Join us for an inspiring episode with Vera Thomlison, a remarkable transformation story from construction worker to yoga teacher and coach. Vera’s journey is a powerful testament to overcoming immense challenges, including fear, substance abuse, and personal loss. Discover how she incorporates yoga and mindfulness in business settings, juggles profit-making with leading with the heart, and navigates surprises encountered when following her heart. Uncover the power of showing up authentically and leading with your heart in business and life.
me
🎧Don’t miss this profound exploration of the transformative power of leading with love and the true essence of heart-centered success.
Key Takeaways from this Episode
- Definition of a heart-led business
- Transition from working in construction to owning a business and recovery journey
- Incorporating yoga and mindfulness in business settings
- Balancing profit-making with leading with the heart
- Surprises encountered when leading with the heart
About the Guest
Vera Thomlison is a Certified Holistic Life Coach and RYT500 Yoga Instructor. She draws from her own journey of overcoming addiction to empower others. With yoga, mindfulness, and compassionate coaching, she helps individuals reconnect with themselves and others, fostering a safe space for personal growth and authentic living. Vera advocates for change and supports clients in discovering deeper meaning, joy, and healthy relationships in their lives.
Additional Resources
Free Guided Meditation and Yoga:
Website:
LinkedIn:
Instagram:
Support for the Show:
Consider supporting our continued efforts to bring you great, free content each week. Click this link to become a monthly supporter and get a shout-out on the next episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1793649/supporters/new
Next Steps:
- Subscribe to The Heart-Led Business Show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
- Pass the Torch of Wisdom: Share this episode with someone who embraces holistic practices in their business journey. It’s a treasure trove of insights waiting to ignite their path!
- Join the Conversation: Connect with me on social media. Let’s exchange thoughts, inspiration, and heart-led wisdom.
Up Next…
- Prepare for an illuminating podcast featuring Permelia Parham, a seasoned practitioner with over two decades of experience in Body Code and Emotion Code techniques. She specializes in releasing trapped emotions and realigning limiting beliefs to empower clients toward optimal health and success.
- Sales Mastery Awaits: Boost your Health and Wellness sales with our complimentary training. Start selling with integrity today! → https://go.businessleadmaximizer.com/script-training
- Spread the Heart-Led Message: Loved the episode? Your review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify fuels our mission. 📑
- Need some recommendations on great tools to help with sales? Check out my preferred tools here: https://tomjackobs.com/resources
Explore the Dialogue’s Treasures Below: Unearth the insights within to delve into the profound wisdom woven throughout our conversation.
Speaker: 0:01
Welcome to the Heart Led Business Show, where compassion meets commerce and leaders lead with love. Join your host, Tom Jackobs, as he delves into the insightful conversations with visionary business leaders who defy the status quo, putting humanity first and profit second. From heartfelt strategies to inspiring stories, this podcast is your compass in the world of conscious capitalism. So buckle up and let’s go. Let your heart guide your business journey.
Tom: 0:36
Please fasten your seatbelts, folks. Today’s amazing adventure is led by none other than Vera Thomlison. Like a phoenix from the ashes, she’s transformed tumultuous trials into triumphant success. A duchess of decisions, a melody of mindfulness, she fought off formidable foes with formidable fortitude. Rising from reveler to recovery role model. Join us as we vibe with Vera on her voyage from volatility to victory right here on the Heart Led Business Show. Vera, welcome to the show.
Vera: 1:10
Wow, thank you, Tom.
Tom: 1:12
Do you like alliteration?
Vera: 1:13
That was beautiful! Yes! That was very poetic. Oh wow. How
Tom: 1:20
are you doing today?
Vera: 1:21
How’s it going? I’m good.
Tom: 1:22
That’s awesome. One of the first questions I ask everybody just roll off the show is what’s your definition of a heart led business?
Vera: 1:31
I think, I was reflecting on this question and I entered into my last job working in construction with my dad out of love, but I stayed out of fear. And I stayed for way too long because of that fear. Fear of letting him down, fear of what his emotions would be and fear of the unknown for myself. Like, could I really make it out there on my own? Starting my own thing, starting my own teaching business, coaching business. Did I have what it takes? And ultimately I had to choose love over fear. And that’s what’s led me to where I am today.
Tom: 2:14
That’s amazing. I, and we didn’t talk about that before, so this is like the first time that I’m hearing that. And what kind of struck me with that is, the love of obviously a parent and not letting them down is definitely a big part of all children. But how did that come about in terms of you joining him in the business?
Vera: 2:35
He was very stressed out. It’s a construction business. So he had a lot of anger issues stemmed from deep anxiety. Like if you couldn’t control the situation, then it wouldn’t be what he wanted and he was always teetering on this edge of deep anxiety which showed up as rage. So he had a lot of heart issues blood pressure issues and he ended up in the hospital and I was like, well, this is not sustainable So do you need help and he had been waiting for me to say that for years so Yeah, I joined and it felt really good at the beginning to help him, but it quickly became something not sustainable for me and I had to use every substance under the sun to like numb out what my heart was saying Which was this isn’t for you. This is not your journey. This is not your thing. This is not your work. But I forced myself, right? And so coming out of that, it’s learning how to reconnect with my heart after putting it aside for so long.
Tom: 3:51
And how long were you working in the construction business?
Vera: 3:54
Six and a half years.
Tom: 3:55
Wow. That’s a long time to put off your own dream. I can understand the substance abuse with that.
Vera: 4:03
Yeah.
Tom: 4:04
So tell me a little bit about that journey that, that you went through and transitioning from working in the business to having your own business and, and throw in the recovery as well.
Vera: 4:15
Yeah. I found yoga in 2019 because I was just running on fumes, my stress levels were through the roof. And I, actually I was, I was just like, I’m really inflexible. I should probably do some yoga. And what shocked me was how much it was helping me mentally, like having a place to go to at the end of the day where I was just like, like letting go of like a held in breath all day. And I didn’t have to be anything when I went to yoga. Like I could just be myself. No one expected anything of me. I didn’t have to, talk a certain way or show up a certain way in order to be acceptable. I was acceptable just as I was. And that was very new to me because in the construction world, like I’m working with all men. There’s a lot of like pretending that has to happen in order to feel like you can survive in this like crazy concrete. Chaotic jungle. So it was very nurturing to have a place as calming and as grounding as this beautiful spiritual yoga studio that was very, very lucky to have found because not all studios are like that. And then COVID hit. And I had the opportunity to really try to quit cocaine because I wasn’t seeing anybody. Like, it was just me at home all the time. So I was like, well,
Tom: 5:47
Yeah.
Vera: 5:55
because my job was taking up so much of that energy. And so, I had yoga to keep me grounded and also filled in the void because every time that I had tried to quit cocaine before there was a void left over that couldn’t be filled by anything else. And so it was, it was an opportunity that I took to really work on myself. And And I was very lucky. I was very
Tom: 6:20
Yeah.
Vera: 6:21
that I had the support. And then I realized that I really wanted to share this with other people. So I became a yoga teacher and I was still working in construction and teaching yoga. And just trying to make it all work. And then I think the epiphany moment, there were a couple. One was me going to Thailand to do my 300 hour training because I just wanted to learn more as a teacher. And that was when I quit drinking and weed as well. So I just let go of like all the substances and when I came home, I had like nothing to numb anymore. So it became more and more apparent that my job in construction was not. Like, I had nowhere to hide. And then my dog who I had rescued 10 years ago she and I have been on a journey together because I rescued her from a dog fighting ring. So yeah, in learning how to manage her reactivity, I had to learn how to manage my own reactivity. So we learned a lot from each other and we went through a lot together. She also helped me with my addiction and everything, right? So when she passed and it was a very, very, hard to watch her go, like, cause she was, died from cancer. So when she died that day, was when I quit my job. Like when you’re faced with something as finite as death, like, yeah, it puts everything into perspective. I mean, it does put everything into perspective, right? And I was like, I can’t waste another moment in my life doing something that my heart is just telling me, you gotta, you gotta save yourself. You gotta protect yourself from like this pain because nothing else is going to do it for you.
Tom: 8:20
Wow. That’s an amazing story. And the whole arch of where you were, how you’ve gone through recovery and, even in, in the face of your dog dying, I’m sure that was just really, really crushing for you.
Vera: 8:37
Yeah. Yeah.
Tom: 8:39
It’s hard.
Vera: 8:40
It still hurts. I mean, but I mean, I wouldn’t trade it for anything like that. The love is absolutely worth the pain.
Tom: 8:50
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Gotta have the good with the bad and all that.
Vera: 8:55
Yeah. And I think that’s, that’s what I’m coming to learn is that emotions aren’t that scary. You’re like all, all of the substances I used were to numb, right? Because I was like, I can’t face that emotion. And then when you, finally learned to like, okay, I’m just going to do the face off. I’m just going to turn around and face the monster. And you realize it’s just like this tiny little bunny rabbit that was casting a big shadow. Like your mind was just playing tricks on you the whole
Tom: 9:24
Oh, I love that analogy. That’s the, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I remember doing like the, the fire walk or walking on glass and it’s the kind of the same, same thing. You, you, you have this anticipation of leading up to it and you’re like, Oh my gosh, walking on fire, coals is going to be like, it’s going to burn my feet or walking on shards of glass. I’m going to get all cut up. And it’s that fear of that anticipation. And then you do it and you’re like, Oh. That’s it. Like that. And I love that, you know, like that kind of retrains your brain into, looking at fear in a very, very different way.
Vera: 10:03
I mean, like the brain is there to help protect us. So it makes sense that your mind is like, don’t do it. You’re going to die. But the body is capable of so much more than the mind even knows. Right? So that’s why when you go to actually do the thing, you’re like, that wasn’t that bad.
Tom: 10:20
Exactly. And so, so now, like, you’ve given up the, the alcohol, the weed and the cocaine. And now you’re, you’re focused on yoga, which then allows you to, really think about your thoughts at a very deep level. Now, how are you sharing that with, with other people in a, in a business setting?
Vera: 10:42
Meditation and coaching in my sessions and it’s for that exact reason is that when you are able to use meditation as a tool you realize that The mind is just another instrument that you can learn to play, right? So the first time that you pick up a guitar, you’re like, I don’t know what I’m doing. This sounds terrible. I don’t want to do this. I suck. And we naturally, are inclined towards things that we’re really good at and we want to shy away from or even reject things that we think we’re bad at, right? But the thing is, the more you practice the guitar, the better you’re going to be. And the mind is an instrument that you can never put down. It’s constantly with you 24 hours a day. So You can really choose to like, practice it, you can choose to be a leader of it, or you can choose to be a slave to it. The choice is always yours. And the mind, I think it was Einstein that said, the mind can be an extremely faithful servant. And yet we let it be the leader. Like, that’s the problem.
Tom: 11:56
Yeah.
Vera: 11:57
And then the yoga comes in hand in hand because when you’re able to be still in a yoga pose, that’s your doorway to meditation. When you can teach your body that, Hey, being still is actually safe. I don’t have to constantly do and achieve and strive in order to be worth something. That’s when you’re like, okay, being still doesn’t suck as much as I thought it would. And then you learn to feel your breath. And that’s all that meditation is.
Tom: 12:26
And then so where does the coaching come in?
Vera: 12:28
So once you have stilled your body and mind, you are so much more receptive and open to new thoughts because the problem with our thoughts is that they’re so repetitive, they become a very comfortable habit, just like everything else, right? Like there are times when I’m like, I don’t even want this drink, but it’s such a comfortable habit. And I know that it’s going to do something for me. That, like, I don’t have to change.
Tom: 13:00
Hmm.
Vera: 13:01
If I reach for this drink, then I don’t have to change and everything will be okay. In a sense, like it almost works. Right? But new thoughts are very scary because it requires change of self, change of perspective, and our mind is like an immune system that like is like, no, I don’t, I don’t, no, that’s new. I don’t want it.
Tom: 13:22
Yeah.
Vera: 13:24
So if you’re able to calm yourself and, and get into a state of meditation where your brain waves are actually like slowing down to a point that you’re chill. And you’re like, yeah, okay, so what’s next?
Tom: 13:41
Hmm.
Vera: 13:41
Something new can come in and you’re like, oh wow, I never saw it that way before. Yeah, maybe I can apply it. And that’s all that coaching is, right? It’s, it’s a new perspective.
Tom: 13:51
Yeah. Well, that’s great. That’s, that’s a, that’s actually a new perspective that I’ve seen in terms of coaching, typical coaching, like I do sales coaching. So it’s like, we get on the call, we go through problems, we just hammer it out. I like the idea of just like, I don’t know if I could do this on my, my coaching calls, do the meditation and do a couple of yoga poses. And then, all right, let’s talk about sales. But I think it would probably work for, for some people to just get that calming sense because it’s everything is so fast paced or it’s, it’s tens like it seems to be fast paced. It doesn’t have to be.
Vera: 14:30
It’s a pressure that we put on ourselves based on this expectation that we think that people have of us. And so we place that same expectation on ourselves. But the truth is we do everything better when we’re relaxed. So it would absolutely apply to sales.
Tom: 14:46
Yeah.
Vera: 14:47
Like, think about it. If, if you’re like, Oh my gosh, I need this sale. I got It Like, it’s going to go so not the way that you want. Right? But if you’re relaxed, you’re like,
Tom: 15:01
Yeah.
Vera: 15:02
we’ll see how it goes. That’s usually when the sales call goes the
Tom: 15:07
absolutely. And actually that is, I encourage people to do some type of habit or ritual before a sales call. Well, if they’re low energy people, then it’s like, do some pushups, do some jumping jacks, whatever, get, get in state. Right? And then, or if they’re super hyper all the time, then just take some deep breaths and get ready for a call, detach and go. Yeah, absolutely.
Vera: 15:31
yeah, and both of those examples that you stated are Examples of us getting into the body, right? When you’re doing jumping jacks and push ups and you’re like pushing yourself It’s hard to let your mind keep running through all the anxiety because you’re just like, okay, I’m trying to breathe Okay, I’m trying to like, like all your blood is rushing to your muscles, right? So you’re just like focused on what is happening in the body and that’s that you It’s bringing your attention back into the present moment. Same thing when if you’re the kind of person that’s really high intensity, if you focus on just your breath, like, I’m only going to think about my next breath, again, that’s getting back into the body. So the body is a tool that is always available to us. We’re always with the body. Right? So if you learned how to use it to your advantage, like, that’s a superpower.
Tom: 16:27
that’s amazing. Yeah, that’s great. Great perspective. I love it. So let’s, let’s talk about the business side. All right. So a lot of heart led business owners that I, that I speak to struggle with money and can the balance between making a profit and leading with your heart and, or putting people first before profits. So how do you juggle that?
Vera: 16:49
I always ask myself, is this thought I’m having fear based or love based? Because something fear based is of the mind if it’s based in love it’s from the heart. So the voice that’s like, if you don’t do this, like, you’re not going to make any money and if you don’t make any money, okay, well then what, what’s the consequence? And you just like follow that path, right? And it’s like, what is the absolute worst thing that can happen? And when I asked myself that I was like, it’s death.
Tom: 17:21
Yeah.
Vera: 17:21
Cause that’s the finite thing. Anything else, I can always come back from. There’s always another thing that I can still do. So, if there’s always something else that I can still do, is it really that scary?
Tom: 17:32
Yeah, not at all.
Vera: 17:33
Like take care of your body first and then everything else will fall into line.
Tom: 17:38
Well that, that would, like, keep people from burning out so much. And so many entrepreneurs just go, go, go, go, go. And you can see it in, I have friends that have done startups and you can see when they start and the stress level by how large, cause they’re putting on weight and they’re just, they’re not exercising, they’re not taking care of their body and the business kind of follows that same suit, but you look at the entrepreneurs that take that time and they, they, work out, they do meditation, mindfulness, and slow things down. They’re the ones that are more successful.
Vera: 18:17
I mean, how you do one thing is how you do everything, right? And everything that you do is for projection of you. So if you’re not taking care of yourself, how do you expect something that you put your energy into to do well? Yeah. I mean, everything is, is a mirror. Everything is a mirror.
Tom: 18:40
Nice.
Vera: 18:40
So it’s important to, to see that. To know that, and then to come back to that, because even that is an exercise in itself, right? Noticed recently, like, how much my mind wants to have everything happen on it, on its timeline. And my heart is always telling me, everything will happen. Trust, right? So that’s hard to do because it’s separating the ego from the soul, for sure. Like, none of this stuff is easy, right? Like, the first time I meditated, or even like the first nine months of trying to meditate was like torture. So it’s a journey. All of it is a journey. It’s very much worth it. And I, I can definitely tell you that. The amount that you grow is the amount that your business will grow.
Tom: 19:36
100%. Yep. Yeah. The ones that aren’t putting into putting the work into themselves, aren’t putting the work into the business either. Do you have any like stories of like some surprises, some either good surprises, bad surprises that have happened because you were leading with your heart and not, you know, with your head or always thinking about profit or making, some money.
Vera: 19:59
Absolutely. I was leading a yin and yoga nidra workshop and there was a lady that came in and I could tell she was a bit uneasy and I just like made her feel really welcome, and she said, it’s been a while since I’ve done yoga. I’m like, okay, yeah, no problem. Like it’s very chill today. We’re just going to do some very chill yin yoga. It’s very gentle and you hold the poses for like three to five minutes. So it’s really more meditated than anything. And she’s like, okay. And then afterwards I just checked in with her. I was like, how was it? And she’s like, that was actually way better than I thought it would be. And, she, she left and then a few minutes later she came back in and I was like, Oh, did you forget something? She’s like, no, actually, do you do this privately? I’m like, sure. Yeah. I gave her my information. She ended up contacting me and the message that she wrote me floored me. And she had received a diagnosis about six months ago with brain cancer,
Tom: 21:04
my gosh.
Vera: 21:05
three tumors, and one of them was operable and the other two were not. So she went through with the surgery and she’s like, I have been through all of the therapies. I’ve been trying to get support. Nothing seems to be helping, like, but what you did today with the yoga meditation, like that actually got me somewhere. That I haven’t been in a long time. So we started working together and I was like, who am I to do this? Like, like I coach people who, maybe are going through like divorce or a career change or, like, like I had never been faced with something that was like life or death like this. And I was really scared myself going into it. But, every day or every session that we do together, I just put all of that aside and I’m like, okay, just show up and do your thing.
Tom: 22:07
Yeah.
Vera: 22:08
Teach the yoga, teach the meditation. And then, and then we chat after like our coaching session is more of a chat than anything. And because her ultimate goal is to reconnect with her body and, and her spirit.
Tom: 22:25
Mm.
Vera: 22:26
And she wrote something recently and she said that you’re not just a supportive yoga instructor. You’re actually an advocate for my soul’s
Tom: 22:38
journey. Oh wow, wow.
Vera: 22:40
Yeah.
Tom: 22:41
What a great
Vera: 22:42
Yeah.
Tom: 22:43
I mean, that’s that’s amazing what, oh wow. You both are lucky you have each other. Like that’s, what, what a great like combination. Yeah.
Vera: 22:52
And so that I think that was just a really good example of how I don’t need to worry about like profit or, have this intense idea of how my business needs to go because It seems like I’ll attract the people that need my way of serving, no matter what, as long as I keep showing up to do the work.
Tom: 23:18
Yeah. I mean, that’s, had you like thinking about the, the opposite of what could have happened in that interaction, right? You’re, the teacher, but you’re thinking business is like, okay, let’s take the cash. Let’s go to the class. We’re done with the class, everybody go. And instead of
Vera: 23:37
Yeah. Leading
Tom: 23:37
with the heart and just really checking in on people, and that’s what people really feel. And it doesn’t matter if you’re selling widgets, yoga, medical supplies, whatever, if you’re doing that, people are going to feel special and will automatically be attracted to work with you at a deeper level. Without that thing, like, how can I market this to make this better? But rather, how can I make myself better and show up better for my clients? Love that.
Vera: 24:06
Absolutely. That’s a great point.
Tom: 24:08
Well, thank you for sharing that and sharing your story with, with our audience. I know they’re, they’re probably like, wow, this crazy start and, just a really nice, peaceful into or where you’re at right now, which is, which is really great transformation. So congratulations on, your recovery as well. So I’m sure that was difficult, but very rewarding at this point.
Vera: 24:31
Yeah, thank you so much. I think what I’ve learned in all of this is that sometimes when we feel like we’re trapped in a cage, it’s really up to us to see that the cage was never locked.
Tom: 24:47
Yeah. Wow. And for some people, that’s their mind, right? So Vera how can people learn a little bit more about what you do and potentially working with you?
Vera: 24:56
Yeah. So my yoga website is stillyoga.ca. You’ll find my information on coaching there as well. My Instagram is@stillyogavera. I will be coming out with a free guide. On three ways to meditate that don’t feel like torture
Tom: 25:15
Awesome. I
Vera: 25:18
as a free guided meditation recording. If you want a sample of what it’s like to do guided meditations.
Tom: 25:28
That’s awesome.
Vera: 25:28
That will be all be available via my Instagram or my website.
Tom: 25:32
Cool. And we’ll link all that up into the show notes as well. Whenever you’re listening to this episode, you might, that might already be out. So, make sure you check out what Vera’s doing. Vera, thank you so much for sharing your story with our audience. I really appreciate it. And now for our listeners, I invite you to do what other kind and considerate listeners do, and that is giving the show a rating and review. It really helps spread the word for other heart led business owners who could use the help and advice similar to what Vera has shared with us today. So please give us a rating review. I would certainly appreciate it as well. And until next time, lead with your heart.
Speaker 2: 26:13
You’ve been listening to the Heart Led Business Show, hosted by Tom Jackobs. Join us next time for another inspiring journey into the heart of business.
