew I was marrying whatever.
- 8:26So I got divorced and right at the time I got divorced,
- 8:30I was recalibrating so much in my life.
- 8:34Just like, I didn't see this coming.
- 8:37Yeah, I remember being like, I didn't think I would be a person that got divorced.
- 8:41That's like how I felt.
- 8:42And if you're comfortable talking about it,
- 8:44I think it's so important because I've gotten a lot of messages from women who are like,
- 8:47yeah, we have moved their marriages through divorce through losses in this nine.
- 8:52And I don't think a lot of people know about that side of you.
- 8:56Yeah, I'm comfortable talking about anything.
- 8:59That's why I love this podcast.
- 9:00It's like, we get to actually talk, you know?
- 9:03Yeah, so I went through divorce and I know you're married now.
- 9:07Yeah, I know where we'll get there.
- 9:08But for someone listening, was there shame around it?
- 9:12Yeah, there was so much confusion on my end of,
- 9:17like I said, the narrative in my head,
- 9:19if I didn't think I would be a person that would do this,
- 9:21which is such a strange thing to say because it's life.
- 9:24It's unexpected.
- 9:26But I think I had shame because to be totally honest,
- 9:32I grew up where just like my faith is really important to me.
- 9:36And then when it comes to, if you get too religious about it,
- 9:40it's like very shameful to get a divorce.
- 9:43I'm not saying that anybody in my family, you know,
- 9:46nobody treated me that way.
- 9:48But I think that was in my head of like, you don't do this.
- 9:51You can't do this.
- 9:52I'm like, but I can't do what I'm doing.
- 9:55Yeah.
- 9:56So that was a big hurdle to overcome other people's thoughts, I guess,
- 10:01about me and about my life.
- 10:03This could take me in another direction because I'm so interested in you talk a lot about
- 10:08the joy of life now and what your purpose is and how in the past was so much about aesthetics
- 10:16and how you're really bringing it home to like who you are.
- 10:22Do you feel like in that last relationship,
- 10:24you are still discovering who you are.
- 10:26You're still growing.
- 10:28And now, like, as you've grown, grown as we all do over the years,
- 10:32like how that shift has happened.
- 10:35Totally.
- 10:36I think the first relationship, when I think about it, it's like discovering who you are not
- 10:41knowing who you are.
- 10:42I think my thing was being really scared to be alone deep down.
- 10:49And so there was like this rush or something to be in a relationship because it made me feel
- 10:57I needed someone else to like, completely, complete me.
- 11:01That's like that little cliche of a thing that's, I think that's what it was.
- 11:06And so post divorce and post going through this first, it was like my first big step of like,
- 11:12I have to do something that people might not like.
- 11:16I have to get divorced and people might be upset with me.
- 11:20And I'm so used to like kind of being a people pleaser.
- 11:23So that was a big first step of like breaking that off.
- 11:26And then the step to move out here.
- 11:29And yeah, just this journey to be like, it was my mid 20s of,
- 11:34yeah.
- 11:34Okay, I kind of want to figure out what's going on and how I got here.
- 11:39How did you have the courage to do that?
- 11:41You were in your mid 20s, yes, but even someone in their mid 30s, 40s, 50s,
- 11:45like to have the courage to be like, I think there's something greater for me.
- 11:50How do I go explore that?
- 11:54It's so tough. I don't really know how.
- 11:56I think you just have to go down to the really deep parts of yourself
- 12:00and listen to those parts because a lot of time like, for me personally,
- 12:05I think your gut kind of knows it.
- 12:08Don't mind the train in the background.
- 12:10Yeah, is that a train?
- 12:12A little train in downtown LA.
- 12:14I know.
- 12:15I've middle sunset, boulevard, y'all.
- 12:18We'll work through the sound.
- 12:20But going back to your gut, yes.
- 12:22Yeah, I guess so.
- 12:23I don't know.
- 12:24It's so different for every person.
- 12:25And at the stage that I was in, I just,
- 12:28I don't know.
- 12:29It's like more of a description of this is what happened in my 20s rather than
- 12:35a prescription of like, oh, this is how you know, you know what I mean?
- 12:39I can just speak for myself and my journey with relationships and with knowing
- 12:45that I'm not quite being honest with myself.
- 12:47Yeah.
- 12:47I think.
- 12:48So let's talk about your fitness journey.
- 12:51When we met, you were with Toned Up.
- 12:54You got engaged.
- 12:56We already know.
- 12:57We've all talked about the transitions of Toned Up and, you know, private equity and all of that.
- 13:03And during that time, where was it like five years, we didn't really see each other.
- 13:09He got married.
- 13:10He became a mother.
- 13:12Talk about how all of that has just like,
- 13:15really changed who you are and the importance of what you like to speak about and do.
- 13:20And how I feel like it brought out the artist within you.
- 13:24I've followed you obviously and senior creativity and talk to you on the phone.
- 13:30I feel like you've really come into, like, who you already were.
- 13:34But really having a different confidence.
- 13:38It's so fun that we started talking about my wife like 10 or 10 years ago because I'm just like,
- 13:45I don't even remember what to say because I was so long ago.
- 13:48Like, yeah.
- 13:49And then you, but it's fun remembering it for a second because you can realize, oh my gosh,
- 13:53I've grown so much or I'm just in such a different place and I'm so grateful for that.
- 14:00Like, I'm so grateful to be through the decade of the 20s and early 30s.
- 14:07And I think it's just going to keep getting better too.
- 14:09I'm very excited about that.
- 14:11So, okay, wait, what's the question?
- 14:14Just so in the five years getting married,
- 14:16yeah, becoming a mother, like, how you've transitioned to become this woman that you are,
- 14:21who your focus seems more about is like being creative, having a voice, a voice that you feel
- 14:28true to yourself, that transition of everything.
- 14:32So, yeah, it's been awesome.
- 14:34I'm in the happiest place I have ever been in 100% and I think a lot of it started.
- 14:40I got married and Amar is, I just can't believe there's a human that can love you so unconditionally
- 14:49and so consistently and be so okay with exactly who you are in this moment.
- 14:54And I support you and I see you and I believe in you.
- 14:57And I think there's something about that type of love that did give me just like a confidence
- 15:03because he saw me.
- 15:04I felt like, and when someone can start to see the truth inside of you, it's like it can spark
- 15:12something for you.
- 15:14And with Folly and love with him and getting married, I also, I feel like I just
- 15:18entered this life and I was like, wait, I'm checking off so many boxes of what would be
- 15:23in my dream life and there were so many, like we lived in a place I loved and we had our dogs
- 15:30and we had this love and we got married and all this great stuff.
- 15:34And yet there was something inside of me that was like, oh my gosh, it's still not working.
- 15:41Like I thought when I had all of these things, I would just be happy, I guess,
- 15:48is what it was.
- 15:49I mean, that's an assumption that I think at some point we all make is like when you get to hear
- 15:54and you check those boxes, you have happiness and you have joy, but it has to go way deeper than that.
- 16:01So much deeper and I didn't even realize it.
- 16:03I didn't realize how much I still was looking at outward things to fix whatever the inward
- 16:09thing was inside of me.
- 16:11And so I think that was like a terrifying moment.
- 16:13It was like my second year being married to a mar life was perfect.
- 16:18I have nothing to complain about.
- 16:19And so then I'm just like, why don't I feel this like joy?
- 16:24Like the main thing that I would feel was, okay, I can get excited if something good happens,
- 16:29but otherwise I'm confused.
- 16:32I'm doing like something's not adding up here in life.
- 16:35And so that's when I started going on.
- 16:38I'm like, I got to face whatever this is.
- 16:40And I just went on this whole journey inside of me of like, why isn't what am I doing wrong?
- 16:46Not that it was wrong. It's just a part of the journey.
- 16:49Just what are you missing?
- 16:50What is that thing that connection was self to miss out on the joy?
- 16:55And that's also, I love that joy is such an important word for you because it's also been
- 17:01every year like freedom and joy.
- 17:04Yeah, because you probably have to go on the exact same journey.
- 17:07And it's the greatest feeling when you discover like, it's in where it is in you and you can never
- 17:13lose it. And so for me, that started with opening up the artist and creativity inside of me was
- 17:20really empowering for me because it's something I can always have and I can always do and I can always
- 17:26paint and write and draw whatever else the creative expression is instead of being a product of
- 17:33something. It's like I felt empowered that I get to create things and the level of joy that
- 17:39creating things brought me was crazy. It still is.
- 17:44And you are a great writer. I reposted something that you wrote recently and posted on Instagram.
- 17:49But this is important for someone listening because I feel like art is so important and it comes
- 17:54in so many different forms and a lot of people don't have that freedom to explore it.
- 17:59So your art and how someone can find that and encourage to like discover that and do it.
- 18:06Yeah, well, I didn't realize I had that inside of me. I think that's the thing I'm very passionate
- 18:12about is everybody has this inside of them. And a lot of times you categorize art as
- 18:18painting, writing, whatever, classic artist's stuff. But it can be anything. It can be like
- 18:24how you get excited to host a dinner party and set the table or creative ways that you're
- 18:30scheduling the day with your kids. There's just so many avenues. It's basically just getting out
- 18:35of that logic, reptilian side of your brain and moving into prefrontal cortex where your
- 18:42imagination is. And that can mean everybody has that. And I think that part of your mind,
- 18:48it's like where you can access this joy. So it's finding right now for me. It's actually reading
- 18:56fiction books. I'm not even creating, but it's allowing me to go to that part of my mind and use
- 19:03my imagination. That's where I'm getting that connection to joy. That makes sense. I do love
- 19:08some fiction books too. What are your favorite fiction books? Like what genre of fiction?
- 19:13Okay, well, this is a total surprise. My sister's like, what? You like these, but she got me
- 19:18hooked right now on, okay, I just read Verity. Okay. The house made just like these big classic ones
- 19:25that are kind of like psychological thrillers. That's what I'm into. I was going to say, is it
- 19:30thrillers? Because that's what I like too. They're so fun. Bobby thinks I'm psycho because even like
- 19:34watching shows. Yeah, I love thrillers. Okay. Yeah, we got to read some books. But that's another,
- 19:40it's like, I'm realizing it the last few weeks. I'm like, this is giving me the same feeling
- 19:45as painting. And I think it's just because it's allowing me to turn everything off and go into
- 19:51that creative party mind because you're kind of like forming the story, you know, like picturing
- 19:56the movie. Yeah. And so that's another way to do it. It just bringing me a lot of joy. Yeah.
- 20:01And gals, we have had discussions of a turn up book club. Oh, yeah, yeah. So let us know if you're
- 20:06in for that because that could be really fun. It would be so fun. Oh, my gosh, I could talk about
- 20:12books all day. I usually am a big reader. And I've gone away from that. But that is like that
- 20:18connects that part of the brain where you have to visualize. Yeah, it keeps you alive.
- 20:23I've realized it this last week. I didn't even know that. But I think what it is is doing something,
- 20:29it's realizing that you always have a chance to access that part of your mind. Like I think I was
- 20:34always just upset or offended by a circumstance or a person instead of understanding.
- 20:42Oh, right now I'm empowered to go to a place that makes me happy. Yeah.
- 20:47Let's chat. Motherhood. Oh, yeah. Love how has that journey been? I've met Kai. And once I
- 20:55motherhood has been such a whirlwind. I wasn't somebody who grew up dreaming about the day
- 21:04I would get married and have kids. So it's like an unusual, I'm sure there's so many people like
- 21:10this. But sometimes I feel like unique in that area. So it'd be so interesting if anybody else
- 21:17felt this way. But I never really thought about having kids. And I wasn't much of a babysitter
- 21:23growing up. Like I'm actually pretty uncomfortable with newborns. The first diaper I ever changed
- 21:31may have been Kai's. I can't remember, but I think it might have been. Yeah. And I remember when
- 21:35the nurse like left him in our room right after I gave up. Yeah, after I delivered, I'm like,
- 21:41what are you? How do I know if he's still breathing? So I went on like my sister such a baby
- 21:48babysitter so comfortable with babies. So for me, it was like, man, it's been a total crazy
- 21:54softening of my heart. Because at the same time, as soon as Kai came along, I'm just like,
- 22:02why was I so caught up with like this big purpose I had to do with my life? Like all this stuff,
- 22:08he's really helped bring me back to the present moment of like, this is it. Yeah. This is
- 22:14everything I've wanted. So it's been unexpected and so transformative in the best ways ever.
- 22:25Yeah. How has that affected your marriage? It's been really cool. Yeah.
- 22:32Yeah, it's been really cool to see how, because there's a lot of stuff we didn't talk about
- 22:36pre-kids. Yeah. Like, well, how would we do this? How would we do that? And it's just actually
- 22:42been really awesome because we're both so respectful with each other and like, we really want to be
- 22:47a team about this because it's crazy. Even though it's only one baby, one baby is still just a shock
- 22:54to your schedule and to your life. And being able to see Amar as a dad is just the best. And
- 23:03yeah, it's been really cool. I'm so happy that Kai has him as a dad.
- 23:08Loving motherhood, new experiences, discovering yourself even more and love and joy. And then
- 23:17what has your fitness journey been like in the past five years? Oh, five years. Okay. So five
- 23:24years ago, that was pre-wedding. It's gone like this. That's what the journey of what's
- 23:29fitness has been. It's been intense at times. It's been, I want to look good for my wedding.
- 23:37It's been, oh my gosh, I'm having a baby. How do I stay strong and keep my body fit through
- 23:44this pregnancy and then post baby? And it's cool because I have taken a lot of fitness breaks.
- 23:52And that's something that is something that 20-something year old me would have been terrified of.
- 23:58Like that, I'm talking like like months and like months, months, months of just I'm not really
- 24:06into working out at the moment. And not saying that that's what everyone should do, but I really
- 24:11needed the long breaks to rewire my brain to be like, it's okay. It's okay if you take a
- 24:17while off of fitness. And that's how I'm healthily going to come back to it. And that's exactly
- 24:22what happened. And I mentioned this before, but like I'm really doing it to stay strong now
- 24:27because I notice lifting up chi and things like that. It just like it does take a toll. And if
- 24:32I want to get pregnant again. And I'm doing it to connect with my body. Like my brain can be so
- 24:39scattered now. And I have to do this, this, this, this, and I'm just kind of living up here.
- 24:45So working out has really become that moment kind of like a meditation in a way.
- 24:49Yeah, keep you sharp. Keep you present.
- 24:51Dorphins, give you energy, all the things. I know we've talked before. It's a lot less about
- 24:57the aesthetic, but like what how it makes me feel. Yeah. And my strength to have another child,
- 25:05take care of it. Yeah. I have like a newfound appreciation for fitness. It's like an interesting
- 25:10relationship. And right now I'm at the point where I'm so grateful that we have this tool to like
- 25:16connect with ourselves to be stronger to I really, I'm at the healthiest I've been with that,
- 25:21I think. And that doesn't mean I'm going to the gym every day, for sure. Well,
- 25:28aesthetically, you look like I also want to give a shout out to you too, because when we were
- 25:34filming new, new TIO, you were so sick prior, like eating up to that. I was so, I was the most sick
- 25:42I've ever been. I called you and I remember I like couldn't even talk on the phone. I was like,
- 25:47I'll try to be here. I can't read it. I know. And everyone's like, whatever you got to do.
- 25:54Yeah, you guys were amazing. I just I wouldn't have pushed it if I felt really sick, but it was like
- 26:00it was at the tail end of it. But you showed up, we edited out all the hacking. But I just want
- 26:06to say, like that shows your strength and your ability and your mental capacity to push through
- 26:13things. And you were at the tail end, obviously, we wouldn't have, but there was no pressure put on
- 26:17you. Like we can do this another time. But you're like, no, I'm going to show up. I'm going to do
- 26:22this and you made it and you powered through. And that's good. That's where it's like, oh yeah,
- 26:29the app they did me that I want to keep nurturing to because I like her a lot. Yeah, just having
- 26:34that stamina and strength. So now that you're back and teaching workouts and all the things,
- 26:39what can we expect from you beyond fitness, like wellness and overall, like what is China now?
- 26:48What is she now? She is very focused on being as present as possible because I have spent way too
- 26:58much life on autopilot. That is literally my goal at the moment is how do I get in my body,
- 27:06not let life just pass me by, just see everybody that I'm with. And like, I know this is a very abstract
- 27:13answer, but that is where I'm at at the moment. And I'm more of the like practical side loving being
- 27:20a mom to Kai. And I just finished writing a book and tell you that. Okay, what's it about,
- 27:28when's it coming out? I don't know how much I'm saying it because literally it's ironic,
- 27:33but this morning I finished and I'm only through like the first complete draft. And I just feel so
- 27:42proud of the accomplishment. Yeah, I've been working on it. I don't want to tell you so long.
- 27:46It took me five years to write a bit more. Five years. Okay, I see. And it's not that it's like,
- 27:51oh, you're writing for five years. It's more of like the rhythm with life. And then honestly,
- 27:58it's a fiction that I'm writing. And so just the story is like unfolding. And it's been a really
- 28:04cool practice for me just like having this anchor throughout the last five years. And it's another
- 28:10big reason why I'm really excited to help so many women understand the creative power that's inside
- 28:16of them because I think it's kind of saved me. I love that and I can't wait to read it. Yeah,
- 28:21that's amazing. Yeah, I'm really excited. Going back to your presence, if someone's listening
- 28:28in there on autopilot and just doing the day to day, just getting through it so they can get to
- 28:36the end of the day, what are some tips on how you can become present and take care of you first or
- 28:43whatever, maybe. Yeah, I know it's so tough. It's I think definitely for me getting outside and
- 28:51going on a walk or something with no audio. So no like not listening to anything is really
- 28:59healthy. I just get to like connect with myself and focus on where I am in life today so that the
- 29:07day doesn't just like pass by. Right. Kind of just like getting in nature, hearing the sounds,
- 29:13seeing what's around you, feeling the breath, like the temper, like, yeah, just staying present then.
- 29:18Yeah, like noticing it in your body. For me, it's like a macro level thing where I've just been like,
- 29:24why do I live up here? Like that's not where life exists. It doesn't exist in the future.
- 29:30Doesn't exist in the past. And just like getting to this place of like, oh, life is right here
- 29:35right now today. I think I spent 90% of my time before thinking about the past, thinking about the
- 29:40future. And so it's really realizing how true that is. And what do people do? Yeah. So that's
- 29:46been anxiety. Yeah. Exactly. And it's just like so much of it is unnecessary suffering. It's like
- 29:55worrying about things that we don't know aren't going to happen. So you're kind of like worrying
- 30:00times too for no reason. So it's just like going to the root of those lies of like, why am I
- 30:05up here? I want to come back here. Kai has been a huge part of it because I don't want to be like,
- 30:11wait, it's childhood just go by instead of I'm just trying to really take in each day of like his
- 30:17little changes and be with him as much as I can. And he's easy to do it on. I think it's harder with
- 30:23like life and adult relationships. I'm just like, now how do I do this with everyone around me?
- 30:29Yeah, it is hard. We're having more workouts from China. We have workouts. Yes, yes, yes.
- 30:35And what is the like your favorite workout to teach? Absolute favorite for sure is something that's
- 30:43about 15 minutes long. That's high intensity interval type of workout. It's like my body just is
- 30:52like, this is me. And I love it. And it's worked. Yeah. No, I agree. I'm into I'd like to come work
- 30:58out snacks like 10 to 20 minutes. And just like really having an impact and it feels so good. Yeah.
- 31:06So yeah, that's the go too. Well, any last final words, funny stories and let's find a funny story.
- 31:14Something weird that happened lately that I have to just think of something weird that happened.
- 31:20I mean, I know so many weird things that happened. I asked stuff this and she had a story but
- 31:26she's like, you gotta ask Corey because she has so many funny stories. Yeah, let's save them all
- 31:31for Corey because she'll be like, oh my gosh, yesterday. This and this and this and this.
- 31:36All right. Well, last words for this podcast. Just so happy to be back and to be able to just
- 31:42talk about life with everybody. And yeah, really grateful to be here and really excited for what's
- 31:48coming. Yeah. Thank you, Diana. Of course.