Meet Liva RJ

We were lucky to catch up with Liva RJ recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Liva with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I get my work ethic from watching hustle culture nearly kill me.
From realizing that being a chameleon who fits everywhere means you disappear, from learning the hard way that sustainable beats spectacular. Every. Single. Time.
My work ethic isn’t about how many hours I log. It’s about showing up with full presence for two (or three) focused days instead of bleeding out across seven distracted ones.
It’s about unapologetically having the discipline to rest when rest is the work. To say no when no protects my energy. To build offers that deeply serve instead of extract (that’s what my generation was conditioned to believe was “normal” – yikes).
I learned it by unlearning everything I was taught about what “hard work” looks like.
The hustle almost destroyed me. So I built a different way. Turns out, that takes more discipline than grinding ever did.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

The core of my work is to help women regulate their nervous systems through creativity and rest. That’s it.
Affordability and sustainability are my two other pillars — meaning, I created an ecosystem where people can afford to work with me, while I meet my financial needs AND protect time for my nervous system. Rest is productive work, not a reward for exhaustion.
I came to this after finally being able to process both a massive trauma at 1.5 years old and surviving 9/11. The compounded effect of those two cracked me open. The over-functioning no longer worked. I learned that transformation doesn’t come from doing more but from giving yourself permission to stop.
Six years ago, I bought a derelict 16th-century farmhouse in France’s Loire Valley. Restoring it on my own taught me what I now teach: your hands can regulate what your mind can’t process. That’s how Quiet Hour was born — a bi-monthly online creative sanctuary to rest, create, and relate without pressure. Anyone can join any time (https://www.soulxplorers.com/quiet-hour).
The restoration also taught me patience — and with it, the art of releasing in order to simply be. Letting outside chaos exist without letting it wreck you inside is what inspired Thriving Together, my 30-day nervous system regulation program where I show up daily in short videos for women ready to live peacefully again. The next cohort launches January 20, 2026 (https://www.soulxplorers.com/thriving-together)
The final layer is connection — real, human connection, not eroded by digital clutter. That’s why I host analog retreats, from personal 1:1 immersions to small groups and summer gatherings, where women reconnect with themselves through making, not just talking. They also crave genuine connection with one another, without the digital debris from being constantly connected to the internet via your phone. This summer’s retreat is called Joy Oasis and takes place in an incredible chateau here in the Loire Valley. The place itself has a story that has been connected to women’s well-being for centuries. Participation is by application only (now open https://www.soulxplorers.com/joyoasis) because we carefully choose the 12 women who will join us. That’s the cap, 12. To maintain proximity, authenticity, and connection — you’ll never catch me organizing retreats of any other scale though I can be easily convinced to host more than one this year. Demand seems to be increasing… who knows?

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I love this question.
For me: intuition, boundaries, and discernment.
Intuition came from survival. Living with abusive guardians between the ages of 4 and 8, I had to sense danger before it arrived. I later turned that hypervigilance into something useful: the ability to read energy, hold space, and ask the questions people are avoiding. If you’re early in your journey: trust what your body knows before your mind catches up. Your nervous system is giving you data. Listen to it.

Boundaries were the hardest skill to learn because I’m naturally beyond super adaptable. I’ve lived in 13 countries, pivoted careers multiple times, learned masonry at 46. I thrive in change. But adaptability born from childhood trauma meant I had the weakest boundaries. I poured myself into people-pleasing, I disappeared into whatever others needed, I erased myself to “fit in.” It took until my 40s to realize true adaptability isn’t about becoming whatever the room needs but about being my whole self, intact, and allowing others to connect from that place of wholeness. If you’re naturally adaptable: learn to say no. It may sound vanilla but really, learn where you end and where others begin.

And finally, discernment. To me, it’s critical thinking paired with resolve. I built a business on rest when everyone preaches hustle. I work three days a week and call it a work ethic. I price accessibly when told to charge more. Discernment means knowing when comfort equals stagnation because you’re in a familiar pattern, and when discomfort signals you’re onto something new. I had to follow that inner knowing despite every bit of conventional wisdom and uphold my boundaries to get to where I am today. It does take courage, I won’t lie.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Thanks for the opportunity. I’m open to three types of collaborations.
Volunteers.
I occasionally welcome volunteers to stay with me for a week or two max. Women who want to trade effort for experience and aren’t afraid of real work like digging, hauling, stone repair, gardening — in exchange for room, board, and hands-on learning. If you’re drawn to bringing old places back to life, get in touch.

Brand partners for retreats and programs.
Organizations whose philosophy, ethics and products align with creativity, rest, and analog living — art supplies, handcrafted tools, wellness products. My attendees are high-quality women who value authentic recommendations. If your brand ships to the US, let’s talk partnerships for retreat gift boxes or Quiet Hour supply kits.

Investors to accelerate the vision.
If you’ve walked the walk, you’re a no-BS, soul-led woman looking to be part of something bigger, I’m seeking a small group of investors to bring the farmhouse renovation to its full potential and turn the place into the restorative sanctuary and creative space women crave and deserve. In exchange: exclusive property use, VIP-only retreats, uniquely crafted experiences, and other perks. Alternatively, if you know your way around fundraising for such projects, let’s definitely talk. Either way, this is about building something that lasts—a legacy that will serve women for decades.

Connect: [email protected] | soulxplorers.com

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