Navigating Change #LoveYourLife

by Linda Castillo

I am really excited to share this month’s #LoveYourLife feature with Lorraine Ladish the founder and CEO of Viva Fifty! Lorraine went through a difficult time in her life where she had to reinvent herself in order to survive, grow, and make it with her two little girls during the Great Recession. It was an incredibly difficult time when she lost her marriage, her savings and her source of income. She overcame these bleak circumstances to become a well-known digital entrepreneur and author dedicated to inspire women to live a full life and chase their dream.

Enjoy some amazing insight that Lorraine had to share about her journey and where she is now.

Tell me about a point in your life where you were faced with dealing with a difficult major change?

At 45 I suddenly found myself separated, unemployed and on welfare. I was a single mom with two young girls, then 4 and 7. The recession was in full swing and I could not get work in my field as a writer and a journalist. It was not the hardest situation I´ve ever faced, but it was the first I had to deal with as a mother. Plus I was in my mid-forties.

How did you overcome that part of your life?

On looking back sometimes I don´t even know. But we are always stronger than we think we are, and way more resilient. Financially friends and family helped. There was also the help from welfare. That was tough, realizing that I qualified for food stamps. I was declared indigent. But thanks to that I had to do whatever it took to keep myself together, emotionally and mentally stable. I wrote lists of things I was grateful for every single night. I used to be a runner until I injured a hip in a race. So I laced up my shoes and ran. It´s free and it´s a great stress-reliever. I networked in the most unlikely places. And I was able to harness the power of social media. That alone helped me reinvent my writing career and successfully take it online. Now I run my own digital publication, I write for several large outlets and I make a full-time living doing what I love.

What advice would you give to someone who is encountering a situation that leaves them feeling hopeless and helpless?

To do things that make you feel good. Sure, there will be days when you won´t want to get out of bed. I had plenty of those. But take care of you. When you pamper yourself it´s easier to feel better, even if it´s temporarily. Spend time with supportive people Read inspirational literature. Keep a running list of compliments people have paid you over the years. Write down all of your past accomplishments. List your skills. Anything that will help remind you that you are a valuable person. And that you can overcome this challenge.

Yoga is an integral part of your life and well-being. Tell me how yoga has changed your life?

Well, I rediscovered it a year ago almost by accident. It has completely healed a hip injury I sustained at 48 during a half-marathon. At 53 I get out of bed in the morning with no aches and pains. But beyond that, it helps me deal with stress, be more patient, and live more in the now. When something happens that makes me sad, disappointed or sad, I can always count on yoga to realize it´s not as important as I think it is.

I´m discovering that although the physical part of yoga looks and feels pretty cool, pranayama and yoga nidra can be even cooler. If you´ve never tried yin-yoga, I recommend it too. It´s a healthy practice for the body, but especially for the mind and spirit.

Do you have any basic yoga positions that you feel are important to start off with?

I love hip openers like dancer´s pose, mermaid,  pigeon, warrior II. They didn´t feel so good at first, but as I progress I realize that they also help me release emotions. They are pretty powerful, especially when practiced during yin-yoga where you hold poses for several minutes at a time.

What do you do to live a mindful life?

I don´t think I live a mindful life but I aspire to it every day. I try to stay away from multitasking. I am way more efficient when I focus on just one thing at a time. I try to avoid eating while working. Even if it´s just ten minutes, it´s healthier for me to focus on that. I put my phone away during family dinners. I usually go to a studio to practice yoga so I can really get away from it all. If I practice at home and someone knocks on the door, I still have to go see who it is. In the studio I can leave it all behind.

Is there anything else you would like to share with Modern Latina readers?

Don´t waste time comparing yourself to others. Do the work, do your best, be consistent and persistent. Over time, it will pay off. ♦

To learn more about Lorraine Ladish you can follow her blog VivaFifty! and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Linda Castillo is the Founder and Executive Editor of www.ModernLatina.com. She writes on topics that empower and inspire Latinas including art, motherhood, green living, culture, travel, and issues transforming the Latino community. Linda has earned a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Mass Communications from San Jose State University.