We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristen Joy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kristen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The word risk implies danger. Most of the “risks” we take- or avoid- in this lifetime aren’t actually dangerous although our monkey minds may make us feel otherwise. The ego is real. Modern society has tricked us into believing that feeling uncomfortable or living “outside the norm” is risky. For me, staying stuck or taking actions that aren’t aligned with my morals and values is more risky than being uncomfortable.

According to societal norms, these activities may seem like risks but for me, they are just a part of living authentically:
1. Speaking my truth- and using my words effectively- even though my opinions may be different from everyone else’s or may ruffle some feathers
2. Making health decisions that are best for my body despite the media’s and government’s fear tactics and agendas
3. Choosing career paths that align with how I want to spend my days not with how much money I’m supposed to make or how many things I’m supposed to own.
4. Setting standards for how I want to feel moment to moment and maintaining strong boundaries around those.

I’ll give one specific example that covers much of the list above. About 15 years ago I stopped eating animals. At the time, I did it because of a high-energy process my Spiritual Master initiated me into. The ancient Vedic teachings say that when you eat an animal you take on its karma because you have robbed it of its precious life. In order to maintain the highest vibrations we want to avoid unnecessary negative karma. I continued to stay vegetarian after the process ended because my consciousness shifted. “Meat” was no longer food to me, I saw it for what it actually is- dead bodies. I also felt into the cruelty every animal suffers when they are treated as food instead of the sentient beings they are. It can make people uncomfortable to hear me share this truth. Maybe reading this is bringing up uncomfortable feelings for you now. Maybe houseguests feel inconvenienced that I keep a strictly vegetarian household where “meat” isn’t allowed anywhere on our property. These types of choices and standards may feel risky but for me being true to myself and treating all beings with respect and kindness is worth any uncomfortableness that I or others may have to work through or sit with. Being true to yourself is one of the greatest lessons I try to instill in my clients so we can all live the most meaningful and truthful lives. For it is within those qualities you find and create the most joy.

Kristen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I always had a burning desire to call out the injustices in our society. As a kid I didn’t understand why women were naked in movies but men never were. As a young adult, I didn’t understand how men’s porn addictions and the objectification of women were socially acceptible. As an adult, I have a very hard time with the hypocrisy that lives, sometimes subconsciously, in most of us. I always knew I wanted to enjoy my life fully but that meant I would also have to make some sort of positive difference in the world. Voluptuous Life- and my coaching services- came about as a way to encourage women to step into their sovereignty and connect to the Divine feminine power within. The ancient Vedic teachings share that women are more powerful than men and I wanted to be a part of realigning us- and society- with that truth. My products and more importantly the coaching services and meditation processes are designed to heal your body, heart mind, and spirit. You can read the testimonials on my website to hear about how women have stepped into a joy and power they never knew was possible.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

My best advice is to be careful about whom you take advice from. Yes, find suitable mentors and education but also take more time to sit in silence and listen to your own inner wisdom. Connect with the nature around you and within you. You probably need fewer outside opinions and influence than you realize. Also, if your heart and soul feel connected to your work, that’s a key to happiness and success

Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.

I owned a small but successful hat company with a friend. Going out to parties and clubs wearing our creations was the best form of advertising because we were in the “right” places with the “right” people and we had so much fun doing what we were doing. Partnerships can be tough though and she ended up buying me out because our differences turned out to be dealbreakers. I think it’s important to set boundaries about who will perform what tasks and to get clear on what everyones goals and expectations are. And remember, we all attach different meanings to the same words so take steps to make sure you understand each other’s true meanings and intentions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.voluptuouslife.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voluptuouslife
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AVoluptuousLife
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-joy-67076a99
• Other: https://linktr.ee/VLife