Spring Magic Me With The Courage Of A Warrior

Need support with Skin Cancer via listening to inspiration from someone who has experienced it?  Spring Magic Me With The Courage Of A Warrior is this week's episode where we had the grace to interview Certified Mindfulness Teacher, Cancer Warrior and Sailor, Lorie Tesny!

Lorie's contact details: https://sailingthroughlifepodcast.com/
#life #podcast #sailing #people #meditation #mindfulness #cancer #melanoma #experience #bit #diagnosis #thought #skin #cancer #amazing #story #hear #happened #interviewing #journey. #skincancerawarenessmonth

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Transcript

Speaker 1  0:00  
gentle yoga warriors conscious conversations podcast to help you grow and discover who you are to develop a deeper, more complete side of yourself via conscious talks, self love meditation. And by interviewing some of the most inspiring guests on the planet, our podcast is rich with deep talks, just go to the gentle yoga warrior.com For more information

Speaker 1  0:49  
Hello, everybody, I'm the gentle yoga warrior. And this is my second podcast that I've recorded today, all in the midst of a decorating and gardening life is exciting and like can be challenging, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming to. But this is why I have such amazing inspiring guests on the show, because it's my mission to help you dear listener feel a deeper sense of calm being belonging in life. And I get these amazing people or rather these amazing people come on my show. And through their life and story. I hope I inspire your life story. And what an amazing individual we're about to have on the show I've met I've had the joy of meeting this next guest a few times virtually. And what can I say she's a very, very special soul. Please welcome in a moment, Laurie tesni. And Laurie is a certified mindfulness teacher, cancer warrior and sailor. And let's look at Lori's biography. And it reads adversity has led me to live with more purpose and focus on what truly matters. mindset has been a key player in my journey, and how I'm able to keep a positive thought through these challenges. So she says she's a said by mindfulness teacher a sale at a two times cancer survivor and the podcast host of The Amazing short selling through life, which I know is in the top 3% of podcasts globally, which is amazing. She says she uses her love of sail in comparison to events in her life after two cancer pies. She came to the conclusion that life wasn't going to wait for her that she needs to take the helm and take back control. And she says I have navigated my share of rough seas but salad can also be beautiful calm and life affirming a while back and use my advice and counsel experience connect to others. If I can help just one person feel less isolated my endeavour will be worthwhile. So without further ado, please welcome Laurie tesni who is joining us from South Florida. Welcome to the show Laurie. Thank you Jane

Unknown Speaker  3:07  
for having me. I'm excited to talk to you today. I'm

Speaker 1  3:10  
so excited to talk to you today as well. And I was just telling the audience that your wonderful podcast sailing through life is in the top 3% globally that's quite an achievement amazing

Speaker 2  3:22  
it is and it's pretty authentic since I am on a sailboat so I really am sailing through life

Speaker 1  3:28  
you really are interviewing those of you who are watching this on video I really am interviewing Laurie and she's honest she's on a sailing boat

Speaker 2  3:36  
and if you see me if you see me doing this is because the boats moving. I'm trying to centre myself you're

Speaker 1  3:42  
not listening to music in the background the book No, no, not really isn't moving. So I'd like to welcome you Laurie to season 13 aka gentle yoga warriors conscious conversations podcast. And this season is all inspired by the magic of spring like what seeds you want to plant what what bloom and what things we do want to let go of etc. And today's show I was gonna call it spring magic me with the courage of a warrior. And if you don't mind me saying I think you're a very courageous, inspiring person. I've had the pleasure of meeting you a couple of times. I think your story is really amazing and the goodness that you've done for other people. Would you mind sharing a bit about your story, Laura, with our listeners and your journey?

Speaker 2  4:27  
Absolutely. I'll do the bullet points and then if we need to elaborate we can basically I've you know like anybody you go through life you have trials and tribulations and and I think every experience forms you you learn a little bit you grow a little bit and you know keeping in line with the spring seeds are planted. And as you grow through those experiences, you become a different person. You keep evolving. And through all those experiences, some of them were pretty terrific, you know, horrific and Um, and that kind of led up to my most recent situation was, in 2017, I was diagnosed with stage three cancer. And that diagnosis was not going to get me down, I was tougher than that I was going to be fine, I was going to fight through it. And I went through all the surgeries, I went through a year of treatment, I did everything I could, and I kept working the whole time, I was not gonna even let it affect me to that point, I was going to just keep doing what I did before. And I worked in a high stress job, I worked in the funeral industry for 11 years before I left. And so going to work and dealing with people who are dealing with grief and sorrow, and all the emotions on top of everything I was dealing with, in my own life with dealing with this cancer treatment. And, and what I was facing was a bit much, but I got through it. And I was I was good. I got through it. And everything was all clear in 2018, November of 2018. So we got scheduled for surgery to get the port removed. And that was right before Christmas. So I was excited, because I was like I did this I victory. And then January 7 of 2019. So just weeks later, I was getting ready for work. And when I leaned against the counter, I felt a sore spot. And it was another lump. Oh, and I thought no, this isn't possible. I just went through all this. Everything was clear. Everything was good, what's going on. And so I, I was just that that total collapse happened, where you just you aren't sure what to make of it, you can't even put into words, the feeling of just it crushed me. So I called my doctor, they did the biopsy. And these later you get the news that it was back, it was something that while I was getting the treatment, it worked. But when I stopped my body didn't get programmed the way it should have. And so we had to start all over. So the scramble happened have second opinions were to do, what direction do we take what treatments and there was a lot going on with research at the time and my, my cancer is melanoma. So it's it's skin cancer, it's a deadly form of skin cancer. So you do not want to mess with this, you don't want to delay anything, you want to get on it as soon as possible. So that's why everything was always like this whirlwind with this diagnosis. So we were in a rush to figure out what to do next. And so we made some decisions. And I went through another surgery, and another year of treatment. And the second time wasn't as good for me because I already knew what I was facing. And so there was a lot of mental games that you had to play with yourself a lot of shifting thoughts, and understanding things in a different perspective. And so I had to take a lot of time to reevaluate my life, and then get through this, this what was facing me. And so as I got to the end of treatment was February of 2020. We had this, it was gonna be like a celebration trip, we're gonna go sailing in Greece. And then March of 2020 happened in COVID. And everything just kind of went down the tubes. But, you know, for me, I was I was dealing again, daily with people when I was at work, that were going through something worse than I was going through. The reality was I was also seeing people my age with my diagnosis that didn't live. And so there was a lot of reality checks going on in my life. And I kept thinking, I'm stronger than this. I'm not going to be this person, even though in the back your mind like, are you? Are you are you questioned a lot? So it was it was definitely an interesting journey to go on. And it's something that I've had to figure out what is it that keeps me going? What is it that keeps pushing me through, and it's the hope of a better tomorrow, every day you start fresh. Every day, you have a clean perspective. And I know things linger. I know you can't get rid of your job, you know, there's responsibilities that are always there, but what is it you can do for yourself to relieve some of that? What do you bring on yourself, that makes it harder. And so wading through a lot of that really does help and, you know, in the spring as things come up, you have to weed through your garden, you have to get rid of stuff you don't want. So it kind of runs in that same vein, you know, you have to pay attention to what your life is and what you want it to be.

Speaker 1  9:48  
It's amazing. I one thing I really admire about you, Laura, is that your that the strength that you have and how you've turned this around to kind of help other people is optimistic and I see and your times when you've been able to kind of on Instagram where you've shot you've shown yourself to be vulnerable as well. But it's true that that you kind of give strength to the world and and know that you are a certified mindfulness teacher, did that come before the cancer? Or was that after that you trained in that or during? No, this

Speaker 2  10:19  
was actually just recently because I had a last year, in June, I had a scan that came back with something on it. And so I am still on continual watch. I'm still under doctor's care. I still have an ecology team. I do you get scans regularly. And something did show up. But it wasn't what we thought it was. It was actually my appendix. And so I had to have an emergency appendix. And wasn't it wasn't thinking about that word. And the recovery from that it took me back to all the stuff I went through with all the surgeries from the cancer. And so there was a triggering moment that happened there. And it kind of sucked me into this black hole. Like, again, I thought I was past this, I didn't think I'd have to deal with this anymore. And it was just a true test of life. Life happens. And you've got to figure out, where are you in life? What do you what do you have? What skills, what tools? What are you doing for yourself to make you stronger, to get through these things a little bit easier. And in that recovery time of that dark place, I thought I need a boost. I need to get myself on a good platform, a good foundation. And I started thinking about what do I go to? And what can I find too. And so I started investigating mind more about mindfulness. I was practising it, but Nick didn't have the the base to it. And so I went in and started learning more about it and actually got certified in it. Because to me, it seemed like if I was going to be preaching about this on the show, and talking to people about it, what did I have under my belt, to have that qualification, I wanted to be speaking from a place of knowledge. And my experience has a big impact. But having that knowledge also seemed to enable me to express things better to people have a better understanding of what it was and how it worked. Why this all happens? And what do we do? What what do you learn? When you do mindfulness? What do you do? What is your body do? How do you respond to meditation and all that, because all these skills are life saving when you your body is compromised. And you're doing everything you can the psychology, the emotional side of your body, your is also attached to the physical side. And so if I could do everything in my power, to create a level playing field across all those elements, then that the healing is there, and it's all encompassed in that. So probably been

Speaker 1  13:02  
a twice surviving cancer beater. Do you think the courage then has kind of come from your mindfulness and your and your way of being? Or is there anywhere else that you get courage from? Why do you feel it's so important for other people who are going through similar things to hear your story? And also, have you heard someone else other people's story and that's inspired you at all on your journey?

Speaker 2  13:27  
Absolutely. I think when you when you face something, a lot of times you feel very isolated, you feel like you're alone in this. And you don't think that anybody could really understand what it is you're going through. And when you hear somebody saying something that triggers similarities in your you pick up on that and it catches you like, wow, I'm not the only one, all of a sudden, that loneliness starts to fall away. All of a sudden, you have a touch point, you see that somebody else else went through something similar, but got out the other side, you were able to envision the fact that even though you're stuck in this really dark place right now, that eventually there's another sunrise that you're going to witness and you're going to see how that day is going to change. And so having that experience, it is is such a monumental moment when you when you have that aha moment like oh my gosh, I this is not me. I don't need to be here. I can do something different. I can make a difference. I can live a different life. I have a lot of options that in that darkness you cannot see. And I love being able to expose people to that because it is it it's a terrifying time in your life when something is so scary and you're full of fear and anxiety and and your your mind is just reeling with thoughts and to be able to to step away from that, and listen to the silence, and just have that moment to regroup, and and think about what is it, you really want that that's, you know, the biggest part of, of why I want to share this is because I want people to have that experience, I want somebody to see how you aren't stuck. And I keep getting, you know, I cycle through where I'm like, Really, everything's great. And then something happens. And then I've got to, okay, now I've got to look to other people and say, okay, so and so did this, I talked to this person, I talked to people, just because of the show that I can relate to on a lot of levels. And it brings me back to what's reality. It's not all the stuff that's kind of spinning around in here, because you you do the the ruminating and the living in the past. And that's not what it is you need to live now. I can think about what I want in the future. But I need to be now I need to think about this journey I'm on. I know there's a destination there. And I want to get there. But what am I doing between now and then. And one of my favourite quotes is, you can't control the wind. But you can adjust your sails. So no matter which way you're going, you can't control what's going on out here. But what can you do to fine tune what you're doing to use it to your benefit. If the wind is coming out of a different direction, just change the sails and figure out what it is that you can do to get through that rough spot. Sometimes it's pulling the sails all the way down and just kind of bobbing around it, just figure it out until you know, stay safe. But yeah, I've been inspired by many people that I've talked to who have been guests on the show, who I've met because of this show. Oh, because of this journey, I Vaughn, living this life, this was a decision after COVID. And going through all that stuff with with my own journey was to sell everything and move away and buy a boat and do it now. Do it now. And I'm not saying everybody quit your jobs and just live off grid or whatever. But it was the decision to do what I wanted to do. While I could. It wasn't postponing it for 10 years or waiting down the road. When everything's gonna be absolutely perfect. It was figuring out, what can I do? And there were compromises, there were sacrifices, there was all sorts of elements that played into this decision. But it was also worth doing this because now I can say, I did it instead of what if, and what ifs are a bad. We don't do what if anymore. I try not to be in that, that mindset,

Speaker 1  17:45  
that Lorie that shows how why you're such a warrior. And yeah, I love it. And I'm just kind of doing it. Because we can have that kind of dream in the sense it's, it can be enticing to have that dream in the background, oh, yeah, I might do this kind of one day, but you you did it, you just want to help you live well.

Speaker 2  18:03  
And you know, if I can save somebody from being pushed to the limit, pushed to the edge of the cliff, before they make that decision, and realise you don't have to go that far, you can make that decision at any point in your life, you don't have to be pushed to the edge. And you know, I had to be because I was determined I was high drive, I was a type personality. I was always you know, on top of things. And that didn't work if my body decided no more. And because of everything that led up to it, the stress levels and everything else. My body started to give me signs that things weren't right. And that's where the breakdown happened. And that was the reminder to slow down, slow down, and relax, enjoy. And that's the whole stopping this from from other people having to deal with it. So

Speaker 1  18:56  
amazing. You can put yourself that you really kind of in tune with yourself and you kind of know you've got this these tools now in your toolbox is mindfulness, positive thinking and if anything comes your way you can kind of use that because I think I do feel like you've become fixed, right? We've become fixed in life with things that's it's a tree and the wind has a bit of yield, isn't it even when it's wind moves, it's when we're kind of like, No, this must happen this way. Because there's been things in my life that I wanted to particularly happen and and they didn't and I could have like, sat around and felt sorry for my for myself. And so I just put well actually, that's not my path and I kind of just changed the course that I'm going through and I do feel like finding the stillness and hearing inspiration for other people is a good a good thing to help one self on a life's journey. I know we've talked a bit about your podcast, but I really like to share a bit more about a bit with our listeners because and how if if I'm Cancer you don't you don't have to be a cancer sufferer to gain from this over to you, Laurie.

Speaker 2  20:07  
So the podcast in general is about health well being mindset, meditation, all the things that you can incorporate in your life, right? You know, right now, no matter what's going on, what can you do to? to amp it up? What can you do to make it a little bit better. And every time you make something a little bit better, it grows on itself it gets it gets momentum, and so imparting some of these tools now, you know, what is it? How are you taking care of yourself? The, the mindset, part of it is really the key, I think, to all of it is, you know, if you're not in the right mindset, then none of its really going to matter. Because you're always going to be beating yourself up about something. And so getting yourself squared away on that, that part is probably the the key to it. I do geared toward people who have gone through something kind of traumatic, because sometimes the thinking isn't very clear, when you're in the middle of something, you're you're the logic doesn't really click. And so reaching out to that group of people does help to connect to them, because it's relatable because of my story. And so I think if it was just anybody, sometimes you do get the message, but when it's somebody who's been through it, who's doing it, then it has a different, different twist. And so that is why I you know, that that focus is there is because I know what I've been through, I know what was lacking. I know what I needed when I was going through this. And I also know that it's ever evolving. It's always changing. There's always new things, there's always new people. And so providing that is is so important to me, because I do want people to understand that you don't have to be sick, you don't have to have anything tragic. But if you decide and you're determined to make a difference, then these tools apply to everybody across the board. It's not anything specific to trauma or a cancer diagnosis.

Speaker 1  22:15  
Yeah, and I've listened to some of your shows, and you've got a really natural way of presenting as you're speaking now. It's kind of just you just really flow. And you have to guess on that on the show. Have you got any one exciting coming up on the show this week or

Speaker 2  22:32  
this week? Yes, it is. The first interview of a new series that I just started for skin cancer and melanoma Awareness Month is in May. So we had a good response with guests that wanted to be a part of this special series. So I actually started last week with an intro to what to expect this week will be the first interview with a girl who grew up in the similar area that I did in Ohio. And we have very similar stories, there was a lot of parallels about her melanoma diagnosis and what she's been through. But this series is about awareness. It's about how to protect yourself. It's about understanding if you've been diagnosed, what other people have gone through, it's been it's a relatability thing. It's about new research that's up and coming. It's about potential and possibilities. So in hearing that it's about skin cancer and melanoma. I don't want people to take it as it's a doom and gloom. It's not it's the whole tagline to the podcast is hope, through the storms of life. This the show is to provide information and to empower you and enlighten you to want more, to do better to, to explore and, and gather information. And so that's what this was about was hearing what people have gone through but not necessarily being the core of the whole conversation is I went through this, but this is what I did. This is how I got through it. So I specifically decided to do this series last year to see what kind of response there was. And it's, it's very, very specific. So I know that that target audience is very niche down. But I also know that it's not a cancer that most people talk about, you can find anything about a lot of different cancers and there's a lot of stuff out there for those cancers. But melanoma is is like the quiet one in the background that nobody really gets and doesn't understand the degree of how devastating that diagnosis can be. So I did want to present a focus and be dedicated to showing what this is to so that people can prevent this. It is preventable by being safe in the sun by taking care of yourself. And so I wanted to make sure I highlighted that because of my experience. And to do that in May for Skin Cancer Awareness it unfortunately or fortunately, it was more popular than I expected. And so this year, I think we're going to be over 12 episodes with this series as opposed to five last year. So I, you know, I've been able to reach people that were totally inspirational to me, when I was diagnosed, there's an author, her name is Mary Elizabeth Williams, she wrote a book about her experience with melanoma, it was stage four, she's a writer for the New York Times and is a journalist, and does a lot of interviews herself. But she was even giving of her time to be on the show, and share her experience so that the audience could understand what an impact she made on me. And you were asking about how many people have inspired me, that was a big one, to read a book about somebody else's experiences, see how they got through it, but then to speak to somebody who actually wrote the book and had that experience was another notch up. And yeah, you have, I just spoke with the President of aiment melanoma, which is an international organisation for support research, they're doing all sorts of stuff, but to speak to somebody at that level. Because of the importance of this to save lives. This is literally, you know, saving a life. If you take this information in and you do take, start imparting a lot of this information, education that you learn, and learning from people's experiences, you can save your life, and you can avoid being in the situation that a lot of us have been in

Speaker 1  26:36  
earlier, and it's going to reach so many awareness is everything and like through your work, so we saw such great awareness and and I think sometimes when people hear the word cancer, it's quite a loaded word, isn't it? Yes. People like yourself sure that it is possible to survive it and fry right and kind of take those life lessons and do it into something good. If I'm a listener today, Laurie, and I'm listening to you, and I want to reach out to you what's the best way that I can contact you? Sure,

Speaker 2  27:07  
if you want to hear the podcast, obviously, it's on every platform available. But if you want to see more specifically about me and learn about all the different episodes, you can go to sailing through life podcast.com. It's all about my story. There's a special section about this awareness series, there's about my sailing about how we obtained the boat. I mean, there's all little nuggets of things, other interviews I've done with other people. So if you want to hear my story more specifically, every episode has a special page where it gives more information about the guest and supporting information, it pointers or whatever we've talked about on that episode. So you can actually read through that. So I put a lot of effort into making sure those resources are there for people.

Speaker 1  27:53  
That's brilliant. And for listeners, if you know someone who who's gone through that experience as well. It's worth pointing on the way to Lori's podcast because they will get loads of information, inspiration and mindfulness. And we're all about mindfulness and meditation on this show. So really pleased to have you on your state. I have one more final question for you, if I may. Laurie, is this something that you wished everybody knew

Speaker 2  28:17  
you have every opportunity to live an incredible life, you just have to decide that you want to do it? And it's not going to be overnight. But you can get there? Wow,

Speaker 1  28:28  
oh, boy, that's amazing. I felt I could feel like my heart rate when you said that this true. So true to the, to the point and so true. Wonderful. And I put it together on my website, a collection of kind of mindfulness and inspiration. So I'm surely going to put a link to that like on it as well. So, Laurie, thank you so much. Thank you for joining me today from your wonderful boat and it's nice to speak to you again and I look forward to seeing and check out Lori's podcasts, and it's cancer awareness month in May. So do check out that as well. So thanks, Lori, take care.

Speaker 2  29:05  
Thank you so much Jane from across the seas, across from across the

Speaker 1  29:09  
seas and do stay tuned listeners as always as a meditation inspired by today's show. But once again, Laurie Tessie from sailing through life podcast. As promised, here is your meditation. Inspired by today's show. Top Tips for the meditation is either sit nice and cross legged on the floor of a nice strip back. Always nice to sit on a block or a cushion, or that's not available for you. You sit in a chair with the back nice and straight. The important thing is you're not slouching and if you're doing something that requires you concentration are you to do is just pause this and you can reconvene the meditation at a time that is good for you. If you're doing the meditation, that's begging

Speaker 3  29:55  
and also recently, kind of feeling overwhelmed. So, this is a meditation that I tend to do when I feel like this and hence why I want to share it with you recorded live in a garden with the sound of the wind the nature so let's just close and beef a bit

Speaker 3  30:30  
just feeling the inhalation exhalation as it comes through the nostrils.

Speaker 3  31:47  
To wait to kind of move and be away from the mind as it tries to push the fruits in our head like an overstuffed envelope Yeah, I kind of come back to the now through the use of nature through listening to nature and just being

Speaker 3  32:22  
breath in through the nostrils just that moment where I can kind of just drop any thoughts so if that's what you're feeling just think ha let's just drop any thoughts any kind of feelings that kind of obscuring your ability to kind of just be where you are right this moment peace harmony and tranquillity.

Speaker 3  33:16  
If my mind gets distracted what I do show and invite you to do is kind of just use the senses a bit so you don't necessarily have to go to been able to be completely still to start with you can kind of think actually no I'm here in this moment I can see or I can feel like the air feel the ground use the senses what kind of smell hear birds perhaps all that kind of thing that kind of feeling and being it's quite a beautiful process to be in

Unknown Speaker  34:19  
Okay,

Speaker 1  34:21  
so thank you so much, dear listeners for taking the time to listen and support our show today. And if you want any more information on what we have to offer, check out the gentle yoga warrior.com

Transcribed by https://otter.ai