Episode 4: Neurodivergent And Content Creation W/ Ayumi Moore

In today’s episode, we’ll be talking about neurodivergence — a term that’s become more widely used in both clinical and social contexts to describe the natural variation in how people think, learn, and experience the world.

In this powerful and honest episode, we sit down with Ayumi Moore  a content creator who discovered she is autistic in adulthood.

She shares her personal journey toward a late diagnosis — a path that’s becoming increasingly common as more adults seek answers after years of masking or having their traits misunderstood. She tells us how this diagnosis reshaped her understanding of herself and what it means to navigate the world of content creation through a neurodivergent lens.

From burnout to breakthroughs, this conversation sheds light on the challenges—and unexpected gifts—that come with creating in a world not always built for neurodivergent minds.

For anyone on a similar path or supporting someone who is, here are some helpful platforms dedicated to autistic adults in the U.S.:

 Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) – Advocacy, education, and resources by and for autistic people.

 Asperger/Autism Network (AANE) – Support groups, coaching, and tools for autistic adults and their families.

 Autism Speaks – Adult Services – Resources on employment, housing, and community living.

Know more  about Ayumi Moore:

https://linktr.ee/ayumiofficial?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=7469ce28-6683-4a2e-aee4-178311f747f2

Connect with me at:

Instagram: 

wellnesselizabethvallejo

theholisticselflovepodcast

Book a wellness retreat at:

The Anchor Retreat

Transcript

Elizabeth Vajello 0:00

Welcome to the Holistic Self-Love podcast. I'm Elizabeth Vajero, a life coach here to help you build healthy habits for real change. Join me as we explore practical ways to reduce your stress, find balance, and feel your best every day.

Elizabeth Vallejo 0:17

Welcome to the holistic Self-Love podcast. I am so excited because as you know, on this podcast, we like to interview people that have inspirational stories, and we like to teach everybody new modalities and new ways that they can help themselves and kind of, you know, better their life. So I'm so excited to be joined by IMI Moore today. IMI has a very, very inspiring story. We actually met in my first retreat ever. And I don't know what it was about her, but on our last day, on our last hour, I just looked at her and I just started crying and it was my retreat. And I was the facilitator. Um, now that I've gotten to know her a little bit more and, um, really gotten to know her through her social media, because I, OMI is a content creator. I realized why that is. And it's because she is so authentic, so authentically herself. And for some reason, my nervous system just felt safe to just break down in that hallway to you and just start crying and. Turns out we had a lot of things in common that we didn't even know we had. So IMI was born in Japan, which I think is incredible. Um, at 18 years old, you joined the army and served our country, which is incredible, incredibly inspiring. Um, during COVID, she decided to transition into content creating. And then at 30 years old was diagnosed with autism. So welcome to the Holistic Self-Love Podcast, Imi, Thank you so much for being here.

Ayumi Moore 1:45

Thank you for having me.

Elizabeth Vallejo 1:48

Um, I was so excited to sit down with you because, you know, to be diagnosed at 30 is incredible. Um, but not just that, you know, I don't think a lot of people understand what being neurodivergent is. I am also neurodivergent and we tend to share a lot of characteristics. And I don't think people understand that. I think we live in a little bit of a culture where people are like, am I autistic? Am I not autistic? So I kind of just wanna dive in and start with that. How did you even Think to get yourself diagnosed. Like, did you have like thing, traits that you noticed in yourself?

Ayumi Moore 2:22

Um, yeah, so I have a daughter, and my oldest daughter, Was struggling with her mental health for a very long time and Doctors couldn't figure it out They're giving her every diagnosis under their, under the Sun and I just knew it wasn't right. It didn't sound like her Um, So I had to do my own research and I found that Autistic traits that she had are sounds just like her So I suggested to the doctors like how about we do an evaluation for autism. Um, and that's when she got diagnosed right away. to like, It was pretty easy. Um, it just took a long time for them to even think about that because females have different traits than males. And, uh, I you then I researched more and come to find out women have different traits than little girls. So. Yeah, that's, at the beginning, I'm like, I can't have autism because I don't do what she does, but after watching other women my age or in their twenties and thirties who got diagnosed recently, um, I. I learned that we have different traits than children. Of course, children are children, so they show their feelings differently than how women are. So, we might be more quiet or have Severe anxiety or we stem a different way versus a little girl. They might cry if they're overstimulated versus us. We're like, we'll just stay home.

Elizabeth Vallejo 4:02

I think it's funny that you said that because at the retreat, when we met, you came up to me at one point and you said, I'm just really quiet, but I'm having a really great time. And I was like, I didn't even notice that. Like, and just for some like backstory, um, IMI came to The Anchor and she was part of a, we were launching The Anchor. So it was you and many other influencers. And as you know, influencers tend to be very animated and take up a lot of space in the room. IMI was not like this. Um, sometimes I'm like, oh my gosh, she's just over there hanging out. And turns out you were creating content. And I had no idea. Until I saw you post it. And I'm like, oh, that's what she was doing. But I never once thought like, oh, why is she so quiet or anything like that? I was just like, oh, she's. a very elegant put together woman that just is observing all of us. I'm like, oh my God, she's literally taking

Ayumi Moore 4:54

I get put together. That's so funny.

Elizabeth Vallejo 4:58

but you totally were. Your outfits were on point. You were never late. You weren't sloppy. You know, you and m shared something where we both don't drink. So you were never like out of character. You were just, you know, to me, you seemed extremely elegant and like put together. And you know, me, girl, I used to, I used to work in fashion. So I noticed all of your things. I was like, I know, all. I know everything she's wearing, but you said something and I just recently went through this and we haven't even spoken about this where I was struggling with, um, the doctors wanting to diagnose my daughter with everything and I knew, like, I knew in my soul. I knew in my heart 'cause I have A-D-H-D-I, I am dyslexic. I have PTSD. I have all the things. I. And I knew that that was not what she had and I was, you know, they were so quick to medicate her and I kept going. Nope. I need another doctor. I need another doctor. I need another doctor until finally somebody heard me and she did not have a DHD, You know, what I'm saying she did not have all the things that they wanted to put her on. And I was like, for me, I've been medicated since I was, I was medicated from 19 to 34. And I didn't want that for her and I have now been nine years with no medication and able to, uh, handle all of my, I don't even like to call them symptoms or tr they're my superpower, you know, like, I use them because our, we just learn differently and we use a different side of our brain and society isn't built for that. So I love that. You like, honored your intuition, which is the way that I, as a life coach, I'm like, oh, she was listening to her intuition. Um, but I wanted to ask, like. Once you got that diagnosis, not just for your daughter, but for you, like, did you feel a sense of like, Oh,

Ayumi Moore 6:41

Oh yeah, I, oh yeah, I felt, um, it was a mixture of emotions. First I was sad for my daughter because at the time I didn't know how, I'm like what did I do wrong when I was pregnant? Like, there's so many thoughts, you know, like, oh, is it? Is there my fault or she has to live with this forever? Um, you know, I was ignorant and didn't know much about it. Just sounded scary at the time. And, um, after I got diagnosed and everything's clear, I was like, oh yay, now I'm validated for everything. I was feeling with parents and relationships, like, I knew that there was something different about me. that I knew why I had issues with communications and like, big emotions. is because I had. you know, I have a neurological disorder and it's, not my fault. outta my control. That's why I struggled in school. I mean, I have a learning disorder too, dyslexia. Um, so it just all makes sense. And I was just like, Oh, I'm not stupid. I'm not crazy. I'm not, you know, all these negative things. And then I was like, okay, time to research. So I bought a whole bunch of books, started following a whole Creators with the same diagnosis, and I feel like I'm not alone anymore. I used to feel alone, like I'm the only person on the planet who is different and just Thinks differently and talks differently, but no, I'm not. There's other people out there but the same Neurological disability or disorder if you wanna call it or superpower, you know um, I think it's a superpower too because honestly, um, I have so many cool things in Ways to see the world in a creative way that a lot of people don't And,

Elizabeth Vallejo 8:34

Like what?

Ayumi Moore 8:35

like, um, I don't fit in, I guess, like the social norms. I never did. I never, I felt like, um, you know, as far as like gender roles and stuff like that, I'm very open. I'm very open. um, I'm very open. I think I. women could do anything they want People could date whoever they want like I don't care I'm almost like love is love So i'm just very like I don't know open I am compared to maybe neurotypical people um,

Elizabeth Vallejo 9:12

Yeah.

Ayumi Moore 9:12

so things like that and I just am gifted in different ways that other people Aren't able to easily catch on. Like I could play an instrument like this. I could learn

Elizabeth Vallejo 9:24

Even being dyslexic. Wait, can you read music?

Ayumi Moore 9:28

Yeah,

Elizabeth Vallejo 9:29

I had a hard time with that because I I kind of feel what you're saying. Like, I could I mean, and you've experienced it. Like, I'll put a retreat together. I'll put an event together. And I look at people. I'm like, I, how do you not see this? How do

Ayumi Moore 9:41

exactly. It's not

Elizabeth Vallejo 9:43

but I. yeah, but like, you know, I'm, I'm a, I'm a kid. I was born in the eighties, raised in the nineties, And, They used to tell my mom, like, oh, she's just really lazy. And it was like, oh, no, I was not lazy. If anything, my brain was on overload trying to understand. I would get home exhausted. And, um, you know, when you said how you started researching, I think the one thing when my daughter got diagnosed was that I, I just threw myself into like, how do I understand her brain because I wish somebody would've understood my brain when I was little, you know, so now it's like, when she goes through anything, like, you talk about big emotions, right? Like, when she goes through big emotions, um, I try to see, well, where's her head at, you know, like, where, what is she going through right now? And then I put myself in her position and then I like to play a game with her where I'm like, okay, is this your logic brain? is this your logical brain thinking like our emotions, but it also helps me because I feel like, like, when I told you, I have a lot of the same traits. I get overstimulated very easily. I don't like certain fabrics. I don't like certain noises. Like, if we're in the car and you're on TikTok, I will pull over and drop you

Ayumi Moore 10:54

Oh, saying, I hate that.

Elizabeth Vallejo 10:56

we're

Ayumi Moore 10:57

watch videos when I'm driving. I hate

Elizabeth Vallejo 11:00

no. And it's like, and then peop I'm trying to, I'm trying to keep us alive in this vehicle. Like, I can't hear anything but the radio. Um, so in a lot of ways, I feel like I can, um, I can relate to a lot of people. And the thing that you said about feeling like you belonged, like you found your people, that is so important as humans. Like, that's why, that's why retreats are so important. Religions are so important. That's why people need AA because we need to feel like we belong. And sometimes when we're neurotypical, um, I felt like I was alone my whole life. I felt like, why, why don't I understand these directions? Why can't I take tests properly? But then I'm great at all the creative stuff. So it never made sense, you know? So I love that you said that because that is, um, I think it's something to do also with like, And I wanna talk about your parents, right? Because we're both, well, you weren't born here. I'm first generation born here. So I come from immigrant parents and it is. Completely different. Like they don't know what A DHD is. They don't know dyslexia. Um, they don't understand emotions.

Ayumi Moore 12:08

They don't,

Elizabeth Vallejo 12:10

So how did you navigate through that? Because I do know that your parents are like a really big part of your life.

Ayumi Moore 12:18

Uh, I kind, well now, I just accepted it. I'm like, it is what it the, it is. They're old school. They, back then, they're, they were born in the fifties and sixties, So, my parents are older. So, um, they More educated when it came to neurodivergent people. What a DH is? A DH, D is? What is autism? Even if I explain it to them, it's just like, you guys look normal to me. You know, it's just. it's not cooking, you know, so I'm just like, it is what it is. I can't change that. So, um, of course I looked back and I told my parents like, why didn't you see any of these signs? Like they told me I couldn't read, I. they told me I couldn't do math. They had to put me in special ed education classes. Um, I couldn't make friends like what they're like, well, you're pass, like barely passing. I mean, hey, you did get her back. So, um, they're just like, We didn't see it. We're old school. We didn't know. And you know, I'm not taking it personal. It's not like they try to, um, not look into it, but they had no idea. I'm their first kid. So they

Elizabeth Vallejo 13:27

Oh, you're the oldest. So how do they, how do you see them moving differently with your kids than they did with you?

Ayumi Moore 13:36

Nothing. Nothing,

Elizabeth Vallejo 13:37

Nothing, they're just,

Ayumi Moore 13:38

nothing. I told them, I'm like, you know, she does, she does this because she's autistic. You know, I'll talk about my kids and they're just like, they're bad.

Elizabeth Vallejo 13:49

Yeah. yeah, I do get that a lot. I get a lot. uh, I mean, my parents are a little softer with the grandchildren, but I I like to tend to remind them, like, thank you for your parenting advice. But, like, I ended up in rehab and so we're gonna do things differently this time. And 'cause I, I have a hard time with, like, the gentle parenting, like, sometimes I'm like, did I gentle parent too hard? And I think me and you have talked about this before. like, Our kids are spoiled. Like, I don't even wanna sugarcoat it spoiled. And I'm like, did I, did I gentle parent too hard? But like, she has needs that I didn't have when I was little, or maybe I did. And they, and, and now they're like traumas. Because nobody was paying attention or listening to me, but so I do try and give myself a lot of grace and going back to the fitting in. I feel like everything happens in the universe for a reason. I think you know that about me and I think I was supposed to break down that day for you because I didn't realize how much I needed to relate to somebody in the next coming months because I remember I used to text you outta nowhere and be like, I'm gonna kill my kid. I'm gonna kill my kid and you'd be like, I'm gonna kill mine too. And we just related on a different level to where, you know, my girlfriends don't always understand what I'm going through or, you know, also, you know, the overcompensation of like, it's literally just me and her. It's always been me and her. And I overcompensate for like that missing piece of her life that, you know, maybe her other parent is in everything she needed. So I, when I try to tell my parents that they're like, no, she's just spoiled. Like. You know, but, um, I, I do wanna get to your content creating because I think it's so powerful that you have this platform and this voice and not like going back to the universe. Because I do have a question about autism. You said that you have problems with big feelings, right? Like I wish, imi. Okay. I wish, because my feelings are so big that they consume me. This is why I became a life coach. Like, I wanna help people because the anxiety just wakes me up in the morning, It doesn't let me sleep. I have such big feelings that I feel like sometimes it's like subtitles are coming out and you can hear my thoughts. So, I wonder, in your traits, does this let you like, do things without overthinking them and just like, be bold?

Ayumi Moore 16:11

No, it's the opposite. I do have big feelings. I do. Yeah. I

Elizabeth Vallejo 16:16

Oh,

Ayumi Moore 16:16

big feelings. I'm just saying, um, I met like I, versus a child having big feelings, how they express it versus adult. I,

Elizabeth Vallejo 16:24

Oh

Ayumi Moore 16:25

I have huge feelings.

Elizabeth Vallejo 16:28

yeah.

Ayumi Moore 16:28

have severe anxiety. I have, I don't know how I'm not drinking and doing anything because, because man, if that was anyone else, they're probably a drug addict or alcoholic because I have severe anxiety. I have severe, um, I'm just been told my entire life. You're so emotional. You're so sensitive I could break down, cry, scream, get mad. I have a short temper. The past couple years, I'm much better.

Elizabeth Vallejo 16:57

I love that.

Ayumi Moore 16:58

good. It was not good.

Elizabeth Vallejo 17:01

So then tell me how you became a content creator. Because, I, and then I'll, I'll tell you a little bit how I, after, how I managed those things, because I, I just couldn't go through life like that. But I wanna know how did you have like, the balls to just start content creating? Like, how did it happen?

Ayumi Moore 17:19

I always had big dreams. ever since I was a kid, I'm like, I wanna be a star. I wanna be a singer, I model, something, um, a doctor, a dentist, you know, I was gonna do that, gonna medical school during COVID, but consecration started popping off, but my friend, she suggested it. She has a, um, a teenager at the time. And she's like, Hey, like. My daughter watches these influencers, these YouTubers. They're like 19 and they make millions of dollars. She's like, I think you should do it. Like, why not try it? You could make it the potential of these youngins. You know, and I'm just like, that doesn't sound too bad. You know, I'm like,

Elizabeth Vallejo 18:00

Yeah. It sounds great.

Ayumi Moore 18:02

it sounds great. So I looked into it and, you know, researching. I'm like, wow, these people are making millions of dollars. I'm like, okay, I need to do this. So I'm, I just. Started making a YouTube channel an Instagram from scratch, and I just didn't know what I was doing 'cause I have no friends in content creation, so I'm just literally copying what everyone is doing, and I'm getting no views, no following, and, you know, um, I technically started this like around 2017 18, like not full time, but just trying to,

Elizabeth Vallejo 18:38

yeah.

Ayumi Moore 18:39

trying to Figure it out, you know, so I started around 2017 18 while I'm in college. full-time college trying to balance both and It wasn't going good It was very cringey. It was very lame. It was very a hard watch I can't even they're deleted that's how bad they were but

Elizabeth Vallejo 18:58

Oh my God. I was about to say, I'm gonna go back and look at them.

Ayumi Moore 19:01

They're gone because I am not going to punish myself like that. So 2020 is when COVID hit and that's when TikTok started getting bigger and I'm getting more, you know, practice. I'm doing more research. I am figuring out that. Oh, you gotta have a niche. Oh, you gotta, you know, you just can't post videos and just call it a day. And just, you know, I'm like doing research. I'm reading, I'm watching hundreds of videos on how to grow, how to become a content creator. And that. my year when I gained over a hundred thousand followers. Um, and I started to understand how this career work instead of just

Elizabeth Vallejo 19:44

So what's your niche? What was your first, what was the first image that you had of like your niche?

Ayumi Moore 19:52

My first niche was family, I believe.

Elizabeth Vallejo 19:54

Okay.

Ayumi Moore 19:55

Yeah, it was like husband and kids. Mostly my kids. We got like the most views when it's like,

Elizabeth Vallejo 20:04

Well, cause they're really cute.

Ayumi Moore 20:06

Oh, thank you. But Sky was really good at lip-syncing. So Sky will like lip sync all the TikTok trends. a hundred thousand views, a hundred thousand millions. And She

Elizabeth Vallejo 20:15

Wow.

Ayumi Moore 20:15

three Like three at the time. So she was killing it and you know, she's neurodivergent too. So she was going viral for being able to lip sync better than adults, like these skits and stuff,

Elizabeth Vallejo 20:28

I love

Ayumi Moore 20:28

she'll get it on the first, second try. It was very gifted.

Elizabeth Vallejo 20:32

Wow. That's incredible. Okay. So you started off as family. So your audience has literally just gone through an entire journey with you, right? Because now you are not married and it's just you and the girls. And I mean, that's how I met you. Um, actually I met you on a video call where you were moving into your house and you still like stopped. It was like a crazy day and you stopped to take this meeting and I'm like, she is such a boss. Like

Ayumi Moore 20:58

Oh

Elizabeth Vallejo 21:00

yeah, You are moving into the house that you just moved out of. Mm-hmm.

Ayumi Moore 21:03

I was literally telling the movers this and this while I'm having the meeting, like, all right, move it over there. That's so crazy. You have

Elizabeth Vallejo 21:10

Yeah. So I met you as like fully successful, like, but there is a whole backstory to how that happened. And like, that's what a lot of people I think don't realize. And it's funny how the universe works because, um, I just listened to Mel Robbins podcast, which is my absolute favorite. It's like the best way to wake up. And she was talking about how she researched her podcast for about two years. And it's not about, um, thinking, you know, how to do everything it's about, you know, Yes, copying other people that are successful because nobody could be you because there are I mean we have a mutual friend Um lauren romero who hers is family. That's her niche and you guys are completely different

Ayumi Moore 21:49

Yes.

Elizabeth Vallejo 21:50

But you're doing the same thing, and you're both hilarious, and you're both constantly on my top, because I just adore both of you. Um, so, how did you, how did you get comfortable being so vulnerable? Like, one, with the kids, right? Because now you're exposing the kids. And, and by the way, um, everybody that's listening, her kids are incredible. Um, sometimes I think, like, Oh, my God, she's gonna be a little batty because did she just like, read? did she just read you and then you posted it? I'm like, I love how she just humbled her. What was it today where she was like, she was like, uh, you should clean your camera.

Ayumi Moore 22:26

Oh yeah,

Elizabeth Vallejo 22:27

Clean your phone.

Ayumi Moore 22:28

yeah, she said, wash your phone girl. I said, okay, I'll put in a dishwasher.

Elizabeth Vallejo 22:34

Yeah. That is what you said. Um, so what was it that allowed you to be so vulnerable and like, and even today, you're super vulnerable, like with, um. The way that you create content, like what made it so easy for you? And I asked from somebody who does have really big feelings. So I'm wondering, how do you manage all of that? I,

Ayumi Moore 22:55

Man,

Elizabeth Vallejo 22:57

I.

Ayumi Moore 22:57

oh, I try my best to talk about topics that are not controversial, that I won't regret in the future. And won't affect my kids. So I'm very careful. Um, I also try to talk about topics that will help people like sharing my story or sharing my experiences or just being vulnerable. of Like, look, my life isn't perfect. I'm struggling right now. This is happening. My finances aren't the best. You know, like I try to just be vulnerable and to show that social media is not real. Like I don't care how nice someone's house is, how nice their car is. It's not real. everybody's not gonna show when her, you know, a girl and her husband are fighting and arguing. Like they see these couples and they think they're perfect. They see me and my ex, they thought we were the perfect couple, but behind the scenes it was not nowhere

Elizabeth Vallejo 23:54

because you had a, you also had a very public breakup and like, I see it as like, Oh my God, she, cause that's when I met you was after that. And I was like, I. She bounced back amazing, but what people don't see exactly because we had texts back and forth where you're like, I've been crying all day. Like, that's what people don't see. Um, I, um, I started this podcast actually, because my, I was, I contacted my ex-husband's ex Um, if I felt very strongly in my soul that I had to reach out to her. so my ex-husband's recent ex. And that's actually our first podcast. And, um, you know, I, I think as women, we always wanna sit down and kind of talk to our ex's ex, especially when we have shared experiences, but I kind of asked myself and had a lot of meditation and prayer over, is this gonna help other people? Is this gonna hurt my kids? Because I share, you know, his daughter is still my stepdaughter. She's still a very big part of my life. She's been to my retreats. Um, and at the end of the day, what I got back, because, you know, prayers, when you talk to God, meditations, when he talks back to you, and what I kept getting was, you need to tell this story because you have to help people one day and you can't, um, you know, I sit and I, As a life coach, I work with like 15 to 20 women a week and we talk about heavy shit, but I don't talk about it on my socials and I rarely will say certain words. Like, you know, narcissist is not a word that I normally say. And when I sat down with a friend of mine. To help put this podcast together. She's like, but this is what you do. You help people get through, you know, you're neurodivergent, you help your clients get through that, but you've also been through a lot of abuse, whether it was financial narcissistic, like you need to start talking about these things. And I wanna always keep it like so classy. and like, am I gonna be proud of myself? And I realized, Oh no, I could talk about this hard shit. and be proud of myself in five to 10 years. Like I'm not trying to ruin anybody's life. I'm not trying to At the end of the day, if you don't wanna look bad, don't do bad shit. Seriously, if you don't want two of your exes getting together, and recording a podcast, don't be whatever it is. We, yeah. So, um, another thing I really admired about you I don't wanna talk a lot about it cause we're not here to like talk about boys, but what I really admired about you is like you really did. Hold your tongue up until today. Like, how do you having such big feelings? Like, do you see a therapist? Do you like what is it that you do to take care of yourself? Because you know being diagnosed going through a public breakup Raising two little ones on your own. Like, how do you how does IMI take care of imi?

Ayumi Moore 26:50

Oh yeah, but that's something that I struggle with, but um, therapy, therapy was my biggest thing that I did after the divorce. I was getting therapy prior to divorce. I've always been going to therapy, like most of my adult life, but of course after the divorce. The. Divorce. I tried to be very consistent. So like weekly I did that and then I did family therapy with my kids. So twice, two to three times a week I was seeing therapy with myself and my kids to make sure my kids are okay. So that was one way. Another way was, I was journaling, I was working out, I was going on vacation, I went to the retreat. Um, so traveling, vacation, Doing hobbies, like I'm like, I'm gonna find myself 'cause I lost myself in the marriage. I'm gonna find myself. I'm gonna dance again. I took dance classes. I started skateboarding. I started doing fashion again. I just love fashion, but I was, you know, lost and wasn't doing things that I love. So I just started focusing on things that I loved again. I started hanging out with friends. I started doing things that I wouldn't normally do, like going out with my friends, um, you know, things like that. So, just, Focusing on things that I love, making sure my mental health is okay so my, I could take care of my kids to the best of my ability, making sure they're okay. Making sure they go on trips with me, making sure we have bonding quality time together. So that's what I did. I think basically like just shifting away from caring so much about what others think and making everybody else happy. I'm like, I gotta make myself happy. I gotta take care of myself and do everything that I always wanted to do that I couldn't. I'm gonna do it now.

Elizabeth Vallejo 28:42

Yeah, and now you got, uh, weekends free.

Ayumi Moore 28:47

Weeks.

Elizabeth Vallejo 28:49

Oh, you guys do one week on one week off.

Ayumi Moore 28:51

Yes. But I, he only

Elizabeth Vallejo 28:54

Oh.

Ayumi Moore 28:54

his biological daughter.

Elizabeth Vallejo 28:57

Yeah, you still have the oldest one, but it is it is sometimes easier. And I find, like, especially with, like, clients that are going through that where they're like. You know, my teenager needed me more than I, than I knew. And once the little one went to hi, his dad's like, Oh my God, I had so much time with my teenager. I don't know anything about that because my daughter is literally the star of this house in the center of my universe. And I'm like, sometimes I'm like, I'm allowed to say no. Um, I am. Yeah. Even to her, I'm a big believer in therapy. I think everybody I go to therapy. Um, I have done family therapy with my daughter and it was like twice a week and it was, it's, it gets really intense. But I feel like, yeah, and I feel like it's such a beautiful way for us to have just like a safe space. Um, I mean, that's what I do as a life coach is I create a safe space for people. So most of my clients have therapists and they see their therapist on a Monday and they'll see me on a Tuesday and it works really, really great together. Especially if you're doing any sort of trauma therapy, like EMDR, it goes really great with coaching. Um, but I did wanna talk about the retreat because you're right. You came to the retreat you were in this like moment of like transition and you were like, you have no idea how much I need this. So what are some things that you maybe took from the retreat that someone that's never been to a retreat? Because that's, that's the whole, that's my whole Dharma, right? Is I create these retreats because I wanna teach people all these modalities I wanna introduce them to them and then I want them to come home with whatever works for them. So for someone that's like never been to a retreat, what do you think you could tell them to like expect or what you got out of it?

Ayumi Moore 30:36

I felt like it was like a detox, like a cleanse. It was amazing from mentally, physically, spiritually. I. It was the perfect time, honestly. like when I came to

Elizabeth Vallejo 30:48

And you weren't even supposed to come. That's how

Ayumi Moore 30:50

I

Elizabeth Vallejo 30:50

the

Ayumi Moore 30:50

oh yeah!

Elizabeth Vallejo 30:51

works. You were a last minute add-on. I feel like I I remember adding you on like three weeks before to the point that our mutual friendly set didn't even know when she was coming.

Ayumi Moore 31:02

I know, it was so, she, I was like, girl, it's in two days, she's like, oh, I did it back. But yeah, it it, it's, it was the perfect time, and I know, even for Lasette. You know how she had her spiritual awakenings and stuff like that, and seeing her grandpa, spoke to her grandpa who passed away, and when I tell you when she came back to Vegas, she was a different person. Hitting the gym, I don't know if you remember, literally dieted, hit the gym, was journaling, killing it, got a six pack, like, she definitely

Elizabeth Vallejo 31:35

She was like snatched after that.

Ayumi Moore 31:37

I'm telling you, she transformed after that retreat, like, she did better than me, I was still going through a lot of things, she did better than me, but, um, it was just amazing, like, I needed it so much, and during that time, during the retreat, I was still not who I am today, like, I was still transitioning, still quiet, still not open with who I really am, I'm a totally different person then but you know it takes a long time to heal after being in a situation for 10 years. So I was still you know not my blossom butterfly or flower that I am today. That's another reason why I probably why I was still quiet because you know I had a lot of

Elizabeth Vallejo 32:20

Yeah. You were

Ayumi Moore 32:22

and Oh yeah, processing. I was shy and I'm thinking about my kids. I'm moving. Um, it was just a lot going on, but it, it it really was a big step on who I am today, like that transformation, that

Elizabeth Vallejo 32:36

Oh my god, I love

Ayumi Moore 32:37

cleanse. Oh yeah. It was great.

Elizabeth Vallejo 32:39

And that's the thing about healing too, right? Because you had a really beautiful experience, which I actually, which is you got to go with your best friend. Lisa is literally your bestie. It's not even for show. I have two best friends coming um, on my retreat next week, and this is their second retreat with us, and they come together. And, you know, I like to tell people, All the time that like healing does not there's no path and there's no, like, we can't compare because Lizette is literally my MVP. Like, I constantly bring her up where I'm like, okay, she came in and she's just like a ball of energy. And I did not expect her life to change. But something about me is that everyone that comes to my retreats, I stay in contact with everybody, like, whether I'm like, Following you guys on your socials that I'm your biggest fans or like, we have drop-in sessions where we just wanna see what's going on or like, you know, um, Danny, the one from Miami, she just launched her podcast. Yeah, and she, like, asked me to come and do the meditation, but like, our schedules didn't work out. I just got her baby's bur a Christmas card and she sent me a goodie bag from everything from her lunch party. Like. I don't think that it's a coincidence that we meet, and I think that, yeah, so for me it's really important, so seeing her thrive and the way that Lisa thrived was so beautiful to watch, and even like today, I think we had a call last month, or right before Christmas, like she's becoming a grandmother, by the way, like the hottest grandmother I've

Ayumi Moore 34:08

Oh yeah. Oh, yeah.

Elizabeth Vallejo 34:10

Yeah. And I am like, I, uh, first of all, I love following you guys because when you guys are con when you have friends that are content creators, I wanna drop in and be like, wait, did that just really happen?

Ayumi Moore 34:20

Oh, yeah.

Elizabeth Vallejo 34:22

Or like, I'll constantly call Lauren and be like, wait, what's the surprise? She's like, okay, I'll tell you, but don't say anything.

Ayumi Moore 34:27

Right.

Elizabeth Vallejo 34:28

I'm like, That's how I keep tabs on you guys is like, cause you guys are very, very vulnerable. Um, how do the kids feel about being on camera? Because you're telling me sky's been on camera since she was little and now she's in her raging teen years or she's a preteen going into them, right?

Ayumi Moore 34:44

Sky, uh, kind of. She's gonna be nine soon.

Elizabeth Vallejo 34:48

Oh, I'm sorry. No, your oldest. How old is your oldest?

Ayumi Moore 34:51

She's 14 gonna be 15. So she's a teenager. teenager. She's

Elizabeth Vallejo 34:55

girl. Yeah, that's like the, these are been the scariest years of my life. Um, how does she feel about being on camera?

Ayumi Moore 35:03

She loves it. She wants to be an actress or a content creator when she grows up. So she's like, She loves it. She just doesn't like my content.

Elizabeth Vallejo 35:13

Oh yeah. No. 'cause we're cringey. Mm-hmm.

Ayumi Moore 35:15

like my content. So, um, you know, she thinks mine is cringey, blah, blah, blah. So she's at the age where she's just like in her room 24 7. So she's not on camera. Like she used to be where she was young and okay. Like now she's just like, I'm just gonna be watching TV or on my phone or, you know, checked in my room. So now Sky is more, you know, like, let's do the, um, we listen, we don't judge challenge. Let's do this. Like she's Now she's want to go on the camera and all that stuff, but Yuri loves it. That's what she wants to do. She has done commercials. She has been on Nickelodeon, and Cox Cable, like she apps, um, Sky. It just depends how she feels, but I don't ever force them to do anything, like that's the last thing I want them to do. Plus, I'm kind of like shifting away, putting them on social media as much because there are mean comments. They're old enough to read. They don't have social media, but, you know, people from their school might tell 'em one day, so I'm just very careful and limiting putting my kids on social media all the time. If it's an innocent video where we're sharing a moment, that's fine. You know, those don't go as viral as a skit where crazy people will say crazy things. So, I'm just focusing on me being the brand this year. But, overall When they wanna be on my video, I'll let them go ahead. Sure. The audience

Elizabeth Vallejo 36:35

I love that because that that was literally my next question. What is next for imi? Like, what is it that, you know, is your niche still family? 'cause I see your niche. First of all, I get a lot of inspiration from you. I'll be like, where did you get that? You're like, the link is in the bio. I'm like, Oh,

Ayumi Moore 36:52

Everything's in my bio.

Elizabeth Vallejo 36:54

I love it. And no, you, first of all, you just posted some lights for your house. I'm like, was all up in that link. I was like, how do I get these lights? Because they were so cute. You do have like impeccable, um, taste, not just in home, not just in fashion, but like your house. I think I sent you a text a couple months ago where I'm like, I know your house smells incredible. I could see it.

Ayumi Moore 37:14

Oh yeah, you said that. You sure did. I tried to. I love Things that smell good.

Elizabeth Vallejo 37:21

who doesn't. So what is next for you?

Ayumi Moore 37:24

What is next for me? So nobody knows this really So everybody This is It's still VIP

Elizabeth Vallejo 37:33

Okay. I love it. Just for my listeners.

Ayumi Moore 37:37

Yes, just for your listeners. Um so Social media is very Unpredictable. Okay, Tiktoks about to be gone and that's my biggest pain platform

Elizabeth Vallejo 37:48

Jesus.

Ayumi Moore 37:49

That's where I get all my brand deals is TikTok. That's where I have my biggest following, you know, almost 700,000 followers and that's about to go goodbye. So since last year I decided that I'm gonna do real real estate. Um, just to have, a backup just to have another source of income because Man, let me just tell you my income got cut by like 70 last year So i'm like this is not gonna work The, in like the year prior. I was killing it making six figures a month now it Not even close. So, um, it's it's very scary and i'm like, okay, I have to do something I can't do a nine to five 'cause I can't afford where i'm living with a nine to five Unless I'm a surgeon and I can't become a surgeon overnight.

Elizabeth Vallejo 38:37

yeah, no, it's too late for us.

Ayumi Moore 38:40

it's too late for us. So now that, you know, entrepreneurs make lump sums of money, and it's very hard to go backwards from that. So I'm like real estate. I love real estate. I always wanted to become a realtor. I, I've done real estate investing before. So I'm like, perfect. I could become a realtor and do luxury, Real estate while doing investment properties as well as as having assets. So that is my next Project is getting my license this year As soon as possible when things slow down 'cause life has been crazy. I have boxes all around me. You guys can't see

Elizabeth Vallejo 39:16

Oh, yeah, because you just moved.

Ayumi Moore 39:18

I just moved so Ignore my ugly background. I'm fighting for my life right now. So yeah, that's my And youtube youtube and instagram like i'm trying to grow those platforms. So yeah, just a new career path and I think it's better to have multiple sources of skills and

Elizabeth Vallejo 39:37

Yes.

Ayumi Moore 39:38

because you never know, you know,

Elizabeth Vallejo 39:40

are, yeah, no, you never know. So are you going to document all this? Are you gonna show us how you're gonna be a real estate agent? Like, are you gonna give us tips and tricks? Am I gonna see your wardrobe? Because you already have all the

Ayumi Moore 39:52

already know I'm about to be the flyest real estate agent. I'm telling y'all

Elizabeth Vallejo 39:57

And in Las Vegas.

Ayumi Moore 39:59

in Las Vegas. I'm trying to get the Raiders. Y'all need a house.

Elizabeth Vallejo 40:03

Yes,

Ayumi Moore 40:04

Y'all need a house? I got you. So You know hollywood is coming to vegas in the next couple years. So i'm like perfect celebrity client So i'm like, let me get this going now so I can get my celebrity clientele up But that is my goal selling sunset las vegas, whatever you wanna call it

Elizabeth Vallejo 40:22

she is ready to audition, ladies and gentlemen. She is prepared.

Ayumi Moore 40:26

And uh, yeah, I am going to document it. I'm gonna i'll probably even document me going to school and

Elizabeth Vallejo 40:33

I love that. Yes, please.

Ayumi Moore 40:35

Yeah, I guess I'm gonna

Elizabeth Vallejo 40:36

I, I feel like, I feel like this is so good because I. You know, you know what it's like to rebuild your entire career to have to rebrand yourself like teach us How because a lot of people don't know how to do that and like to me in my head That's like another one of your superpowers. Like, do you know how brave it is to go? I cannot do a nine to five. A lot of people don't even believe that. I've met people that are so talented and are so scared, so scared to live their Dharma. And I think when you were at the retreat, the last meditation that we did, 'cause I love to end the retreats this way was to how find your Dharma meditation. Right? And I get people that get so emotional because they hate their job and they know what they wanna do, but they're so scared to take that leap. So you have been so inspiring. Like, I know you're gonna inspire people with this conversation. You inspired me. I'm sitting here going like, do I need another job? But I don't because I've taken on I've I have too many jobs. I have too many jobs. Um, But thank you so much for sitting down with me and for just telling us our, your story, 'cause it is so inspiring. And we didn't even get into, like, you being in the army. We didn't get into so many things, which just means you're gonna have to come back. And, um, yeah, and then I would, You know, I always like to love to stay in touch with you, but I'm gonna now start sending you a whole bunch of self-love stuff because I know you need it. The life coach in me. I am your, I'm your unofficial life coach. And And I'm probably gonna start sending you all of that stuff. Yeah. No, if you let me love you, I will literally smother the people in my life. So I have to be very careful with that because I have very big feelings. I know. Right. And it's and I think that's what's so hard. I think that's why I related to you so much because. It is not easy in these streets trying to raise little girls. And, you know, there's, there's not a lot of us that are doing it with so much, which is so much. So when you meet another mom like that, I'm, I mean, cause you'd be in shock. You're just getting into it right now. But I have little girls that come over here and their parents don't even know where they are. What I am watching my kid when the second she leaves this, I know exactly where she is at all times. So I love meeting moms like me, me. seeing me and other moms. I love it. And you were there for me when I don't even think you knew how powerful you were. Those times I texted you and I would voice note you and you were always answering so quickly. So I am as a fan of yours, I'm so excited to see what's coming and I'm so excited to, cause I know you're gonna succeed. Um, tell the listeners where they can follow you so that they can continue to be inspired. And you know what? Give us your TikTok because TikTok might still be a thing.

Ayumi Moore 43:12

okay, so my TikTok is imi more,

Elizabeth Vallejo 43:16

Okay.

Ayumi Moore 43:17

and YouTube is IMI official.

Elizabeth Vallejo 43:20

Awesome. And we're gonna link all of this in the, in the little bio down so everybody can find you. And thanks again so much for being here. We're gonna have to do this again.

Ayumi Moore 43:29

Oh yeah, thank you so much for having me. I had a great time.

Elizabeth Vallejo 43:32

Okay.

Elizabeth Vajello 43:34

Okay. Now for the legal stuff, you know the important things that I have to say, this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. I'm just a life coach, not a licensed therapist. Not a licensed psychotherapist. This is not a substitute for advice from a doctor, therapist, or any other qualified expert. Got great. See you in the next episode.