Michelle Deutsch
Wife of one and mother of three. Eternal optimist about people and possibility. |
My Why
As a life long learner, I have degrees and certifications....but the most important learning I have participated in has been learning about myself. A diagnosis of anxiety and mild depression in my early 30s opened a gateway to unlocking many self imposed beliefs I had since a child. Determined to "figure myself out," I bought enough self-help books to fill a bookcase, sought counseling, joined a book club of "like-minded" women who shared similar struggles and went back to school. I was very hopeful that I would eventually find the answer - have that a-ha moment that would just change everything. That moment was very elusive in my efforts to find it. So one day, I made a decision. I simply decided that I would just be "that" person - the kind of person who was outgoing and had direction. Be that person who put energy into things they believed important - not only for themselves, but for society. Decisions are great - it's the follow-through that can prove challenging. Being "that" person has been easy in a lot of ways. Just the fact that I was aware of situations and behaviors causing me to stand in the background because someone else might have a better idea reduced a lot of self-imposed jail time. Who did that serve? No one. So, I started doing things, became active in some groups I felt aligned with. Spoke up more, pursued things out of my comfort zone. Over the course of the past 10 years or so, I have had opportunities to coach individuals, to speak to organizations and work with teams in a variety of ways. Things I never thought I would do. Feedback from these activities made me feel honored and fulfilled. At the same time, being "that" person has been very challenging. Almost every time I have an opportunity to share my voice, there are lots of feelings of "who am I to be doing this?" The little voices in the back of my head all pipe up at once ... there are lots of other people who advocate for these same things, who say it better, have more credentials, know more than me ... the list goes on. This is what I challenge myself to push through everyday. Why? Because there are some things that are very important to me ... I want everyone to have their own sense of purpose while here on this earth. Sometimes we are so busy going through the day by day we lose sight of purpose. This is why I enjoy working with people who want to move into a new space of understanding and love for themselves. I like working together to create a space and a path to help people reconnect with themselves. Bringing the teachings of yoga to others has been very fulfilling to share this message. We need to understand ourselves so we can understand how we impact others. Think of a person who has had a great impact on your life. Do you think they set out with the intention to leave that impact? Probably not. All we can do is have the self awareness that what we do - every day in every way has the potential to leave that impact on someone . It is the story of the pebble. What legacy will we leave? This site has changed over time. But it has always been a reflection of ideas and practices I firmly believe will make the world a better place. I am honored and humbled by those who have expressed stories of how I have had some impact on their life, or that a message I shared was meaningful or helpful, or encouraged a change in behavior. This is my "why" Wishing you peace and happiness as you continue to grow awareness of your positive impacts on those around you Peace - Michelle video page |