Michaela:
You seriously think the coolest part about this podcast has been getting to interview and work with some people that I've followed on Instagram for years or have come to know personally through social media or other resources and getting to spend some time on the phone with aerial ship. My guest for today was like just so freaking awesome. She has gotta be one of the coolest chicks and um, she is just killing it on the BU. Find happy front. If you have not seen her Instagram, check the link in this podcast. Her mind is so much more than I even see on Instagram and it's all shared in this podcast and I hope that you love our talk as much as I did.
So thank you for being willing to come on this podcast. So I, I actually was trying to think, um, about how long I've been following you cause I feel like I know you, even though I don't know, you have social media, you know, I love that. And so I think you were, I think you were like celebrating, you were creeping up on celebrating 10,000 when I was, it's been like maybe, what is that like two and a half years? Probably think so. And, and now you're about to celebrate like a hundred thousand crazy. I know. That's so wild. I never would have imagined. And I'm so, I'm just so proud to have seen your journey too. And just to be a part of it. It's just been exciting.
Michaela:
Well thanks. So I thought we could start by talking a little, a bit of that table or how do you pronounce that? Tabor? Yes. Little lady. And you just rescued her?
Arielle:
Yep. We've had her about six months now. And is she like part border Collie or part Ozzy or she's, she's a mini Ozzy, so her, her background is, she was rescued from a puppy mill, so they were like breeding many Ozzies and a couple of other breeds there. Um, but basically like the first six months of her life, um, from what we understand, she had little to no socialization, just like in a crate with her litter mates. Um, so, but yeah, she's a, she's a mini Ozzy. I doubt she's like pure bread or anything like that. But she's really cute. Her ears are freaking adorable. Like I love her ears but with full-size ears.
Michaela:
Right. That's exactly what she looks like. So we have a mini Aussie in our extended family and we have a mixed Ozzie who's like 90 pounds in our extended family. And then we have an Ozzie as well who's 10 months old. So cute. Yes. And there's so many similarities. Like, um, Mars is Walter and hit his love of food is like unmatchable I know she doesn't understand affection yet. Um, I mean she likes affection from, from my boyfriend and myself, but like from other people, I'm like they go to pet her and she kinda like shies away and I'm like, let me just give you some food because that's a language she understands and you just put a post up about a really cool like custom puppy food, like custom dog food. Yeah. I started working with this company called Puppo a little while ago.
Arielle:
Um, and taper has been loving it, but they, yeah, they like custom make the dog food for whatever breed you have, you know, whatever their like sizes and their activity level and they have, you know, dietary restrictions and things like that. Like, I don't want to feed Taber like grains, but no, it's not like the best for dogs. So we did grain-free corn free for her, which is cool. I, I need to try that because Walter is such a stark, like he will literally, he is not afraid to take a risk. And like I have a two year old's hand.
Michaela:
It's been a tough puppy, so it's okay. And all of this energy. But what about when he's older? You know, I'm afraid he's gonna gain a lot of weight. He'll be so cute though. Like a rolly poli. Could you imagine like a, like a chunky Ozzie? Oh my goodness. I would totally fail. I don't know if I've ever seen one. It would definitely be a fail. Yeah, for sure. But also I love that her eyes match your eyes. You get a lot of comments on this, right about your eyes. I'm sure you must because there's just like ocean blue things. Yeah, I definitely, definitely get a few here and there. You know, I always joke, I'm like, I can't see them. So, but I do, I do feel like there's such insight to the soul, you know, and, um, and so to have her have the same kind of, I don't know, she just, I see like you guys twin in your eyes.
Arielle:
It's beautiful. Well thanks. Yeah, she's definitely like, she's definitely a, um, a soulmate puppy for sure. So there have been so many things in recent posts that I was like, Oh my gosh, I want to talk to her about that. Oh my gosh. I want to talk to her about that. Like I would just wish, and you were recently in Tahoe and I'm, um, so I'm in, in the Placerville kind of area, so I'm real close to Tahoe. And I was like, Oh, that would've been so cool to connect and like go for a hike or something. Well, I'll be going actually going, I'll be in Sacramento, um, for a little conference thing this coming weekend. And then, um, but I won't really have a lot of time on that trip, but I'm coming back at the end of may to do a training with one of my teachers in Reno. And I was going to spend a little time in Tahoe so I will be back. Oh well we should totally connect cause I'm sure I could keep up with you on a high, but you would leave me in your snow dust. Right. Winter's over. I'm ready for the next chapter.
Michaela:
I was like, I'd be like, bye. See at the bottom, I'll just be here writing down on my butt. I'm very, I'm pretty patient. So you know, my brother in law is really into, he lives in Reno. Um, he actually works for Patagonia and he's really big into um, like they go, they like snow shoe up the mountain and then they board down like total off-roading, you know, go fun. Yeah. I have a split board too. I don't get out on it too much though to be honest. Yes. Split board. That's what they called it. Yes. I, my my mind has a hard time even picturing how that would work. And they literally saw the snowboard and half, I'm not sure it's like with a laser, but they like saw it in half and then you switched the side. So like the side that would normally be the outside is the inside and you put skins on the bottom, which basically like allow you to grip one direction and slide the other. It's kind of like if there was carpet that was only groomed one way. Wow. And then you can like walk up the snow and then you then you like clip it all together to ride on it like a snowboard. Wow. I'm pretty sure this would be a mass travesty for me and I would be helicoptered out.
I'm pretty outdoorsy girl, but when it comes to the snow, I just, Oh my gosh. My last experience, we were snowing do night trip at uh, well not my last, but my last bad one. We were doing nights snowboarding at boreal in, uh, near Tahoe and I literally wound up halfway down the mountain with my head like a foot and a half deep in the snow. And they had like bring the sled thing.
Arielle:
Funny. I used to, I don't know if you know this, I lived in Tahoe for like six years, so I rode boreal all the time actually when I was like my sophomore year. No way.
Michaela:
Yeah. So I think you're probably a little bit younger than me, but we were probably on the mountain at about the same time at some point. I love that. How awesome. Yeah. So speaking of outdoors, that's, that's um, that's really like your, your gig. That's, that's kinda what you're, you're doing on social media. How did you, how did you find this space? Did you, um, where did you grow up? Tell me about that. How did you come to, to be so outdoors?
Arielle:
Well, you know, it's funny, I grew up in, I grew up in Aspen, Colorado. Um, but I wasn't, I wouldn't call myself outdoorsy when I was growing up here I was, I was a competitive snowboarder. Um, and that's really all I cared about was snowboarding and honestly partying at the time. That was the two cultures. And then I went to college, um, for snowboarding, I went to school on a snowboard scholarship, actually in Tahoe. And, um, there's a small private school in incline village called Sierra Nevada college, super tiny. Um, but yeah, so I went there for school and just through, you know, all the friends I made there and things like that. I started, uh, you know, I found climbing and I found backpacking and all these other activities. And when, um, you know, when I got my, like my junior year of college, I got my like third real can come in and I hurt my back and I just had had so many injuries from snowboarding and I was, I was doing okay, but I wasn't like, you know, I wasn't going to be the next, you know, gold medalist, you know, that that wasn't in the cards.
Arielle:
And so when I made that transition out of snowboarding, which was like this huge loss of identity, honestly, I feel like, you know, you invest so much of yourself into these activities, especially when you're competing at such an elite level. And then when it's done or you decide it's over, you like don't know who you are. And so I was totally lost for a while and it was these other activities, um, kind of came into to fill the space a little bit and made me realize that I didn't have to be necessarily identified with any one thing. Like I could be more than just aerial the snowboarder and I could just enjoy the things that I enjoy and not have to be like, you know, like any sort of specific thing. I could just enjoy all the outdoor activities. And so that's really where they became the forefront of what I wanted to do with my time is when I quit snowboarding competitively.
Michaela:
So, so much thoughts coming to mind on what you said. And the first thing is that, yeah, what a big loss. And you hear this a lot in all different ways. Um, you know, even if it's just like you're a full time career person and then you become a stay at home mom or, or whatever. And, and I wonder about, um, a little bit about the pressure that we put on ourselves and, um, and then when we have a loss, that sense of identity, how do we bounce back from that? And I think you are such a prime example in so many ways of um, of taking kind of what's been put in front of you in life and, and turning it into, you know, some speakers like lemons to lemonade, so to speak. And you really nail that. And I think that's been such an inspiration for me to see. And I, I'd love for you to share how you do that, how you reset and how you kind of just keep on chugging, so to speak.
Arielle:
Well, it's definitely not been a straight line there. Um, you know, I think it's really easy to fall back into habits and patterns and you know, coming from such an athletic background, I definitely have this personality where I, I take things on and it's not like, Oh, I'm just gonna do this for fun. I like tend to be like, okay, I'm going to go all the way with things. And so to continually check myself, um, and check my priorities and check my intentions. And if I'm being honest, I think the thing that's made the biggest difference in my life is just, you know, how, how yoga has been there for me and really like getting a solid meditation practice because I think so much of the time we are, we're so busy and we're, our minds are just so clouded with all the things shuffling around that if we, if we actually gave herself space, we could see the layers of what we're going through and really, you know, give more words to the things we're experiencing, like the fact that you're identified with any sort of thing.
Arielle:
Um, and so meditation, it gives you that opportunity to be like, Oh wow, I'm noticing myself, get, you know, caught up on that hamster wheel or get, you know, in that, you know, obsessive role where I, I just want to take it all the way. And it's been something that I've come back to time and time again to check in with myself and really start to, to learn. And it's not that, you know, you meditate and all of a sudden you don't have reactions. Right? But you meditate though and you're like, Oh wow, I see myself in reaction. And then you have this ability to shift because, you know, we don't really have control always over that initial reaction or what we do in any given moment. But we do have, once we have awareness of the moment, the ability to make another choice. And so I really feel like yoga and meditation just played such an instrumental role in that transition
Michaela:
and that is just, it's so, so beautiful and so apropos and so accurate. And, um, I love, one of the things that I love about mindfulness, meditation, et cetera, is that I really feel like it's starting to come to the forefront and not be like a hippie, weird thing that only weirdos do. Right. Um, for me, I've been, I've been preaching this to clients for like, cause I, I'm a psychotherapist. Um, so I've been preaching this to clients for like years and they look at me like I was from like fell from the moon, you know, like you want me to do what sit where and what? Um, and there's so many great tools anymore for, you know, like apps and stuff like that that people can get into. But I know for me, same thing when I'm just really stuck in, um, and I, and I have a pretty solid meditation practice myself every morning for a minimum of five minutes. Sometimes I run late and then we're late to school and the whole day is kind of shattered. But it, um, it really helps me connect with my, I feel like my inner soul purpose and when I'm feeling like lost, I can kind of go to that space and know energetically I'm so much more than any one thing, like just, you know, on a universal level and, and really find stuff that, um, that I've been seeking the answers to in the space of silence is so powerful.
Arielle:
Yeah. I, I 100% agree. And I think that one of the reasons that people are so weary of it is, you know, one, they think it's a waste of time, but two, they sit there and they think, one, they're not doing it right or that it's supposed to feel good and amazing. And I'm like, there are so many times that I sit down on that cushion and I'm like, you know, it's just chaos. It's like up there. Yeah. And so I think that I think a lot of, a lot of it for people out there is breaking, breaking that illusion. You know, I, I've been teaching these like intro to meditation or beginner meditation workshops at festivals. Um, and it's crazy, you know, when I asked the question, how many people raise their hand and just say that they feel like they're doing it wrong or you know, they feel like they're bad at it and things like that. And it's a huge deterrent from them moving forward with that practice.
Michaela:
Oh, absolutely. And I love what you said about just kind of the noise we've filled our daily lives with so much that we don't really have that time or space to connect unless we can
Arielle:
create it. I think. Yeah. And I think that it's, you know, we, we have the capacity to respond in so much more responsible ways if we can create space for herself to feel it. But I think most of us, you know, myself included, even with the meditation practice, we're just reacting to life instead of really getting a chance to interact with it. You know,
Michaela:
it's just absolutely, I haven't heard it put that way. And I love that that is so true. Um, to interact with life. That's just gorgeous. And I really think that you do that probably a lot when you're out in nature because, and I know that you do have your phone sometimes and stories and stuff, but even the other day you said like, I'm going to shut down and I'm not going to share a story with you in the moment. And I'm just going to be present in my, in my experience in my life right now in this minute. And, and what
Arielle:
was that like for you? You went off for like a weekend, right? You reset. Yeah. You know, I do it periodically here and there. Um, I think it's really good. Good for the soul to take some, some time off from it. It's definitely been an interesting transition. Um, you know, for me, when I first started growing on social media, I had no intention of growing. Like that wasn't a goal of mine. I just was out doing cool things. I had a GoPro and I just, you know, the first 40,000 followers that I gained on Instagram were all just GoPro selfies. You know, I didn't want to, didn't want to have to ask somebody to take a photo of me or whatever. And so I would run out into nature and I would like hit the button so that it takes a photo every half second.
Arielle:
And I would just spin around in circles laughing at myself if I felt stupid. And then I, I wouldn't look at the photos. I wouldn't do anything with them until I got home. And so that experience, you know, out in nature, yeah it took, you know, a minute or two to take some photos. But really I was just out there in nature. There isn't cell phone service or anything and there wasn't stories or I or I wasn't doing them at the time. So it's definitely been interesting to see how um, as kind of the demands of social media have shifted, how it, it's quite a bit more challenging to create that space. Um, but just as important, you know, well, and you, so you've really built up a business from this too with your dream life revolution and things like that. And I think there probably is a certain expectation for you to be, um, posting weekly or doing something like that.
Arielle:
And I, I can only imagine how hard it must be to balance for you, like, um, being, you know, in your real life, but then also this part that you are inspiring other people and you are building a brand this way. Yeah. I mean, the thing that's nice is I do find what I'm doing meaningful and I, you know, like it's not that someone can be inspiring and motivational every single day, but when I am processing something and I, you know, take the time to write it out and post about it, you know, the comments that I get back from people about, you know, how, how hearing those insights or just hearing my process made them feel less alone or gave them tools to process whatever they're going through that makes it feel all worth it. It makes it really, really meaningful. So I think that a lot of it is just taking the perspective on it, which is not always easy.
Arielle:
Sometimes you're like, Oh, frustrated or whatever, know if I really can give space, um, I can, I can really appreciate and be grateful that I have this opportunity to hopefully help and impact people in a positive way. So, you know, it does, it does take some perspective shifting sometimes. I'm laughing about your, um, about what you said, how you put the GoPro on like the speed mode and just spit her out. Literally like last weekend I was at the beach and I put the, put it on speed mode, hit the timer button. It was like running and jumping, like frolicking. And I'm like, what am I doing? Like I can,
Michaela:
you know, but then at the same time I'm having fun and I love photography. So it's, for me it's just, I don't go anywhere without my camera because I feel like my memory works in imagery. So I'm all, I always have the camera in front of people, you know? And I, I sometimes wonder like, am I bugging people? And then when I'm doing my own timer photos, I'm like, Oh, this is really lame. Well, you know, I think people are always, sometimes people are are like, Oh, like, you know, don't have the camera. But everyone's always grateful for the photos. Later I lit, I literally just said this, my brother in law was like, how are you gonna put that thing away? And then, and then like when we got home, he's like, Hey, did you get any snaps of us clamming? Could I have him?
Michaela:
I'm like, see, this is why, you know, later everybody wants them. They want to look back on them and feminists and yeah, that's so true. So you, so you said something, um, a little bit ago about perfectionism and it's down, um, cause one of those posts that you're talking about where you kind of opened your heart a little bit, really spoke to me and it was about not being good enough. I think you were in a hot spring or something like that. And, um, you ha you were going to a conference, a social media type conference or something and you really had that pressure or that feeling of like, am I, am I supposed to be here? Am I allowed to be here? Am I good enough for this?
Arielle:
Yeah. So that was that. I was, um, was that it? I don't really love the word influence. I really prefer like content creator or whatever, but I feel like that's the term that's being used now. So it was, uh, an influencer trip actually in Tahoe. Um, that photo wasn't, wasn't from that trip, but, um, but yeah, I got there. I just, they had about 20 of us and you know, some really, really amazingly talented photographers and, you know, just hearing people's conversation and, you know, they're talking about how they're editing things, what they're using, their camera equipment. And I'm like, man, you know, I really felt, um, you know, I felt like that space of like, am I, am I, do I deserve to be here? I'm like, shoot, every time I go pro, I don't have a professional camera. I don't know how to use Lightroom.
Arielle:
I am learning. But what it was at first, I really like kind of made myself feel really, really small. And I had to, I had to kind of reflect inward. Luckily we had a little time and I sat down to meditate, go figure, uh, realize that how lucky I was to be in that room of all those creators and that I did deserve to be there or else I wouldn't have been invited and that we all have a different flavor. And, you know, maybe I'm not going to get the most beautiful aerial drone shot, but being able to get some very cool lifestyle shot, um, with some, you know, my own personality and flavor and, and so I really just took that whole weekend and I was learning as much as I can and I've, I've actually started to implement some of the new things that I'm learning and it just, it feels fun to be in that space of, you know, like students, you know, so often you get proficient at things and we, we stopped being that we get out of the student mindset, you know?
Arielle:
And I think it's just really empowering to always be in that beginner mindset and always feel like you can just continue to learn and grow. Absolutely. I think continual learning is so important. Um, you mentioned, you mentioned too though, um, you know, that sense of kind of comparing, but one of, one of the things that I've found most inspirational about you is the fact that you are being, you, you're doing you and um, and you're just putting yourself out there exactly as you are. And the fact that you weren't using Lightroom to edit your photos and still built that follower base. How, but there are people that probably look at your profile and, and even compare themselves to you. You know, like, Oh man, I'm not, I'm not getting those kind of images. How do you think, how do you think social media has kind of changed the way we compare ourselves to others and how can we shift our mindset to, to be in that space that you described of?
Arielle:
Yeah, I, I, I am deserving and I have a gift that I bring this unique, even though it may not look like someone else's. I think a lot of it has to do with our intentions. You know, I think a lot of people are out there creating and maybe their, their superficial intention of it is just to grow their page, to get a following or whatever it is. And I think if we can start to shift our perspective to either like have fun or to impact the world in a positive way or something like that. And, and really shift the way, the reason why we're doing these things. Because I think a lot of times, you know, even myself included, I get, we all get lost in it, but I think a lot of times people are out there creating because they feel like they have to, to keep up to be popular or be whatever it is.
Arielle:
Um, and when that is your intention and the, there's, there's always gonna be somebody who's, who's better at it. You know, there's always gonna be someone who's further down the road. So I think if we can just all shift our intention towards, you know, I just like for me, I really try to just, my intention really, truly is to help inspire people to live their most abundant and radiant life. You know, that dream life revolution, but in a real way where there's not spiritual bypass where we're not pretending everything is perfect and we don't have challenges, you know? So I try to share the full spectrum of experience and when I stay in that intention, there's no compared contrasts because there's nothing to compare and contrast that to. And I think, you know, for a lot of people, if they can drop into a space of really checking in with themselves about why they're out there, putting themselves out there in the world and, and creating an attention that has that positive spin, then the compare and contrast came and can start to fall away. That's so, that's so beautiful. And I, and I like the idea that, um, when you're coming from an authentic place of your true intention, then you're
Michaela:
just living as you believe your life is meant to be going without worrying about the external influences that are around you. Um, it's funny that we're talking about this cause, so today, so, uh, last week or two weeks ago, I interviewed, um, Seth Birch for my podcast and then she left for a robot to go on to go lead a retreat with you girl. And then yoga girl had her on her podcast and I was like, there's this party that was already judging myself. And the way that I'm a perfectionist too. And there was a part of me that was already like, Oh, I hope I honored staff. I hope the podcast was good enough quality. You know, I hope I asked the right questions and then yoga girls having her on and I'm like, Oh God, there's just this part of me that felt that sinking like, Oh, maybe I'm not good enough kind of thing. And I and I really have to work to, um, to push that out and come from a space of, like you said, like, no, I authentically, um, I authentically feel in my heart that I'm supposed to be here. Podcasting. I have no idea why it was my friend's idea to even start this, but I just keep getting these messages that you're, this is what you're supposed to be doing right now. You do. You, you know,
Speaker 4:
[inaudible] [inaudible]
Michaela:
a hundred percent. And you know, if she, if she didn't want to say yes to being on the podcast, she wouldn't have, you know, if she didn't think it was worth her time or whatever. So I think in that way too of like, you know, in that same way of like, I was invited on that trip, you know what I mean? You, she was excited to be on your podcast, you know, allowing yourself to acknowledge that that deserving aspect and quality.
Michaela:
That's so true. It's just so true. Um, and this is, this is some of the stuff that I just love about you. Like I feel like I like I've known you forever and we hit just chat about these things all day. And, um, and that's the part I really love about social media. There's a lot of it, um, that, you know, like you said, you go on these like breaks from it and stuff. There's a lot that I struggle with too in the way of what to share. How do you decide, um, you know, knowing that there are people that are going to judge you or that are going to think they know you when they don't, how do you decide what to share? How do you, how do you go about that?
Michaela:
Oh man, I don't know if I actually have a process for it. I definitely think that, you know, I as ironic as it sounds, the more vulnerable stuff that I think most people would be more away from sharing seems to be more, more well-received than anything else. You know, it's like those places where you show your vulnerability, you show the, you know, the cracks that you have in your confidence or your process. Um, people tend to really relate to that, you know, way more than, um, when I'm just like, Oh, here's me doing something nice.
Michaela:
Right. Why do you think that is? What, why is that?
Speaker 5:
Mmm.
Michaela:
You know, I think people feel seen, they feel seen, they feel heard. They, because I think so much of it, we w we live our lives in a vacuum, especially our negative emotions. Like, you know, it's not super cool. It's, I think it's shifting, but it's not culturally normal to share what you're going through when it's a negative thing. And especially like, you know, in the yoga community, there's this, like, everything needs to be perfect all the time, which is this great illusion. Um, and it's not true. And so I think people feel they feel flawed or they feel broken or they feel, you know, like they're not good enough if they're having negative emotions. So when they see somebody who they perceive as successful or you know, living a life they wish they had and they see and hear that they also go through the same things, I think it just, it allows them to feel like they're not alone.
Michaela:
So true. I was just talking, um, actually we just had this on another podcast that like happiness is a constant reset. Like the reality is, stuff's going to happen in life. There's going to be things that are thrown in your, in your face that are not your favorite. And, um, and I know you've talked a little bit, you shared a little bit about like your dad's passing and kind of the rough time that you went through there, you know, with that. And, um, and I think it's, it's beautiful that you aren't afraid to say like, I've had things that, that haven't been easiest, that it always hasn't been the dream life or, or my dream life is continually resetting. What I see to be my dream or what I want for my life.
Michaela:
Yeah. I mean I think that the, just the moral of it is that it's not like you do all the things and then all of a sudden you're there and then it's, you're just, life is perfect. I think that it's just that reminder that no matter where you are, you're, you're continuing to grow and, um, whether you like it or not, life will challenge you and, and, and we'll ask you to rise up, rise up to that occasion. Um, and so I think that, you know, if we can be more transparent, I mean it's not that we need to be like negative all the time, but if we can be more transparent about, um, about our life being a full spectrum of experiences, then I think it just gives us a lot more freedom to evolve without, um, that comparison and that contrast of like, Oh man, like their life is perfect and my life is not, or whatever it might be.
Michaela:
Oh, that's, it's so segway. It's all perfectly, it just ties in. It all really is kind of the same concept of life, which is be you find happy. Um, so, so the question I would have since we're talking on that is what is your BU find happy? What does that mean to you? Like how does that look for you?
Michaela:
Um, I think it's ever evolving and maybe that's what it is. I feel like, you know, it seems in, in the past, you know, 10 years or so that, um, I feel my, my brightest self or I feel my fullest self when I am continuing to grow and evolve and challenge myself. And I don't want that to come off as like I'm not having contentment or not having gratitude because they're definitely, you know, there has to be, has to be steeped in gratitude and it has to come from a place of, of, of contentment, not complacency. You've got contentment. You know, I do really feel like, um, I feel stagnation if I'm not challenging myself. And sometimes that sucks man, because it doesn't always, it's not a fun experience to, you know, like I was last year, I've been doing a lot more public speaking and man to deal with all of those emotions that come up when you're about to public speak or you know, whatever it might be like, that's not fun at all. Right. It definitely feels like if I don't, if I don't continue to put myself in the way of those, that discomfort, then, then I'm not growing. And that feels like stagnation. The end.
Michaela:
It's funny that you say that because I listened to a podcast recently on failure and I've, I feel this wholeheartedly that the best success has come from multiple failures. You know, from continually trying to explore different things and, and go down that rabbit hole and go, Nope, that's not right.
Michaela:
No, it's, it's so true. And I think, you know, so many people, you know, they see someone further along the road and they think like, Oh wow, like that just happened. But most likely what they don't see is all of the things that happened along the way. I had it. I had a friend once and she had said to me like, you know, Ariel, you're just like so good at a lot of things. And I was like, but what you don't see is all of the hours I spent in my bedroom, you know, slaving over this or all of, you know, all of the time, you know, like that's the part you don't see. But it didn't, it, it happens. You know, there were the 10,000 hours put in, um, to get me to where I am today. And I think that that's with social media, especially, people are seeing the, um, the end result of a whole bunch of failures,
Michaela:
right? And, but that doesn't necessarily look like that. And then when you share some of that backstory of vulnerability, and then they're like, okay, I don't have to compare myself 100 years, um, 100% because I'm earlier on in my process and I'm still kind of figuring it out. And I even think it was Rachel Hollis who she, you know, she wrote girl wash your face. And she said in her second book that I had six books before this bestseller. Nobody sees that. Nobody knows about those.
Michaela:
Yeah, she's amazing. I've, I've, uh, I really like audio books. It's kind of like podcasts, podcasts, audio book type things. So I listened to that girl wash your Facebook probably like two or three times because
Michaela:
I think that's so funny. Right? I know that's such a golden nugget. He keeps it super right.
Michaela:
Real. Like she's able to talk about all of the kind of like woo woo out there concepts and just like keep it totally real.
Michaela:
Right. And her audience too. Um, you know, her primary audience being very Christian based and then being able to talk about Metta meditation and mindfulness, that's a beautiful blend and that those things can be synergistic is a really impressive to me. Um, but my sister in law just listened to her, her book on T or the audio book and she said she loved it cause it was actually her reading her. So it was like she was just talking to you and that's really cool.
Michaela:
Yeah. That's my favorite. When, when the authors read their own books, because you can hear like you're just here. Their personality is
Michaela:
they read it. Yeah, that's, I got to remember that next time I publish a book, I always hire somebody to do my audio books. But I got to remember that it's a good idea. I'm really into it. I would love to hear that. So I wrote my memoir disaster quite a few years ago, 10 years ago. It just got five stars in the San Francisco book awards and stuff, and it has an audio book. And I've had people say like, why didn't you do it? And I'm like, gosh, it just seems weird. Like I'd be embarrassed. You know, I need to figure out how to get over myself. Well then maybe this, some of the things from this conversation right now, that's what I'm thinking. I'm like, wow, there's so much more energetically to these podcasts that I do. I walk away with so much from them. It's incredible. Um, so on that note, your platform has been expanding tremendously. How are you balancing, you know, like you said, doing a meditation, guided meditations and talks and tell me about dream life and the flora retreat. Is that it? Um, so I'm teaching,
Michaela:
I'm co-teaching a yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. At the end of the year, it will be a 200 hour yoga Alliance, a yoga teacher training OB, a month immersion wow. Jungle at the flow retreat center, which is, I was just down in UE to teaching at envision festival in February. And it's an area and it's just so magical. So it's going to be a really, really incredible event and time. And you know, it's good for people who obviously want to become teachers. We will give you the skills for that, but also people who want to really deepen their practice and their understanding of yoga. Um, and just to challenge themselves because I feel like even if you don't plan on teaching, learning how to teach and learning how to speak in front of others is, um, it's a, it's a really powerful tool that serves in so many other aspects of your life. So that will be a really amazing training. Um, teaching at a couple of festivals this summer in Colorado. Um, the Telluride yoga festival and then yoga on the mountain here
Arielle:
in Snowmass, which is where I live. Um, so, you know, the balance balances, it's relative, right? Some weeks are low key, some weeks are crazy. I do travel a lot, but, um, I do have, I hired an assistant and that's helped a lot because, you know, she can help me with the things that aren't my favorite. Right. It's so important to have people in your pod that, that you can like delegate to. I think that's so important. Yeah. 100%. And just realizing that you don't have to do it all. Um, and I think a lot of people think they have to be at a certain level of success before they ask for help. And, um, I feel very grateful that I've worked with some amazing coaches and mentors over the last couple of years who were like, no, no, get the help before you know, before that.
Arielle:
And you'll be able to expand that much further. And, um, I've been really grateful for that advice because I definitely don't think I would have made that choice as early as I did burn out. Yeah. I, I've, I hired a housekeeper and I think that's like one of my favorite things I've ever done. And at first I was like, I want to clean my own home. Nobody's going to clean it as good as me. And I'm like, yay, she's going to be here on Tuesday. It was like, Oh, and that sounds like such a simple thing. Like I know a ton of people have housekeepers, but, um, I think anywhere that you can relieve the burden so that you can do more of what you want to do and spend your time where it's best spent is so powerful. Yeah. And when you are, you know, bringing other people into your life to help you, you're giving back in that way too.
Arielle:
You know, they're, they're getting more, they're getting work, they're getting the ability to create income for their family and follow their dreams and things like that. So, you know, it's really, it's really full circle. And I think sometimes we think getting help is selfish, but in reality it's, it's, I think it's, it's more selfless because we get to, you know, put money into other people's pockets, you know, help them out, grow their, their wealth and their career. And then also when we have, when we're not so overwhelmed, you know, we can, we can give so much more of our attention and our presence to people and our energy because if we're running depleted all the time, we just don't have any energy left to give. I love that. And, and I think that, um, like the controlling personalities tend to be like, Nope, nobody can do it better than me.
Arielle:
Nobody could do it as good as I can. And then when you realize like actually other people offer a lot of creative input to the process and, um, relieve your space to be able to spend being more creative and less than the nitty gritty and things like that, it's, it's incredible what can grow from, from like reaching out. And I think that we used to back in the day have, you know, it took a village. Um, and, and I don't know, somewhere along the way we like shifted and decided that we to be, to be a strong woman or to be a strong entrepreneur, we have to do it all on our own. I don't know where that came from. Yeah. That's going to be the death of us, I think. Right.
Michaela:
Drive ourselves into the ground. So it's, um, I know you went to Costa Rica and did the envision thing. And it's funny cause Costa Rica, I've been hearing so much about it lately and I went when I was in college, um, and had a beautiful time, but I just don't think I was in the mind space that I'm in now in life. And I think if I were to go back, it would be such a different experience. So talk to me about envision. What, what was that like for you doctor? Oh, I mean, it's such a beautiful, um, such a beautiful festival. Um, it's, you know, in the jungle, it's near the beach. It's really cool because there's something for everyone. Um, you know, I think I said earlier in the podcast, I used to be, you know, a big time partier that was really a big part of the snowboard culture.
Michaela:
And when I quit snowboarding and fell more into yoga, um, I kind of fell off the or started to slowly step out of that party scene. But it's a really weird and awkward transition to go from, you know, having that crutch of, of alcohol at the time and then, then, you know, maybe being sober athletes is where people, so there was a, um, this was my first time, obviously I was teaching at the festival. So I, you know, I had a role, a role in the, in the festival outside of just an attendee, but it was my first time attending a space is like completely sober, like a festival like that where you know, where the, it's there's music all night long, you know, until seven in the morning. Wow. What I loved is, yeah, there were people there having like, you know, the party time of their life, but there were also a bunch of people who came just for the yoga or people came just for the permaculture, you know, like there was something everyone, and I thought that that was really special, that that such a sacred container could be held, um, that no matter where you were in your journey, um, and what was resonating with you that you could find, uh, find a home there and feel at home there.
Michaela:
So it was a really, really, I just thought beautiful festival. All the, all of the yoga teachers that they brought in were exceptional. Um, the food was exceptional. The fact that there was not any single use anything was incredible to me. Literally, you get a voucher, you can buy a voucher for $3 in. This allows you to like trade in a cup when you get a smoothie and then you give it back and get a voucher. And then when you go get a salad, you get a plate. And so literally, wow. No. Like I was like, wow, there's no garbage cans anywhere. And then I realized they didn't need it. All they needed was compost because they weren't generating trash. That is incredible. And that festival is pretty large. So I imagine the output of waste would have been huge if they didn't do that. That is amazing. I love to see people who are actually walking what they're saying. You know, they're walking, they're walking the talk, so to speak. Well, and what's so crazy is even though it was, you know, obviously it's, it's more work than just buying a bunch of plastic stuff. It really wasn't that crazy. A hard of a solution, you know? And it just, I think it makes you of like, wow,
Arielle:
you know, we, we could, we could be probably doing a lot more than we are. Yes, we have chickens and um, and so right now we have none. Thanks to Walter. That's like a whole podcast. But, um, and so we haven't had them for a month and I'm picking up the new chickens on the 10th because I couldn't do the baby babies. I had to get them a little older because emotionally I'm just so like upset still. And one of the things I've noticed is like how much leftovers we have. So in the past I would give leftovers to the chickens, um, or if my husband bought a package of sunflower seeds and then didn't eat them and they got stale, we would give those to the chickens and they love them. They're grubbing on them. And now I'm like, what am I going to do with these extra sunflower seeds?
Arielle:
So I love that idea. That little tiny things can make such a great impact, you know? Yeah. 100%. I think it's, it just showed me that, um, we, we can, we overcomplicated in her head, but that there, there are some really simple solutions that can make a huge impact and huge difference. So true. So I know that we don't have a lot of time left in. The last thing that I kind of wanted to chat with you about, um, is you posted about being a diamond and having all of these multi, you know, all these different sides to you. And I, I thought that analogy was positively gorgeous and I really wanted to see if you could share with us some of the other sides that maybe you feel, you know, within your social media, you have a certain site that you show. I know you have Sam, Sam, is that his name?
Arielle:
Yeah. Yeah. So talk to me about your different sites. Who is aerial for people listening that love you, that want to know you better? What else is there? What, what else are you, you know, I, I, I feel like I do show most of myself on social media now for a really long time. I, you know, I was really resistant to stories and everything like that because of the like, just candid aspect of it and the fact that, you know, like it wasn't, it wasn't something that I could necessarily control. I know we can control the stories more than if it's like a live recording or something like that. But, um, I was just, I really for a long time didn't truly put my face out there. Like I was always looking away from the camera. Um, you know, and I didn't want stories. They just felt so awkward.
Arielle:
So I feel like, um, I have really worked to try to show the whole aspect, which is why, you know, in my post I talk about, you know, the, the negative and gritty. And I think what I was feeling when I wrote that was just that I, that when we have this, you know, image of ourself that we've created, whether it's what we portray on social media or just who we are, you know, out there in the world. Like when I was aerial the snowboarder, there was that image. And even though there were things that I liked, um, out there, but if they didn't fit in with that image, I wouldn't show people that, you know, you know. And so I think just being, being able to be more transparent with all of the aspects of yourself and you know, like not feeling the need to be like, you know, have some sort of story as to why you're not having a drink that day.
Arielle:
You know, other people feel more comfortable with just kind of taking ownership of all of those pieces of yourself, whether they're, you know, the shiny side, that's me smiling on a mountain top that, you know, whatever or whether it's beside of me like bawling and crying because I'm dealing with something really stressful or I feel really overwhelmed, you know, or I just had like a shitty day right now. And just knowing, like I said earlier, is just that as human beings we're, we're meant to have like, Oh, the reason all these emotions exist is because it's a full spectrum and the human experience is, is that full spectrum. And hopefully we can, you know, enjoy some of those lighter, more buoyant qualities and continue to bring more of that in our life. Um, but if we just own those other pieces and parts of ourselves, then we're never going to feel like fully complete or be able to fully rest in that joy because there's always going to be this kind of like, um, abandoned piece of herself lingering behind the curtain, you know, waiting for its chance to, to be a part of the show.
Arielle:
And, and so true to just be unapologetically you and just authentically you. And then how much comes from that space of authenticity? It's, it's really, it's really powerful. I think I struggled with that for a long time, especially when I was writing my memoir and people were seeing, you know, the more vulnerable sides of me and, and um, cause it started as a blog and then became a book is actually how it had, this was years ago and um, struggled with like how much, how much of me is okay to be, and now the mean now would go back and tell that girl like all of you is okay.
Arielle:
Yeah. And like I said earlier, it's so funny because it's oftentimes the stuff that we're most weirded out or scared of sharing is the stuff that people have the biggest connection to. You know, it's like, it's kind of ironic that the parts of us that we try to hide are oftentimes the parts of us that create the most connection out there in the world. So true. That's so true. So when, so I had this like apifany because we kind of like scheduled this pretty quick and last night at midnight I was like, Oh, I didn't take any notes yet. And I was like freaking out that I was going to get lost in my mind. And then I was like, and I didn't send her any notes. Cause normally when I'm having a guest I screenshot have a sense of like what's coming up or what they can expect questions wise. And you had none of that and you just killed it. You're just like, you're who you are. And um, and it's so apparent that you're just walking your truth and I love that about you. And I really do hope that at some point we can be on a hike together because I would just be so honored to, to get to talk more with you like this. This has been a super special hour for me. Well, let's link up. Like I said, I'll be, I'll
Michaela:
be back in the Tahoe area at the end of may and I would love to hang out. It sounds amazing. So fantastic. So thank you Ariel for being here and um, I'll connect with you off the podcast on a little more stuff. But, um, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So honored. And I cannot wait to share your message with the world. Thank you so much for having me. I just am so grateful to even to even be thought of in the realm of, you know, sharing any of it. So thanks again for reaching out to me and I'm just, I'm grateful for the connection. I think we're gonna continue to create some magic together as the future unraveled, it seems. I love that. And I'll just be back here in your snow dust, but I'll be there. I'll be right there. Don't go around like that. I'm super patient. I'm just excited to be out there. All right. I'll talk to you soon. All right. Have a good one. Goodbye. This has been a BU. Find Tabby podcast for more inspiration. Check out links.