Authentic Beauty Spotlight: From Abusive Marriage To Bliss On An Island
~ 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!
Meet Helen Dougherty an Executive Lifestyle Designer for be.
What do you know about the circumstances of your life when you came into the world?
Youngest of 6 children, on a farm in southern Alberta near Nanton, AB.
Do you remember your earliest answers to the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” If so, what was it?
Ballerina
What do you do when you’re in a funk to lift yourself up?
Get outside, go for a walk, listen to my motivational soundtrack, go sit by the ocean
Recall a time when you accomplished 
something you felt proud of. What was it?
Grade 10 math – teacher put up what he thought was a question that would stump us – I was the only one who figured it out. I had to explain it several times because he was so stunned I had figured it out.
I learned to scuba dive when I was 43.
What are the characteristics you most look for in a friend?
Authenticity, humor, alive (loves life and lives it enthusiasm), honesty, honors self and others, truly interested in others.
What would you say are the characteristics your friends admire most about you?
Honesty, sense of humor, love life, live to the fullest, always there for them.
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?
We met online then went for a walk on a beach and talked for hours.
What are three of the things that bring you the most pleasure in your life right now?
Helping others, sunshine, living on an island.
What do you think is one of the biggest things holding you back in life right now?
Myself.
What are you going to do to overcome it?
Doing my purification rundown right now, continue learning, continue to take responsibility for all my actions – past and present, speak up for myself – communicate, communicate, communicate! Honor myself.
What have been the actions and realizations that have most helped you improve your life in the last year?
Doing Dianetics auditing which helped me realize why I act the way I do at times – what beliefs I learned at a very young age that have limited me.
Please share with us one of your dreams-something you hope to be able to achieve in the years to come.
To host retreats in tropical settings to assist others to realize their beauty. My purpose is to assist one woman at a time to love who she is and to honor her beauty, so she can shine her light upon the world, creating a rainbow of change.
What would reaching this goal mean to you?
It would mean I am living on purpose and helping others in the process.
Do you have any self-pampering or personal care practices that really boost you up which you wouldn’t mind sharing with us?
Morning coffee on the deck in the sunshine listening to the birds sing. Going to the beach to listen to the ocean.
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 stuck with myself. My marriage of 20 years had turned violent and I put up with it for 2 more years hoping things would change, that it would get better. It didn’t, so I honored me and decided it was time to get to safety before I couldn’t. [tweet_dis]My uphill journey to find me again began on the day I said no more[/tweet_dis] and 3 ½ years later, the beautiful journey continues.
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?
Della Reese – she went for her dreams when the world told her she couldn’t.
How do you handle overwhelm? The feeling that there’s more to do than you can handle and that you have time to complete?
I break things down into tasks that are manageable. I prioritize what is moving me forward. I get rid of what is not serving me. I declutter.
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?
I would host retreats for women who could not afford to attend otherwise and help them learn to see their true beauty.
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?
Keep your eyes on your dream. It will happen if you stay focused on designing your life, taking full responsibility for where you are in life and taking action every day!
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Helen Dougherty is an Executive Lifestyle Designer in Victoria, BC Canada where she hosts retreats and wellness workshops helping people detoxify their lives and live authentically . You can learn more about her upcoming Create a Life you Love retreat here or like her on FaceBook
Being out in nature is second-nature to Helen. Growing up in the foothills in southern Alberta, she spent many hours with her family exploring nature, looking for wild flowers, birds and whatever wonder nature held. She also spent many hours in the garden, vegetables, fruits and flowers so that their family always had plenty to eat. Having learned at a young age how good home grown vegetables and fruits can taste, Helen strives to keep it simple, wholesome and tasty. As life got busier when she joined the work world, she developed several allergies due to bottling up her stress and not honoring who she is. Helen now lives an authentic life that honors who she is and allows her light to shine while she thoroughly loves the life she has created. She now wants to share her passion with others by assisting one woman at a time to love who she is and to honor her beauty, so she can shine her light upon the world, creating a rainbow of change. Come join the fun and learn how you too can discover your beauty.