Reclaim Body's Wisdom - Rachel Fearnley

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rachel Fearnley, Chief Executive officer, based in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a somatic coach and breathwork facilitator. I coach women to cultivate safety in their bodies, deepen their relationships with themselves, and connect to and reclaim the wisdom that lies within. Many women, without really realizing it, are very disconnected from their body wisdom, and when they are, they function almost exclusively from the head and mind, making fear-based decisions that keep them overworking and hustling through life to the point of burnout.

For many, they learned that being in the body wasn't "safe," the experience of having big emotions and sensations was not supported, and they even shut down or were shamed as young people, which led to 'living in the head' and having a very disconnected experience, rather than having integration of mind and body.

My clients tend to be women who have a deep yearning for something more. They know that something isn't quite right. They are tired of being constantly on and constantly doing. They feel fatigued and frustrated, and on the edge of burnout. They are typically high achievers who have, until now, set their self-worth by how much they do and achieve. Yet, they realize they are on an endless (and never satiated) pursuit of happiness.

Tell us about yourself

I became a yoga teacher over ten years ago after having a career working on super yachts for ten years. I was burnt out, exhausted, and lost. I knew yachting was not a long-term career for me. I had picked up multiple bad habits and wanted a way out. I found yoga, which set me on a healthier path. I traveled around central America & Asia teaching, learning, and growing, and finally found myself in Bali, where I set up my own surf & yoga retreat, The Pineapple House, Bali. Health, wellness, and fitness became the center point of my life.

After having my daughter 4.5 years ago as a solo mum, I started to experience burnout again, but this time I landed myself in the hospital. It took this for me to re-assess how I was living and working, and although living a gorgeous, enviable tropical life, I was STILL hustling and working from fear as the sole financial provider for my child. I had already been exploring in yoga, meditation, and breathwork for a number of years, so I dived deeper into these practices and even now have an online training platform - The Whole Health Project-where we train people to become yoga teachers, breath & meditation teachers.

Through my own path to healing, I began exploring nervous system work, which led to the exploration of somatic intelligence and a deeper understanding of reclaiming somatic wisdom. There is SO much wisdom that lies within each of us, yet, the way we have been conditioned to work and live takes us far away from this. My mission is to bring women back. What motivates me is multi-fold.

Knowing how powerful this work has been in shifting the course of my own life, seeing how impactful even one session has been with my clients, having a young daughter who gets to KNOW this from a young age, and empowering her to continue to step into and stay in her power lights a fire under me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being able to live in Bali, have a gorgeous life, support my daughter as a solo mum and be present for my daughter. I work from home, so I get to spend way more time with my daughter than most working parents do.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Knowing that it really does all rest on you! There's no sick pay, no holiday pay!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Don't rush. We hear the glamourous stories of people who 'quit their job, started a business, and now I am making 10k months in 6 months. Yet, the reality is that these stories are NOT the norm. Don't be swept in by the hype. Build your business on the side, go part-time in your job, and make sure you have enough to make ends meet; otherwise, you will be creating your business from fear rather than from joy and expansion.
2. Surround yourself with people who are doing what you desire to be doing. Seek out to be in rooms with people who are ahead of you, enter into conversations that feel 'over your head,' and sit at tables where you don't feel you 'belong.'
3. Make sure you are following your joy, keep your hobbies and past times, and have a life outside of the work you do!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.rachelfearnley.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.fearnley1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel_fearnley/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachel_fearnley
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-fearnley-45a43925/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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