We were lucky to catch up with Carolyn Ripp recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Carolyn, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience comes from a mind set. To be honest, I have always been fascinated with the idea of Flow. I started reading and studying about it in the 90’s with books such as Flow, The psychology of optimal Experience, and The Evolving Self by Mihaly Csiksentmihalyi. I understood many athletes, performers, successful people encompassed this mindset. Its about embracing the idea of, maneuvering around road blocks, potholes, or dealing with the things out of our control such as in-climate weather, and still maintaining the core belief that you are on your path and embracing the journey, and purpose.
When I adopted this mindset, everything felt easier, less controlled, and I experienced a freedom in the outcomes of my dreams and aspirations. Adopting this mindset, allowed me be accept the setbacks, and approach pessimistic attitudes from a place of calm, and resliliency. It was embracing the concept that setbacks and roadblocks were teachers on my path. These lessons helped refine and smooth out the rough edges or perhaps ego driven tendancies of why we do what we do and “what we should have” or what our journey is supposed to look like.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have always interested in the prevention side of medicine. How do we as a society provide more education into the schools, and our children (our future). I obtained a Masters in Education with a focus in Health and Wellness in 2002 after being a practicing RN for 18 years, and part time Fitness Professional since 1987, I set out on my journey. This lead me to work in Diabetes Education Programs that I wrote and implemented, and then tripped on Yoga and the ancient teachings of wellness that emcompass a yoga practice. My fascination with this art form is an understatement,, and has led me on a lifelong journey of forever being a student. This spurred the opening of The Nest Yoga Studio 11 years ago. My multifaceted professional experience allowed me to have a birds eye view in medicine, health care systems, fitness industry, edcuation systems, and in the Yoga Traditions. My vision/ dream is to integrate more healing modalities and philiosophies into our health care system, and education systems. What if…. physicians, nurses, educators, and fitness professionals were taugt the importance of self observation, and ego checks, or what I like to call” emotional housekeeping”. How might our county look different if we invest in more education on tolerance, and less labels, and on topics such as how to prevent burnout, and refill your cup. How might our country look if we opporach others differences with curiosity and acceptance that we all don’t like the same things, food, colors, ect rather than distain. What if we could provide a space one classroom and one clinic at a time of everyone deserves basic needs of belonging. They are big dreams, but someone has to have them
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities I believe are most helpful to me :
– release the need to be right, I don’t always need to be right, but respectully heard.
-release the outcome, just do the work. maintain the course, give the outcome to a higher power, and avoid clinging – which leads to pain.
-take yourself out of the competition mindset. Study/ learn your God given gifts, and then share them with passion.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
25 years ago, I had a intense life changing conversation with God. I was going through a tough time in life after a difficult decision and speak up at work and coping with the significant retaliation. It was at that moment I surrendered it all to him.
I realized in the scheme of existence, I am but a particle of sand. As I surrendered myself to being powerless over what someone wanted to do or say, I obtained peace and clarity in his love. I tried bartering, asking that he choose someone else to shoulder this, of doing the right thing and being punished so intently. I was a young mother and they needed me. Im not perfect, I’m just ordinary, I’m certain there is someone better to do this. As clear as day , I received his download, to pour into your family, pour into your work, live in my light and share it, and I will take care of the rest. I don’t speak much about this, as it all sounds a bit crazy, right? But there is not a doubt in my mind or in every cell of my body, that he walks with me, and with all of us if we so choose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://TheNestWellnessStudio.com
- Instagram: thenestincloquet
- Facebook: The Nest Wellness Studio LLC
Image Credits
Image by Jana Peterson Pine Knot News
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