We were lucky to catch up with Natasha Ellis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Natasha , so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
I love this question because it truly is the bottom line to a decent quality of life. Over the course of my life self care has increased and evolved in its meaning, value and place in my life. I have experienced and witnessed what the lack of it looks like in a person’s life.
I have some foundational self care practices that never have changed in its meaning, value and place in my life. Some of those are journaling, consistent therapy, support group involvements, medications, reading, spiritual practices, exercise. No more how old I grow or what is currently taking place at any given moment in my life I do all of these in some way, shape or form.
Journaling was my first healthy coping skill I fell in love with. I have in my possession every journal I’ve ever had since grade school. That is a source of pride for me to be able to connect back at any given point of my life journey and gain and regain what I need. It gave me an outlet to define and speak my truth where I haven’t always had opportunities elsewhere in my life.
In order to address my cross addictions to substance and food I went the route of 12 steps and that allowed me to connect with others who battle the same affliction and kept me out of shame and isolation. While in recovery addressing additions and traumas I was introduced to spirituality as I grew up very much religious.
Up until that point I didn’t know there was a difference. I have been able to cultivate spiritual practices that restore my will to live and give me joy. The other thing to point out that I’m grateful for in regards to self care is that the definition of self care changes and evolves.
Basically I’ve noticed a pattern with myself: my self care practice cycle through all the 5 love languages to myself. Sometimes my self care looks like financial actions buying something or a vacation, sometimes it’s just allowing myself to lay my ambitions down and chill ,watch tv ,and sleep all day especially if i happen to be experiencing symptoms of my mental health challenges
Overall I can say even though my self care life is full of variety and cycles through various actions i’m so grateful for having that baseline foundation blueprint of what makes my mind, body and soul keep ticking along . I truly believe that foundation is why I am able to be an effective person in this world.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Natasha Ellis and I am a transplant from motor city Detroit currently in the Los Angeles area. I am a person in long term recovery from addiction and mental health challenges over 20 years. Being a person who has experience with living with an illness that can be consuming and overwhelming and has found ways to survive and thrive is something I’m eternally grateful for. My path with it is what is the driving force behind me wanting to be an asset to other people’s recovery and healing journeys as they are going through the same.
My education and body of my career was gained in my hometown of Detroit. I have been a Certified mental health and addiction professional since 2006 and have had the pleasure of a very diverse professional portfolio . I’ve worked in the public, private ,medical ,and non profit mental health sector of the industry. 10 years ago I added laughter yoga to my scope of practice because I wanted to introduce Laughter Yoga practice into the lives of clients whom I knew would love to add this tool into their healing journeys. I have had the pleasure of teaching Laughter yoga all over the United States to all different populations of communities .
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Good question to reflect on , I’d say 3 qualities that had impact for my journey would be the ability to run my own race, being authentic, and keeping things simple. It’s not a good idea to try and set out to compete or compare yourself with other people because That is a recipe for disaster. Try to learn what makes you unique and stand out regardless of anything and anyone else. Stay true to who you are as a person and what works best for you because real recognizes real and it takes a lot of wasted energy trying to be someone you’re not.Keep things simple in the worlds of Albert Einstein if you can’t explain it to a 6 year old you don’t understand it yourself.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
As usual, another awesome question to reflect on. My biggest growth and area of improvement was a dynamic duo of paradigm swift. One, just because I can do something doesnt mean I should and because I fit somewhere doesn’t mean I belong there. Those were hard won lessons learned as I have worked to build a career with variety and meaning.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.strivingforserenity.com
- Instagram: strivinforserenity
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-ellis-82842723
