Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lucero Barry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Lucero, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
The truth is building and maintaining confidence and self-esteem is a work in progress. It is like a plant that needs loving care and the right conditions to survive. I suffered severe self-hate. I started working on it in my 20’s through talking therapy. In my 30’s and 40’s I started doing long Vipassana silent meditation retreats. I began with the traditional 10-day retreat and found a teacher that I trusted and followed. For years, as I wept in his office during a meditation check-in, he would shake his head and tell me that I needed to love myself. I heard him but felt he was talking a different language. I didn’t even know how to ask him what he meant by that. Or for that matter ask, “how do you love yourself?” One year he had taken a sabbatical and there was another teacher that took his place. She conducted interviews differently, she chose to see groups of 10 rather than a private like my teacher did. When it came my turn to speak I found the courage to tell her and the group what was going on with me. She looked at me and said “honey, you need to love yourself”. Finally, I had the courage to ask how? She responded by saying, repeat the mantra “may I love myself” over and over until you believe it. After this particular retreat I realized that I needed a chunk of time to work on myself. One of my dreams was to go on a 3-month silent meditation retreat. I was turning 50 and I decided to apply for the 3 month retreat at Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. I made a pact with myself that from the moment I applied, which was early November, until the 3 month retreat started, which was in September, I would practice the mantra of “may I love myself.” I said this mantra over and over and over for 10 months. It became an internal rhythm. It became the habit of thought that coursed through my brain. I said it all day every day and it filled my thoughts, dreams and body. It felt like I was marinating my soul with love. By the time I arrived to sit in silence for 90 days I was ready to face my demons. I became my own best friend, my own healer. I felt like I was able to be with my trauma and nurture it. I slowly, over 3 months of silence and space, I was able to love myself. It was transformative and to this day I am so grateful I had the opportunity to heal.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have an amazing Pilates studio in Portland, Oregon. I made a decision, years ago, when I was building up my practice for the third time in my life, that I wanted to teach in a small, intimate, and inspiring environment. I found the space and I attracted the clients! From years of studying dance, yoga, Pilates, functional movement, and self-care techniques (meditation and MELT Method) I have had the opportunity to share all of this with my clients. Though, primarily I teach a classical Pilates system, I love to add other experiences into the mix! From this exploration and fine tuning if my craft, I wanted to share it with groups of people. I started to teach retreats with a dear friend. We are called Mi&Lu and our mission is to help people of all ages to move their bodies and find joy in doing so. We will be teaching our 7th retreat in April. I am so grateful to find a partner that compliments me and elevates me!
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?
For movement it is practice, consistency and patience! Which in a way applies to everything! I have a saying in my studio “stay patient and trust your journey.”
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My husband has been a great healer for me. He had faith that I would become empowered. My Meditation teacher John knew I needed to love myself and never tired from repeating that to me. A Pilates master teacher named Bob filled me with inspiration and helped me become very clear in how I teach.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studioresetpdx.com
- Instagram: Studioresetpdx
- Facebook: Lucero Barry
- Linkedin: Lucero Barry
Image Credits
Photo: Suzanne Rothmeyer and my iPhone
