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[00:00:05] Nathan Maingard: Do you ever feel stuck in an endless loop of hustle and high functioning anxiety? Always pushing to get more done, but never quite feeling fulfilled. Whether you're a professional, healer, creative or parent, you've got big dreams and you know you're capable of more, but there's a catch.

[00:00:24] The harder you push the further, that sense of peace and success seems to slip away.

[00:00:31] What if the secret to thriving wasn't about doing more, but about being more. Drum roll, please.

[00:00:38] In today's episode of the We Are Already Free podcast, we'll explore exactly how you can break free from the grind and start creating the life you want by embracing pleasure, slowing down and connecting to your authentic self.

[00:00:53] Our guest, teresa Levine, an. EFT master practitioner, hypnotherapist and bestselling author, shares how she went from overwhelmed and anxious to aligned and thriving. She'll walk us through the practical tools she used to shift from hustle to harmony.

[00:01:11] Listen in to learn how to overcome self-doubt and burnout, manage high functioning anxiety, and ADHD. Unlock the power of pleasure to fuel success. Prioritize nervous system regulation, to find more ease and flow in your daily life.

[00:01:29] And there's always loads more.

[00:01:31] So listen on to learn how to stop hustling and start thriving.

[00:01:35] I'm your host Nathan Maingard and welcome back to We Are Already Free, the podcast where Conscious misfits from the mainstream stop worrying how bad it all is out there, and instead get inspired and informed so they can focus on being the change and finding their tribe and living a beautiful life together.

[00:01:54] Speaker: When you hear the words, we are already free. What comes up for you? Acceptance change to shift in awareness. Human beings are so powerful, there's so much more. Everything is love behind it. Breaking the chains of your own minds, that which remains. Nature. Getting outta the matrix. We're sitting on the treasure and it's already unlocked.

[00:02:13] Speaker 5: We are already free. You're free. You are a walking map. Have always been free. You are always free. Already free. We are already

[00:02:21] Speaker 4: free.

[00:02:21] Nathan Maingard: Just one more thing before we dive in, I want to share something that could help you to take the first steps towards more ease and alignment in your day. My five day morning practice challenge. It's a simple, free, powerful way to transform your mornings. Helping you start each day with focus, clarity, and peace in just a few minutes.

[00:02:41] If you've been feeling stuck in that endless loop of hustle, we just talked about, this challenge is designed for you. It's the perfect companion to everything Theresa and I are about to dive into in this episode. Helping you prioritize yourself, regulate your nervous system and bring more flow into your life. Sign up today through the link in the show notes and experience how five days of small mindful shifts can make all the difference.

[00:03:07] Let's make your mornings something to look forward to.

[00:03:10] And now please enjoy this pleasurable, calming and informative episode with Teresa Levine.

[00:03:16] I'm curious 'cause you've shared, and I know that you've helped so many people to break free from that, like Groundhog Day, the loops that we get stuck into of stress dissatisfaction. Um, and I'd be curious like. With all that help that you've given to people, what is a, a powerful insight that you've discovered that kind of flips the script on things like anxiety on ADHD, et cetera, in a way that, that the listener might be like, that might surprise them?

[00:03:42] Basically,

[00:03:43] Theresa Lear Levine: That's a great question, and I think some of the most powerful things have to do with slow being like the new fast and the way that we thrive when we slow down. As well as insights around being more and doing less and using pleasure as the fuel. For that success and that dream fulfillment and creation that we want going on in our lives and our businesses. And I think all of those things are counterintuitive for most people. At least most of the people I tend to work with. Who are those? A DHD entrepreneurs and professionals who have been stuck in hustling and striving and proving themselves and thinking that, you know, they'll, they'll relax and enjoy and uh, figure out pleasure when the to-do list is all done.

[00:04:31] And. We all kind of learn and sometimes it takes a lot longer than it would seem like it should, that the to-do list is never done and that we're kind of in this holding pattern for what could be our entire lives if we don't learn to break free from it.

[00:04:45] Nathan Maingard: Immediately I do think of like, well, what's the alternative to the hustle? You know, that's like so much of the, the hustle culture is kind of what we're in right now, especially with so many people who are entrepreneurial minded working for themselves or in our cases, coaches, healers, guides, facilitators.

[00:05:01] It's like, how do I, how do I help the people? I'm here to help if I'm not hustling and,

[00:05:06] I mean for yourself, you, you also got trapped in that cycle, like the high functioning anxiety, that was part of your own journey. I'd love to hear a bit more of like what that story looked like for you. Where, where was it most intense?

[00:05:18] Kind of what happened at that, that breaking point, if that's the correct way to. To, to use that to say that. But um, and, and what did that teach you about the costs of that hustle? Of that push. Of that, like, I'm just gonna keep going and ignore the root causes, like ignore the roots of what actually needs to shift here.

[00:05:34] What, what was that like for you?

[00:05:36] Theresa Lear Levine: Absolutely. I'm happy to share that. And I'll also say to the first thing that you were talking about. As being, you know, coaches and healers and things of that nature, is that what we focus on and what we do is what we create more of? And I can't imagine that there's anyone in the healing space that wants to create through their, their clientele, people who are hustling, striving, and giving themselves a hard time at what they're trying to achieve.

[00:06:00] So for me, it's been a very important part of my own journey, to walk my talk. And that does not mean that I'm a hundred percent good at doing that all of the time, but it does mean that there's a conscious effort to immerse myself in the same things that I'm calling other people to immerse themselves in, to show that this is possible.

[00:06:21] So for me, oh man, the, the high functioning anxiety seemed so normal for so long. Because that's kind of just how I lived for so many decades. So. I probably found myself at the worst of it once... I have four boys, so I have four sons who range in age now from seven to 19. So we've got elementary school, high school, college, all those things happening within our house. And when they were much younger and I had more kids than I had hands and things to help and deal with all the things. It felt very overwhelming. And then to put on top of that, trying to run a couple of businesses from home, which when you have really little kids, is a feat. Like now my kids are all in school, actually just sent them all back to school two days ago.

[00:07:11] There feels like there's a little bit of breathing space, a little room where I can create something that's my own. When they're little, that space didn't feel like it was there. So I was very much in lack mindset and having all of these big dreams and goals and feeling like there's no time. There's no space. I can't do it. It's not possible. It's going to have to wait until later. All of these negative thoughts that we're not bringing about what I wanted, but bringing about more of what I didn't want and feeling really stressed. I wasn't taking time to just. Sit with myself, and sometimes it just, again, that lack of mindset, it didn't feel possible.

[00:07:47] It's like, how on earth can I even take 10 minutes to sit or lay down and meditate when everybody's awake and needing something from me and everything else? So it was during that time that I just started to feel my consciousness elevating. And starting to feel that I'm not creating what I think I'm creating with the thoughts that I'm producing and the actions that I'm taking, and I need to start thinking differently. But, oh gosh, how do I do that?

[00:08:16] And so I had to start creating those little spaces to get still with myself. That's probably when I started an early morning routine, because.... and it wasn't totally predictable then because sometimes little children do wake up at unusual hours, but most of the time I could ensure that if I got up a couple hours before when they usually got up, that I could meditate, that I could visualize. That I could exercise and move my body and not be trying to do that alongside of them and feeling resistance and frustration. So it was probably about eight years ago that I really felt that culmination of something has got to change because I want to be a present, patient, loving parent that can be a leader for my kids, and to show them what it's like to be emotionally available and be able to balance my own dreams and goals with the raising of my family and being also a loving and present wife. So. All of those shifts really started to get some traction and some legs about eight years ago.

[00:09:24] Nathan Maingard: there's something in there around the idea of waiting for... When everything changes, then I will be, then I'll take more time for myself. Then I'll take care of myself. Then I, and instead it's like that's the script flip is: what if I live now, what it is that I think I have to wait for?

[00:09:43] Does what I'm waiting for Then become present now? And that's kind of the question that I hear you having asked yourself and made that shift and, and seen the results. Right.

[00:09:53] Theresa Lear Levine: Yeah.

[00:09:53] I remember being in a, a call with, you know, fellow coaches and healers and things, um, and somebody calling me out because I was, I was still kind of in that like, oh, I, I, I, I want this, and I, this is the goal that I'm trying to call in. And I was saying to me, well, when are you gonna claim it? When are you gonna claim it?

[00:10:14] And that really stuck with me. And it's something that I call out in people that I'm working with and in my own community. A lot of the time. I was actually just on a call the other day. I love to get on calls with people in my community and just get to know them more.

[00:10:26] And this woman was sharing with me how, you know, she wanted to help people with their sobriety and maybe, and she said eventually, eventually I'll get around to doing that. And I just looked at her, I'm like, why not now? How, how good do you have to be at sobriety in order to help people? Like when is it going to be time? She had already been 15 years sober and then she had a relapse in the last year. And there was just still so much shame and so much embarrassment and so much uncertainty in her self trust and her intuition that she didn't feel like she was in the place where she could lead.

[00:11:02] And I was like, you're in the best place to lead because you're going through it too, you know? And we're never gonna be in that place of the perfection that we're looking for in ourselves to really feel like I've made it and now I can do it unless we just jump in and do it.

[00:11:15] Nathan Maingard: Yeah. It's interesting you say that. I, I feel like that's one of the. The simple, unexpected things that, well unexpected, I guess, for my clients, but I, I, I've seen it enough to, to be less surprised. But is that often the big shift that I see in my clients is that just by me reflecting a different kind of voice, so what I'm talking about is that critical inner voice.

[00:11:39] So many of us have carried for so much of our lives. And so when they come to me with something of shame or something of grief, or loss, or something that doesn't feel so-called positive. Like, oh, I have the, there's this thing that I'm scared of, this thing that I'm angry about, whatever it is. And when they feel me and see me, just reflecting that and just holding it and honoring them and loving that part of them being like, oh, that's interesting.

[00:12:01] What is that feeling connected with? What is that part of you trying to get through? What is that part of you need? Like it's. I so many times, just immediately there's the tears and the softening. In the sense of like, oh my God, I'm seen and I don't have to hide these parts from myself or from you and, and so it's such a simple thing, but actually to be witnessed in the fullness, not the perfect saint who's done all the work and is now the enlightened one, who's ascending to five D or whatever it is, but the human. In the dirt, in the shit, in the fullness of life. And obviously the cliche is what grows from shit. But beautiful flowers.

[00:12:38] Theresa Lear Levine: Absolutely. So many times we're trying to push those feelings down or we wanna be so separate from them, and when we can integrate them and really come to love, accept, and forgive, then there's just so much healing and evolution that gets to spring from there. It's, it's beautiful and I, it's definitely, uh, an awesome part of what you do.

[00:12:59] Nathan Maingard: ditto.

[00:13:00] And you mentioned around, uh, integration, and this is a question that immediately makes me think of like the nervous system because I, I feel like, you know, we can try to, I, I can try to integrate in my head, and yet, so often it's actually more about does my system, does my actual nervous system feel safe enough for this?

[00:13:18] And I know that you've said that that was like a turning point in your own journey of, of sort of like decoding the nervous system. And how did that realization around that, how did that shift your own approach to health and wellbeing? And what were the changes that you noticed through, like per that new perception around the nervous system and, and how that can serve us in our, in our health and our vitality?

[00:13:41] Theresa Lear Levine: Yeah, great question. And I think the. Basically, I was not connecting my mind and my body, and I was really immersed and I, I still am a personal development junkie. I just love self-help. Can't get enough of it. I'm always listening to multiple self-help audio books. I love learning from them. I love being able to apply their lessons to what I'm doing in my coaching.

[00:14:06] And I also like questioning it a lot more now too. So. For many decades when I was in that high functioning anxiety state and burning the candle at all the ends, I was just learning. And it was just conscious mind, like rational, logical, mind learning.

[00:14:25] And I kept getting frustrated because I would understand, like I could read something about self-help in business and totally understand how this works and everything else, and then I couldn't get myself to take the steps and make it happen.

[00:14:40] And so I wasn't conscious of the resistance and the rooted things in my subconscious mind that were preventing me from actually getting the traction and getting started. Or implementing the principles in my life, or the way that some of those things felt so unsafe in my body that I would distract myself away from doing them.

[00:15:03] And I, I didn't put it together. You know, all those times, like when you're a kid and somebody says that things are okay, but your body doesn't feel like they're okay. And you know that there's not like a coherence between the two things. A lot of times I feel like that's kind of the meshing that comes together in the integration, when we add in nervous system work to whatever it is we're trying to achieve or do. It's like it's, it's like where the rubber meets the road. And all of a sudden you can see things more clearly and you get this feeling that's different and a new perspective, and all of a sudden those things where you are resistant or frustrated or just not in alignment. You can get back in alignment and make them happen.

[00:15:46] And then, gosh, combine that with subconscious mind work and you can really start untangling things. So going from a place of just learning and understanding, because gosh, we can all understand, you know, hey, I, I was raised as a child of divorce. I have an alcoholic father.

[00:16:04] I have had certain, you know, traumas in my life that are notable and also certain traumas in my life that simply have a charge for me. And most people would think that's nothing. So we have all of these things that kind of weave in that we understand -maybe not so much those little ones that don't mean things to other people- but like all of those other things, it's like, sure, of course it makes sense that I'm this way.

[00:16:27] But, now, what do I do about it? You know, it might not have been my fault that some of these things happened, but it is my responsibility if I want to show up in my life differently to go through the work and the steps necessary to show up differently in my life.

[00:16:41] Nathan Maingard: And, and how, so then how do you support? Because you combining a few of these, you've got your hypnotherapy, you've got your, is it e, f, T, I believe, and then, um, is it EFT? Is that the right thing?

[00:16:52] Theresa Lear Levine: Yes, I do. Um, EFT, I do integrative eye movement, I do hypnotherapy, and then I combine that with practical coaching, accountability, and action steps so that my clients are actually moving towards their goals and taking those steps, and we're facing those resistance points and those triggers and those things that come up as they actually do the steps.

[00:17:17] Nathan Maingard: Right. Okay. So, so how, how does that, so the hypnotherapy in my mind, I'm just like thinking it out because it's bringing together the sort of mind and the nervous system. So the, the thoughts and the very physical. And so would you say the hypnotherapy is, is more like the getting into the mind and the subconscious and then the things like eye movements, et cetera.

[00:17:37] How do those two, how do they marry and, and what is the ben like? Yeah, just exploring that a little more. 'cause I'm curious about some of the details. That's very interesting.

[00:17:45] Theresa Lear Levine: Yeah. Um, I find that integrative eye movement is really helpful because our visual field, like we store memories and we store feelings and things in different parts of our visual field.

[00:17:55] And that's why, um, eye movement's actually a part of EFT tapping the way that, you know, Gary Craig designed it. Um, there's a process called the Nine Gamut. Where you like roll your eyes in different directions. And you bring together the left and the right side of the brain with counting and humming music. And that integrates things. Um, and I've lost my train of thought. It'll come back. Um, so, so eye movement integrates and that's part of how. That works with EFT and that works separately. So we can, we can discharge a lot of the, the bothersome memories, the feelings that we, you know, push back against and things using both eye movement and EFT, which regulates the nervous system, lowers our stress hormones and is like an energetic overhaul.

[00:18:44] So we have all of these different like meridian endpoints if you're. If you know acupuncture, you know we've got tons of them. But with EFT, there's nine of them that we basically focus on that Gary Craig was able to figure out, hey, if we just use these nine, we can do the same things that we were doing and more than when we were trying to figure out these crazy formulas and patterns using many more of the meridian points.

[00:19:06] So we simplified it and basically whatever we need to work on. Whatever dis-ease we're experiencing mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually can be released through this, this pattern of tapping and focusing in on the problem. So we have EFT for that.

[00:19:22] And then the hypnotherapy. And I like to do, and I know we did this a bit when when I worked with you, I love to do regression in a lot of my sessions.

[00:19:31] So let's say we're doing hypnotherapy one day. We've regressed to some different things that the subconscious mind, not the conscious mind has led us to. And then we've been able to create the transformation that you want. Which I give to my clients with, you know, binaural beats mixed in and things. They listen to these things for a few weeks and that really creates that rewiring of the subconscious.

[00:19:53] Let's say, then the next session we come in and we look at those different memories of the subconscious brought forward and we assess the kind of charge that's happening. The familiarity of those feelings that came up. You know, is this something that's a familiar feeling to you now in your adult life? And you know, that could have been a first instance of when you felt it.

[00:20:12] And then we can use things like the integrative eye movement and stuff to, um, to release the attachment and the the bothersome feelings on those first instances of when we experienced this thing that is now so familiar to us. And we can familiarize ourself with feelings that we wanna bring more of into our life.

[00:20:33] So yeah, just there's so many ways that we can use these things, that we can piggyback these techniques or that we can expand upon them using both subconscious mind and nervous system regulation techniques.

[00:20:43] Nathan Maingard: Yeah, it's great to hear.

[00:20:45] I think one of the, one of the massive limitations of sort of. Uh, traditional talk therapy where you go sit on a couch and you chat with someone. And again, like I've had a fair amount of talk therapy and it's been massively helpful in my life. I'm very grateful for it. I've, I've done it for years at a time, and I do think that there's a massive limitation there around just, it just focuses on the conscious present mind.

[00:21:08] It doesn't go into the subconscious, it doesn't go into the body. Um, it, I think the, the benefit of it, if I was to say like. It's useful for, for the, for... It was useful for me to experience what it feels like to have a safe space. To like be sitting in a place where it's just about me, where the person there is like, I just want to hear your story and I just want to be with you.

[00:21:28] And through that process of like, oh, I actually feel like I'm welcome here, my and I can go into these different states. And that was amazing. And at the same time, it doesn't go into the nervous system. It doesn't go into the subconscious. And so what I'm hearing from you

[00:21:43] Theresa Lear Levine: No, and it doesn't go to the amygdala.

[00:21:45] Nathan Maingard: Oh, interesting. Tell me more

[00:21:47] Theresa Lear Levine: The amygdala is, yeah, because, so the talk therapy, it's frontal lobe

[00:21:53] and. Where so many of us have, our hangups are with the things that cause us to go into fight, flight, flee, fawn, fuck, whatever.

[00:22:02] And so that's, that's what we need to get to. And so talk therapy is frontal lobe.

[00:22:08] When we start doing EFT tapping, a lot of the things we're talking about are a lot like talk therapy. But we're going straight to the amygdala, which is in charge of that fight or flight response, and we're calming it down. That's where we get new perspective and that elevated consciousness and that return of logic so much faster because we get to, you know, relax the nervous system, get it out of that state, and, and look at things from a new angle.

[00:22:37] And one of the things, I have this whole checklist in my community of, it's called the Better Therapy checklist. But one of the things I always say, you know, Hey, if you're doing talk therapy, that's great. Like you said, you've gotten. Massive shifts in upgrades from doing it. So have I. And also, if you were to just do your talk therapy and tap the sore spot on your chest, which is kind of like, they call it the collarbone point for EFT tapping, but for anybody who's listening and not watching, 'cause I'm tapping on it, if we're looking at video, um, kind of below your collarbone and above your chest, that spot that gets sore.

[00:23:07] If you just did a good chest workout like a day or so ago and you have that delayed onset muscle soreness. If you were just to tap there during your whole talk therapy appointment. You'd probably notice a total difference. Like that is just a totally free upgrade that you can add into your talk therapy that is going to relieve some energetic blockages and get some lasting effects for you.

[00:23:30] It's also a great tip if you are, you know, having a, a, phone conversation that gets a little heated or an argument with a loved one or whatever else just. Tap that spot on your chest or at the side of your hand, which we call the karate chop point. While you're having those conversations or talking through things that are therapeutic, and it'll be a total upgrade for you. And anybody who knows their stuff with talk therapy should understand that that's a benefit and not have any problem with you doing it.

[00:23:57] Nathan Maingard: Yeah. Your therapist is like, um, please stop that weird tapping behavior.

[00:24:01] Theresa Lear Levine: Yeah.

[00:24:02] Then look for anyone please is.

[00:24:03] Nathan Maingard: Um, is there something that you could share with the listener that they could do, that we could do right now that you could take us through? Just obviously just in a, in a short amount of time, like something that that could give them benefits and something they maybe could take forward with them.

[00:24:17] Theresa Lear Levine: So I have tons of resources for EFT tapping. I find it to be quite boring to do on a podcast, so I would totally direct anyone who would like to try that to I, I have like. Probably a hundred or so of videos where you can find a topic that appeals to you in my community, and I'll give you the link for my community so people can find that.

[00:24:38] But I think that, you know, as far as things that people can do in the moment, um, you know, things like, uh, like the thymus thump, have you ever seen like, uh, you know, Matthew McConaughey and Wolf of Wall Street or whatever, where he just kinda like taps that thymus gland, which is like right in the middle of the chest or whatever. Um, great way to get energized. You know, just taking a few nice deep inhales and kind of thumping that thymus gets everything kind of moving in your body.

[00:25:04] And you'll find yourself coming into whatever you're getting ready to do next, whether it's the beginning of your day or whether you feel like you need a nap in the afternoon and you need to be reinvigorated a little bit of, uh, you know, and you, you're gonna knock on it kinda like you're knocking on a door with your knuckles.

[00:25:18] Uh, so the center of your chest. And just kind of thumping in there, you'll find yourself energized in a whole new way. Um, that's probably the best thing that I can just, you know, say that's short, that somebody could do now, that could produce a big change in their energy. And definitely tons and tons of free resources in my community for people that want to try, you know. Hypnosis or EFT tapping or anything like that, it just, it's honestly, it's a drag to go through it on a podcast 'cause nobody wants to listen to me say it. And you say it back and

[00:25:49] Nathan Maingard: Cool. Beautiful.

[00:25:51] Theresa Lear Levine: it gets like, it gets really long.

[00:25:53] Nathan Maingard: Awesome. Thank you. Well, I, of course, I'll share the links to community and any other resources in the, in the show notes so people can check that out. And just on a, a slightly different

[00:26:02] Segue around, just around being a business person or a healer who is a business person. I think that's, it's one of the things you and I have, you've seen me talk about, and one of the things I'm navigating is like this idea of scarcity and abundance and making money as a healer and a coach and all these things.

[00:26:17] What has your trajectory been like, or what has that experience been like for you? To, to be someone who is in service and who is helping people to heal themselves, to be well, and then running that as an effective and functioning business and, and podcast and book and all the wonderful things that you've done, uh, community now, et cetera.

[00:26:37] You know, just sharing in a little bit and hearing about your challenges and journey in that area.

[00:26:42] Theresa Lear Levine: Sure. So I have been helping people and coaching in some capacity for the last more than 25 years. So I'm now 46 years old and I. I love it. And there's also been seasons to it there. Of course, at the beginning there was the part of me that loved the idea of being successful in selling and also dreaded sales.

[00:27:07] Now I love sales and I embrace them as something that really allows me to fully express myself and serve in the highest way, you know? And. That's a huge shift.

[00:27:20] I've also had, there's been a lot of seasons in my business. There's been a lot of shifts and changes. There's been modalities added and subtracted and ways of coaching that have evolved.

[00:27:32] There have been times when I just knew, Hey, I need more time with my kids and less time. You know, kind of all in and, and serving my clients. For instance, summer, we're just coming off of summer and while I still, you know, had my clients and did my work and everything else, I wanted to be able to take weeks off to, you know, go on holiday with my family and to just integrate.

[00:27:55] You know, went to an amazing retreat with my business collective in May, and integrated the lessons from that for months.

[00:28:03] It was just really an upgrade. So. Yeah, there, there's been a lot of lessons along the way. There's been a lot of different, um, ways that I've been coached by mentors. Some I liked, some I didn't. You know, you take, you take what works, you leave the rest.

[00:28:18] And there's of course been times that have been frustrating and a lot of things that I. I haven't wanted to learn. I have had a lot of resistance to tech. I've had a lot of resistance to having to learn those things.

[00:28:31] And thank goodness I have an amazing team of virtual assistants that do almost all of the things that I dislike doing myself, and then some. So that is, it's been part of the growth journey with building a business, is being able to step out of a lot of those roles and put myself in a place where last year I was able to. Just

[00:28:52] concentrate on writing my book and insisted upon writing my book through the lens of pleasure because in years prior, I had tried to write my book and I kept stopping because it kept feeling like too much. I was trying to handle too much, honestly. And then putting book writing on top of it, it became not fun. So last year when I decided, hey, I wanna make this thing happen, I wanna be able to, you know, hold it in my hands and, you know, use it and help people with it. I committed to only doing that through the lens of pleasure, and I was really proud of myself for sticking with that. I will say that the wrist cramps and the carpal tunnel feeling was not pleasurable, but everything else, everything else was pretty good. There was a pretty intense writing day. I was like, I really don't know if this wrist can make it through 37,000 words in a day. I had this one crazy day and it was like, I don't even know how I did that, but I, I paid for it for weeks. But I did stick to that and then also. You know, with my podcast and figuring out how to create a weekly podcast that I am now, uh, into year three of, haven't missed a week in over three years, and just navigating how to elevate that.

[00:30:08] You know, you start off kind of just. Like it's this passion project, and then you start looking at ways to, to monetize and to call in the right clients through it and to, to network and to create relationships and collaborations and everything. And it just takes things to the next

[00:30:25] level. So, yeah, that, that's a little bit of the

[00:30:28] business journey, but I, I love the business side of things and I love creating profitable, sustainable business.

[00:30:37] Nathan Maingard: And how would, if you were to someone who's listening now who might be a healer coach, guide, someone who's on that path and is struggling to integrate the business side or feeling that resistance, is there anything you would say to that person as a, just something in support or some an action or a shift in perspective that you might be able to offer them in this moment?

[00:30:58] Theresa Lear Levine: Yeah. I think it depends on where they are as far as their, their business journey and how they've been helping people. Whether they're just having a, like a dip in things, or whether they're just trying to get started with people who are just trying to get started. I, it, it's kind of like when we were talking about the perfectionist or like, you know, Hey, well I'll do it later or when I'm ready then I'll do this thing.

[00:31:20] My, my best advice is to dive in to find somebody that you can call in as your client and start working with. You don't have to have the perfect program outlined. You don't have to create a course before you work with people. You don't have to have anything but you.

[00:31:37] And through working with those initial 3, 6, 12 people, you're going to learn very quickly what you like to do, what you don't like to do, who you like to work with, who you'd rather not work with, what things are helping people the most and so forth. And you can't plan that out or figure that out without getting in the game and serving people.

[00:32:02] Whether you're doing that as an experiment and you're, uh, giving of your time, or whether you're calling in paid clients from the beginning.

[00:32:10] It's really important to sort that out through doing. Not trying to figure out like, I'm gonna create this perfect program and then I'm gonna serve people. 'cause you might create a program that nobody wants. So just get out there and start giving, or, you know, doing your services and seeing, seeing what comes back to you. 'cause it will.

[00:32:29] Nathan Maingard: Thank you.

[00:32:30] And in terms of the pleasure, you mentioned at the beginning, and you mentioned it a little, a little while ago, what is this lens like creating through the lens of pleasure or working through the lens of pleasure? What does that mean for you and how does that look on a practical level? I.

[00:32:44] Theresa Lear Levine: for me, when it came to writing my book. It was a lot of intention. It was creating that space that felt good to write in. If I was here in my office, you know, I would light my incense, light some candles, just kind of get into the vibe of what I wanted to bring forward, or just finding other beautiful places.

[00:33:04] When we were on vacation last summer in Cape Cod, I had this beautiful deck off the master bedroom, and I would just sit out there and do my writing, but it was. It was making sure I wasn't in resistance and I wasn't pushing myself and really being in tune with what was going on in my body and that it felt good.

[00:33:23] Making sure I had like an awesome beverage, I like to drink there. And making sure that it also felt in alignment with those around me. Like I wasn't shutting the door on my kids who needed me in order to go in and write my book. Or in disconnection with my husband and just, ah, I'm gonna go write my book now. Like. I needed that alignment and to know that it was all aligned as I was writing it. That that was what writing through the lens of pleasure looked like for me. And it also meant immersing myself in things that were pleasurable outside of like the writing time. So I did, um, Regina, Regina Thomas hours, uh, virtual Pleasure Bootcamp for three months, which were the main three months that I was writing my book.

[00:34:06] So that meant that multiple times a week I was getting together with these other women. And just like really, in our feminine power and you know, learning about all different forms of pleasure, sexual and otherwise. And that was expressing a lot through me at that time too. So again, walking my talk and writing the book at the same time, that's kind of what that alignment and pleasure looked like for me.

[00:34:31] Nathan Maingard: that's a really lovely invitation to anyone listening that if there's, if, I mean, there's many takeaways I think people could take. And I'd be curious to hear from anyone who is listening. What is a takeaway that you've, that you're carrying with you from this? For me, one of the takeaways is definitely around pleasure, and it's something that's been calling me a lot is.

[00:34:50] What am, what am I waiting for? Basically waiting for pleasure.

[00:34:54] I've recently started surfing again, which has been, it was one of my great,

[00:34:58] Theresa Lear Levine: Ah, that's awesome.

[00:34:58] Nathan Maingard: my personal church, you know? It was such a huge part of my life for a very long time. And it was

[00:35:03] Theresa Lear Levine: we talked about that

[00:35:04] before your hypnotherapy session and, you know, wanting to bring in that

[00:35:08] pleasure and that abundance and get back into that. So I I love hearing that that's happening.

[00:35:12] Nathan Maingard: Yeah. I mean, that session was great.

[00:35:14] It was amazing to me how simple, something so simple could be so. Like clarifying, I think was the thing. It was just coming on the other side and being like, oh, all these, these parts that I had looked at and was judging could suddenly. Feel welcome again and, and kind of just have a different perspective on.

[00:35:28] And interesting now to note that I have been more pleasurable, uh, since then, which is also very interesting. So we went on honey, I went on honeymoon with my, my wife and, and, uh, there's a whole story behind this, but I ended up surfing a load while I was on honeymoon for the first time, surfing that much for the first time in, I don't know, many, many years to the point that my now wife.

[00:35:49] Had been over the years being like, are you really a surfer? I mean, she'd never actually said that, but I could. I was like, I would've understood if she had, 'cause I would talk about surfing but not go surfing. And so to go surfing again, like to the point when I looked at getting a surfboard before I went on honeymoon, she was just like, just don't talk to me about it.

[00:36:03] If you want a surfboard, just go do it. Like you've talked about it enough. Go get the surfboard or don't, but don't, don't include me. So I did, I got a surfboard and had the most amazing time, and then came back and spent a week with my dad almost immediately, and surfed every day watching the sunrise. I surfed with my dad on his 75th birthday watching the sunrise, just the two of us in the water and like, it's just been, yeah, pleasure.

[00:36:26] Just pure pleasure. Like when I'm

[00:36:28] Theresa Lear Levine: Oh, that gave me chills. That gave me just because I, the scenes that came up when we were doing your hypnotherapy and then to think of you with your dad having that amazing time. Uh, just like the hair on my arms

[00:36:39] Nathan Maingard: Well, that's amazing. 'cause it was almost exactly the same place where I experienced this, this trauma as a child that involved my dad. That was what we went back to. What I went back to in my subconscious in our session, it was right like within a 10 minute drive from that spot. So it was actually, I hadn't put that together till right now.

[00:36:57] So I've also now got total goosebumps. Just be like, oh my God, that's amazing. Like what a healing full circle moment. And uh, yeah, what a gift. And I don't know that we'll get to surf together too many more times. He's 75, he's still surfing, but his bo he's like, dude, I don't think I got too many more surfs yet.

[00:37:13] I'm tired. Like my body's tired. And he's been

[00:37:16] Theresa Lear Levine: Oh,

[00:37:16] Nathan Maingard: he was like 14 or 16 or something. So he's, he's, he's had a good run. But, um, yeah, good to have.

[00:37:22] Theresa Lear Levine: oh, that is a

[00:37:22] Nathan Maingard: that moment and, and yeah, so pleasure for sure. And I mean, I, I've just, I feel like there's so much value in this, this conversation and I, I don't like, I'm kind of complete.

[00:37:33] I feel like we've covered so much here that is of massive value to, to anyone who's listening and I would love to just know. Well, firstly, is there anything else that's come up for you in this last little piece that you would really want to bring out? Bring through before I ask you another question.

[00:37:47] Theresa Lear Levine: I'm feeling pretty complete too. I'm just so thrilled to hear about your experience that you just shared.

[00:37:52] I'm just kind of rolling in the waves of that and just, I guess the, the only thing I'd wanna share is for anybody who isn't using pleasure as fuel for their success. To explore that. It is, it is such a magnifier and elevator of whatever you're doing, and if the hustling and the striving and you know, running yourself into the ground was effective, it would have worked for you by now. So open yourself up to something new and try that.

[00:38:27] And. You may have resistance. I have some great EFT tapping sessions around that. Also resistance to pleasure, but sometimes that resistance comes from the fact that we have been so out of sync with that, that we literally, as adults do not know what brings us joy and pleasure. So it's an invitation to experiment and feel into that and see what as an adult you actually enjoy and want to do. And. Start doing it. You know, like Nathan said about surfing or not surfing. We can talk about all the things we wanna do, but until we're actually doing them, it doesn't count.

[00:39:06] Nathan Maingard: Yeah. Well said. I, I, that's a, a big one for me. I've, I'm quite good at talking about lots of things, and so I'm finding more and more as like, be quiet and take action.

[00:39:14] And so my final question, which I ask every guest, and whatever comes for you is very welcome, but when you hear or sit with or feel into We, Are, Already, Free, what does that bring up for you?

[00:39:26] Theresa Lear Levine: A giant sigh of relief. It, it really does. When I, when I have that thought, it's like my shoulders drop. My forehead and a, the tension comes out, my eyes relax. Everything just relaxes in my body and just a big, giant sigh of relief because it's truth. It's just that capital T truth that we don't spend enough time sitting in.

[00:39:52] Nathan Maingard: Thank you for bringing it back into the body. That really, resonated with me in the way that you just shared that of like, yeah, allowing the thought. It's like that, 'cause it works both ways. The body can affect the mind and the mind can affect the body. So allowing, like dropping, dropping We, Are, Already, Free into the the mind and allowing it to then sift into the body.

[00:40:13] And then how does the body respond to that. And I appreciate that, that reminder of embodiment. So thank you for that. And that's really beautiful.

[00:40:19] Theresa Lear Levine: my pleasure.

[00:40:20] Nathan Maingard: And I know you mentioned your community. And of course you've got multiple things you're involved in, but is there anything particular right now in terms of projects or things going on?

[00:40:31] Maybe it is the community, but anything that you would want the listener now to take action on and go and, and, and find out more about, et cetera if they're interested?

[00:40:39] Theresa Lear Levine: Well, based on our conversation, I would say. Join the community, which is a totally free community. And check out the mini course I just released, which is all about pleasure and flow because basically everything we talked about in here today, um, I cover using pleasure as fuel for your success. I cover pleasure for like your planning and organizational processes and there's like hypnosis and EFT around all those resistance points too.

[00:41:07] So I think that's probably one of the highest things of value that I can offer that is sitting right there in my community where I also offer free weekly coaching. And there's all of those EFT tapping sessions that I talked about and so much else that you can just discover and begin taking action on.

[00:41:22] And actually. Getting those tangible results. So yeah, it's all in the community, which is over on school. And I'll make sure that you have the, the link for the show notes.

[00:41:31] Nathan Maingard: Great. Well, thank you Theresa. It's been an honor and a pleasure both to have a session with you and to have you on the podcast and to be on your podcast. I mean, it's been a, we've been having a good little run the last few months, so I just, uh, yeah. Thank you for being here and for sharing so openly and, and with so much pleasure bringing so much pleasure into the podcast today.

[00:41:50] Thank you.

[00:41:51] Theresa Lear Levine: It's absolutely my pleasure to have been here. Thank you so much for having me, Nathan. And um, thanks to everyone who's listened.

[00:41:58] Nathan Maingard: Thank you for joining me today for this deeply insightful episode of We Are Already Free. I hope today's conversation with Theresa Levine has inspired you to rethink the way you approach success, reminding you that it's not about doing more, but about being more, slowing down, and reconnecting with yourself in a way that allows pleasure and ease to guide your journey. A huge, thank you again to Theresa for sharing her wisdom and experiences.

[00:42:26] If you want to dive deeper into her world and learn more about EFT, hypnotherapy, and everything we've touched on today. Be sure to check out the links in the show notes.

[00:42:35] Today we explored some truly powerful takeaways. How to overcome burnout and self-doubt, manage high functioning anxiety and unlock the power of pleasure as fuel for success. If you're ready to take these insights and start integrating them into your daily life, you're in the right place. Make sure to tune in to future episodes for more guidance on living your most authentic, holistic and fulfilled life.

[00:42:59] And now before we wrap up, I want to personally invite you to take the next step on your journey. You've heard today, how Theresa transformed her life by shifting from hustle to harmony. And I know many of my listeners are looking to do the same. Bring more flow, ease and presence into your morning.

[00:43:16] This is why I've created the free five day morning practice challenge. And it's designed to help you kickstart this transformation. This challenge is all about starting your day with clarity and calm in just a few minutes. It's a simple, accessible way to realign with your authentic self. Right from the moment you wake up. No more rushing or feeling disconnected.

[00:43:37] You'll experience how something as small as a morning routine can ripple through the rest of your day. Helping you to bring more focus, intention and joy into everything you do.

[00:43:46] One of the people who took this challenge, Adrian, shared how it shifted his mindset completely. He shares that he went from feeling stuck and self judging to truly loving and accepting himself. He said, This challenge brings only positive things and was totally worth it.

[00:44:02] So, if you're ready to embrace your mornings, get grounded and start living more aligned with the version of yourself you know you can be, then join me for the five day morning practice challenge. It's simple, supportive and designed to meet you where you are, no matter how busy or overwhelmed you feel right now.

[00:44:19] Head to the link in the show notes to sign up and start tomorrow with more peace and purpose. I can't wait to hear how it transforms your life.

[00:44:27] Until next week, thank you so much for being on this journey with me. I love being me with you. And please, as always remember, We Are Already Free.