Embracing My Journey ~ Living with passion & purpose!

Edwige Gilbert is a life Coach specialized in stress/ management. She is the founder of New Life Directions and author of “The Fresh Start Promise: 28 Days to Total Mind, Body, Spirit Transformation”. For more than 20 years she has worked with individuals and groups, conducting seminars, retreats and lectures around the world.  Her forte is teaching people how to transform stress into strength, clear unwanted habits, and live healthier lives filled with “joie de vivre.”  It is with great pleasure I welcome her to the “Living the Life of My Dreams” interview series.

Twenty five years ago,  I arrived in New York from my native country of France.  For the first time in my life I felt “free”  having left the controlling grasp of my over-protective grandmother who had loved me but somehow managed to convince me that I was absolutely incapable of doing anything at all on my own.

Feeling lost and overwhelmed by a big city in a foreign country, I escaped into bagels, brownies and other comfort food. Not only did I gain 25 pounds and develop serious health issues, but I was continuing to be an emotional eater with no end in sight. I knew I had to find a way to stop this insanity and that is why I went on a journey to find the answer to my problem.

I soon realized that “forcing” change upon myself was the worst approach I could take, and that discovering a safe place within, where I could find emotional balance and peace again, was the best thing I could do for myself. So I researched every self-improvement method I could find, studied every philosophy, practiced every discipline and finally adopted the best and most practical for myself.

All of these discoveries led me to write a book last year entitled “The Fresh Start Promise.”  More important than seeing my book published was the ability to use the methods I had distilled from all that learning to help my clients achieve the same results I had gained from developing “The Fresh Start Promise.” You see, I had finally lost those 25 pounds, lost the insecurities that made me overeat, and lost the fears that had held me back for most of my adult life.  Now I can not only effortlessly maintain my ideal weight but maintain a positive, joyful outlook on life too.

The Fresh Start Program, by the way, consists of specific techniques and strategies which, if followed consistently and consecutively for 28 days, will produce a positive transformation of mind, body and spirit, whether your goal is to lose weight, find a new career, survive a divorce, or simply live a healthier, more confident life filled with joie de vivre (French for Joy of Life).

What keeps you moving forward on the days things were not going exactly the way you were hoping they would? I concentrate on my long-term vision of success. I have distilled the best of techniques, from yoga to meditation to self hypnosis, in my studies.  One of my favorites, which I recommend in my book and seminars, is called the 3C’s which is a meditation that leaves you feeling Calm, Centered and Connected.  Another is the Dexxtra Technique, to clear negative emotions such as anxiety and fears and replace them with empowering declarations such as “I can, I do, I will!! I am happy to be me, and I welcome the day with infinite possibilities”.  These disciplines help me get through the bad days and, based on all the feedback from my readers and clients, they are helping others too.

When encountering challenges I choose to focus on “What am I learning from this situation?” which reinforces my sense of courage and resiliency, instead of focusing on “Why is this happening to me? which only makes me feel victimized and helpless.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who has decided they would like to live in a world of their own creation? Check within your heart before your head and if you consistently hear even the tiniest voice whispering “Go for it”, then it’s a sign to do it.  Also, examine what brings you joy, what will awaken your passions and make you feel alive. Trust yourself to know yourself and what you want as well as what you need.

What special things do you do for yourself daily to maintain your momentum and energy levels? Before getting out of bed, I practice some deep Yoga breathing, and place a smile on my face to prepare the day for infinite possibilities. Once I am up I practice a Chi body massage to circulate and awaken my life force or energy. I then finish my morning ritual with what is known as “spinal cord breathing”, an ancient Chi Gong movement. Last but not least, I place a smile on my face, an ancient Chinese practice  called the “inner smile” to express gratitude and appreciation.

If you could spend 3 days on a deserted island with two people of your choosing, who would they be and why? I would invite two special individuals: the Dalai Lama because of his infinite wisdom and his mastery of emotional balance, particularly his control of anger through his unconditional love and acceptance of all; and Diane Sawyer, because of her inquisitive mind and ability to get to the core of what really matters in an interview.

What is your favorite audio material and what do you enjoy most about this material? I love to use my car as a “mobile university” and add value to commuting time by tuning into great minds such as Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich. This book, which I consider to be the precursor to other books, such as The Law of Attraction and The Secret, is the source of much precious information necessary to become a successful human being.

What is your favorite reading material and what gives it that special place in your heart? Two books changed my life: one was an inspiration, the other a revelation. The inspiration came through the Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo which teaches us to pursue our dream and embrace and overcome the obstacles and challenges along life’s way. The revelation came through “The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”, by Harv Ecker, which showed me, in a “wake up” type-of-call, how my “limiting beliefs”, which were mainly developed in childhood, kept me from embracing success and abundance in my adult life.

Who has inspired you and what is it about them that you found inspirational? Anthony Robbins, who I consider to be a visionary and a dreamer, unafraid to “go for it”, a man with guts, who believes that thoughts can shape up our reality.

What do you see in your future? My goal is to create a Life Coaching Certification based on the Fresh Start Program so that the message from the book might be spread around the world and continue to help more people discover their “Joie de Vivre”.

Where is your favorite place in the world to spend time, what is special to you about this location? My house in West Palm Beach, Florida, where I have been living with my husband John for the past year and a half. You see, I never lived in a house before, and I love my home. I now have space, light, even an indoor Koki fish pond to create peace and a water fountain to create my Spa experience. I am surrounded by tropical vegetation, palm trees and a beautiful Banyan tree with its numerous roots which keep reminding me of the importance of staying grounded into Mother Earth, feeling safe, here and now. After many years of living in NY City feeling boxed in, in tiny places, I am grateful for the joy of experiencing the immensity of the sky with its breath-taking sunrises and sunsets. I also have a pool and being a Pisces, I enjoy daily water aerobics…. We have recently adopted little Pierre (a little white fluff ball of a Maltese) who is a great source of exercise and joy.

Who has been your greatest support system and how have they shown you their support? My supportive husband who encouraged me to take the time to write my book. He always believed in my ideas and in my creative mind. I also have a large network of friends who were there for me on the journey and gave me oxygen, strength and reminded me of the importance of my mission.

What/who are you most thankful for and why? My mother who is close to me now, plus my stepfather and all my stepbrothers and stepsisters…a whole new family. I am grateful to them, and my husband and my many friends who make life beautiful.

What is your favorite way to contribute or give back? I love to give some of my time to Cancer survivors and anyone caught up into the world of addiction.

Please share the top three things you feel people would benefit from doing if they truly desire to create the life of their dreams?

Embrace the power of “I can ” and don’t let anybody stop you from believing in the gifts, abilities and talents you were born with. Take responsibility for your body and health and develop self-control to maintain both.  Keep your life’s vision in sight and in focus at all times.

Anything I missed that you would like to share? Before any vision can be created, always clear your negative emotions, such as worry, fear, anger and sadness so that there is room to create Joie de Vivre!!

What products and services do you offer to assist others on their journey? My book, my CDs and customized CDs based on a client’s desired goals. Also, private one-on-one sessions, in person or by phone.  For groups, I give seminars and host Joie de Vivre Circles.

I encourage everyone reading to visit her website at www.newlifedirections.com and connect with Edwige today!

In gratitude,
Caryn

Caryn FitzGerald is a motivational columnist, speaker and writer, she has been featured in and published several books, including “Tulips in the Sand: A Riley Matthews Mystery.”  Read more from Caryn at her website CarynFitzgerald.com.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 6:00 am and is filed under Living the life of my dreams. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.