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Imposter Syndrome, Comparison, and Redefining Success ~ with Brooklyn from Yogable
598 Plays24 days ago
Click here to find out more about our October retreat — we’d love to have you there! ✨
Brooklyn and I are so excited to share this real and heart-opening conversation with you ~ and to officially announce that we’re hosting another retreat together this October (9th–11th)! A couple of years ago, we co-hosted the most beautiful retreat, and we’ve been dreaming of doing it again ever since. The time has come! Link above for our wellness, yoga and manifestation retreat!
I want you to feel like you're sitting down for tea with us in this episode. We chat about what it really feels like to grow, evolve, and hold space for others while navigating our own healing and self-worth journeys.
We chat about so much in this episode, and I ask Brooklyn to open up about:
✨ The parts of herself she’s no longer willing to shrink
✨ The things she used to chase ~ and now feels at peace without
✨ How doing the inner work has changed the way she shows up in her business and community
✨ The subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways she’s given her energy away ~ and how she’s learning to protect it
✨ What success means to her now, compared to a few years ago
✨ And of course, imposter syndrome ~ and how it still shows up, even when you’re fully living your purpose.
We really hope you feel seen and heard in this episode and maybe even inspired to stop proving, stop pushing, and soften into who you truly are.
About Brooklyn:
Brooklyn is a certified yoga teacher and co-founder of Yogable, a wellness company dedicated to creating transformative retreats and online meditation programs that support mind-body healing. Since 2016, she’s guided hundreds of people toward deeper presence and self-connection. She’s also a published author of gratitude journals and affirmation decks, a devoted mother, and a long-time Sunshine Coast local. Originally from Canada, her work is rooted in simplicity, intention, and the belief that slowing down is one of the most powerful things we can do.
Find Brooklyn on Instagram here.
View the Pass Around the Smile website here! (My very own oracle cards, journals, meditations, courses + more magical stuff available!)
Join my Facebook community group here!
Find me on Instagram below:
The Pass Around the Smile podcast is recorded on Bundjalung Country, in South East Queensland, Australia. We acknowledge the Yugambeh people of the Bundjalung Nation, the traditional owners of this land. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:00
Speaker
Pass Around the Smile is like your go-to friend, the one that lifts you up and backs you to the end. She's there to guide and inspire, challenge and teach, and remind you that your best self isn't out of reach.
00:00:11
Speaker
Self-development, manifestation, self-love and more, it's time to trust the process more than ever before.
00:00:19
Speaker
Welcome to Pass Around the Smile, the podcast. I'm your host, Cleo Massey, and I am so glad you're here. Let the magic begin.
00:00:34
Speaker
Hello, my smileys, and welcome back to the Pass Around the Smile podcast. I am so excited you are here for this guest episode. I just know you are going to resonate with so much of what our beautiful guest Brooklyn talks about.
00:00:47
Speaker
She's incredible. We ran a retreat together back a couple of years ago. it was amazing. So we are doing it again this coming October.
Sound Quality and Guest Background
00:00:54
Speaker
But Brooklyn's insight and the way that she approaches life and business with such a relaxed and optimistic attitude is really, really inspiring. So sit back and relax as if you are having a tea with Brooklyn and I i do want to just quickly say the sound is a little bit all over the place.
00:01:13
Speaker
It was a little bit the same in my last episode as well. Having some small teething problems with recording since I moved out of my dad's studio and into my own past around the smile space. But I do do just want to reassure you guys that I am working on getting my episodes sounding spic and span just like they used to But for now, the content is here. The convo is good. I hope you absolutely love it.
00:01:36
Speaker
And now a little introduction for Brooklyn. So Brooklyn, she is a certified yoga teacher and the co-founder of Yoga Bull, a wellness company dedicated to creating transformative retreats and online meditation programs that support mind-body healing.
00:01:52
Speaker
Since 2016, Brooklyn has guided hundreds of people toward deeper presence and self-connection. She's also a published author of gratitude journals and affirmation decks,
00:02:03
Speaker
a devoted mother and a longtime Sunshine Coast local. Originally from Canada, her work is rooted in simplicity, intention, and the belief that slowing down is one of the most powerful things we can do.
00:02:16
Speaker
Brooklyn is so refreshing in this chat, guys. Let's get into it. I know you're going to love it.
Retreat Details and Importance
00:02:25
Speaker
Hi Brooklyn, welcome to the Pass Around the Smile podcast. Thanks love, happy to be here I am so happy to have you. I feel like we've had so many conversations in the past, whether it's over voice message or text or lying in our beds at our last retreat together, where I've thought this conversation probably should be on a podcast because I think people would benefit from listening to it or resonate.
00:02:52
Speaker
So I'm glad we're finally doing this. Yeah, definitely. Me too. Thanks for having me on. You are so welcome. Well, I did think we should start by chatting a little bit about our Bloom Into Balance retreat, which is happening in October, because this is kind of like the official launch of it.
00:03:11
Speaker
Yeah, how exciting. It's crazy. We did like a little soft launch and we kind of told my community through closed groups. I think I may have quickly mentioned it even on the podcast or maybe I haven't. Maybe this is the first time.
00:03:26
Speaker
yeah But the retreat is already half sold out. Wild. So needed. so needed. so needed. And tell us why, like, I want to hear from you because Brooklyn's obviously you are the retreat guru. The retreats that you hold are absolutely everything. i have had the pleasure of running a retreat with you last year. No, the year before last now. Oh my gosh.
00:03:51
Speaker
And it was life changing and beautiful and amazing and heartwarming. And everyone, including me, left feeling clear and inspired and content. And I'm so excited just to enter that space again. and so thankful that I get to do it with you. But why don't you, from like your point of view, tell us why retreats are so important and allowing yourself to get away from the busyness of life and step into four days of tranquility really.
Retreat Activities and Benefits
00:04:22
Speaker
What's your take on it? Like why are you so passionate about retreats?
00:04:26
Speaker
I think they give you the space, like you said, just to have that clarity. I think, you you know, if you're in a state of mind where you're looking for more peace, more calm, or you're completely burnt out, or you're feeling lost, or you just feel like you need to hit the reset button, whether it's mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, all of the above.
00:04:50
Speaker
um it's so easy for us to be like, okay, you know, in my everyday life, I'm going to wake up, I'm going to meditate, I'm going to move my body, I'm going eat this and this and this. And then the reality of it is that, you know, things don't happen that way in our day-to-day life. We can have those plans, but we have other things, whether it's children or job or work that are happening that tend to get put in front of those intentions. So when you go on retreat,
00:05:20
Speaker
That is your whole intention for four days is the space to actually be able to implement all these beautiful practices and hit the reset button and do these things without having interruptions or distractions or other things that come up.
00:05:37
Speaker
So really what it's doing is just giving you the space that you need to pause to create stillness, to slow down and to implement all these practices that we do on retreat.
00:05:53
Speaker
So, you know, yoga, meditation, breath, varying workshops and stuff like that. um It's just like this potent, yummy little four days where you get to do all the things without having to worry about everything else.
00:06:08
Speaker
And it's like hitting the reset button. I'm so excited. Like I literally, I cannot wait. So our retreat that we have coming up is a yoga wellness and manifestation retreat.
00:06:23
Speaker
And I will be taking everyone through manifestation, self-development, spiritual development, um kind of like workshops, exercises. We'll do journaling sessions, connection sessions. It's a very safe space to come, to share, to learn, to feel inspired. And to let go, we do, you know, um the fire ceremony, we have cacao ceremonies, we're building smudge sticks. Like it's just so wholesome and exciting. You walk away with lifelong friends as well, which I think is something that I didn't really expect how close you get because everyone connects, everyone lets their walls down.
00:07:03
Speaker
And the insights that you gain from letting your walls down when, you know, So often in life, we think we might think we let our walls down, we might think we're being vulnerable or letting go, but you don't really realize until you are on retreat that actually you haven't let go to the best of your ability or the the most that you can let go.
00:07:25
Speaker
And when you do let go, gosh, it's empowering and so freeing. um So we really want to create the space for you guys to be able to
Excitement and Invitations
00:07:32
Speaker
do that. We have people flying in so far from WA, from Melbourne, from where else?
00:07:40
Speaker
From everywhere. we have a few Queenslanders coming. We have a lot of people coming on their own. We have a couple of mums and daughters coming. So you can come on your own. You can come with a friend. um The food, the food that we are nourished with is actually out of this world.
00:07:56
Speaker
are The beds even, like the beds are so beautiful and comfy that we're in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. I don't want to like yap and yap and yap on about this because I actually feel like we don't even have anything to prove with this retreat. It's just like the energy around it and how excited we are can hopefully spill over to you guys.
00:08:19
Speaker
You will know if this retreat feels like if If you feel like we are talking to your soul right now, if you want to be led It'll be full body yes. Yeah, it'll be a full body yes. And we will put all the links in the show notes. It will tell you the schedule, what we're doing, what you can expect if you want your own room or a shared room.
00:08:41
Speaker
um it's all there for you. It's all taken care of. it is just going to be, I'm so excited. I can't believe we're already half sold out. So that's the other thing. Like if you are interested, get in touch ASAP because this is, yeah, actually going really quite fast.
00:08:56
Speaker
um And we do need to mention Kylie Stewart as well because that, that I think is like the cherry on top of an already life-changing transformative few days that we've planned is we have Kylie Stewart and you guys all know who Kylie Stewart is. She is a psychic. She's a medium. She's a spiritual healer.
00:09:18
Speaker
She works with spirit babies as well. And she is going to be taking you all through a one-on-one psychic medium session. Like when you are already in that, like, oh my God, I'm so excited.
00:09:36
Speaker
It's going to be so good. And I think maybe just one thing that I wanted to mention, and because it's probably the most common question we get is that you do not have to have any yoga experience or any meditation experience or anything like that to come on a yoga wellness and manifestation retreat.
00:09:55
Speaker
Actually, more often than not, we have people who are brand new to all these practices. And that's the beautiful thing about it, I think. Yeah, thank you for saying that. So important. And also you can join in on as much as you want during the retreat or as little as you want. If you want to have a nap, if you want to have a swim while we're doing yoga or while I'm running a manifestation session, do it. Go for a walk in the hinterland.
00:10:21
Speaker
go make yourself a cacao, sit on the beautiful balcony, look at the view or join in on everything. yeah um Last time I was pregnant and sick. So I had to excuse myself a lot of the time. But this time around, I'm so excited to like get in the sauna and just enjoy every minute of it. I didn't do any of that last time.
00:10:42
Speaker
I could, i could barely do anything. And Brooklyn always laughs because Brooklyn does these incredible sessions, right? We do like yoga and sound healing with Brooklyn and they're like magical, like Brooklyn's energy. You guys just wait, like just wait. If you are coming on this retreat, get ready to just like seriously change. And I'm like confident. I'm confident in saying you will walk away changed.
00:11:03
Speaker
um But yeah, so Brooklyn does these amazing sessions. And I was just like, you know, pregnant and running this retreat while I was pregnant. So it was a lot for me. And um at the end of her yoga session, she goes around and does this little like beautiful like tickle and like head massage and puts these beautiful oils on your head.
00:11:22
Speaker
And like I'm obviously running the retreat with Brooklyn. So my job was to like go and set up breakfast because we were like going to have breakfast straight after. But I just laid there on my back with my arms out, like waiting for Brooklyn to go and tickle me.
00:11:36
Speaker
And you did. And it was so beautiful. and then I opened my eyes and you were like right there. And i was like, okay, I'll go set up breakfast now. You did so well, love. And I had so much compassion for you um because I was sick in my own pregnancy. And so I knew what you were going through.
00:11:53
Speaker
um Yeah. It's a hard slog. yeah It's a hard slog. Oh gosh. All right. Well, we will leave the retreat be. You guys will know if you want to join us. And for those of you who have already booked in, we are so excited to have you. Brooklyn and I just wanted to continue the chat and just be, you know, open and vulnerable and real. So you guys can connect with us and hopefully resonate with what we are saying.
Challenges in Heart-Led Businesses
00:12:20
Speaker
um We are too women in business and we both run heart-led businesses. So I feel like there's a lot that comes with that around, you know, putting ourselves down and not feeling like we fit in all the time or giving too much of ourselves away.
00:12:37
Speaker
So we're just going to have a conversation and i wanted to start, Brooklyn, with a question because I want to hear mostly from you, obviously, during this episode. um And I want to start with what is a part of yourself at the moment that you are no longer willing to shrink? um I love this question.
00:12:57
Speaker
And I think it's just me being me. um So I think, you know, there's all this pressure to like push to be a bigger than life personality, especially when you um you know, advertise and market your business online, like that whole push to stand out, be unique, um be larger than life, like grab the attention of everyone.
00:13:33
Speaker
and I think more and more I'm leaning into, you know, actually just being me is okay. And I don't have to try to twist myself or shape myself into something that I don't feel comfortable with to, um, to succeed, I guess.
00:14:01
Speaker
And I feel like I've gone off topic, not, not really, but on this question. And I guess it's more so like, not maybe what I'm shrinking or I'm willing to shrink, but I guess my personality of just being who I am is enough and not trying to keep up with everyone else or keep up with the trends or keep up with what you're supposed to be doing online, how you're supposed to be showing up.
00:14:36
Speaker
Um, yeah, I think that's something that I'm no longer willing to compromise is just you know, showing up as me.
00:14:47
Speaker
I hope that makes sense. It makes so much sense. And I love that it's actually not something that you're shrinking. It's not something that you are willing to change. Yeah. But I guess that can come across in a way because you are shrinking away what like is true to you as well. So yeah i absolutely love that answer and I could not re resonate more.
00:15:10
Speaker
I read something. Sorry, love. I read something. No, go. kind of like made me feel that way or confirmed what I was feeling. And it was like, I want to live my life freely in that I want to be able to express myself freely, be as creative as possible and walk my own path that feels in true alignment and anything else outside of that can just be eradicated. And I was like, yes.
00:15:44
Speaker
Isn't that refreshing? yeah And that is true. And that's all we need. And we get so caught up in what we think we need, what we think will make us happy because it makes someone else happy, but it is not necessarily what will make us happy. So yeah, thank you for that. I resonate a lot and I haven't really heard it talked about in that way.
00:16:04
Speaker
So that's really refreshing. And how do you think that like your inner work lately, because obviously you meditate a lot, you go on your beach walks. Like I know you are a person who does really honor themselves.
00:16:16
Speaker
How do you think that changes the way that you show up in business?
Sustainability and Personal Alignment
00:16:21
Speaker
Well, actually, I think it makes it more challenging because i think I probably do lack that consistency because of how much I honor myself. um So if I'm not feeling like showing up or if I'm feeling like I just want to be with myself for that day, i will do that even if I have things that should be planned or scheduled, that things are supposed to be happening.
00:16:51
Speaker
And it's this weird, I guess, and we've had this conversation before, this weird feeling of, mean, I guess this is what I was talking to about before, where I feel like, you know, you should be doing X, Y, Z, checking off those lists of things that you need to be doing. Because when you're self-employed, there's no one to push you but you.
00:17:12
Speaker
um but So maybe things in my business aren't happening as fast or growing as fast as they should be or I don't know, as the world thinks they should be.
00:17:27
Speaker
But I feel like I constantly am growing and connecting more with my spirituality in my inner world. And I feel like that thrives all the time because of how much I honor it over my business.
00:17:41
Speaker
Yeah. I think that that is incredible. And wouldn't it be interesting if we could like almost do some kind of test where it was like the Brooklyn that does honor herself and goes, actually, I'm not feeling it today. So even though I have mountains of work, I should do, I'm going to go for a beach walk or I'm going to spend time with my daughter or whatever it is versus the Brooklyn that needs that time off, but pushes through and does the emails and does the marketing and shows up on social media.
00:18:08
Speaker
I would love to see what would happen to business? Because I don't think it would necessarily thrive if you pushed forward. I really don't. I think that what you are doing is like you're filling yourself up, not only for yourself and your family, but then for your community, which shines through your business as well.
00:18:28
Speaker
And I think I also had, you know, these are thoughts that I continually have. We've been running Yoga Bull for five years now plus. um But I think it's like, what what's,
00:18:41
Speaker
sustainable and what's long-term for me. And if you were to show up every day, you know, do all your checklists, despite how you're feeling. Well, when I think about what do I actually want my business to feel like and look like long-term, it's definitely not that.
00:18:57
Speaker
I want that freedom in that space. So, you know, in order to create that as my reality, i have to actually live that as my reality as well. Oh, I'm getting so excited about this chat. I just, I love it. It's just so refreshing because I feel this pressure and what you just said then, like literally alleviated it all in a second. But I have to like remind myself of this so often, you know?
00:19:25
Speaker
So ah where do you have like a an example of a time where you chose stillness and space over striving and how did that kind of what happened next, you know?
00:19:40
Speaker
Oh, my gosh. I think the question is when don't I do that?
00:19:45
Speaker
i Yeah, was like give us a good example. yeah Yeah, cool. This week, for example, I had on my list of things to do, record 20 meditations which seems like a lot to say that now but over a week's time and when they're 10 to 15 minutes it's not um that much time like i could probably get it done in a day but i space it out as well because i always make sure i leave myself space every day be free um it's thursday now i haven't recorded one and that's not coming from a place of i'm not actually a procrastinator
00:20:24
Speaker
is coming from a place where I've woken up each day and I'm like, I'm just not, I've got a lot of things going on behind the scenes right now, in life, in my family, in our space, nothing bad. It's just a period of transition.
00:20:42
Speaker
And that requires my energy right now. And so, I'm like, I'm just not in this space where I can record meditations for people who are going to listen to them.
00:20:55
Speaker
um despite, I actually do have to get this done. I do have deadlines, but how can I, you know, people are listening to my meditations and my intention of when I'm speaking goes into them.
00:21:10
Speaker
And yeah I want people to listen to these meditations and to feel calm and grounded and clear and good. But if my intention going into or recording these meditations is crap, I've just got to get these done today. Well, that's coming through when you're listening to them. And to me, that just doesn't make sense.
00:21:31
Speaker
And I can't wait until you do find the time and the space and the energy that feels so right to record those meditations. And you will know that the weight was so worth it.
00:21:42
Speaker
I like, I, ah do, well, I have felt a lot of pressure in the past when like, I would get a lot of messages from my community being like more meditations, more meditations. and I'm like, it's not something I can rush.
00:21:53
Speaker
And I ended up having like two and a half years in between my meditation albums because I was like, I felt the same as you. So coming from a soul led spiritual business, it's tough, but it's great.
00:22:08
Speaker
Every time I have rushed something just to make a deadline, it's flopped every time. And doesn't that just come into manifestation? It's like if you are wanting something, it cannot be from a forceful, rushed energy. It has to come from a place of trust and faith and just allowing.
00:22:28
Speaker
And in saying that, like obviously I get things done, like we're five years into a really successful business in my eyes. For myself, it's super successful. um So obviously things get done.
00:22:40
Speaker
Yes. manage to show up on every retreat. Yeah. But I think it's really, um I'm just actually extremely grateful that I've created something where I have this space and the freedom and the flexibility to honor, you know, what feels right in that day and in my schedule. Mm-hmm.
00:23:02
Speaker
And what would you say like advice for people who work for someone else?
Creating Freedom and Manifestation
00:23:07
Speaker
And, you know, it's not a spiritual job. It's not a soul led job when they're feeling burnt out and run down and out of alignment. What would be your advice to them?
00:23:19
Speaker
I think the more space you can create in your everyday life where you truly are being free. And I think there's a difference from feeling free and being free. Like you can have, you can be feeling free if you've got free time, but I think being free is a choice to, you know, live your time, how you actually want to.
00:23:45
Speaker
And so I think if you're just creating pockets of where a space where you can actually be free in your day. And so I work with clients a lot and this is, you know,
00:23:56
Speaker
what we do because not everyone can have a self-employment job that is flexible with time so I think it's just dedicating that time where you don't schedule anything in and just see how you feel in that moment and what you want to do so I think more often than not everyone has a checklist or to-do list of what they want to get done like even when when we talk about morning routines and I love a good morning routine but people are like oh, you know, I've got to get up, i've got to do my meditation, my journaling, my this, this, this, this. this
00:24:28
Speaker
And it's just checking things off instead of just being like, okay, well, I've actually given myself a half an hour this morning, let me wake up and see what feels good. Allow yourself that freedom to make a choice on how you feel in that moment, instead of feeling like you've just got to check everything off.
00:24:48
Speaker
I feel like when we do get into that mindset of just checking everything off, it it turns into that I have to energy. I have to meditate. I have to journal because it's good for my mental health. I have to, you know, exercise because, you know, I've got to be fit and healthy.
00:25:07
Speaker
But it's like you get to, you get to meditate for your beautiful mind. You get to move your body because you have a healthy body that works. And yeah, also, I guess like those morning routines and stuff, I'm the same as you. I love a morning routine when when it works for me, when it's feeling good, but often it doesn't. And when we create these like routines, whether it's morning routine or night routine or your work schedule or whatever,
00:25:30
Speaker
We don't leave room for the universe to have a say and to plot these little creative ideas or, you know, bring in a sign or a coincidence. um Has there been like what kind of led you in your business of like yoga and what you do now with clients How did you from like a manifestation point of view get to where you are now? Like, did you experience signs?
00:25:56
Speaker
Did it happen naturally? were there some times where it felt forced and you had to pull back? Like, tell us a little bit about your journey because I think it will really inspire everyone. Yeah. Thanks, love. I went to school for international relations and pursuing law. So nothing to do what I'm doing now. Wow.
00:26:15
Speaker
Yeah. And... I was finishing my degree and i just remember saying to my like I was riddled with anxiety and panic attacks and just things that I'd never experienced before. And I just remember saying to my mom, like, I feel so lost.
00:26:36
Speaker
And she's like, what do you mean? And I was like, I just don't know who I am. and I think it was because i was trying to force myself down a path that wasn't right for me.
00:26:50
Speaker
And i think the universe was giving me lots of signs that it wasn't right. But I think at that stage, you know, I wasn't looking for them because everything was a checklist. And so you're not seeing anything else. You're just like focused in your own lane and know this is what I have to do um But, you know, like I'd gone on retreats with mom before and I felt amazing while I was on retreats.
00:27:17
Speaker
I had seen sidekicks, you know, who were like, yay, yeah there's this you running and holding space for other people. But it was like, because it wasn't my plan, I immediately were like, no.
00:27:30
Speaker
Instead of if I had just given myself to the freedom to be like, wow, this feels really good. Okay, we should be doing more of what feels good because that's, if something feels good when you're doing it, that's the universe being like, yes, do more of this.
00:27:46
Speaker
yeah And I loved going to yoga. Like I loved it. I would go to yoga twice, you know, a day even at that stage. Free kids. how Yeah.
00:27:57
Speaker
In university. um and I always felt good there. But, you know, I was never like this couldn't be, this was never an option for me because it wasn't in my plan or it wasn't on my to-do list.
00:28:10
Speaker
But I think if I had just stopped and felt into yeah the those good feelings those things that bring me joy and happiness like that's what you should be doing more of and I think that's kind of just continued throughout my um career now so there was a stage when I was teaching yoga full-time like you know 15 plus classes a week and then it became this thing that didn't feel good anymore and
00:28:43
Speaker
oh my dog is having puppy
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
00:28:45
Speaker
dreams. Oh baby it's okay we love dogs here we love you. Having a little moment um and also there was a point in time where i was like oh want to go deeper with these students like I would see them for an hour or two a week and then just send them on their way and you know there's that thought was like oh what if I could run retreats and it actually took me like three years to work up the courage to be able to run my first retreat from that initial first thought of you should do retreats. But with everyone, I, or like everyone, I had self doubt and who's going book a retreat.
00:29:29
Speaker
I can't do this. Like, um you know, and that whole thing of there's so many already, already retreats out there. Like everyone's already doing it. What makes me different or special or,
00:29:43
Speaker
you know, a leader in that space. um So it actually took me three years. But again, it was just more that push, not that push, sorry, more that feeling of this feels really good.
00:29:58
Speaker
And when something feels really good, I think that's a sign that we're supposed to be doing more Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, the puppy dreams. Is that his tail?
00:30:10
Speaker
Yeah, he's like four having a little bark and a little run at someone. Oh my God, so cute. um I really, thank you for sharing that.
00:30:21
Speaker
One part that I really love and I'd love to talk about, and then please continue on if there's more as well, but how you actually felt imposter syndrome. even when you were doing something that was fully in your purpose.
00:30:36
Speaker
I think this can be really confusing for those people who are trying to find their purpose, trying to find their why, or they're feeling really in alignment with an idea and it's flowing and it's gaining momentum, but then they are feeling not good enough. They're telling themselves stories. They are, like you said, everyone does retreats.
00:30:54
Speaker
Why is mine going to work? Who's going to buy a ticket? What's your thought around imposter syndrome and why does it still rear its ugly head? when we're on purpose. Cause like my thought back in the day was like, when I was, you know, act in the acting world, I was like, but this is, you know, what I'm supposed to do. So, you know, i shouldn't have like imposter syndrome, but of course that ended up not being my path. But even with pass around the smile, imposter syndrome comes up all the time, but it is my purpose.
00:31:25
Speaker
So like, yeah. What was it? What are your thoughts around this? Yeah. I think this is, a tricky one and I think it's all around mostly comparison. So I think every time imposter syndrome comes up for me, it's because I think I'm not good enough.
00:31:46
Speaker
I'm not doing, or I don't know enough as this person who is doing it. I'm not the best of the best or whatever it is. But I think I've come to learn that I don't have to be any of those things.
00:32:00
Speaker
to be in my purpose. I don't have to be some guru who thinks they knows it all to lead people in retreat. In fact, I think I'm quite the opposite of that. I know that I don't know it all, but I'm authentic in sharing my journey and in sharing my intention for people, which is for people to feel, you know, calm and themselves and grounded and you know, just giving people that space to connect back to themselves because I know what it was like when I felt lost and when someone gave me that space to connect back to myself.
00:32:42
Speaker
And when i think of them and how much they gave me, but they actually weren't any kind of, you know, they were amazing for me in my journey, but they weren't some like be all end all,
00:32:57
Speaker
do you know what I'm trying to say? Like person, wellness person. Yeah. No, like up on this stage, like, you know what I'm talking about? Like those big name wellness people. Yeah. It wasn't like Gabby Bernstein, for example. No, I didn't know if I was allowed to say names. I was like, oh yeah. Oh, go for it. Go for it. Yeah. But like, it was someone who helped you so much because you were meant to be helped by them.
00:33:20
Speaker
Yeah. And their intention in helping me and how they held space for me. And I think, always coming back to that in imposter syndrome and knowing that actually we weren't made for everyone and we shouldn't be because we're all such different beings. So if we were made for everyone, then well, actually that doesn't even make sense to me. Like you should be connecting with different people and different people should connect with you because we all have different intentions, I think.
00:33:54
Speaker
And I think that's something we all have to get comfortable with is that you're not going to be liked and accepted by everyone. And that is okay. That says nothing about your worth. It says nothing about the person that you are um But if you hold onto that and try to control how other people see you, that is what is going to damage you or get in the way of your manifestations or living a peaceful life.
00:34:18
Speaker
And I think that when you can accept that, then you just realize that the imposter syndrome is just this game, this trick that your mind is playing on you that you can say hello and acknowledge to, but no, it's not true because i don't know for you, but for me, it never goes away.
00:34:39
Speaker
Every time i do anything new or unfamiliar, it comes up, right? And that's why it comes up because it's unfamiliar and it's outside of our comfort zone most of the time. Yeah. um And, or we're comparing.
00:34:56
Speaker
I think a lot of the times it comes up for me when I'm like, Oh, but this person's doing this and this person's, Oh, I should be doing, Oh, I'm not doing that. And it's a lot of it comes up when you're in that, I think, comparison mindset. So again, just being aware of that. Oh, actually, no, i know I'm, I know I'm what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.
00:35:19
Speaker
And I don't have to compare myself to others. so I don't know if it actually ever goes away. um for me, it's not. I don't know if it is for you, but it's more like I don't let it direct me anymore.
00:35:32
Speaker
I let it come out oh That's nice. Yeah, I like that. I let it come up. I let it i acknowledge it, but it doesn't direct my choices. That's really, really nice and refreshing.
00:35:44
Speaker
But yeah, it It definitely hasn't gone away for me ever and I don't think it ever will, but that's really nice. It doesn't have to direct us. And a lot of the time it is the fear coming in telling us to not do this or not do that because it's trying to protect us.
00:35:58
Speaker
But at the end of the day, if we just stayed quiet and didn't move forward, we're not allowing ourselves to live the life that we were meant to live. And we were all here for... such a purpose and we have to find that purpose. And you will, if you're listening to this and you you feel frustrated and you feel empty and you feel unfulfilled in your purpose, trust me, you will find it. And you already have the answer. Like you don't need to seek these big gurus like the Gabby Bernsteins in the world, for example, or like these incredible healers that cost a million dollars, you can actually allow yourself the space to figure this out for yourself. And I think that is what is so exciting.
00:36:37
Speaker
And it goes back to just that question. and I ask myself this all the time as
Personal Power and Authenticity
00:36:41
Speaker
well. Like, does this feel good when I do it? Does it feel good? Like how I talked about before. So yes, I may have imposter syndrome and think, oh my gosh, what am I doing?
00:36:52
Speaker
But then I sit and ask myself the question, does this feel good when I do it? And if the answer is yes, then I know I need to keep doing it. Yeah, no, I really, yeah, I really like that. It's very simple too because so often we get caught up in like, why isn't this working? I've really got to dig deep in you know, undo all my wounds to figure out what is going on right now. But excuse me, like you said, does it feel good?
00:37:19
Speaker
Yes. Like your body and your mind will tell you. um Something that has felt really not good for me lately is giving away my power.
00:37:31
Speaker
And it's something that you and I actually talked about when we were on rat retreat couple of years ago. it was everyone, it was free time. So everyone was off doing their own thing. And Brooklyn and I were sharing a room and we got under the covers. It was pouring rain. We were in our pyjamas You were eating healthy chocolate. I was eating not healthy chocolate.
00:37:54
Speaker
You should have seen the stash I bought to the retreat, guys. Again, i was pregnant and sick, so I was allowed. um I mean, you can do whatever you want, Everything is acceptable. Yes, everything is acceptable.
00:38:06
Speaker
um But, yeah, we were talking about giving away our power to people who – feel or seem or come across for whatever reason as more important than us or as higher than us and I don't know why we constantly as humans and as women especially give away our power to these people that we think we need to impress or that we want something from why do we do it I think we see them
00:38:42
Speaker
maybe as where we want to be or not necessarily them, but they have something in their life that we are seeking. And then whether it's subconscious or not. And then so it's like, oh, we've got to I want to be where they are or I want something of what they have.
00:39:02
Speaker
So, okay, I need to put my best foot forward to impress them or because I want to be that or I want to have what they have. And it's silly.
00:39:13
Speaker
Like when you break it down like that, it's silly. Instead of, what's that saying? I love it so much. Instead of asking to be or begging and trying to impress someone to be invited to the table, just sit at your own table and watch people come to you sit with you or whatever. There's some kind of like quote like that. I haven't got it right, so Don't go beyond that one. You get the gist get the gist of it. like Be comfortable in who you are and when you are comfortable and feeling good, people will like be so attracted to that energy and want to come join what you're putting out.
00:39:52
Speaker
and Exactly. like Don't feel like you have to bend over backwards and crawl to sit at a table where people probably don't even care.
00:40:03
Speaker
but And that's the big thing a lot of the time is that we are wanting to impress or be involved with these people who care very little about us. Yet, if you look around to the people in your inner circle who care and love you, ah you showing up for them in the way that you are maybe showing up for this person that you maybe don't even know or don't even really idolize, but you think that, you know, society says that you should be that certain way or you should do this certain thing?
00:40:34
Speaker
But it's, yeah, it's tough in personal life, in business, but it's also an energy thing, I think. Like, how do you, Brooklyn, protect your energy in life, in business, especially being in a heart-led business and being quite a generous person?
00:40:51
Speaker
I think this is a lesson that I'm constantly learning, as we've discussed, um you know, because i am quick to say yes and...
00:41:04
Speaker
I don't know if it comes from, i don't think it's people pleasing because I've sat with this a lot and I don't actually think I'm a people pleaser, but it's more so like, I think I'm really trusting in everyone's intentions that everyone else has as good intentions as me.
00:41:24
Speaker
And so why wouldn't I want to work with them? Or why wouldn't I want to be friends with them? Because they must have the same good intentions as me. But you know, what we learn unfortunately is that's not actually the case.
00:41:37
Speaker
And so you've got to get comfortable with saying no, which is a hard thing to do And also I think you've got to get really comfortable with demanding respect. And this has been a massive lesson for me in the past year and a half.
00:41:55
Speaker
Um, And that whole thing about instead of asking to be invited at the table, setting my own table, demanding my own respect and seeing who shows up for that has been ah really beautiful thing. And just how I protect my energy is I guess, always going back to that question of does this feel good?
00:42:19
Speaker
Like it really gets to be that simple. Yeah, I love that. Thank you for sharing that. That was, yeah, I can resonate so much with all of that.
00:42:30
Speaker
And you just put it really, really well. Oh my gosh. I don't even think I've answered the questions you've asked me. um Yes, you have and more. And this is why i was excited for this podcast with you because it is it's like I hope everyone feels like we are all in our beds under the covers and it's raining outside and we all have a tea and some healthy chocolate or unhealthy chocolate.
00:42:55
Speaker
Choose your poison. And Maria Loka love you too.
00:43:00
Speaker
But um that I want everyone to feel like they are, yeah, just with us having a chat, having a tea, um because these are the things that we need to talk about to have us like, you know,
00:43:15
Speaker
God, we can be doing all these things and think I'm the only person who feels imposter syndrome. I'm the only person who compares. I'm the only person who feels negative or gives away so much of me and doesn't receive it back.
00:43:26
Speaker
um with Is using discernment the right word? like when you Like what does discernment even mean? I'm not sure. I was like, hmm.
00:43:38
Speaker
don't actually think, and this could be so wrong. Like my listeners might be listening right now going like, oh, guys. But I think discernment is like when you, are just with what you were saying, Brooklyn, about, you know, wanting to work with someone or wanting to maybe be someone's friend and thinking that they have good intentions.
00:43:56
Speaker
I think you have to use your discernment, if I'm using the word right, to kind of understand who they are and where they're at and what they want. But it's so hard when you are a certain way and you would do things a certain way, you just expect that everyone else would do them the same.
00:44:14
Speaker
um But, yeah, that's something that I have to get better at because I used to say, I'm a really good judge of character, but I've actually realised that I'm not. No, I'm horrible.
00:44:26
Speaker
I'm a horrible judge of character and my husband always gets at me for it because he's like, how did you not see this coming? i was like, what you mean? They were lovely. And it's interesting because you and I are very familiar with energy as well.
Energy Perception and Relationships
00:44:43
Speaker
And I think this is a really important, and this could be a whole other podcast on its own, but like energy attracts energy. We know that this is how we use the manifest, like manifestation, the law of attraction.
00:44:53
Speaker
But I think energy can be perceived as, it Energy is perceived in the way that you want to perceive it on that very day. If you are anxious and you are needing validation, for example,
00:45:07
Speaker
and someone gives you that validation, you're going to love them. And you're going to think that they're the best in the world. So like, that's probably an example of like, you know, maybe that's why that day you thought that this would be a helpful working relationship for you, because that day you were feeling a little bit down and needed what they said to you. But then you realize that that intention wasn't heart led or honest or whatever. But ah yeah, it's something I'm working on.
00:45:32
Speaker
I think when anyone gives you validation, you immediately feel like they're good intentions and I think what's that thing that that love bombing like when people are just like oh you're so amazing or so happy to be working with you and then so you're like yeah this is gonna be great like yeah they you know feel these things about me but I think there's a massive difference between love bombing or whatever it is and respect and I think yeah that's what I'm learning is well
00:46:03
Speaker
Maybe they're saying these things about me, but they actually don't have respect for me. Yeah, that's a big one. And maybe they're saying these things, but not actually meaning it. And I think us as... I'm sorry. If you're just listening and not watching the video, you probably won't know what we're laughing at. But Brooklyn's dog in the background is just doing like downward dog. Downward dog. If I try to lock him out of the room, he'll bark and crawl his way in here. So it's just best to let him be in here. No, this is fine. You're welcome, buddy. Yeah.
00:46:37
Speaker
um I think I want to end this conversation with one more question because you bring so much insight and listening to you talk is just so calming. Like, do you guys feel calm right now? Because I feel calm.
Redefining Success and Life Balance
00:46:49
Speaker
You're very wise as well.
00:46:51
Speaker
um The question is, what is something that you used to chase but now feel at peace without?
00:47:00
Speaker
This is a hard one. Okay. I think I know the answer though. I think I used to chase... the idea of having to be a leader in this space, like we talked about, like a big personality, someone who sticks out and just cementing myself as, what do they call them? An industry leader.
00:47:27
Speaker
Yeah. An industry leader in this space. But I think what I learned is when I actually look at all the industry leaders, and how much they have to show up all the time and be on all the time.
00:47:43
Speaker
And when I look at what my true values are and when I feel in my most alignment, they, it's not that. It doesn't line up. It doesn't line up. So I think, and then I'm like, what is an industry leader as well? Like who puts that?
00:47:59
Speaker
Who decides that they are the industry leaders? Like how you always read these things where youre like, we have an industry leader. And I'm like, who makes that decision? And are people just labeling themselves that? And does that necessarily equate to someone who is actually good at what they do?
00:48:18
Speaker
i don't know. Or does it just equate to someone who's shown up a lot and has been in your face a lot? So you see them a lot in the industry. um yeah I think I used to chase that and not for ah point not from a point of like,
00:48:34
Speaker
I think I used to chase it because I was like, well, if I'm an industry leader, then I'll have success. And that was kind of my way of determining if I was going to be successful or not.
00:48:49
Speaker
But I've come to realize that's not the case at all. So what is success for Brooklyn? I love this question. For me, success is being free.
00:49:02
Speaker
Like we talked about, not actually feeling free, but fit being free and having the choice to express myself and be creative as I want and having the choice to live my aligned path.
00:49:17
Speaker
I love it. In all areas. beautiful place to, in all areas. That's the thing, not just in like self, not just in career, not just in relationships. Yeah, amazing. I feel like you need to print that and put it on a T-shirt. You're so funny.
00:49:35
Speaker
No, I love that. I think that there is a huge difference in something that I'm trying to teach myself at the moment in like being busy. Like just because people are busy doesn't mean that they're successful. And I think I've fallen into the trap of need to go, go, go. And I need to fill every minute of my time because that's success. And that's what the world has taught us that success is. You've got to be busy. You've got to be go, go, go. You've got to be productive. You've got to be a go-getter.
00:50:00
Speaker
But for me, yeah, I'm striving as well for a peaceful life and ah fulfilled life, of course. But I want to be relaxed. Like, yes, I want to, you know, make a beautiful amount of money and share my message with millions of people around the world.
00:50:15
Speaker
Yeah. But what I want more than that is to be relaxed and feel safe and all of that. But, of course, some of that comes hand in hand. So about finding that balance.
00:50:29
Speaker
Sorry, love, I should have let you finish. No, you go. Also, I think who's to say that both can't coincide? And that's what I've been really sitting into, I guess, for the past couple of years is I don't have to, like, I can have financial success and I can also live a really slow, simple life, working minimal hours.
00:50:54
Speaker
Like, why why can't those both coexist? Well, they can because I've decided they can. So... And we get to do less and attract more. we know that we can do that. We know that when we stop and slow down, we allow more things to come in and it's so refreshing. Yet as humans, we get caught in that race of like, no, I have to keep going. But the minute you stop.
00:51:20
Speaker
and then we get like, we do something and we then we're so proud and fulfilled. And then the next day we're setting the next goal. But yeah, I think it's a really refreshing idea to just slow down. You can, yeah, you can, and you can do that right now.
00:51:33
Speaker
There's nothing stopping you. Exactly. Oh, Brooklyn.
Closing and Retreat Invitation
00:51:37
Speaker
Thank you so much for coming on the past around the smile podcast. I'm so excited for our retreat. I know. And it's going to come up so quickly. like We're in month five of this year. Can you believe that? No, I can't. No, I can't. I actually can't. So yeah, guys, if you are feeling called, this retreat is going to be beautiful. All the links will be in the show notes.
00:52:01
Speaker
I'll also put all of Brooklyn's links in the show notes, links to her website, links to her Instagram, her socials. Where else can we find you, Brooklyn? Is that? I think that's it, love.
00:52:12
Speaker
Yep. I'm trying to not be everywhere.
00:52:17
Speaker
Oh gosh. Yet I will post your links everywhere in the show notes. I appreciate that. Thank you for listening. smileys. I hope you enjoyed this beautiful, relaxing conversation with Brooklyn.
00:52:31
Speaker
And um we are so excited to welcome whoever is coming on our retreat. Cannot believe it's halfway full already yet. This is like the official launch. So get on it if you are feeling it.
00:52:42
Speaker
So excited to meet all of you. too. feella Thank you. Bye.