Join us as Kathy Mao turns her battle with endometriosis and infertility into a story of hope and empowerment. Kathy's transformative journey invites you to explore the 'Bliss Soft Life'—a way of living that transcends the need for external validation and embraces the beauty of authenticity and spirituality.
Imagine waking every day to a life filled with ease, trust, and positivity. Our heartfelt discussion with Kathy Mao maps out the path from the depths of chronic illness to the peaks of self-discovery and fulfillment.
Connect with Kathy:
IG: Kathy Mou (@kathy.mou) • Instagram photos and videos
Website: Kathy Mou
Her FREE Empowerment Journal: Empowerment Opt In (kathymou.com)
Click the link below to Join the WAITLIST for RECLAIM: my new 3-month 1:1 coaching program to take back your power regardless of your circumstances & pave a path toward greater confidence, freedom, and joy!
RECLAIM — Journey to Limitless (jtl-lifecoaching.com)
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO JOIN the JOURNEY TO LIMITLESS COMMUNITY:
Community — Journey to Limitless (jtl-lifecoaching.com)
Connect with your host, Court:
Court | Podcast Host (@journeytolimitless_) • Instagram photos and videos
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Leave us a 5-star rating and review on your favorite listening app! Take a screenshot of the Journey to Limitless podcast on your phone and share it to your Instagram stories! Make sure you tag @journeytolimitless_ so that I can personally say “Hey thanks!”
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Join us as Kathy Mao turns her battle with endometriosis and infertility into a story of hope and empowerment. Kathy's transformative journey invites you to explore the 'Bliss Soft Life'—a way of living that transcends the need for external validation and embraces the beauty of authenticity and spirituality.
Imagine waking every day to a life filled with ease, trust, and positivity. Our heartfelt discussion with Kathy Mao maps out the path from the depths of chronic illness to the peaks of self-discovery and fulfillment.
Connect with Kathy:
IG: Kathy Mou (@kathy.mou) • Instagram photos and videos
Website: Kathy Mou
Her FREE Empowerment Journal: Empowerment Opt In (kathymou.com)
Click the link below to Join the WAITLIST for RECLAIM: my new 3-month 1:1 coaching program to take back your power regardless of your circumstances & pave a path toward greater confidence, freedom, and joy!
RECLAIM — Journey to Limitless (jtl-lifecoaching.com)
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO JOIN the JOURNEY TO LIMITLESS COMMUNITY:
Community — Journey to Limitless (jtl-lifecoaching.com)
Connect with your host, Court:
Court | Podcast Host (@journeytolimitless_) • Instagram photos and videos
Love the Journey to Limitless Podcast?
Leave us a 5-star rating and review on your favorite listening app! Take a screenshot of the Journey to Limitless podcast on your phone and share it to your Instagram stories! Make sure you tag @journeytolimitless_ so that I can personally say “Hey thanks!”
Showing your support for the podcast is SO appreciated and I definitely don’t want it to go unnoticed!
And so when you have a stronger mind, so you just can like manifest anything that you want easier and you attract everything that you, you know you're vibing at. So if you're at a low vibration, then that's what you're going to keep attracting, and if you're at a higher vibration, you're going to be able to track what you want, right. So it's like practicing that and people think about manifestation is like oh, how come I never see those results? It's like, well, because you haven't really taken the time and actions to do that.
Speaker 2:Like yeah, hey, girlfriend, welcome to Journey to Limitless podcast. Together on the show, we're on a mission to build belief in ourselves and live a life of freedom, despite what tries to hold us back. I'm your host court, an empowerment coach, travel enthusiast and a chronic illness warrior who, over the last seven years, has built a life that I'm so obsessed with and proud of. But it definitely has not come easy. So on the show, we're going to keep it real as we talk about adapting positive mindsets through hardship, taking action towards our dreams and finding peace and freedom from hustle, culture and chronic stress. Are you with me? Let's get going on your own journey to limitless. Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Thank you for joining. I'm Courtney, and I'm so excited that you're here because we have Kathy Mao on the podcast.
Speaker 2:Kathy is the host of the Ignite your Power with Kathy Mao podcast and she also created this concept called the Bliss Soft Life, and that's really what she's here to talk with us about today. So the Bliss Soft Life is this concept that Kathy has really embodied over the last few years of trying to heal her endometriosis and can be able to conceive, and she didn't want to let her endometriosis stop her from becoming a mom and also just living a more empowering life. So this episode, kathy, is going to dive all into what it means to live a Bliss, soft Life, which we talked a lot about building resiliency, manifesting your desires and being more authentic to yourself, which also touched on spirituality, because you kind of have to have both. In order to be your authentic self, you have to have a sense of yourself, which that comes through really a spirituality journey. So I think you're going to really love this episode. Kathy and I had such an empowering conversation and we really connected in this episode and it was just such a great way to connect with her through this podcast and be able to share this conversation with you.
Speaker 2:So if you end up loving this episode which I'm sure that you will you can go ahead and take a screenshot of you listening and you can tag us in your Instagram stories. So I am at Journey2Limitless underscore and Kathy's Instagram is kathymau. So that's k-a-t-h-ym-o-u and, like I said, we always just appreciate you letting us know that you tune in and letting us know what you took away from the episode. So definitely take a screenshot and tag us. That way we can both say thank you for spreading the message, so let's go ahead and jump right in. Welcome, kathy, to Journey2Limitless podcast. I'm so excited that you're here today, and I'm really excited to learn more about your story and how you have gotten to where you are today in your journey. So thank you for being here.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here and to share what I've been through, so thank you again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know today we're going to be talking a lot about your concept of the bliss life and before we get into that, I would just love if you can just share with us your story like how, like what, have you overcome, the challenges that you've overcome and how you have gotten to where you are today.
Speaker 1:Yes. So in 2019, I got married and I got married late, like in my 30s. So I wanted to have kids right when I got married and I thought it was going to be easy, just like my sisters. They both tried once and then they got their kid. So I thought that was going to be the case but it was complete opposite.
Speaker 1:Like I suffered with infertility for two years with my husband and I was just so out of tune with my body because I like in the healthcare system you know, they just give women birth control. As a young girl, I've always had crazy periods, etc. And so through my infertility journey, I finally got diagnosed with endometriosis. So it's like a chronic illness that I'll always have and it takes at least 10 to 12 years to get a diagnosis, but for me it took 20 years because I was just so out of tune. So, with suffering with infertility, I became very depressed and I was just at the lowest point in my life that I never thought I would be, because I'm a very cheerful person, like pretty positive, optimistic, and I was just not me. I didn't even know who I was, and so after two years of like trying, and every month I would set myself up for disaster, like taking pregnancy tests and then I'll obviously getting negative test results for two years straight, was just so like messing up with your mind that finally my sister, my twin sister like told me something that I needed to hear and not something that I wanted to hear, but she was like Kathy, are you doing everything in your power to actually make this happen for you? And I was like thinking to myself like, wow, why would you say this to me at this time? But that's what I needed to hear. And I thought about and I was like actually, no, I'm not, I'm just stuck in this victim mindset of like the world is against me, everything sucks, like life is terrible. And then I was like actually I didn't. I wasn't like eating the best, I wasn't taking care of myself, I wasn't maximizing my fertility, you know, and seeing specialists. So I empowered myself.
Speaker 1:And then I was like, okay, there has to be some way to overcome these things or infertility. So I found a specialist, I went through IVF. I even just like went to acupuncturists and then I went on a bean protocol. I just like Google to holistic ways and I just like somehow found the bean protocol I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's just like you eat a bunch of fiber to help, like, get rid of the toxins, because endometriosis is like kind of your hormones are imbalanced and inflammation in your body, and so finally, like a year of just straight up empowering myself, like learning, putting things into action, changing my lifestyle, and then boom, right when I was trying to give up.
Speaker 1:So I did try IVF and then I got a laparoscopy the same year, in 2021. And I got a miscarriage and I just felt so low again after my IVF the first round. So the husband and I stopped just for one month and we got pregnant, naturally, right before our second round of IVF. So I knew in that moment in time that everything that I did for the whole year of empowering myself, it gave me the results that I was wanting to be a mom. So it was a hard journey, but I know that, after going through this, that anybody can do this.
Speaker 2:Right, and I love what you said about like you kind of had that reality check.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was maybe in your mind. You thought that you were doing everything and everything that you could do.
Speaker 2:But then someone was, like you know, kind of checked you and kind of realized and like, actually there's probably a lot more that I could be doing it within my mindset, within my day to day living. A lot of times it's it's it's looking at things from a holistic standpoint that can really change our life. And I've you know from having a lot of people on this podcast you are sharing their stories of chronic illness. Like chronic illness does not have to be something that you have to be a victim of. Like you can through change. I mean. I mean that's a lot of mindset change in order to change your daily life, but there's ways to to empower yourself through it. And, yes, the fact that you conceived naturally like that just goes to show the hard work that you dedicated yourself to for a year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you. And that's the thing is in our healthcare system we're taught, like you know, you're supposed to take all these medications etc and rely on the healthcare system and I mean they're great for certain things, but really it's everybody's different, their body is different. But you have to get to know yourself and what works for you. And the holistic approach is awesome because you really get to the root of the problem. And you know, through my journey, that's how I found out I had endometriosis and then I tackle my endometriosis, which helped with my infertility, and like everything's combined, you know like your mindset, your physical body and your emotional, like everything's combined. And through this journey it's like, wow, that's why it's called the holistic approach right, it's the whole body approach. So it's such a beautiful thing to learn and through my journey I just loved how I became a whole different person and I learned to really love myself, to take care of myself, and you know how my body actually functions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is just wild the transformation that happens when you start to really take care of yourself mind, body, spirit in a holistic sense, like you really do become a whole different person. I can see that in my own journey of navigating chronic illness, like I look at myself now and who I was prior to diagnosis. Also, I don't know if you can relate to this, but like the grieving process of realizing that you had endometriosis, like I'm sure that that in itself was a really difficult thing to accept, right, and you likely wish that you could go back to the time in your life when you didn't have it right. But then now I went through that with my ulcerative colitis and now I look and I'm like actually I wouldn't go back to the life that I had prior to my chronic illness because it really changed me into the person that I've always really wanted to be, someone who cares about their mind, body, soul, right. So it's just wild the transformation, the personal development that can happen through a chronic illness diagnosis.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's so true, and it's crazy how you have to go through that transition to learn, and having a chronic illness makes you really take care of yourself. You learn self-love and self-care, and that's something that people with chronic illness have to learn and do, which is, you know, crucial, and it's actually good for us and now we get to teach it to other people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you can't hate yourself to healthier life, right Like, you deserve to feel better.
Speaker 2:You deserve to live the life that you really want to and it's through, yes, learning how to care for yourself in a more holistic sense, learning how to give yourself compassion, and not putting the blame on yourself, because I know a lot of times, when it comes to a diagnosis, we can sometimes be like, oh, I should have been doing this, or oh, I should have been doing that, or I failed at this, and it can really mess with our self-worth and self-confidence. But it's like coming at it from a self-compassion lens, like you don't know, unless you have that realization and really just coming at things from a self-compassion lens and really can grow through self love, you can really grow an immense amount of self love for yourself. Yes, yeah, exactly, yeah, so, yeah, so, um, like I said, we're today, we're really going to be talking about your bliss soft life concept. Uh, so I first just want to know, like what, what is bliss soft life and how has it personally transformed your life?
Speaker 1:So the bliss soft life if you think about the two terms, by itself so blissful, what do you think?
Speaker 1:You know, like contentment, happiness, and then like soft, is like something really easy going right. So when you have this bliss off life, you're living in your full power, where you trust in the universe, you trust in yourself, you're so confident that life is just so blissful and easy when you realize this. And so this is how it my bliss off life came about because I grew up living a hard, really let hard, lifestyle because my parents were immigrants and they came here and I just thought that everything was, you know, full of lack and you have to earn everything through the hard way. But after having my chronic illness and diagnosis, like, I had to learn to slow down, to care of myself and, just like trust in the divine and the spirit, you know my spiritual side, which is a huge piece that I never tapped into. So the bliss soft life is just knowing that you know the universe and that we're so like, we're so infinite beings here on earth, like for a mission, and just knowing that and trusting in the universe you'll live this bliss off life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love the concept of, I mean, really in a chronic illness diagnosis and really any time that you're going through hardship, I just truly like to think about, like this is my soul's path. I am not handed anything and the person listening to this is not handed anything that you cannot handle, right, that you're not handed anything that you cannot overcome and not get through. And I think, definitely when you're, when you're handed a difficult circumstance, when you're handed a diagnosis, a lot of times the only thing that we can do, one of the best things that we can do, is start to lean into that trust that, hey, this is happening for me in some sense, even if right now I don't completely understand it.
Speaker 2:I trust that I will and I'm trust that I'm being guided in the direction that I'm supposed to go. Yeah, so. I love that that's like one of the key components of your bliss, soft life, because I think that also does bring the bring the softness to it of like, hey, I get to relax and yes, yeah, I'm taken care of yes, exactly, it's that mindset.
Speaker 1:Right, that's the mindset piece that you really have to overcome and stop like listening to your ego mind and like how everything's like, you know, not the way you want, and you're always in this lack mindset. But when you're in the bliss, soft life, you're like so empowered, you just trusting, and you're just like confident in yourself and the universe and you're just like, okay, I got this and I kind of just like trust and it's, it's supposed to be easy, like you know, because it's not. Yeah, you're not resisting, you're just letting it flow, like positive energy is flowing to you yeah.
Speaker 2:So I know that there may be someone on the other side of this who is like, okay, this is a great concept. How would you help someone start to really embody this bliss, soft life concept?
Speaker 1:so we're all at different journeys in our life, but the main thing if you really want to start it is to start changing your mindset.
Speaker 1:That's like one key component.
Speaker 1:So if you're always in like this victim mindset, that everything is against you, it's going to be really hard to live this lifestyle because you're going to have to really tap into the spiritual, divine and tap into your spirituality and get to really know yourself.
Speaker 1:So self-love and self-care is crucial and so taking the time to meditate or, you know, being quiet with yourself and a lot of us since we live in a fast-paced world, right, we're always like watching tv or on our phones or just like never really quieting ourselves to really get to know ourselves and trust me, I know this because I lived that life and actually quieting your mind is gonna really get to know yourself. And then when you understand what makes you happy, that's when magic happens, because you're vibing at a higher vibration. So everything is energy in life. And if you're at a low vibration like when depression, like I was in my depressed state, like everything negative happened because I was in that frequency but when you're loving yourself and you're confident and you know, your mindset is just so strong and you know that you can overcome anything and you trust in the divine.
Speaker 2:Like dude, you're just vibing at a high vibration and your life is just so much easier yeah, I was at a conference recently called empower her live and we were talking about, like, self-worth, like I think, a lot of times when, like I said, chronic illness, hardship, a lot of times that can diminish our self-worth, right, but I think that you can use this concept in a lot of different senses.
Speaker 2:So, um, what one of the speakers said, jamie Kern Lima is like, a lot of times, when you are in that negative space, a lot of times it's not just like it's not bombarding yourself with like toxic positivity, like you can't give yourself an affirmation of like I'm the best ever, when, like, maybe that's not true, that doesn't feel true for you right now. Right, so you can't like bombard yourself with toxic positive positivity, but you can find something to replace that negative thought. That is just a step, a step above it. Like it's not, it's not like the full negative, it's like what's something that you can lean into of. That's like, um, like I like let's say what I'm trying to do. You understand what I'm trying to say yeah.
Speaker 2:I totally get it like not saying like, oh, I'm the best ever, but it's like I'm doing the best that I can, yes, versus like I suck, like I suck, no, I'm doing the best that I can. Instead of saying like I'm the best ever, like maybe you're not at that point right now, but you can replace that really negative talk with something just a little, you know, just I'm a little bit more positive, right, yes. So I think that could always be like a really great step to kind of start with the start, switching the the negative self-talk around a bit exactly being aware that you have that negative self-talk too.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, being aware is one of the key pieces. A lot of us aren't aware of where of like, where we are in life and what our surroundings is, and like how your thought process is, you know, and so when you start getting to know yourself, that's when, like, you know, you're like, you're like, you're like, you're like, you're like, you're being aware and you're understanding, like, whoa, this is what actually truly makes me happy. It's so crazy because a lot of people that I talk to don't even know what really makes them happy. They think they know, they think they're like people pleasing, like, oh, making other people happy is really making me happy. But no, that's not it. You're just people pleasing, because you're taught that. But what truly makes you happy? Right, like going out to the ocean and seeing animals?
Speaker 2:like that makes you true, you know what is it, yeah, yeah, getting quiet enough to really tune into yourself and a lot of times, yeah, like what you said, is the people pleasing? Like a lot of times, that's like your mind, that's your mind telling you what is true, like what is true for you, but, like, I think, getting quiet and listening to your own intuition, listening to your own body is like, yeah, that's the way right.
Speaker 1:Exactly exactly, and a lot of us don't tap into our power. So when you're living a bliss off life, you're just this powerful being and you know it. So it's like following your intuition, your gut feeling, and you're, and you just know it a thousand percent. That's like truly who you are.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So let's say okay. So a little bit more like specifically about the principles. I think we kind of touched on this throughout your explanation of it, but just kind of diving into each of the transformational principles of bliss off life, Like what are, like the set aspects of the bliss off life and kind of laying them out.
Speaker 1:So the aspects is, like you know learning how to really be resilient and you know, when life throws you hardships, you have to know that you're going to be able to overcome it. You're going to trust in yourself, like, yes, okay, this is what the human experience is. We're here to learn things. And so if you have that mindset, knowing that it's going to get better and this is a life lesson that I'm learning then you know that you're going to be able to overcome it and then you're going to learn from it and grow and up level yourself, and then you're going to keep growing and then keeping the best version of yourself, and then you're just going to be able to live like the true, authentic you that you're supposed to be.
Speaker 1:So another principle is, like you know authenticity, like being your true self, what makes you truly happy, like we kind of touched upon that and when, again, like I feel like a lot of people don't really know their authentic self and what truly makes them who they are. But and a lot of us don't even know what our life purpose is, but I think we both know, because after going through something huge, like we kind of get a spiritual awakening or some type of awakening to learn, and it forces us to be this way now that we get to be on this platform and teach people. So, actually being your authentic self, you'll know, like, what your life purpose is and you're just going to be truly happy with life when you're in this stage of authenticity and not like people pleasing or you know working on, you know setting your own boundaries, et cetera. So being your authentic self is one of the key pieces and just accepting your quirkiness and your, you know individuality and it's so crazy that you know, in our society we're taught to be like. You know let's all be the same. It's actually no, what makes us different is what makes us shine. So, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I'm kind of curious like, oh, go ahead. So sorry, go ahead no it's okay.
Speaker 1:I was going to say in the last pieces, like you know, doing manifestation, mindful manifestation, is another key piece into the bliss of life that we can kind of talk about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the next thing that I just want to ask you about is like living a more authentic life. That can be really challenging, like you said, because of people pleasing, because of other people's opinions, because of I mean just the way that society is really like. It can be really overwhelming and really scary to start to really own yourself and share yourself. So I'm just curious how has your journey looked with really stepping into being who you are and not being ashamed to be the fully expressed version of yourself?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I grew up being an ESL kid and I was shy, I didn't talk and, like you would not know, that's that used to be me. But when I learned to be more confident in myself and I knew that I had a life purpose, to talk about this bliss of life, that I knew that this was my purpose, it wasn't about me. So when you're like learning about authenticity, it's like you're not. It's not all about you and everybody's like I guess your mindset's not all about yourself. It's about servicing others, and so you're so confident and happy with life. That and that point. It's not all about yourself. It's like how can you be a service, how can you help other people? And that's correlates with how it makes you happy, if that makes sense 100%, and I can relate to you with being the shy girl.
Speaker 2:It's kind of wild because you have a podcast as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we both have podcasts and, like I just always think about if people I guarantee you, people from high school, probably, like Courtney has a podcast.
Speaker 1:I literally was always like Courtney.
Speaker 2:you're so. People were always like Courtney. You're so shy, like I was known as the shy girl, and now I'm like. Now I'm sharing some of my deepest secrets and stories on a podcast. And I'm like it is true, because when you start to understand what your purpose is, you can't not show up and share your purpose. Yes, your purpose has to be louder than your fear, like my business coach said, like you have to. It's like there's times on social media I'm sure you've had this experience too where you kind of want to go back into that shy girl space. It's like, oh my gosh, I'm sharing myself. This is really scary. I don't know what to do. I don't want people to judge me and it's like, but there's someone on the other side of this who, like, needs to see my example, who needs to hear this story, who is in this experience, who just wants to know that they're not alone, right?
Speaker 2:So we have to show up for the person who could be impacted by us showing up in our purpose and, yeah, just like allowing our purpose to be louder than our fear, and I can really relate to you and like your purpose really got you out of your shy girl shell, like me.
Speaker 1:Yes, I know I love it. I would never know that about you?
Speaker 2:No, I was so shy Like it's like why on, how shy I was.
Speaker 1:That's so great. Same I. You know I was. Just I never talked cause I was an ESL kid, so I just didn't want to be made fun of, so I just never talked, yeah.
Speaker 2:I just didn't. I don't know. I just felt like I didn't have anything that I wanted to share Right. I feared a lot of judgment. People always felt different. I always felt like I was going to live a different life and I just felt like I couldn't relate to people and I just didn't know what to say. I just was like I don't know. People were intimidating to me and I was just like I'm just gonna not like keep to myself. And yeah, it's just wild the transformation that I've had in my own life, but it was really through learning about myself right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and really stepping into that purpose and just not, yeah, just letting your purpose be louder than your fear. Yeah.
Speaker 1:And isn't that amazing when you step into that power and not let fear or your ego get in the way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Now it's like wild that I have a whole podcast about that. I'm like who am I? How did I become this person?
Speaker 1:You're you, finally, you know, stepped in your spiritual higher self is like oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:finally, Courtney, you remember why you're here on earth, yeah, doing, yeah, it's so true, right? Because a lot of times, through conditioning, we get so far away from ourselves through the way that you know society is supposed to be, yeah, diving into our spirituality. By getting quiet, by listening to ourselves, we come back home, to our truth.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it's so crazy because this bliss soft life concept came when I tapped into my spiritual side and then, um, I believe that my higher self gave me this idea and I was like what is crazy, cause I was just having coffee and then it's just like they're like you need to just preach about the bliss soft life and I was like whoa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's kind of how it was with me with Journey to Limitless of like. This name came through and I was just like, okay, I'm supposed to share about my journey of chasing my dreams. And then, you know, things got messy with having chronic illness, and it was always this like root of like we do not have to be held back by our circumstances, right, and now, like, I went through some recent hardship, um, you know, over the last few months, and my this concept of being on this Journey to Limitless literally got me through right. So it's something that even ourselves, who are the facilitators of our movements, like it's always a reminder for us too, cause it can be so easy to, kind of, you know, get back into our old spirals and our old stories and everything. But it's like, hey, like, no, like you're on a Journey to Limitless, this is hardships going to happen, you can be resilient, you can still manifest your dreams and, um, you know, we got to get. We got to get ourselves back on track sometimes too.
Speaker 1:So, yes, yeah, exactly yeah. And then that's why your higher purpose and the purpose and knowing yourself helps you get back on track.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, um, the last part of the bliss life that you were just talking about towards the end of that was manifestation. Yeah, so can you share some practical, or, yeah, some practical tips, um, for mindful men? Ah, I can't talk. No, no worries. Um, so the last part of the bliss life, uh, which is what you're talking about towards the end, there was about manifestation. So how can individuals incorporate mindful manifestation into their daily lives to create positive change.
Speaker 1:So mindful manifestation is a powerful, powerful practice, right. So it aligns your thoughts, beliefs and actions to consciously create the re reality you desire. And so you need to have, like, a stronger mindset to start manifesting the things that you want. So earlier I kind of mentioned, like, if you're in a depressed state and so like, in this victim mindset, it's going to be hard for you to manifest anything that you want because you're at a low vibration, right. So you have to start practicing mindful practices to get your mind thinking differently. And so obviously you kind of touch upon this too. Like you know, you can't say, oh, I want. Or, like you know, if you're depressed and then you're going to say, oh, I'm so great and powerful, like you know, it's not going to coincide. You have to like do a baby steps out of time at where you are in life.
Speaker 1:So, say, if you're at a depressed state and then you got to practice mindfulness, how are you going to get out of this depressed state? And so what I teach my clients is to practice gratitude. So you can't you, you can't like be great. So gratitude is like a higher vibrational thing and their opposites right Of depression. So you're either in a grateful and happy state or you're in this depressed state. So I told people to practice gratitude and just this easy practice like saying three things you're grateful for before you go to sleep, or like when you right, when you wake up or any time in the day when you feel like it, it'll just raise your vibration, like just baby steps like that, and you know it helps change your mindset. And you know you it's just kind of like a.
Speaker 1:It's like a when you're training for something right, when sports, like how do people, how do people train for, like, running a marathon, they take baby steps. They're not going to do a, you know a mile in like whatever if they never ran before, right? So taking those baby steps, do that with your mind because it's a muscle. So doing practices like even journaling, you know, just expressing anything to make your mind like be aware of yourself and, you know, maybe even talking to other people, like coaches too, it can help you bring awareness and help build your mindset and keep making it strong.
Speaker 1:And so when you have a stronger mindset, you just can like manifest anything that you want easier and you attract everything that you you know you're vibing at. So if you're at a low vibration, then that's what you're going to keep attracting, and if you're at a higher vibration, you're going to be able to track what you want Right. So it's like practicing that, and people think about manifestation as like, oh, how come I never see those results? It's like, well, because you haven't really taken the time and actions to do that. Like, yeah, I'm like, for example, me I wanted a child and then in my victim mindset and for two years I was just crying all day and then I was like, I want a baby.
Speaker 1:So badly and it never happened because, you know, was I doing anything about it? No, but when I literally took that whole year to do and practice everything, like you know, to change my mindset and to, like, change my lifestyle, like boom, it happened for me.
Speaker 2:You were on your way of becoming a woman who could, who could conceive a child.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:We're on the way of like setting up your life, like to be a healthier woman, so you can make that happen.
Speaker 2:Right, like I think a lot of times manifestation is taking the steps and the direction of becoming the people that we want to be. Yes, right and yes. I think having gratitude is one of the best ways to start raising your vibration, and it doesn't have to be like you know. I know when you're in a in a depressed state, like you know, you're not going to very easily find things to be grateful for, because a lot of times we think it has to be these like massive, big things.
Speaker 1:But it can literally be.
Speaker 2:I'm so grateful that I have a roof over my head.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm so grateful that the sun is shining today. I'm so grateful that my dog is here. Like it can be these tiny things that can just shift, shift your energy, and such a it really truly does come down to the tiny things and I think a lot of times it is putting yourself in the energy of like what you want to feel as well. Like, if you are wanting to create more freedom, more joy in your life, you have to spend time doing even the tiny things that can bring you just a glimmer of that Right and really noticing like, wow, I feel freedom right now. Wow, I feel joyful watching this TV show, I feel joyful listening to my favorite song. Like you have to put yourselves in the environment of things that bring you joy on that smaller level and that will create more of that in your life?
Speaker 1:Yes, Exactly, Exactly. And then you know it gets better and stronger and stronger. And then you're just like, oh my gosh, and then you just develop into the person that you've been wanting to be and you know you really have to follow your gut and intuition.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and manifestation isn't just like talking about it like you did. You had to take the steps in order for it to happen, like, yes, you were manifesting it, but because you were also taking the steps toward that being your reality too, it's not manifesting it and doing nothing. Yeah, manifesting requires action, exactly.
Speaker 1:Right Aligned action, exactly. And I think that's a lot of the biggest mistakes. When people think about manifestation, they're just like I visualized it. Why isn't it popping up? And I'm like well, did you take steps towards that action? Like, or your manifestation, like you know, you don't have to make it so hard or difficult, but you know, like, doing little baby steps, like towards it.
Speaker 2:And something that I just want to share here is like your manifestation again, you do not have to do all of the work.
Speaker 2:Yes, I just want to say this very clearly Like I have, I'm not going to okay. So I have been wanting to buy a tiny house for nine years and I have this opportunity landing in my lap right now where I am going to be taking the steps towards buying it. But it didn't happen because of me putting in all this action. It was just I honestly just kept meeting people, I kept putting myself out there, I kept talking about it. That's taking action Doesn't mean that you have to go put a down payment on something because the opportunity now has landed in my lap and I'm like literally freaking out about it. So I'm like, wow, I manifested this. So do not think that manifesting is you have to take all of the action. It's just always keeping it in your mind and talking about it. Um, maybe it is even like putting yourself out there.
Speaker 2:You never know the people that can come into your life, the opportunities that can, that can come into your life, and always just trusting that it will happen and not putting a timeline on it. This is the thing that I have been really turned off with when it comes to goals. I love goal setting and I think it can give us direction, but I think sometimes, when it doesn't happen on the timeline that we want to, we give up all together. Like I said, this is a nine year dream that is manifesting in my life right now and I never gave up on it. And if I would have been hung up of like, oh, I want this tiny house by the time I'm 25 years old, I would have been way upset about it long time ago. I'm now 29 and it's manifesting. You know, we can't hold onto the timelines, right.
Speaker 2:Exactly Just trusting that the manifestations will happen and not not losing hope.
Speaker 1:You know yes, exactly, not losing hope, that's a key piece. I love that. That's what you shared. It's true, because, same way with my house, like when I just let go and I just trusted and put it out there like, um, I didn't make like crazy action steps or anything. We just kind of looked at houses here and there and when I stepped into the house that I live in now, I just stepped in and was like, oh my God, this is my house, I feel it. And then boom, like two months later they're like, oh, we'll take, accept your offer and this is your house. So it's kind of like you know, trusting in the divine, that everything is is for your higher good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And not not think a lot of the big pieces. People always think about that how, like, how is it going to happen? Like everybody's stuck on that. No, let go of the how. Just picture the end results and then letting, like your spirit guides or whatever the universe, like you know, there's just so many directions, that tons and thousands of directions.
Speaker 2:Just let it happen, you know right, and I think a lot of times it's our ego that tells us the timeline like it's a logical mind to be like this needs to happen by this time and this time it's like, actually that's not how your life is going to go, right, and you can kind of miss opportunities when you're so hung up on how things are supposed to happen. Instead, knowing what you want, keep putting yourselves in the space where you can have the opportunities for it to happen, but not being so tied to it happening on your timeline. Right, yes, exactly, yeah, like knowing your direction but being free and it will happen. Yeah, yes, yeah, so let's see. Wrapping up, so for anyone listening who may be going through any of their own challenges, what advice would you offer them to find more joy, resilience and fulfillment in their life?
Speaker 1:I would start giving this big piece of advice of self love and doing self care, because we do not do enough of this and these self care and self love are two separate things. Like everything, everybody thinks self care is the same thing as self love, but it's not so. Self love is like the emotional piece, right? So like that feeling that you love somebody. Like you have a kid, you love your kid or pet or family right, you have to give that emotion back to yourself. And when I ask people that I'm like, do you ever give yourself self love? They're like, yeah, I go give a massage or, like you know, workout, or I'm like those are self care things and that's a huge piece.
Speaker 1:And a lot of us don't love ourselves, right? Yeah, we're so disconnected. So when you know you are like living the bliss of love, you love yourself, you're so confident and you just practice this daily, like now you know what I do? I give myself hugs. I literally go like this and give myself hugs and this starts raising your vibrations, just starts making magic happen for you, because you know you're living life for yourself and your sole purpose. So the key piece is to start loving yourself and then doing self care practices, like nourishing your body with food right, or like with healthy foods and moving your body those are self care things and a lot of us don't do that too right and learning what makes you happy, and these two things are literally life changing. And then I guess, in any state in life of where you're at, you know maybe, like if you're super depressed or if just like you're so sick of life, or something you tap into your own power, like and your self love and self care, that's when things will start changing for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think everything's always rooted in self love, like self love is your ability to carry yourself through and go after your dreams. You love yourself enough to not give up on yourself. You love yourself enough to speak to yourself kindly. You love yourself enough to like, yeah, just like, yeah, I mean nourishing yourself, caring, like, really taking care of yourself. But it's a lot deeper than that. It's the way that you talk to yourself. It's the way that you believe that your dreams are possible. Right, it's believing in yourself. Yes, it's really really deep, and I really love that you're saying that that's the first step, because I truly believe that, yes, when we can catapult, when we not catapult, when we can cultivate a really strong sense of self love, like that is really where, when shift happens in life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly Right. So when you know having chronic illness, that's what we had to learn self care and self love. And then boom, like it keeps, you know, leading you into your life purpose.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I can see that in my own journey of like. When I was first diagnosed with all sort of colitis back in 2019, I had no self love, like I was shaming myself for being diagnosed. I was shaming myself in all directions. And then the flare that I had last year, I just remember feeling that sense of like we're going to get through this, like I love you, I'm so sorry that you're that. Like I was talking to my colon. I was like I'm so sorry that, like this is happening, I love you and like we're going to get through this. Beautiful and it's just that shift. That's, that's the work that I've done on myself over the last few years. And, yeah, just seeing that shift happen. And, yeah, self love, really like carries you through everything in life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it really does. And one, one big thing I do for myself now. I used to never do. It's kind of weird, but I give myself hugs and I'm like I love you.
Speaker 2:You're so amazing.
Speaker 1:I do too. Yeah, oh, I love that. Okay cool. Yeah, I feel like a lot of us don't, but it's such a great practice, right, Don't you feel good?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, oh yeah, I gave myself a hug recently when I was going through a difficult thing and I was like it's okay, like you got this yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. So you know, doing that self, self love practice and it's just beautiful.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So do you have a song or an affirmation that you go to when you need the reminder that you are limitless?
Speaker 1:Yes, of course I always. I have an affirmation that I love using. I just say I am powerful and I'm this amazing, infinite being, and I will get through this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I just think, yeah, having these powerful, I can't tell if I'm cutting you off or not. No, no, okay, I thought maybe I heard you talking the. Yeah, it's kind of glitching a little bit, but yeah, I just think, always having an affirmation in your back pocket that you can go to when, when, maybe some things are, some things are hitting the fan instead of going down that spiral of victim mentality or fear right. Turning back to love of like I am powerful, I can get through this, Like this is challenging, but I got my.
Speaker 2:I always go to, I have this one. I say like I got my back, I have my back, Like oh, okay, I love that, yeah, so, yeah, yeah. So this was a really amazing conversation, kathy. Thank you so much for your insight and your wisdom today, but before we hop off, can you just share what you're excited about and then, where the listeners can find you, to connect with you?
Speaker 1:Yes, so I'm excited about actually writing my book about the bliss of life. I, yes, so I'm like in the process of writing it and then trying to get it published. So I'm excited. So I'll keep you guys posted about that in the future. You guys can find me more on at my website, at KathyMaocom, or on Instagram at my handle is Kathy Mao, and yeah, you could just reach out to me and both places and yeah, I'll just be so happy to connect. If you even have any questions, like, I'm always down to answer them or help in any way.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, thank you again, kathy, and I look forward for the listeners to hear this and we'll chat soon. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. Thank you so much for tuning in. It means so much to me that you're here and that you're taking the time to listen to the podcast. If you found this episode to be valuable to you, it would mean so much to me if you shared it with your friends, who you think could also really benefit from this message. You can take a screenshot of you listening and tag me in your Instagram stories. I am at journey to Lemilis underscore. That also gives me the chance to connect with you and say thank you. So until next week, I hope that you have an amazing week ahead of you and I'll talk to you then.