Claudia Azula Tiny Garden

Mentoring Women: An Expensive But Rewarding Gift.

I've been mentoring Luna for the past two years. Our collaboration resulted in her securing a new home and a job in a location she adores, across state lines. Her life has gone from emotional starvation and financial insecurity to spiritual contentment and monetary abundance.

Expressing her gratitude, Luna says, "Thank you. I cannot do this without you."

Contrary to her belief, I respond, "That's not true. I offer suggestions, but it’s you who takes the actions."

Luna and I have talked for so long that there is an intimacy between us.  We meet often and laugh a lot. We talk about literally everything. We trust each other. I give her recommendations from my life experience and from having made many mistakes. My worst errors of judgment are the ones from which I’ve learned the most.

When I began working with women, I grappled with various trepidations – the fear of investing too much time, the fear of them distancing themselves from me, or worse, the fear of rejection. These are the parts that seemed expensive to me. I once even questioned whether I could trust women. The good news is that through gentle experiences in the business world, I have learned that I can.

When my mentor tells me: "You got this, Claudia!" I recognize that I indeed "got it" in a significant way.

When, in turn, I encourage Luna with the same words, I feel immense gratification for passing along such raw power.

Many women are committed to both teaching and being teachable today. I see it in the faces of participants in my workshops, in support groups, and when Luna sends me a WhatsApp voice message telling me she is sitting by the beach, quietly staring at the sunset.

When I mentor a woman from my heart, without expectations of return, I am the one who gets the reward.

Do You Suffer From Exertion-Exhaustion Syndrome?

I just landed in BA. My apartment is small and needs work. Nestled in the center of Palermo Soho, it exudes that old Buenos Aires flavor, with tall ceilings, solid doors, a bidet, a patio, and a laundry room larger than a NYC apartment.

However, my tendency to be an ambitious, driven, "get-it-done" kind of woman has reached an extreme. The garden needs trimming, the laundry must be done, the kitchen pantry needs painting, and I gotta clean those windows.

I tried to do it all in one day! Total collapse ensues.

Do you identify we me? We are the ones who wear our business/housework/art-making output like a badge of honor, pushing ourselves to the limit, fueled by to-do lists and caffeine.

But when the relentless pursuit of productivity reaches a breaking point, we all fall into the trap of exertion-to-exhaustion syndrome: the cycle of overwork, burnout, breakdown, depression, and anger, followed by the struggle to return to normal activity levels.

Breaking free of this habit requires a shift, a rebellion against the tyranny of "more." Easier said than done.

Three mantras became my anchor:

- "First things first." I will prioritize with ruthless grace.
- "Keep it simple." I won't let complexity drown my spirit. And:
- "One thing at a time." I intend to savor the present moment, not the overwhelming horizon.

Changing a strong pattern of behavior like exertion/exhaustion is possible, but the path is paved by resistance to our familiar ways.

Reflect on these questions:

Was there anyone in your childhood who said: "You must push hard if you want to succeed." Or: "If you don't finish this today, you won't be accepted." Or: "If you don't practice 10 hours daily, you won't amount to much."

Exploring these old wounds, I gently heal them through morning pages and meditation. And I suddenly glimpse a new way of perceiving myself:

My value is not defined by output but by how much I am of service to others and myself. By how much I nurture myself first. Yes, really.

My value shows up when I am fully rested and prepared for my business presentation. It shines when I smile as I listen to my sister and have the energy to play with my 6-year-old niece. My value glows when I smile and am fully present with friends and extended family.

Just for today, allow yourself to try these:

- "Sobre mesa" -as they say here- or a long-extended conversation after lunch or dinner. This Argentinean tradition recognizes that life is good, and it releases oxytocin.

- A walk in the park with no cell phone is challenging, but it is a loud sign to our soul that says, "I care!".

- Flowers in a vase, a long bath with candles, a carefully made cup of coffee.

- And the most impactful of all: having a conversation with my inner child, reassuring her that she is enough and she is okay, no matter what. I have found this to be the most productive thing I can do.

Go on: Live a little!

Join me in Minneapolis: Nov 7-8 2023

I am honored to be speaking at the Pinnacle Experience, an immersive event for marketing professionals working in the challenging architecture, engineering, and construction industry. It will take place at the Four Seasons in beautiful Minneapolis from November 7 to 9, 2023.

During The Pinnacle, I will introduce the principles of merging ideas in a safe environment. Together, we will explore the power of collaboration among talented individuals to enhance our careers and uplift our spirits.

I have planned exciting topics and activities that promise a memorable, enjoyable, and fulfilling workshop.

The line-up of speakers and panelists is carefully selected and will offer everyone attending a great new perspective.

If you attend the Pinnacle, I look forward to meeting you.

Where is Yoga When Life Makes Us Go Insane?

Where is yoga when we struggle to stop drinking or overeating? Where is yoga when we find ourselves fixated on fantasy or romantic obsession? What happens when fear runs our lives, and our destiny is determined by automatic reactions based on past trauma?

My approach to teaching stems from my love of yoga. But also from my experience of how yoga can help us through difficult times. I specialize in using yoga to face our fears and how to find hope when it seems lost. My teaching focuses on how to process emotions and trauma in a gentle way.

I invite you to work through your trauma and negative overthinking that currently rules our existence.

Yoga progress can only be measured by how much better our lives get.

Spiritual fortitude becomes more necessary as we cross into the afternoon of life, especially after turning fifty.

At this stage, we must use our time wisely and awaken our spirituality. We need to strive to become examples and leaders of our tribes.

Turning fifty is when we are called to lead by example and serve others. However, we cannot fulfill this calling if we don't work through our issues.

I work with people like you who want to open the channel to a deeper spiritual life and be of service in the world.

My yoga teaching will help you get a strong foundation in asana and pranayama, but it will go further; it will also help you align with your dharma (divine work) and release the obstacles that get in the way.

We will slowly peel the layers of negativity that cover the shining diamond that you are.

Why This Book is Different:

Yoga books cover the physical and sometimes the breathing aspects of our bodies, which I explore in the first two chapters. Other books go deeper into philosophy and rationalization of the system, but none of them talk about how to process trauma and negative emotions or how to reveal your life's purpose.

What happens when negative thinking and emotions take hold of us? What happens when we want to explode? What do we do when our “stuff” covers our brightness? Where is yoga there?

Chapter 3: "The Emotional Yoga Body," offers practical exercises to process harmful emotions, past trauma, and negative thinking.

Once we can healthily process emotions, our hearts open. That is when we are ready to reveal and embark on our divine life purpose

And how do we find out what our life's purpose is?

Chapter 4: "The Wisdom Yoga Body" gives your inner territory a map. It is a compass that can help you unveil your divine purpose.

And Chapter 5: "The Spiritual Yoga Body," offers ancient yoga techniques to continue the spiritual journey daily. You will witness how the metaphor of kundalini energy rises within you.

You can make your yoga practice your own personal journey by reading along and following the video classes.

I have given this book my EVERYTHING. All my experience and all my knowledge. Click here to get your copy.

YouTube Yoga: English/Spanish

I am passionate about yoga, and blessed to be fully bilingual

Healing the syndrome of “Historical is Hysterical” in Business:

I'm in a difficult situation with an emotionally abusive individual in my volunteering work. The circumstances starkly mirror the troubled narrative of my childhood. The intense emotions I am experiencing today echo those from my early years. My heart tightens, hives break out, and fatigue sets in.

However, this time I am resolute in my commitment to NOT perpetuate a cycle of pain leading to a new drama. I won't engage with this person.

No historical-hysterical acts this time; instead, I am looking for peace and resolution. These are five things I do to get by:

1) EMBRACE DIVINITY:

Every day, I say this prayer from ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics):

"Today, I seek serenity to accept the people I can't change. Courage to change the one I can. And wisdom to know that one is me."

It’s clear that I am the one that needs to change; I am no longer that helpless youngster I once was.

If I am to break the cycle of misery, I need to welcome the pain and allow it to mend without blaming anyone. This isn’t about them. This is an opportunity to remove the power from this old wound so I can free myself from it. "They", the current perpetrator, is nothing but a symptom.

2) ASK FOR HELP:

I feel vulnerable when I ask for anything, but I get a lot of relief when I finally call someone and tell them I need help. The best part is that they always want to talk to me because they like to be helpful. Who wouldn't?

3) LIST ALL ANGER:

I write all my resentments in a stream of consciousness, in detail.

This is an example from my journal: "I am livid that this entitled brat will always throw me under the bus. I am furious at how this person yelled at me. I am angry at this pain, and I am sore that things are not going the way I want them to go."

A note of clarification here: no judgment is key. The list of bitterness must get out. Simple as that. Otherwise, it will linger, and the wound won’t close.

4) LIST ALL FEARS:

I journal a free-flow checklist of my fears. For example: I fear I won't be able to pull this project together, I fear I will be silenced, I worry people will judge me, I fear becoming bitter.

Remember kindness for this list, no judgment. We are extracting the venom of fear out of the old wound.

5) FRIENDS:

In a recent dinner with my fiancé’s buddies, I assembled all the females and invited them to a ladies’ brunch. I barely knew them, so it was like going on a first date with five women.

We met on a Saturday at 11. We laughed. We took a group photo and promised not to Instagram it.

The gathering helped me because it lifted my head from the convoluted sensations and gently opened my heart.

CONCLUSION:

To heal a historical wound, we need to walk through it willingly, with eyes wide open, and surrendering.

Reacting to the 'situation' will only perpetuate the 'hysterics.'

Should You Use a QR Code on Your Business Cards?


The idea didn't sit well with me at first. Following a conversation with a seasoned speaking coach, a fortunate encounter indeed, the suggestion arose to incorporate a QR code into my business cards.

Hm.

My initial resistance stemmed from three valid concerns:

1- Aesthetic shortcomings.
2- Technological complexities, which I wished to avoid.
3- Potential confusion.

Only one of these matters proved valid: aesthetics. The appearance of these codes can be improved.

Dealing with the technological aspect was rather straightforward. Bitly (a website that creates QR codes for free in seconds) demolished my fears. It designed the square code in microseconds, and I could choose the color. I like blue.

Although free QR code-generating websites lack statistics, some offer a few insights. Paid subscriptions provide invaluable data.

Finally, anyone who's dined at a restaurant within the past few years understands the simple way in which they work. Just point your smartphone at the code, and the mysterious powers of technology open you to the information you want.

I decided to sleep and meditate on it. The morning pages, in their wisdom, dared me to explore further.

And so it was that I included the QR code in my business cards.

The response was unexpectedly warm, with three noteworthy outcomes:

1) It introduced a seamless path for prospective clients to explore my landing page.

2) Those who pointed their camera at the code were delighted with its ease.

3) Most remarkably, it sparked conversations that have proven enlightening and fruitful grounds for generating leads.

What unsettles you the most about using QR codes?

Claudia’s Yoga Career

I have practiced and taught yoga for twenty-three years.

My training has been extensive. During three long-term trips, I studied the Ashtanga vinyasa system of yoga asana in Mysore, India. I also studied pranayama in Ko-Samui, Thailand.

I am the author of four books. My latest, How to Have a Yoga Body, is an immersive experience.

Yoga is the art of creating the conditions that bring inner stillness and balance. Entering that space is my invitation.

Get your copy here.

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