Ep. 161: Emily Pereira - Discover Your “Radiant Self”

Is the struggle for perfection squelching your creative energy? Before you are tempted to say NO, you need to listen to today’s show. We are hearing a personal story of a spiritual awakening, freedom from perfection, and the power of creative energy as a vehicle in cultivating self-worth.
Emily Pereira was once entrenched in the corporate world, searching for happiness and fulfillment everywhere except for where it really exists. Emily had a breakdown that became an astonishing breakthrough. After discovering a treasure trove of passion and magic living inside her to which she was previously blind, she’s now helping other women attract soul-affirming love into their lives by showing them how to gain access to their magnetic, radiant selves via one-on-one coaching and transformational Costa Rica retreats. Her ebook, Unstoppable Woman, is available on Amazon, and her 300-page memoir, The Quest, is in the wings. A mom-preneur living her dream life in Costa Rica, Emily is giving other women a map for how to manifest the life that aligns with their heart. She’s here today to tell her amazing story.
Living the dream
Isn’t that what most people want---the dream? For Emily, her original dream was to be a teacher, but she found herself in pharmaceutical sales, a job she describes as having “golden handcuffs.” She lived a comfortable lifestyle even though she didn’t have passion for the job, but the benefits were top-notch. Fast forward five years when a life crisis caused her world to come crashing down in her late 20’s. Nothing was bringing her happiness, even though she had all the “stuff.” 
TWEET: It can look like you “have it all” to everyone else and still be completely unhappy with your life. It’s not the stuff that makes you happy - it’s following your dreams. @bethebeginner
The biggest illusion
What is the biggest illusion in your life? When Emily connected to a spiritual teacher, he told her she had bought into illusions about herself and the way the world works, with the biggest one being that she had to be perfect in order to have approval, acceptance, and love. He said she was creative, but was freezing herself out of her natural creative passion with her attempt to be perfect. The result was that she was walking around in a constant state of judgment on herself. She says the key to finding freedom is giving yourself permission to be “the beginner” and taking on full radical personal responsibility.
TWEET: “Give yourself the freedom to be imperfect and to be the beginner.” @bethebeginner
“You’re a writer”
Has someone ever told you something about yourself that took you by surprise? When Emily’s spiritual teacher said, “You’re a writer,” it took her awhile to believe and know where to start. He challenged her to set an intention, be the beginner, and write her story. She found with amazement that when she suspended judgment, the words flowed freely. Sentences turned into paragraphs, then pages, then chapters---and she was transformed in the process. She began to play guitar, sing, write songs, paint paintings, do improv, and dance burlesque in an explosion of creative passion. The floodgates were opened and created a cascade of spiritual changes. 
TWEET: “Suspend judgement of yourself and finally be able to be in flow.” @bethebeginner
Guest Recommendation: ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Be patient with yourself and find people who are a little ahead of you on the path who can help you. Permission leads to passion, and passion delivers you to your purpose.”
OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:
[:06] How she ended up in Costa Rica
[3:40] What young Emily wanted to do with her life
[8:05] The spiritual teacher who changed everything
[9:10] Buying into the illusion
[13:03] Full radical personal responsibility
[14:46] Finding the silver lining
[17:25] “Write your story and heal your heart”
[21:55] Belief in yourself
[22:35] Feeling compassion for women bound by chains of perfection...

Is the struggle for perfection squelching your creative energy? Before you are tempted to say NO, you need to listen to today’s show. We are hearing a personal story of a spiritual awakening, freedom from perfection, and the power of creative energy as a vehicle in cultivating self-worth.

Emily Pereira was once entrenched in the corporate world, searching for happiness and fulfillment everywhere except for where it really exists. Emily had a breakdown that became an astonishing breakthrough. After discovering a treasure trove of passion and magic living inside her to which she was previously blind, she’s now helping other women attract soul-affirming love into their lives by showing them how to gain access to their magnetic, radiant selves via one-on-one coaching and transformational Costa Rica retreats. Her ebook, Unstoppable Woman, is available on Amazon, and her 300-page memoir, The Quest, is in the wings. A mom-preneur living her dream life in Costa Rica, Emily is giving other women a map for how to manifest the life that aligns with their heart. She’s here today to tell her amazing story.

Living the dream

Isn’t that what most people want---the dream? For Emily, her original dream was to be a teacher, but she found herself in pharmaceutical sales, a job she describes as having “golden handcuffs.” She lived a comfortable lifestyle even though she didn’t have passion for the job, but the benefits were top-notch. Fast forward five years when a life crisis caused her world to come crashing down in her late 20’s. Nothing was bringing her happiness, even though she had all the “stuff.” 

TWEET: It can look like you “have it all” to everyone else and still be completely unhappy with your life. It’s not the stuff that makes you happy - it’s following your dreams. @bethebeginner

The biggest illusion

What is the biggest illusion in your life? When Emily connected to a spiritual teacher, he told her she had bought into illusions about herself and the way the world works, with the biggest one being that she had to be perfect in order to have approval, acceptance, and love. He said she was creative, but was freezing herself out of her natural creative passion with her attempt to be perfect. The result was that she was walking around in a constant state of judgment on herself. She says the key to finding freedom is giving yourself permission to be “the beginner” and taking on full radical personal responsibility.

TWEET: “Give yourself the freedom to be imperfect and to be the beginner.” @bethebeginner

“You’re a writer”

Has someone ever told you something about yourself that took you by surprise? When Emily’s spiritual teacher said, “You’re a writer,” it took her awhile to believe and know where to start. He challenged her to set an intention, be the beginner, and write her story. She found with amazement that when she suspended judgment, the words flowed freely. Sentences turned into paragraphs, then pages, then chapters---and she was transformed in the process. She began to play guitar, sing, write songs, paint paintings, do improv, and dance burlesque in an explosion of creative passion. The floodgates were opened and created a cascade of spiritual changes. 

TWEET: “Suspend judgement of yourself and finally be able to be in flow.” @bethebeginner

Guest Recommendation: ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Be patient with yourself and find people who are a little ahead of you on the path who can help you. Permission leads to passion, and passion delivers you to your purpose.”

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

[:06] How she ended up in Costa Rica [3:40] What young Emily wanted to do with her life [8:05] The spiritual teacher who changed everything [9:10] Buying into the illusion [13:03] Full radical personal responsibility [14:46] Finding the silver lining [17:25] “Write your story and heal your heart” [21:55] Belief in yourself [22:35] Feeling compassion for women bound by chains of perfection [23:56] The pull of Costa Rica [29:00] Emily’s two books [29:35] Why Emily wouldn’t change anything in her journey [31:30] ONE action for a dream chaser

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Emily’s Website - Find out about Emily’s work, retreats, coaching, books, blog, and more!

Emily on Facebook 

Emily on Twitter

Emily on Instagram 

TWEETS YOU CAN USE:

TWEET: The question that haunted me was, “When are you going to do something that really matters?”I was so disconnected that I didn’t even know what was really important. @bethebeginner

TWEET: Creativity isn’t a genetic thing; it’s an energy that’s a natural part of being human. @bethebeginner

TWEET: I had a very narrow vision of myself and of my life back then. I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. @bethebeginner

TWEET: Ask yourself where the gift is each and every time you’re tempted to judge yourself. @bethebeginner