Most of us have become all too familiar with stress and anxiety over the last year. Ladyboss Saree Reveling knows a thing or two about high-stress environments, and what we can all be doing better to combat those negative feelings.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
First and foremost, I am a mom. My daughter Breahn is 21 and my son Bryce is 18. I also have a son named Matt who just turned 30. I was a teenager when I had Matt and made an adoption plan with an amazing family in Fargo. We have since reconnected, and even though Matt is a teacher all the way in Thailand, we have been able to have some great conversations over Facetime. I also have two pups, Leo and Allie. They have my heart. My husband, Steve, and I take the dogs out to the park for a walk every morning, rain or shine. I’ve found this daily ritual sets my day off on a good foot.
Through life’s journey, I am finding that my purpose is truly to support people in reconnecting with themselves. Life’s responsibilities and stressors have a way of disconnecting us from who we are. When this happens, anxiety, stress and physical symptoms develop. As the director of Fit Elements Women’s Fitness Club, a hypnotherapist, Master Reiki teacher and Core Passion Facilitator, I provide support for an individual’s physical health in addition to their mental and spiritual health.
Facilitating workshops on meditation, mindfulness practices and spiritual development light me up! I also enjoy facilitating corporate meditations in business settings to encourage increased focus and attention. Oftentimes, this is an individual’s first experience with meditation and it’s fulfilling to see a person experience that sense of inner calm and peace for the first time. I utilize coaching techniques, hypnosis and mindfulness practices to remove habits that keep people from reaching their full potential. My experience includes personal, group, and corporate meditations in the areas of personal and spiritual development.
How did you get involved in your work?
Out of college I spent 15 years in a high stress, deadline-focused corporate job that resulted in several stress-induced physical symptoms. In 2009, I went through a traumatic divorce. My daily activities left me completely depleted physically, emotionally and spiritually. I knew I needed to change something in my life because I was headed down the wrong path.
I needed to invest in healing myself. During the last 12 years, I’ve invested much of my time in self-development and personal growth. My idea of a great vacation is a spiritual or personal growth retreat or some type of workshop that expands my mind. My certifications and training are a result of going to classes and workshops for my own growth and healing. I believe we teach best what we most need to learn. By going through the experience fully, we can support others on that same journey.
Sometimes hypnosis is associated with a swinging watch and “you’re getting sleepy.” What is hypnotherapy, really?
Yes! I hear this from so many people and I had the same understanding of hypnosis in the beginning. What I hear most is, “Will you make me quack like a duck?” My response to them is, “Only if you want me to.”
Hypnosis feels like a deep meditation. The difference between hypnosis and meditation is that with hypnosis, our purpose is to shift a habit. People come to me for stress relief and simply need support in calming their mind. For these people, I utilize meditation techniques. Hypnosis is a powerful tool when someone knows something logically, but their habits seem to control them. A great example would be the person that has trouble losing weight because they struggle with late-night eating. They know it’s keeping them stuck, but they continue to do it. This is a function of the subconscious keeping them stuck and hypnosis can offer relief.
There is a misconception that the person receiving hypnosis has no control over the session. In reality, you hear what I’m saying and have total control to come out of the session at any point. The first half of each session involves coaching and dialogue so the individual can share with me what to use in our session.
What does it mean to be a Ladyboss?
Being a Ladyboss means being connected to some of the most growth-minded, forward-thinking women in our area. Several of my Fit Elements employees came from the Ladyboss network. It is my first “go-to” when I’m searching for someone to help with my marketing, when I’m searching for a new employee or even when I need business advice. It’s also a place where I can share good news about other Ladybosses in my life. It’s a place where I feel supported and also where I can provide support!
What is your favorite form of self-care?
I am a huge proponent of meditation. It has allowed me to be more present with people, stay calm in the midst of other’s emotional upsets and reduce my anxiety to where I now feel comfortable being in my body. In meditation, you are working a muscle…the muscle of the mind. It takes time to develop, but a mindset of commitment and patience with meditation reaps major rewards.
Businesses who commit to supporting their employees by offering corporate meditation have seen an increase in productivity and a more positive outlook from their employees. I’ve experienced similar results in my own life.
I also enjoy running and believe it has been a type of meditation for my mind with its repetitive nature. Some of my best insights come when I am running. It has also allowed me to release trapped emotions, boost my confidence and increase my energy levels so I can be my best self. I believe a powerful self-care program requires working the muscles of both the mind and the body.
2021 has already thrown us some major stressors. How can we all resolve to take better care of our mental health this year?
COVID has been emotionally draining and we have seen an increase in depression and physical symptoms caused by stress. At the same time, it has also given us an opportunity to really look at what things in our life are exacerbating those conditions.
Many people have finally had the time to slow down and reflect on what they truly want in life and this is a beautiful thing! One of the most powerful things you can do for your well-being is to begin paying attention to where you are placing your attention. Where you place your attention shapes your entire reality. My advice would be to treat your attention like a hot commodity. What things outside of you are truly worthy of your attention. When you become consistently mindful of where you are placing your attention, you notice thoughts in your mind that are not serving you. We have goals and we want our attention to be placed on thoughts and things that support us in reaching those goals!
What is mindfulness and is there an easy way to fold it into our everyday lives?
Mindfulness is a form of meditation and is a simple way to become more grounded in your self-awareness so you are not easily swept away by your emotions or the emotions of others. It allows you to see life more objectively.
I use mindfulness techniques in corporate meditation environments. There are thousands of mindfulness techniques and most of them are quite simple to learn. When I start people on a mindfulness practice, the first thing I do is have them focus on their breath. When we are stressed, we naturally tend to hold our breath. Intentionally focusing on our breathing (belly breathing rather than chest breathing) allows us to connect more with our bodies and brings us naturally out of that fight/flight reactionary response.
What do you think women need right now?
Women need to know they are enough simply by being them. You don’t need to do anything to be enough. Who you are matters! A former mentor of mine used to say, “In your uniqueness lies your greatness.” I’ve been afraid to share that uniqueness fully with others for fear of being judged as eccentric or weird. My work is not mainstream, so it would be easy for me to allow other people’s judgments to get the best of me. However, as I’ve released the need to fit in a certain way and started speaking from my heart on subjects that most matter to me, I’ve actually been able to build deeper and stronger connections with people, including my family members.
