Stay True E-Book

Loren Lahav

• Herausgeber: WS
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 230

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

For the women who refuse to compromise,  STAY TRUE: Own Your Badass & Beautiful Life, is a process of accepting abundance and owning one’s own identity and worth. A sovereign goddess waits for nobody to give her permission. In this world where everything is possible, what would happen if women believed they had the infinite power of a sovereign goddess? Through vignettes and exercises, Loren Lahav aligns multi-faceted, unique, bold, strong, and resilient women ages 18-88, into a supportive collaborative where manifestation magic exists. Your Badass & Beautiful Life is waiting–Stay True and OWN IT!

Leseprobe

Copyright © 2024 Loren Lahav

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

FIRST EDITION

ISBN: 978-1-961757-75-2

www.lorenlahav.com

www.staytrueagency.com

DEDICATION

Here’s to the ones who STAY TRUE. The badass and beautiful women who hold fast to their values, even when the world tries to sway them. The ones who walk their own path, unapologetic, authentic—with courage in their hearts and purpose in their souls. You’ll find them standing tall, straightening crowns of others while laser focused on their vision, no matter the obstacles. They see opportunity where others see fear, and they’re not afraid to be bold, speak truth, shine bright, and yet humbly lead with love. They may face challenges, but they never compromise. They stay grounded, certain, present, and even more determined to live a life worth celebrating. Here’s to the women who never waiver. The ones who turn trials into triumphs. Because they know that resilience isn’t just about holding on—it’s about growing, evolving, and whole-heartedly leading through service to make an impact. Here’s to the ones who STAY TRUE.

CONTENTS

  1The Philosophy of “True”

  2The Badass and Beautiful Ride

STEP 1: TRUE VOICE

  3Set Your Compass

  4INQUIRY & Identity: Find Your Way

  5RITUALS: Create Your Path

STEP 2: OWN YOUR WORTH

  6BOUNDARIES: The Queen’ Chambers

  7The Shoes Matter

  8Order It Up: You are a Magnet

STEP 3: OWN IT!

  9Ocean of Emotion

10TRIBE: The Golden Thread

11Passing the Badass + Beautiful Torch

12Celebrate!

FOREWORD

I am grateful for the endless amount of room I am given to find my own true self without question. I owe the person I am to this unconditional support from my mom.

I began applying this to every aspect of me. If there is one thing I have learned from my mom, there is no reason to tone yourself down for the sake of others’ comfort.

If there is anyone who can attest to the authenticity of the woman who wrote this book it is me. My mom truly lives this every single day.

My mom has been the greatest example of staying true, from rocking her hot pink shoes on stage to sharing her personal beliefs and values to help me navigate finding mine.

She is unapologetically herself and by that, she inspires everyone around her to stay true.

“Stay True,” is a statement that can seem so vague while to others, profound. To me, it is echoed so much in our home that it could be a mantra, yet I know it is a guiding principle.

There is always a sense of fear with showing up exactly as you are.

“These are our biggest strengths, we are oceans of emotions,” she said. “We are always moving and flowing but we feel things deeply and this is something that is, as I see it now, a superpower.”

Though the idea of feeling so much so intensely made me nervous for so long, it now is something I pride myself on. I wear my emotional vulnerability on my sleeve. My mom has been a role model in every aspect, but especially in navigating how to remain authentic to yourself in times when others will want you to hide.

Until I was about nine years old, I felt deeply about well - everything. So, I went to the one person I knew I always had, my mom, and she helped me understand how these feelings make us feel so deeply.

Whether your truth is dressing how you want or being vulnerable with your true ideas and feelings, if you feel judged (by others or yourself) instantly connect to your values, stay true to you.

With this, my style began to develop, as well as my views. There were and always will be times where staying true to yourself is harder to do. But, those two words come to mind immediately and it connects me back to her.

Asher Slocum

1

THE PHILOSOPHY OF “TRUE”

An authentic, and therefore, wild, Badass and Beautiful woman, living her truth is inventive, loyal, fierce and wise.

She is born both gifted and paradoxical—an intriguing riddle fueled by a heart driven to serve.

She is kind, but never tame; bold and outrageous, but enshrined with dignity. Although wild at heart, her essence is that of both ally and teacher.

She sees not just with her eyes, but with her intuition, embodying an instinctual and continued call back to nature.

She rumbles in the face of transgressions, she is fluent in the language of mysteries, and she sings songs that are both light and dark—encompassing the full spectrum and bounty of life.

No matter how many times she falls, she rises.

No matter how many times she is caged, she triumphs.

She is free; she is alive.

And in a world hungry for hope, she is what we all desperately need—because she is a force that can change the world.

—Loren Lahav, Own Your Worth event, Las Vegas, March 2023

I’ve spent the past three decades working with badass and beautiful “wild women” from all spectrums and in all stages of life, and after 36 years in the self-help industry working with alongside thought leader giants like Tony Robbins, Carolynn Myss and Wayne Dyer, I’ve seen firsthand the many unique trials, tests and opportunities that women face. With access to this extraordinary and dynamic array of world leaders, thought pioneers, and passionate truth seekers, I’ve continually counted myself blessed to actively bare witness and be a part of so many people’s powerful stories of transformation.

Along the way, distinct patterns began to reveal themselves—showing the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and intentional action. Over time, these observations became stepping stones, shaping a practical and intuitive method that I’ve applied both in my own life and on stage to guide others through life’s ups and downs. This method evolved into what I now call The Compass Rose, centered around four cardinal points: Inquiry, Rituals, Boundaries, and Tribe. Like a compass, these four points offer clarity in times of confusion, strength in adversity, and the courage to live a life that’s authentic, vibrant, and purposeful. Which, I have affectionately called, “Own it!”

Whether you’re just beginning or already well along your path, The Compass Rose, is a tool rooted in real stories, spiritual insights and personal growth, designed to help you accomplish what you are here to do. Like I say from the stage to, “Always stay true to who you are and OWN IT!”

It all began with my own wild and unique journey began as a lonely Jewish girl in rural North Carolina. I went from being the person who never fit in to being the first female Army ROTC

candidate from Western North Carolina. From a divorced and misunderstood single mom (that some criticized) to a mom and wife in a blended family known as an author and sought-after speaker, as a real estate investor, as a top network marketing leader for a global brand, as an entrepreneur, as a president and founder of a creative production agency, as a co-founder of a spa franchise, and now as the co-founder of a dog rescue and sanctuary. With unwavering hope for the future, I have been led time and time again back to this question and internal anchor, “Are you staying true?”

Let me be clear—when I say “true,” I’m not suggesting the need to find or discover something new. A friend of mine once asked me, “How can you stay true if you don’t know who you are?”

“True” is not something you need to figure out or discover; it’s a divine and inherent essence deep inside you. “True” is the wild, badass and beautiful woman soul you were born with. It is the quiet voice inside that guides you, the beating of your heart when something important calls you, and sometimes, when you’ve strayed too far, the urgent piercing cry inside that demands attention. She is found in moments of uncalculated clarity, contagious laughter, crazy dance moves and overwhelming awe.

“Are you staying true?” is the question that simply brings me back to myself.

The problem is—the world has gotten so incredibly loud that many of us can no longer hear our own inner voice. For this reason, this book is not about finding yourself; it is about owning yourself and your truth. I believe the “wild woman” badass and beautiful archetype serves as both a reminder and a lesson; it’s both a way back from and a way out of the confusion and overwhelm so many women (and men) currently face.

I’m not here to tell you who you are or to lead you on a traditional self-help journey. I’m here to lead you back to yourself and all that you already are. This may not be what a 43-billion-dollar personal development industry would lead you to believe, but after all my years helping others succeed, combined with my own personal trials, allow me to let you in on a little secret: You already have all the answers inside yourself.

The path to Stay True is simple, but with the chaos, noise and distractions that increasingly rob our focus, it’s easy to get off track. In fact, so many women who I meet through my coaching and mastermind circles tell me they are simply “tired.” And after working with them, I discover that they are in fact, not just tired, they are “exhausted.” There are more energy drains in our world today than ever before. Hyper-stimulating technology and over-usage has contributed to what scientists now describe as “brain drain,” a condition connected to anxiety disorder, attention deficiency and depression. Constant discord in the media and a lack of collective conversation (and therefore understanding) weighs heavily on our emotional stamina. And a system for success driven by never-ending “doing” steals valuable time from the truth and bliss of simply “being.” Somehow life, with all of its conveniences, is more complicated than ever before.

At this point, finding clarity amidst the chaos has shifted from a want to a necessity. And unfortunately, there is not one simple set of instructions I can give you. We live in a beautiful, anything is possible potential—a wild web of human connection and unpredictable human complexity. Part of me wishes I could just tell you everything is plannable. That would make things so much easier, wouldn’t it? But, also—wouldn’t that be supremely boring? As long as there is life in a human, we evolve like art, a dynamic and sometimes messy process, not a destination. As we move through stages of life and key transitions, we grow in an upward spiral.

But that’s also what makes my Badass and Beautiful Woman battle cry to “Stay True” so essential. Just as the wild, Badass and Beautiful Woman herself, our path of growth is paradoxical; it has a component that demands you step up as the creator or artist for your life. Your own inner genius contains a deep, soulful element responsible for successfully achieving your life’s outcomes.

But I have one more important secret for you—I’ve learned over time that the only way forward is to rise together.

Through the years, I’ve always valued and relied on my pack. However, the more life I live, the stronger this reality becomes. I’ve learned to not just lean into others, but to proactively find ways to elevate those around me. In doing so, I’ve been consistently rewarded by the impact and progress we can make together.

Although a single wild, badass and beautiful woman may have the capacity to create a ripple, a pack is a tsunami force no one can ignore. Together, we have the capacity to step above the chaos, to connect and share our individual truths, and ultimately to lift each other up as high as the sky.

In this year alone, with my True Legacy Collective (TLC), I have witnessed more ‘good’ happen around me to better humanity in just half a year than in most entire years of my life. One of my old friends who I hadn’t seen for a few years recently attended my annual Own Your Worth Experience in Las Vegas. Afterwards, she said to me, “Loren—the feeling of support and culture you’ve created to uplift others was palpable.”

This is who I am and what I value most in life. At its core, this book is a call to the tribe (my pack)—to those women who want to remember the joy, beauty, strength and pride achieved from revealing the truth of their badass and beautiful selves… and to help each other stay there.

I’ve grown beyond the forest of my own personal progression and am now also asking: How do I help young women just starting their careers? How can I lend meaningful advice to others who follow my path? How can I help others navigate chapters of life that I’ve already experienced? How can I help those who need more joy in their lives? How can I support those who started life with less advantages than I? How can I empower others who have found themselves in a place from which it is difficult to rise? How can I help those who see me as a mentor? How can I connect people to bring even better quality of life for the greatest possible returns for all involved? How do I help my children stay true to themselves? And ultimately, as wild women on this journey together, how can we help each other live, love and collectively own our worth?

The answer I receive back, when I ask these questions, is the foundation of this book. When you attend my events and listen to my podcast, read my books, or reach out to my creative production agency—all of these life-enriching programs and resources are rooted in the philosophies and practices within these pages. This is where it all begins.

As humans, we are wired to help each other succeed; every civilization in history contains evidence of altruism. The Maasai people, one of the oldest populations living in Kenya and northern Tanzania, practice a tradition known as “osotua,” which translates to “umbilical cord.” According to this tradition, anyone in need can request aid at any time, and in response, whoever is asked is obliged to help as long as it doesn’t impact their own survival. No one keeps track of the support; no one keeps score. Although the common, modern practice of helping one another is not always as clear and beautiful as this tradition, I believe the concept is part of our genetic make-up. In fact, psychologists even have a name for this anomaly within our species; they call it “prosocial behavior.”

So, let me ask you this: Are you living your truth? Do you even know what that is? Do you experience a sense of freedom in your soul? Are you awake and fully alive? Are you living out loud? Are you inspiring others around you to do the same?

This book is meant to activate feelings inside that will only make sense when you embody them. At one point in your life or another, these feelings will be familiar—because it’s you, the real you, your truth. These are the moments (or seasons) when you were en-point, on purpose, untouchable, “on fire” and pure.

In short, it’s when you were feeling so badass and beautiful, all wrapped up in one unique expression that is you and only you that you lifted up those around you as well. Any one of the tools I’m about to share in my Compass Rose Method can be the reset you need to get back on that path. The ability to wake up, stay awake, apply your own free will, make thoughtful and discerning decisions, find clarity and reignite the flame in others can only be stirred by developing your own wide, bright brush strokes. Life navigation is as unique an artform as every individual on the planet.

During this time when technology, with the rise of AI, is expanding exponentially and the world is noisier than ever, the need to be authentic, congruent and supportive of each other has never been stronger.

And in weaving the tapestry of my life so far, I’ve created, re-created, and refined techniques that continually help myself and others either “stay true to you” or “return to self.” The wisdom I’ve collected along the way is valuable. For me, the urge to stir the women of the world wide awake is profound. I don’t want the as Wayne Dyer called it “music to die within” me (or you!), and I’m done playing small. This book is my opus—a wide beacon and rally call to women from every age and stage as well as every walk of life.

These are tools that work. They’ve been through it all—the fire, the earthquake, the tornado… and everything in between. Eventually, I’ve found there is a balance in all the paradoxes life has to offer—being certain and happy while simultaneously wanting to share more, be more, expand more and learn more.

I want all of this for you. I want you to remember the joy, beauty, strength and pride that stems from living your unwavering personal truth. Let this book be first your wake-up call to Stay True, then a roadmap you can open and unfold as needed, continually expanding and growing in your own wild, badass and beautiful, and weaving ride forever onward.

2

THE BADASS AND BEAUTIFUL RIDE

Life is fluid, evolving, and barely predictable—sort of like a stream. In this way, it is just as easy to get caught in the flow as it is to get carried away and lose focus when the rocky parts impede progress. Navigating a “true” course in life isn’t a pre-marked trail complete with caution signs and “time to your destination” courtesies. Instead, it’s more like a finding your place in one of those old-school theme park wave pools. It’s smooth, peaceful and simple… and then all of a sudden (as if someone flipped on the crazy wave switch), it’s not. The journey is sometimes about moving through the chaos, sometimes about forward momentum, and sometimes just about holding on for dear life. How does one plot a course through something so wild? It’s not linear.

I have a hunch that at some point in life (perhaps right now) you’ve drifted away from your true self. It’s likely that at least once you have “hidden” your personal genius to make a situation better for someone else—only to hurt yourself in the end.

How do I know this? No matter what chapter of evolution you’re in right now, odds are good that you’ve probably been through some stuff. We all have.

Why is it when we hit the dark, rocky shores of the challenging phases of our lives, we finally take the time to get real with ourselves? Meanwhile when life hums along in stale but steadfast beats, it’s so easy to get caught up in the noise and “get carried away” from who we really are? Away from our own true self? By consistently sabotaging our own happiness to simply “fit in,” to “just get things done,” or “just make everyone happy,” we forget our power to break our own unsupportive patterns.

Twenty-seven years ago, I wrote my first book, No Greater Love, which was a guide centered around my first child, Josua and what was then my new role as mother. The book gained attention early on, and many people told me it gave them real and useable insights that reinforced both the blessings and adventures of parenting.

I worked hard to promote the book initially, but after the book had been out for a few years, I was offered a position to launch, re-design, and facilitate a flagship program, Life Mastery, for Tony Robbins at his resort in Fiji. My kids’ father and I moved our young family—Josua, as well as our second-born, Quinn, around the world and into the jungle. We were busy there—teaching, organizing and producing a new event every week for two-and-a-half years straight (36-week-long-programs a year).

Let’s just take a moment to talk about what I just said. Launching a new program deep in the center of Fiji was both an exhilarating and daunting experience. The sheer beauty of the lush, untamed landscape was a stark contrast to the emotional and physical toll it took to make the vision a reality. Far from the comforts of modern life, the challenges quickly mounted—unpredictable weather and conditions in the perfect blend of limited resources. Every day brought a new test of resilience and resourcefulness. Navigating cultural differences, weather, and logistical setbacks—ensuring the program’s success. Yet, through the sweat, exhaustion, and occasional doubt, the journey became a testament to our will, pushing boundaries spiritually, physically, and mentally. It was my time on a rock in the Pacific and I wouldn’t trade it for the world because it has made all of the difference.

Let’s just talk resources. Just imagine, everything you take for granted now did not even exist. We are talking wired phones and dial up internet. Cell phones were not what they are now. They were phones. For the most part, we still used phones with wires that connected to the walls, not small computers in your hand. There was no FaceTime. There was no Zoom.

Living on an island made these technological delays even worse. We had to wait for most of the files we needed to be sent in big boxes filled with cases of VHS tapes and silver CDs that had been uploaded with the information we needed to run these events. Jump drives were not a thing.

With so much going on, in many ways, I lost track of the book.

Out of the blue, my good friend, Heidi, a branding and public relations powerhouse, widely regarded as one of the best in the industry, called me one day. This was not your average Zoom call of today. Back then, a phone call to Fiji from the Mainland of the US was sometimes as clear as mud. You could barely hear the person on the other side. The line would actually crackle with this electric sound and at times the voices would cut out intermittedly. It was more like a game of wordle than a conversation—trying to figure out what the person on the other side was saying.

Heidi has always been one of my biggest fans. She supports all of my ideas and has attended every event she could physically get to. She was so excited on the other side of that crackling phone line.

“Don’t screw this up,” she said as I picked up the phone.

“You’re about to get a call from the most popular day-time television show in the United States. They want you to come on the show. Don’t screw it up, ok?”

A short time later, the phone rang.

Sure enough, it was the Studio. The produceer shared with me that my book was the talk of the office. They had passed it around and the team was in love.

My heart raced; my palms were drenched. I’m pretty sure I had to remove a layer of clothing, I was sweating so hard with anticipation. This was a lifelong dream! My thoughts repeating, “I am going to be on THIS SHOW!!! These people want me on THEIR SHOW!!!! Here it comes…”

“We want you to do a show,” she said.

“Sure,” I said, “What’s the topic?” She shared, “The topic is—how to get your husband to do more around the house.”

A vibration went through me like the wrong note hit on a piano (And trust me I have played a wrong note or chord in my life here or there). Everything in my body knew this was off-key for me. I took a big deep breath, sighed, and thought to myself, “Oh, I am so going to screw this up.”

After a long pause I said, “I’m not your girl.”

Another long pause.

“I actually don’t want to be known as the girl who got her husband, and all of the other husbands in America, to do more around the house. My husband (at the time) and I do not have that kind of relationship. This is not who I am. If you’re asking me how to be more resourceful, I could spend some quality time on that topic. But how to trick my husband into doing more – that’s not me.”

The call ended pretty well. I was honored she thought of me. In the end, I didn’t feel like I had screwed up. So many times, we have expectations of how it is working – versus how cool it is to even get that chance.

My friend called me a short time later upset, “You’ve just turned down the world’s most popular studio,” she said.

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t want to be known as ‘that girl,’” I said.

When other people ask you to get involved with a surface-level “dream project,” it is easy to “fall for everything” in the path to achieving. Getting caught up in the excitement of more money, more visibility is intoxicating, however, it can also drain your soul. If you spread yourself thin trying to make everyone happy, the one person who will suffer is you.

This is why I do what I do – to help people understand that some things just take time. Life isn’t only about embracing the sweet-smelling roses. Nor is it about quick-fix highs. For that matter, living so “safely” that the process becomes numb and sterile, is also not badass nor beautiful.

This is an example of what I think of as that due North point of your Compass. When you are true to yourself you set yourself free from the opinions and expectations of others. Checking in with yourself and asking, “Am I being true to me?” This keeps you solidly on your path. Which is essential to achieving your outcomes and aspirations. Without this direction from staying true, you lose sight of the goal and it is easy to become overwhelmed.

A few years passed, and my family relocated back to the United States.

I received a second book-related call. This time, the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, Oregon, was on the other end of the call, “We love your book, and we want to give it to all of our 175 patients’ mothers on Mother’s Day.”

“Awesome,” I said as I hung up the phone and began to scramble to figure out where and how to find 175 copies of my book. This was in the days before on-demand printing and my book was no longer “in print.”

It didn’t take long before I figured out that the only way to fulfill the Ronald McDonald House’s Mother’s Day request was to run a complete reprint—which included new, updated photography and re-editing. My friends told me I was crazy. The wholesale profit of 175 new books was much less than what it would cost me to re-print the book.

Even with the scope and scale of the project so far out of balance, there was something telling me I needed to do it.

And so, I did. I listened to my heart.

Literally just a week after I made this decision, I got a third call about the book. This time from a buying agent. “I just got your book into Target. They’re asking for 30,000 copies. Can you have them ready in two weeks?”

I nearly fell off my seat.