Authentic Beauty Spotlight: Being Bold In The Game Of Life
~ interview with Jodie Lea Cleave
Authentic — we use that word a lot around here. We are passionate about its meaning — “genuine, real.” We’re shining a light on some of the hard-working, amazing Authentic Beauties that form our Body Enlightenment Team. So grab your smoothie, pop your feet up and get up close and personal with our team members!
Say g’day to Alison Ramsay, our Continental Director for Body Enlightenment in New Zealand and Australia and an Executive Coach
What do you know about the circumstances of your life when you came into the world?
My mother was watching the 1970’s hit series M.A.S.H, a black comedy set during the Korean War, when I decided to make my earthly debut. Fitting really, for a newly born activist. I came in quickly and rather easily. A bit of a scrap at 6 lbs. Good things come in small packages, was an adage I quickly adopted in life – my go-to retaliation for the continual stream of short jokes and cutie faces.
Do you remember your earliest answers to the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” If so, what was it?
The earliest answer I remember is a writer. I adored books and was reading thick classical novels and Greek tragedies in grade school. Poetry captured me quickly as well. I was fascinated by the intriguing world of words, the pictures they could paint, the places I could escape to – the possibilities. Even the sound of words spoken aloud somehow tugged at me. A total word nerd, I was. Writing then, was an inevitable result of this intimate ardour. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin My passion for health came later, but was equal in its fervour.
What do you do when you’re in a funk to lift yourself up?
My first go-to is time outside. Whether that is some quiet tea time on my front lawn or a stroll on the beach or a sweaty run in the bush. In the warmer months, a soak in the cold sea is a great de-funkifier. I also enjoy a heartfelt conversation with a dear friend, music I can dance to, a bath, a good book, an early night, and of course, my ultimate love, chocolate.
Recall a time when you accomplished something you felt proud of. What was it?
One of my proudest moments was my high school graduation, funnily enough. I was a bit of an over-achiever (to my own detriment, I’m just made nerdy like that) and I worked really hard those years. When I graduated I won all the awards I had my heart set on winning and was voted in as valedictorian by my peers, which was a total honour. After my address I was gifted with a standing ovation. The icing on the cake? A hug centre stage from my big bro, in front of a few hundred people. A moment for the memoirs!
Other proud moments include the natural births of my two bonny babies.
What are the characteristics you most look for in a friend?
We talk about that spark when it comes to lovers and relationships, but I also feel that spark with a budding friendship. That little knowingness that says, “Oh hello. I get you, you get me, let’s hang out.” Aside from that, people who lift me up, rather than knock me down and honesty, honesty, honesty please.
What would you say are the characteristics your friends admire most about you?
Gosh. I guess they would like my passion and my drive. I’m fun to go out with too, and not afraid to speak my mind, despite potential consequences. 😉
If you have a partner in your life, how did you meet that person? If you don’t, how would you most like to meet your soulmate?
I currently do not have a partner. I’m not particularly fussed how I meet him. For the love of Pete, he can just get here already. Car, biplane, boat, blimp, dogsled or dirt bike. Heck, he can even just walk. Arrivals may now commence!
What are three of the things that bring you the most pleasure in your life right now?
- My work. I really am living my dream job come true. I worked hard to get here, and I’m still working hard to solidify it all, but I am genuinely delighted when the workday starts, and even more so when Monday rolls around. FOR REAL. It’s pinch worthy!
- My two kiddos. Being a mom has been the hardest and best
thing I’ve ever done, the most empowering and most undoing. It has shown me the most beautiful and also darkest parts of myself and has grown me as a human like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. And they’re cute. And fun. And silly. What’s not to like? - Living where I do. Rurally and in New Zealand. Living in alignment with nature is incredibly important to me. I have fruit trees and a million dollar view of the Tasman Sea. Birdsong and peacefulness. It fuels me. Again, I worked hard to get here, and it wasn’t easy. There were quite a few bumps and bruises along the way. But if you want something, you have to be willing to face the obstacles, climb the walls, and patch up your own ouchies along the way.
What do you think is one of the biggest things holding you back in life right now?
Fear is a gnarly bugger.
What are you going to do to overcome it?
Be scared and do it anyway, as they say. [tweet_dis] Like seriously, what have I got to lose. “Failure” is so 1998.[/tweet_dis]
What have been the actions and realizations that have most helped you improve your life in the last year?
Not only the realization, but the actual experiential feeling of the passion and yearning, the excitement and restlessness… as well as the disappointment, frustration and slogging towards my goals, actually being the most delicious part of it all! It’s the level of game we choose to play in life, that makes it worth playing. I decided to play big. That makes me feel alive and fuels my forward motion. Stagnation sucks… figuratively and literally.
Please share with us one of your dreams-something you hope to be able to achieve in the years to come.
Gah, it’s hard to pick just one, but I definitely need to see the art of the old European Masters. Europe has called me since I was a child. Turner, Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Renior, Rembrandt. I want to visit the Mona Lisa, and walk through the Vatican. I want to drink Merlot in Tuscany and eat pastry in Paris. It’s a must in this lifetime.
What would reaching this goal mean to you?
It would mean fulfilling a dream I’ve had since I was a child, which totally rocks.
Do you have a any self-pampering or personal care practices that really boost you up which you wouldn’t mind sharing with us?
Nothing like a long bath with essential oils to cleanse the body and spirit. I love flower essential oils. Rose, jasmine, neroli. Something about being anointed with the perfume of petals, the pheromones of plants to help me feel connected to Nature and engage my more sensual, feminine self. Even better? Make that an outdoor bath under the stars.
Have you ever come really close to giving up on something or someone that was really important to you, but decided to stick it out and make it work? Would you tell us a bit about it?
I almost didn’t come back to New Zealand. I almost stayed in my birth country of Canada. Emigrating has been *such* a challenging journey in every way imaginable, but I am an incredibly richer and more well-rounded person because of it. And I get to live in New Zealand. Like, holy smokes 🙂
If you could meet up for an afternoon tea and one-on-one conversation with one of your personal heroes (alive or dead) who would it be?
Can I pick two? Male: David Suzuki Female: Vandana Shiva.
How do you handle overwhelm, the feeling that there’s more to do than you can handle and that you have time to complete?
If I am in overwhelm, then I won’t try and override it and force myself to get things done. I know it’s time for a walk and a dose of peace and perspective. I will head to the bush or beach and have some quiet time. This always, always helps me to get present, to release the tension, and regain perspective. I can then move forward with clarity and a plan.
If a mysterious benefactor wrote you a check for $500,000.00 and said, “Use this to make the world better,” what would you do with it?
Oh my goodness that’s haarrd! I would want to do so many things!! Ack! I would pick 50 non-profit organizations doing something that has the potential to significantly and positively impact life on Earth and give them each $10,000.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. Any last words you’d like to share to inspire our readers who may be struggling?
Life and success are not as mysterious or insurmountable as you may have been led to believe. Just decide. Decide what you want, based on what is in your heart, and with all of your heart, guts and determination, start taking steps. Even teeny, tiny ones at first. If you are terrified, it’s likely you are on the right track 😉 Everything you need to know about life and yourself are within you. Trust yourself. Be authentic, be bold. Life is a beautiful game, so get out there and give it all you’ve got! Confront the challenges, and move through them, up them, over them. They might sting, but they will grow you into a bigger, better, shinier, more alive version of yourself. “Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman.
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Alison Ramsay is a sassy, sweet-natured, collaborator and love communicator. Leading a movement of earth-shaking wellness-seekers, Alison is the Continental Director for Body Enlightenment in New Zealand and Australia. She is also an Executive Coach, guiding amazing people through extraordinary, life-changing programs on rewilding,homesteading and lifestyle design.
After living with and working for an organic farmer while completing her degree, Alison became passionate about health, sustainability, and personal responsibility. She travelled to New Zealand to spend a year volunteering on organic, biodynamic and permaculture properties all around the country, to get her hands in the dirt and intimately experience our relationship to food and nature. Still settled in a cozy New Zealand based corner of the world, she’s sharing this message with hundreds of thousands of people. Driven by a passion to stick her teeth into life, Alison is doing what she loves and living the life of her dreams. Her mission is to now help create that same opportunity for thousands of other earth-shaking heroines who understand that there is more to life and loving oneself than the pursuit of a size six skirt.
After spending half of her life attempting to solve the mysteries of health, wellness and the universe, after serious study, reams of reading, exploring and adoring, after fumbling her way through, gaining more than a few bumps and bruises, she discovered the power of BEing and looks forward to helping you discover it, too.
Welcome to Body Enlightenment and the adventure of knowing yourself,and loving your life completely.
Find Alison on FaceBook.