00:00

Hello everyone, it's Marianne Kane here and we're back with the Equipped with Strength Podcast. Today we have Emma and Carla of the Merrymaker Sisters, and they're joining us from the Gold Coast in Australia. They run a yoga and pilates community online, it's like a membership and it's called Merrybody - which I love - and what I, what resonated with me so much I had to write it down was that you, you talk about the path to feeling amazing, and also at home in your body. Would you share with us a little bit about how the merrymakers came about, as she said, Your "messy and magic" your messy and magic ride of a lifetime from your nine to five job into the what's now, I'm sure much bigger than you ever imagined it would be. And just how even the name came about, because it definitely emotes joy and merryness, for sure.

01:03

Oh, thank you so much for having us, Marianne. It is such an honor to be on your show. Wow. Well, let's begin way back when in 2012, when it kind of all started.

01:14

Yeah, so I guess it all really began with being not happy. So we will forever on diets, we were continuously obsessing about losing weight, like our whole minds were consumed with what we had eaten what we needed to do for our workout to kind of like counteract that was counting calories, it was counting workouts, it was counting down the treadmill. And this was our lives. And I mean, how old were we I was like 24, Carla was in her early 20s. And we just kind of had this like realization of like, wow, there's got to be more to life. And at the same time, we discovered this new way of eating the Paleo Diet back then. Carla started sharing it on Instagram, and it kind of just took off. And we realized, hey, there's something to this, let's, let's kind of like, keep going. And it was at that same time, we also discovered a philosopher Joseph Campbell, and he would speak about this thing about bliss, and how important it is to follow your bliss. And we have this other big realization was, oh my god, we found our bliss. So we were kind of in these lives where we were stuck, the negative spin with the food and the diet. And then we found this thing that brought so much joy to our lives. So we're like, let's, let's do this. Let's like make this a thing.

02:32

Yeah, at that stage, we were just blogging and sharing our own story, just through writing, as well as on Instagram, as Emma said, and we fell in love with the sharing of our story like that was the bliss part, like the sharing and the building of the community, like we love We couldn't have made, we couldn't imagine that you could kind of build an amazing community, like not in real life, like, Oh, you can do this online, we thought the internet was just for checking the weather and the movie times. So we knew nothing about really the internet, even though we were kind of in that last generation where people were like, Oh, you grew up with it. We weren't really into it. But then when we discovered what we could create, we got really excited about it. And it was at least and at that stage, we were working in government nine to five jobs. So we started we kept blogging, we blogged for about another year and a half while still working full time. And at that point, we just realized, look, we've got to jump in with two feet. We've got to give it out all we heard the word what you focus on grows. And that was just a big lightbulb moment for us. Like Imagine if we could spend all of our time working on merrymakers, like, what would it become? What could it become? So we just thought, you know, the bigger risk is staying in the nine to five job, the bigger risk is getting to our 50s. And looking back and wondering what if, or I wish I would have done that. And so for us, we just jumped right in. And it was a journey of really throwing spaghetti at the wall and trying everything in anything and learning so much new stuff, so many new languages, like not literally languages, but it felt like learning new languages, all of the internet marketing and all of that. And that really is the rest, I guess is history when now like at this point where we've found a whole new bliss through our journey, which is yoga, pilates, and meditation. And we then created Merrybody, which is an online Yoga, pilates, and meditation studio. But the big difference is that it's about acceptance. And I think we'll talk more about that later. Let's go back to the the name Merrymaker. Because when we were starting the blog, we'll have What should I call this thing?

04:30

Yeah, we were literally like we were in the government jobs we worked at the same office. And we were on that like instant messenger, you know how like all being departments or big corporations have like, like their own personal chat. Yes. And we would be chatting on that. Like, if they looked at like the chat history, they'd be like, ah, did you guys do any work? Ah don't tell anyone. But we were like, Okay, what does this new way of living and what this work, what does it bring to our lives and we thought joy, you know, like it brings a sense of joy and we literally googled synonyms for joy. And this word merrymaker came up and we're like, oh, that's a cool word. And then it was like my sisters in real life said, marry mega sisters. And you know how many people were like that is a ridiculous name. Like, do not name yourself that you should name yourselves, because we were all about recipes and food back then you should name yourselves healthy recipes, or whatever it was. And you know, like, thankfully we didn't, because like, we still do recipes, we're still passionate about healthy food. But I tell you what, I do not want to be posting recipes anymore, because we got totally, what's that word burnt out by the cooking and the recipes, we lost the joy, and that this name, and this, this thing we created, almost accidental allowed us to pivot and continue to follow the bliss. And you know that who knows what we're going to be doing in 10 years, but that brand will come with us that that joy will come with us. And we'll keep walking towards our bliss. Whatever road that might be.

04:30

Yeah, it sounds like quite the journey. And it also, it reminds me a little bit of my own story, getting into things and also even the name my name is not any, you can't really emote anything from my name. My other name not equipped with strength is My Oh My, it was My Oh My TV. And but I'm curious, whenever you were talking about this transition, and when you were blogging and things like that, what was the response from your colleagues and your like, friends that they support? Were they supportive? Or were they kind of like, Don't risk your secure job type of thing?

06:36

Yeah, look, we had a bit of both. There were the people who were like, Wow, this is so amazing. Like, what so proud of you like yes, do it, do it all jump in. And then it will also the the people who you could kind of they were a little bit like my like jealous, I'm a little bit like, Oh, I want to do something like that. But I haven't found it like so then it would kind of be a little bit harsh towards us. But we knew that we were just like, we would just stay in our own lane, we wouldn't really let it affect us. And then there were definitely people like what the hell are you doing? Like you have a mortgage, you have an amazing government job. You live in the dream? Like why would you let all of this go for like a maybe. And again, we just wouldn't listen to them. Because we just knew in our hearts, we knew from the beginning, that we were going to make it work. However, we were going to make work. We didn't know how, but we knew we were going to make it work.

07:27

Yeah, you know, like you hear or you might read books, spiritual books, especially. And they talk about, you know, this knowing. And this is the one thing in my life for sure that I've had this sense of like, I know, we're meant to be doing this. And I know, you know, on paper, the risk is so big on paper, it looks like it's like Why the hell would you do that. But in our hearts, we just knew it was the right way. And I think that's really amazing feeling. And it's really amazing to connect to it and listen to it. And I think we all get little feelings like this, and we all get signs, but sometimes we ignore them. And it's really important in our, in our minds and hearts to tune into this. And this is why we love you know, yoga and meditation so much as well. Because you know that time to yourself, that connection to yourself, that stillness, that simply being just as you are that allows you to really connect to your heart, connect to your truth, connect to what is right in front of you. But you know, all that other stuff gets in the way you know that other stuff from maybe your friends talking to your partner talking your parents, or the "should be's" all the advertising in your face. We're surrounded by this noise and stuff coming at us left, right and center. And if we don't give ourselves time to just be with ourselves to connect, alone time even, even if it's just five minutes of me time. If we don't give ourselves that we lose sight of what we truly want and desire in our lives. And then you know, the days go by the weeks go by the years go by and next minute you're like holy moly, like I haven't even been living my life because I'm living someone else's vision and someone else's goals. So it doesn't matter if you've been doing that for 60 years. It's like, okay, we realize now, okay, I'm going to give myself this opportunity to connect this opportunity to take a take a step forward for me, instead of somebody else or society or whatever it might be.

09:33

Yeah, it sounds like it's such a path to freedom. Of your, your true self. Yeah. Or like it's almost like an unlearning, or Yeah, they have all the "shoulds" and "have to's" choose and even like yeah, like how you used to describe yourselves beforehand. There was just so many things, the boxes to tick that you had to learn details and you'd get get caught up in them and they seem so much more important than what really is important, and that is the present and being still and all of the things that you're just describing. And one of the things you said, I believe it was in on of your podcasts that it isn't. It isn't about Merrybody isn't about before and after transformations, but it's about how moving your body just invites that joy back into your life. Yeah, and I really like that, because I don't know about you. But I've noticed like, a lot of women especially get into fitness and diets and things because they believe they're broken, and they believe dysfunctional, or they have to be fixed by these things. But really, what I'm seeing coming out from, from your podcasts and your your Instagram feed and things is that your movement is an expression of who you are. So you have to be still and peaceful and know who you are first. And I can feed back in like even just the idea of so my you do like yoga and pilates and I'm more like strength and kettlebells, and things like that, and they complement each other really well. And but it is about being present with yourself and those movements.

11:16

You know, that's what we truly believe. It's, it's like it's not even a particular movement. It's the intention behind the movement. And it's like how you're doing it. And you're exactly right, Marianne, it's like, you know, if you're present, and you're coming from a sense of hate, like, I'm doing this to feel empowered, and strong and feel amazing, right now, instead of you know, what we see, in most fitness industry as a whole. It's like, you know, to get to a certain point, it's to get to a goal. And usually, for women, especially, what we're marketed to is that before and after image, it's like, hey, you're not good enough, if you look like this before, but if you join, you're going to get to this after and then then you're okay, then you're worthy, then you're worthy of all the love in the world.

12:03

And, and then you're and then you're being marketed another before and where the the new before looks like you're after. And now suddenly, you need a six pack. Well now suddenly, you need a peachy booty. And now suddenly, you need a thigh gap. And suddenly you need an hourglass figure. And if you don't have that, then you just simply not good enough...

12:20

Or oops, I accidentally had too much fun on my holiday and I put two kilos on or three kilos or whatever it is, doesn't matter what it is. And then you lived your life and you had fun and you had joy and then you come home and you feel crap about yourself again. And or maybe you had a baby and it's like, oh, naughty you you put on weight when you got pregnant? Far out. It's like this world of the obsession with the external body. And this this pressure, this unrealistic ideal body, it's it's impossible to keep up with absolutely impossible. And what it does, it keeps us all small. It keeps our ideas small, it keeps our vision small, it keeps our creativity small. It keeps our focus on this external thing that actually doesn't mean anything. So then what does it stop us from? It stops us from allowing to live a life filled with abundance, magic love, because we're so focused on what we are not. Instead of all the magic that we are, and we don't even need to change anything. We just need to open our eyes and our hearts to the magic that we are. Yeah, it's I mean, the

13:24

Yeah, the journey of yoga and meditation and pilates and any movement where the intention is like, I'm doing this to make myself like I want to feel good. I want to feel amazing, I feel strong. I want to feel as empowered, energized, focused, productive, all these things that come from moving our bodies, all these more way more amazing things than transforming your body. Sure you can transform your body. But what about everything else that comes along with it? It's like, that's the real magic. And we we forget about that. Because every day we're seeing images, and we're hearing things and we're watching things where we are made to feel like we need to change the external body in order to be good enough. But the truth is, and the truth inside everyone's heart is we're actually all amazing right here right now. Like, even if we didn't change anything, we're still amazing. And that's the lesson. And the lesson is learned through the practice of acceptance, accepting exactly what is right now. And it's hard. It's not an easy practice because we've been taught not to accept we've been taught to make sure you need to change have goals. You need to lose weight, like what's number one on probably the majority of everyone's New Year's resolutions lose five kilos. I remember that was like on my top of my goals for 10 years. It was the same goal lose five kilos. Even if I lost weight, lose five kilos. Like why is that my one core focus. So through the practice of acceptance, we can learn that Oh, actually. My body is amazing. I'm amazing. And with a mindset like that, wow, you wake up feeling joyful.

14:58

You have like so much more capacity for other challenges, then it's this cycle of not enoughness always feel always a failure, because you can all you're always going to fall short. And you're speaking my language is like, you know, we're, we're totally on the same page of the Equipped with Strength name comes from the idea that you come equipped. You don't need to be equipped by anybody else. That's how you come and show up is strength. Perseverance is strength. And the, and the effort should be more valued than the outcome.

15:38

So true. And I love that so much.

15:40

Yeah, I just it's so it's so powerful to just when you It's when I get into some of the other questions, it's really about the the inner transformation, I guess, that many of your members will probably go through, and the journey that they take from maybe some of the things that they believe before they're coming in, what are some of the I guess I'll just skip right to that question, because it's like a meaty question, because it's important. Where are the people typically when they're coming in? And what is it you find that they are maybe letting go off or embodying more and more of?

16:19

Oh, my gosh, we love our members so much. And yeah, we see, we hear these amazing stories each and every day, what the magic of yoga, pilates and meditation can bring to these amazing people's lives. And majority of them are women, like 98% of all members of women, and they come into Merrybody, because there's a few, there's a few reasons why. Number one is, they feel like, you know, they've been feeling not good enough like that, they simply don't deserve to move their bodies, like they don't deserve it, because they're not good enough. They're sick of being told that they're not good enough, they're sick of all of the other kind of things that are being thrown at them that are saying you need to lose weight in order to be accepted, or you need to look like this in order to be accepted. That's why they join as well.

17:06

Yeah, I it's a lot of body image stuff. It's a lot of you know, and women who are like, okay, I've gotten to this age, whatever age it might be, and I'm just sick of feeling this about myself, I want to make a change to my health, but I want to do it in a way that is kind is is loving to myself. And that's what we're all about, you know, like, we know the importance of moving like we know the importance of eating well, and looking after ourselves. But we can do it in a way that is fun and joy filled, and we've balanced. So you know, like we talked about how, you know, we're going to go out and we're going to eat a real proper pizza, we're going to go out and eat pasta, we're going to have gelato, but just not every night. And we do it with fun and with joy. And it reduces the stress from you know, the day to day eating, because that's where a lot of people come to, you know, like this sick of feeling stressed about these little decisions, like what do I have for breakfast? What do I have for lunch, like, I can't do that. It's like this, this life where you're in your head. Instead, when you feel more relaxed about it, when you feel more joy about it, decisions are easier. You allow yourself to just be present and enjoy the social occasion instead of feeling stressed and instant guilt about what you just ate, and oh my god, I need a workout tomorrow.

18:30

And there's also you know, members who come in who may have stopped exercising because of a period in their life. Whether that is having a baby or an illness, something like that, where they just feel like Oh, they need like to come in and nurture themselves and and really like take it like a little bit slow at the beginning because we've got levels, all types of levels of classes. And then there's the women as well who just don't know how to prioritize themselves, like everyone else is on the top of the list. And they're way, way, way down the bottom, like there is absolutely no me time, never, not even one minute of the day. And they're sick of it. And they want they want to be able to create that, but they have no idea how. And so the kind of transformations that we see is people bringing this amazing practice into their lives, and realizing deep down I'm enough. Oh my gosh, I've never felt like this before I'm enough just as I am. And the practice allows you to be reminded of that. So everyone can have their own kind of practice might be kettlebells like for lots of people it would be definitely strength based training and lots of different movements can bring in this feeling. So whatever it is for you know that you can welcome in this feeling but the practice of yoga and the meditation especially because it's so I guess it goes way back 5000 years ago like ancient practices, really the practice of yoga is the practice of unity of like coming together and realizing like I'm hold that I am enough that I'm already here. And so that really is ingrained in the practice. And as you do yoga, meditation, even if you just show up and you do the practice without even the intention of like welcoming in acceptance, eventually that will happen. It's just it just happens because of the way that we move. And because of the, the way that we we speak through the movements, the way that we talk about the body, and the way that we sit in stillness and allow a moment for pause, that just happens. And I think that's the real amazing thing about this is you don't even need to try to make it happen. It just happens.

20:33

And you know, it's that's why there's such a big focus with movement with the breath. And that's in both yoga and pilates. And of course, meditation, you sit and you just breathe, because this allows us to really connect to ourselves, and to be more aware of our body. And you know, when we're more present, and we're more aware, then we can feel more grateful for ourselves and grateful for our bodies. And we talk about this often as well, you know, gratitude is a great tool for like joyful living, but it's a great tool for self acceptance, because then you start to change your focus. And this is what many members, you know, they come in thinking like they need to change, or they coming with a history of like, like looking at their bodies of disgust. And we can relate to that. We had However, many years of self loathing and thoughts of looking in the mirror, grabbing my stomach, grabbing my hip and being like, eww, that's disgusting. Literally, staring at myself thinking yuck. And I mean, that's heartbreaking for me to even reflect back, let alone to think, Wow, we have like, how many of our world population thinking these thoughts, taking up space in their mind taking away from the magic, the creativity of what could be because we're filling it up with these toxic thoughts. And you know, it's not even our fault. It's just like how the world is. This is kind of a brainwashed into us. So we have like a big job on our hands to unbrain wash it. And this is what connecting to the breath and yoga meditation can do. Because you feel oh my gosh, like I can stretch that feels so good.

22:11

Yeah, I think another big thing that people feel is they let go of the feeling that exercise is a chore. Hmm, like, for me, exercise used to be a thing I had to take off, like, I just need to tick it off. Like, once I've done it, I'm a good girl, like, I can go live a good job. And if I skipped it, oh, naughty, like very bad. So the real big of one real big change that members feel is like, I don't feel like I have to do it anymore. It's changed to I get to do it. And I'm excited to do it. And how amazing that a movement practice can be like one of the best parts of your day. And for me, that is what it is, like my yoga, my pilates, my meditation. I love those moments. And so many of our members feel that real big, like sense of joy, from their movement practice, like that is the thing that brings them happy moment in their day. And if they know that pressing play can bring that into their lives, like they're going to want to do it. And so that real big, letting go of that tool that to do list is you know, I just have to go for a run or I have to go on the treadmill and run for 20 minutes or whatever it might be. That's gone. And I think that's a really amazing thing. Yeah, but the biggest the biggest transformation is when women finally realize that they are absolutely 100 million times enough. And they were before they joined, they just forgot. And so now they've been reminded, and then their practices that reminder every single day, oh yeah. Like I'm okay, I'm good. I got this.

23:50

And even if it is like the five minute meditation instead of the 30 minutes of pilates, like they're are enough, even if they skip the class, like they're enough. It's just like, and it's like bringing it you know, it is a practice, as I said before, like we forget, because we have all those years of other brain wash of the negativity and like the toxic thoughts. So it's a practice of like just coming back to the truth come back to the truth that you're enough, you're enough and using that practice, whatever it might be as your anchor to the truth, because sometimes it's like we can't just think it we have to connect it to an action connected to something, you know, physical which it could be a kettlebell swing, or it could be a booty lift. I could be sitting in namaste, you know, like bowing your head like that's my anchor. We open every class with that. That's my anchor, I'm enough. So it's like all these little things that we welcome into life that makes such a big impact. And that's the magic of acceptance and practicing and making daily rituals

24:57

It's almost like you're having the practice, because I've seen your emails, and one of the things that always strikes me is I get the emails, it's like it's never just about the movement. And when you when you remove that it becomes, like there's just the depth is not it's like, your body is one part, but you can't separate your body from all the rest of you. And even though in the West, we're so good at compartmentalizing things, just because you want to compartmentalize your body into a box doesn't mean that it's in a box, so you can't contain it, because it's part of you. And it sounds like that is part of the journey to realizing that the physical part of you is enough. And there's more to you. And I don't know if you've ever seen, there's this TED Talk, or TEDx talk by. It's called redefining beauty. I don't know if you've ever heard of them. They're two sisters are twins, and they're both PhD people, PhD people. They have this wonderful talk. And it you'll this will resonate so much with you. And probably all of your members of your community would love to see this because it just was like, oh, my goodness, like a gold moment where the light bulb finally went off. Why is being such a hard journey and how we think about ourselves and our bodies. It talks about the idea that women, especially women, don't ever really see themselves as themselves or experienced themselves as themselves, but they, but we like are taught to self objectify. And always thinking about how we may appear to other people. What, what am I going to look like? How am I going to sound? How are people going to perceive me? And it's this, almost this life under the spotlight, and constantly knit. That's why we nitpick and we're constantly worrying about how we look. Because we're wondering how we're going to appear to other people not how we are expressing ourselves. And there are some lucky few that are, you know, get to do that. But I think a lot of women are carrying this around. And it's very hard to break free of that. And any little bit that we can do. Even if we don't ever fully overcome - this is one of the questions - like have, do you feel like there's still that imprint, like those little voices that bubble up and like, try to like, they're triggered by things again, and but will ever go away? I don't think it will ever go away.

27:44

You know if, and we can like blame so many things, right? I think if we live in the world that we live in, we won't be able to fully ever not be triggered. Because just look at what we have surrounded by. One scroll on Instagram, and I'm down a wormhole, right? I have to be really conscious about who I'm following. And what I'm doing. Why am I on this thing? Why am I looking at these photos. And if you're not conscious, if you're not present, which is really easy to not be present on social media, oh my gosh, it's designed to make you not feel present, right? It's designed to keep you on there and to keep you clicking. So if we are using these kinds of things in our day to day lives, which most of us in the Western world are because it's very much accepted, then I don't think we will never not be able to be triggered. But if we practice, and practice, and practice, and practice, we can be triggered and in an instant, we can come back, it can be a second of just being triggered and like I don't feel good enough. Actually, you're amazing. Like, you know, you could come back that quickly. And maybe it's five minutes, maybe it's an hour maybe it's a day maybe it's you fall off. You know it down into that that mind story narrative of not feeling good enough for for a week or a month. It's okay, that we fall back. It's just about coming back to the truth. And if you have the practices, if you've got the tools in your back pocket, you know the ones that work. You know the ones I remember what happened I've been doing Oh yeah, haven't been meditating this week. I'm going to sit down and I'm going to meditate. Oh, yeah. I haven't done yoga. This Oh, yeah, I haven't done that. And you've got these tools that can help you come back. But I think if Yeah, I think we would be being unrealistic to say yeah, we can overcome this. Like after however many years it's been ingrained to us that we're not good enough. I think we would be being very unrealistic and we have to be real about it. We have to, we have to know all of our not faults, but we have to know our triggers and know what can bring us down and sometimes we have to fall down in order to be able to practice to come back, right. And I think it's so counter, like intuitive. But whenever I do fall back, I'm like, actually, that was a moment where I was able to practice coming back. And look, I did pretty well. Yeah. So so I'm grateful for that. And you kind of turn it around on its head. Actually, that was a lesson. That was an opportunity to practice. And then you'd let go of it faster as well.  It's when we hold on to it. It's when we think, oh, like, I was hating myself for a month. I suck. Like, you know, yeah, negative loophole. Like we're negative. I'm ongoing, ongoing, ongoing, ongoing, like that we feel guilty. Now, we feel angry. Now we feel frustrated. So we've just got to come back a little bit faster, and work out what works for you. Like, it's gonna look different for everyone. Everyone is going to have their own thing. And that's why trying new things and seeing what works for you, is really important. And I'm forever looking for new tools. I don't ever think I've got a full toolbox. I'm I'm open for more things into my life.

31:03

Yeah, I a hundred percent agree with everything Carla just said. And, like, that's why we talk about it is a practice. It's an ongoing practice...  Exactly, because it's like, the thing is, the other stuff became unconscious, right? It just happened. that triggers the self loathing thoughts, that stuff with your body image, it happened by itself. So this feels like more effort, because you have to consciously be like, Ah, hey, I'm doing that be the be the observer, you have to welcome the self awareness. So it's like in a bit of an effort. Whereas the other stuff is a practice. It just is like, boom, it happens easily. So now it's like looking at Okay, well, I'm gonna change this practice, I'm going to repattern my brain. I'm going to rewire the stuff like in the most unscientific words, and then it's doing it every day, every hour if you have to. And you know, like, that's why affirmations are great for some people, because it's like, you stick it on your mirror. And for some other people, it's like, no, that's horrible. I hate that. So wankery. You know, but like, it's like finding what's right for you. So you might read self care, like self care practices, have bubble baths, tell yourself you love yourself. And you think like, I know, I used to think I'm gonna vomit like yuck. Like, I used to think that now I can look at that and be like, I get that would work for people like, yeah, that's really lovely. But you know, for me, it was like, ya know, I hate that. So it's really tuning in and discovering, like going on, like an actual discovery of what welcome self acceptance for you. And deciding that, hey, I'm worth it, I'm worth this journey of like, doing a little bit of making a little bit of effort to welcome in the sense of self acceptance, and it might be nothing what someone else says. So you have to go on this self discovery and how fun you didn't like even looking at great old art. And like realizing that the female body has been celebrated over the years, and it looks completely different in every decade, right? Every every era, the Renaissance period, the the modern art. Look at the photos of women, and you realize, Oh, my God, like the women's figures and the ideal body has changed forever. And then you realize, wait a minute, like I can hop off this bandwagon and just celebrate what I am. And you know, like every woman is beautiful. It's just that the world at different periods in the in the time in the eras have celebrated Hey, we like this about the woman in this decade. And then you realize it's actually a big joke. And it's actually ridiculous. But it isn't a joke, because it takes us all down until we step off. So it's like it can be this really fun self discovery thing. We can welcome joy to it. It doesn't have to be all like triggering and sad. We can we can work we can say hey, there's a trigger. Wait, what's the truth and like, kind of bring joy. And that's why we're all about bringing joy because as soon as we bring a sense of joy as soon as we laugh at it, laugh at this well, huh? How ridiculous. It's like, haha, I'm okay, here I go. I'm gonna take a step forward with that empowered sensation.

31:12

Life is a practice!

32:16

What you describe what you're describing there was reminding me of a time, you know, in terms of finding your own way. Way back, like, like, I don't know, like, maybe seven years ago, I was really trying to be into like gratitude and stuff. And I remember trying to find one thing, like, by any standard, I was in the best shape you could ever possibly be like, but I couldn't see it. But all I could see that I liked about myself that day was one of my eyebrows. It wasn't even both. They weren't even symmetrical, but I could find one shaped eyebrow I actually liked another was what I actually just had to hang on to that one thing. Yeah. Doing that opened up it oriented toward that. And that's I started to see more and more things then. And as ridiculous as that sounds like it's so it's but it had to be out one had to find one thing.

35:19

Yeah. And it all starts with that one tiny little thing that you find. Yeah, I think we probably found gratitude like that practice around the same time. And I remember at the start, I was like, What is this? What's hashtag grateful, I don't get it. Like, why am I being grateful. And then I felt really weird, like writing down my three things that I'm grateful for today. But then it just became like my natural state of like, wow, I'm grateful for everything. And I think, especially when we can become grateful for our bodies for taking us on this journey. Rather than looking at our bodies as like this, this object, as we was talking about before, oh, like, that's a body like, how's that arm? How's that leg, how's that stomach, like, you know, we've got a magnifying glass, when looking in the mirror, and we're holding it up to all of our faults, rather than looking at our body is just like this object to look at. We begin to be grateful for our bodies, and the way that it takes us on life's journey. Without this body, we wouldn't actually be able to experience life. So that is the real magic of the body is that it allows us to walk on this planet, and go through life and look at the magic and see the ocean and hear the birds and taste that ice cream. Like these are the things that the body is so amazing for, it's not like, Oh, you have a six pack, good job. It's like, you know what, I'm actually going through all of my digestion system for like digesting the food and giving them nutrients, and so on, we can begin to flip the way that we think about our body using gratitude. I think that is a really powerful thing.

36:56

Yeah. And I think, you know, just hearing Carla say all that like, and, you know, we can do al