How long have you been doing what you do, and how did you become an Embodiment & Creativity Coach and a #1 Bestselling Author?
In my junior year of college I studied abroad for a semester in Brazil. It was a dream come true because I was studying how dance was used to build and
heal community. However, I almost didn’t make it out of Brazil alive. I ended up in the intensive care unit, my body shutting down from the beginning toxic shock.
You see, I was literally working myself to death writing my thesis, IN PORTUGUESE. Then, to make matters worse, after I was released from the hospital, and finally finished the thesis, my program director told me, “Shawnrey, why did you write this paper? You should have just danced for your final project.” I was devastated.
At the time I was trying to prove myself, to show that I could be academically rigorous.
I was struggling with trying to fit into the academic system and appear smart. It was ironic that I was writing about the importance of dance, holistic health, and joy, yet, I was completely disconnected from my body and my truth, to the point of almost dying.
Then the bottom fell out from under me. I got more and more insecure and overwhelmed around writing anything longer than a poem.
For years after that, whenever I would write, I just couldn’t finish. I had this fear that I was a bad writer, and that writing meant that I would have to torture myself. So, I would write but never finish anything I started.
Even though I had a book inside of me and a lifelong dream of becoming an author, I couldn’t get myself to do it. I convinced myself I didn’t have enough “discipline”. That I didn’t have what it takes to be an author.
Which meant I couldn’t get my message out into the world and really give people the healing they needed around their bodies. I was limited to the people I could reach during my live workshops, and to those who were bold enough to participate. This meant that my message didn’t have the impact I
knew it could, and I was missing out on money, and being the leader I knew I was deep down.
As you can imagine, my confidence and sense of self were in shatters, but I wasn't ready to give up on my dream of becoming an author and being joyful, nourished, and successful...
Then I discovered something amazing!
My areas of expertise, Sensual Intelligence™ and embodiment, which I had been teaching for years, was the very medicine I needed in order to write my book.
At that point, everything changed!
I discovered how to:
- Write from my body and my heart (instead of my head). I had been programmed to think that I had to force myself to be productive. Instead, I learned to EMBODY my message and write from there.
- Nourish my creativity and pleasure in writing. I didn’t have to sacrifice my health and pleasure for the sake of productivity.
- Unlock focus, clarity, and consistency. These didn’t come from an external, forced structure outside of me. I discovered that when I connected to the wisdom of my body and my heart, the structure, clarity, and consistency came naturally.
Because I decided to write in an embodied, sensually intelligent, I was able to:
- Write my book and become the author I have always dreamed of becoming.
- Gain credibility in my field. I am considered an expert, have been invited to podcasts, and more. All because I am an author of a well-written book.
- Powerfully reach people I have never been able to reach (like corporate clients), and leave a lasting legacy. This meant that I could be transforming lives from anywhere in the world and people could take my teaching with them to their room and easily share it with others.
Now I'm living my dream of being an author and living from a place of joy and nourishment, as a pathway to success. I never have to worry about working myself to death ever again.