Social Impact Authors: How & Why Authors Desi Bartlett, Andrea Orbeck and Nicole Stuart Is Helping To Change Our World
Nicole: Helping others and women by lifting each other up… Sharing what you’ve created by helping and giving back to others.
Andrea: Personally, I would define leadership as being the ability to practice what you preach and maintain an accountability around it for others to observe and be inspired.
Desi: Sharing talent and vision to help others share their talents as well.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Desi Bartlett, Andrea Orbeck and Nicole Stuart.
Desi Bartlett is a yoga guru who is passionate about sharing the joy of movement. With a special place in her heart for empowering women. Desi shares her knowledge of anatomy and physiology and how understanding our nervous system can help us to feel great from the inside out. She understands that finding inner calm can also lead to better results in attaining fitness goals as well as leading to fitness as a sustainable lifestyle.
Nicole Stuart focuses on your mental well-being and strength rather than what your name is. Her philosophy is based on working from the inside out, and her mantra is A healthy mind equals a healthy body. Nicole encourages you to be mindful and strong so that you don’t make emotionally driven choices with food or in life. Nicole understands that life can be hard, and she will help you to build strength at the very core of who you are, literally and figuratively.
Andrea Orbeck has been credited with sculpting some of the world’s most beautiful bodies and has been called the muscle whisperer. She is a former national athlete with the women’s Canadian bobsled team, and her philosophy combines the science of sport with the basis of support. Her system has shaped and sculpted some of the most enviable bodies in the business. Speaking of feelings, you might be experiencing some big feelings in different chapters of your life.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Nicole: I grew up in Las Vegas during the 70’s, yeah… pretty much spent most nights as a kid in Caesars Palace watching the shows and my mom was a camera girl!
Andrea: I was born in Canada in a tiny town in northern Alberta. To offset the boredom as a child, I became very athletic which led to the trajectory of my career on the Women’s national bobsled team, and eventually on to California working in the fitness space.
Desi: I am originally from downtown Chicago and my parents were hippies. My name means desired moon☺
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
Nicole: “The seven spiritual laws of success,” by Deepok Chopra.
Andrea: My favorite childhood book series was the Little House on the prairie series, stories about Laura Ingalls Wilder. My mother and I would read it every single night throughout most of my formative years. And these books impressed upon me because her childhood was like mine, a dash of meager means but found by men’s happiness in the virtues of family and community and hard work. I still have those books from over 40 years ago and now read them to my own daughter.
Desi: Yes! I remember reading “Awaken the giant Within,” by Tony Robbins in college. The techniques from the book helped me to set goals to complete graduate school, move to another country (Mexico), and open a business.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Nicole: I would say I have so many mistakes in my 20’s but they all taught me the most valuable lessons also not trusting my intuition enough.
Andrea: I wouldn’t consider any of my decisions in my career mistakes, but alterations in the direction which has led me to where I am today. At the time there have been occasions where I thought that there were errors — over, scheduling myself, prioritizing, certain clients over others, or getting involved with brands that did not serve my career. Overall, looking back in hindsight, I realize that what may seem like a mistake in the moment is actually learning opportunity and a steppingstone forward.
Desi: I remember that the first time that I taught a class to a corporate group of attorneys, I accidentally used a playlist from a prenatal yoga client’s birth playlist, and Salt ‘N Peppa’s “Push It!”, started playing☺
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
Nicole: I would love to get our message out into the world and make sure young women know they can achieve whatever they strive for or dream of. Although it may not always come easy… but if they know that they can just keep working for it something will happen and also that the only one who can stop you is yourself.
Andrea: Because our book relates to so many different aspects of a woman and her health throughout all of her stages, our aim is to support them at every turn. Our aim is to support them through the changes and help learn the language of self care and self advocacy after 35.
Desi: Empowering women to be strong from the inside out is a passion and a privilege.
Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?
Nicole: That would be how I moved to LA with $400 and started out with nothing and knowing no one. Everything I have I’ve worked for and earned myself and the same with meeting people/clients. It’s because I worked hard always.
Andrea: It would have to be about my pride in Heidi Klum and all the hard work and balance she gave me after having her baby while preparing for the Victoria secret fashion show.
Like most women who are moms, it takes a lot of determination to accomplish personal, professional and familial goals and she did just that with grace and enthusiasm.
Desi: I once worked with a mega star singer and taught yoga to her, her son, and her grandson. Her grandson was a baby at the time, and I remember singing “London Bridge is falling down,” and praying that my voice would not crack. She sang along with me and in that moment I remembered that we are both mothers, both sharing our hearts, and voices. This reminded me that being “star-struck” never serves anyone, and that we are all here to share our talents with the world.
What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
Nicole: When Desi asked me if I wanted to be a part of the book, I thought WOW!! This is a great idea.
Andrea: My aha moment would be more of an aha decade. Having a baby late in life (42) and starting to experience symptoms of peri-menopause, I thought it crucial to research and understand everything I could about the changes. It felt like perfect timing to then extend the research to readers.
Desi: When working with women over 35, it is important to remember that what worked in our 20’s…crash diets and a little extra cardio, no longer works. Creating sustainable, inspired habits for this phase of life is so important!
Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Nicole: I have a young girl who I speak about in the book. She gained a lot of weight while in her freshman year of college and was not happy about it. I believe I taught her that by making different choices she could feel happy again about her body and her weight and keep it off. She lost a lot of weight slowly by making smarter choices and she’s thriving today because of it.
Andrea: See above, Heidi Klum!!
Desi: Seeing a woman that I worked with spread her wings and soar as not only a celebrity but as a businesswoman is amazing! This was 100% all because of her efforts… I held space and time for her to focus on the vision through meditation. What a privilege it is to see clients grow and evolve in their life and careers.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Nicole: I would say to talk more about giving women voices the chance to be heard and to also let them know that their struggles aren’t isolated, they aren’t alone. We all go through many of the same things. Abuse, not being heard, and menopause to name a few.
Andrea: I think it would benefit the millions of women who enter menopause yearly more space in the workplace for their needs- time off with pay, leadership in fitness opportunities and programs that support transitions.
Desi: Menopause is not spoken about enough in our culture. Education is needed so that women do not feel like they are going crazy or becoming invisible. Why don’t we talk about it?
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Nicole: Helping others and women by lifting each other up… Sharing what you’ve created by helping and giving back to others.
Andrea: Personally, I would define leadership as being the ability to practice what you preach and maintain an accountability around it for others to observe and be inspired.
Desi: Sharing talent and vision to help others share their talents as well.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
Nicole:
1) Trust your gut.
2) Don’t downplay anything.
3) Own your talent
4) DON’T PLAY SMALL.
5) Don’t overcompensate and try to please everyone all the time. It WON’T work!
Andrea:
1) Skinny does not equal healthy
2) That a No uttered with conviction will get you farther than a yes uttered to please
3) Helping others achieve health and wellness is going to require you to overcome the fear of calling someone on their toxicity
4) Overextending yourself to accommodate keeping others healthy is not balanced and showing leadership
5) Teach people to benefits of basics- supporting fads trends can make fools out of 2 people at once.
Desi: Hmm…. I own all my mistakes and wear each one as a lesson in life and business. Although I do wish that someone told me not to spray WD-40 on an aerobic slide. Lol!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.
🙂
Nicole: I heard this today and I love it “Worry is a terrible misuse of your imagination,” I tend to worry too much!
Andrea: Being in a gym makes you no more fit than standing in a garage makes you a car…. The opportunities to have a healthy balanced life with strength and endurance is at your fingertips. There’s some people that are more fit in the time that it takes a cohort to find parking at a facility.
Desi: I am currently feeling Beyonce’s quote, “Don’t just talk about, be about it! Would love to have lunch with Michelle Obama and chat about empowering inner city girls from Chicago. You can find me at desibartlett.com
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. ☺
Nicole: I’d love for Oprah to read our book and to have a lunch with her! She’s such an inspiration to me and I love what she’s been doing in the world!!
Andrea: I think my parents, who passed away before I became accomplished. I would love to give them a copy of my book ❤️
Desi: Michelle Obama, fellow Chicago gal and I want to personally thank her for sharing her journey or menopause and how a healthy lifestyle and community of women helped her through the transition. We all benefit from sharing knowledge and tools.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Instagram — @andreaorbeck @mothersintolivingfit @nicolestuartla @totalbodybeautiful
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Authors Desi Bartlett, Andrea Orbeck and Nicole Stuart Is Helping… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.