Meet Nikki Stern, Holistic Health Coach
This year has been full of incredible blessings for me and my little-company-that-could. At the beginning of 2013, I was tired of being sad and decided one way to flip my focus was to put my whole heart into Compliment. That led me to signing up to take a super-rocking online business class in the early Spring. I was crazy overwhelmed with all the new stuff I was learning, so I posted in our local Facebook group, asking if anyone would want to meet up and work through the materials together. Nikki was the one who responded. We met. We clicked. Insta-friends.
I can't say enough about what a big part Nikki has played in the awesomeness of 2013. In October, we were blessed with a bright and beautiful office space that we share. There is so much creation and love and gratitude that fill this space every day.
Nikki is so full of light and love. She is mindful, honest, compassionate, and generous. She loves to serve others and share joy. I am abundantly blessed to call her a co-worker, a friend, and a kindred spirit. Her holistic approach to wellness combines physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects that lead women to discover more balance and their best lives possible. (I know, right? Awesome. I've already signed up for her Wellness Workshop Series in January-- and get this! You can do it live or streaming online if you don't live in Sacramento! So rad. You can learn more about that here.)
I'm so thrilled to have the opportunity to feature her wisdom here, this month. Thank you, Nikki, for adding so much to my life in the last year.
Melissa from Compliment: Tell us about yourself.
Nikki Stern: My name is Nikki. I'm from Sacramento and am the Proprietress of Nikki Stern - Holistic Health for Happy, Healthy Moms. I'm the mom of Jack. I'm the wife of Dan.
Melissa: Give yourself a compliment.
Nikki: Dear Me: You have persevered, jumped over hurdles, fallen flat on your face (repeatedly) and scaled impossibly high, thick walls to allow yourself to be you, to accept you are not your mistakes, to know it's OK to give and receive love, and that you deserve your life. Keep the faith, you are enough.
Melissa: Give a compliment to a woman in your life who does not know you're being interviewed.
Nikki: I am going to break the rules a little here. Recently I have asked myself "what is motherhood here to teach me?" It's taught me compassion, understanding, unconditional love, pain, rebirth, and forgiveness. I am a product of my mother, her mother, her mother, her mother, my father's mother, her mother, her mother, her mother (you get the idea)…each generation we have an opportunity to heal pain and celebrate the triumphs that came before us. So I want to compliment my mom and the line of mothers I come from. For all of your sacrifices, for your strength to stand up for yourself, to love with all you have, for not being perfect, and for the lessons seen and unseen. These women made me who I am, they give me strength, love, hope, faith, perseverance, compassion and understanding. I wouldn't be me without you.
Melissa: What inspires you?
Nikki: Mothers. Words. Nature. Dreams. Food. Music. Everyone who is scared and does it anyways. Faith.
Melissa: How do you care for your soul?
Nikki: I read. I practice yoga and when I can't (or don't) practice for awhile I start to feel terrible. I also put down my work/computer/phone and go outside as much as possible especially with my family, those are really special moments that remind me of the blessings in my life and in this world. I also try really hard to pay attention. To the lessons being presented, to the way I feel in my body, to what people are saying, to what my toddler is saying and doing, to ordinary moments, to silence and to chaos, to when the universe is telling me to slow down, to find grace in unlikely places, to when I desperately want to escape and when I never want to leave.
Melissa: What three soul-care tips can you provide to readers?
Nikki: You should totally find your thing. See what other people do, try them on. What feels expansive? What feels like your being suffocated? The idea of taking a bath sounds good to me but I'M a hot/fiery body type so I tend to get really hot, uncomfortable and agitated so it doesn't soothe me. Here are a few things that will fit for lots of people.
1.) Remember to be grateful – especially when you don't want to (Boss driving you bonkers? be grateful you have a job and maybe some headphones). Seriously, for all of the great things in your life; family, health, no traffic, a last minute dinner date, a cancellation, ANYTHING – you will attract more of it and you'll feel awesome. I love getting my clients to make a habit of this, so much opens up when you practice gratitude.
2.) Do something nice for yourself on a regular basis and ask for what you need (easier said than done). Take a quiet walk, get a massage (seriously), watch a funny movie, have fresh flowers in your home, buy yourself something pretty for no reason. Schedule it, put it on the calendar, be accountable and do it. You deserve it.
3.) Say no. You do not have to do everything – it's a sure way to end up burnt out, cranky, and creates unhealthy boundaries and habits. Let something go from time to time or say no when your gut is telling you it would rather spend that time elsewhere. That's how you take care of yourself.
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In case you missed it, check out Compliment Soul Care Series Volume 5: Kendra Pearce!
