Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tina Green. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I took a risk to write the book, “The Life-Changing Power of Self-Love: An Essential Guide.” This was a risk because after living for decades of my adult life with low self-esteem and being married to an addict with chronic depression, I thought, “If I ever figure out how to be happy and fulfilled in my marriage, I’m going to write a book about it!”

About 10 years after I said that I had a major breakthrough in lifting my shame and learning to love myself. It changed everything for me and made anything seem possible.

When I decided that it was my passion and purpose to help others operate from a foundation of self-love, I was also invited to co-author a collaborative book from the publisher Laura DiFranco of Brave Healer Productions. That was such a positive and empowering experience; I talked to her about creating “The Life-Changing Power of Self-Love: An Essential Guide,” and she was an instant yes.

The risk I took was, after years of hiding and having fear about using my voice and being seen, I was going to lead a collaborative book! I had to put myself out there as an expert, pull together a group of women to make a financial investment and be vulnerable by telling their personal story.. Then I had to come up with the vision for the book including the cover design, write the introduction, several chapters, and closing chapter, and put myself out there over and over again as an expert in this field.

To do this I had to walk through many gateways: My own self-doubts, fear of being seen, fear of rejection, and the doubting voices of others in my life. It was very hard and emotional work, but I did it, and it became a #1 best-seller on Amazon on its first day of publication! The risk was so worth it. The book is my legacy, and I am so proud of it. Now I no longer have those self-doubts, fears of being seen, or fear of rejection. I also am not concerned about whether someone else thinks I can do something. It was a huge victory for me – well worth the risk.

Tina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a best-selling author and the founder of Exposing The Roots.

Through my mentoring, books, workshops, retreats, women’s circles, and sacred rituals, I partner with women to increase their self-love.  I am especially passionate about women using their voices and loving their bodies!

I believe that when a woman learns to love herself, everything changes, and anything is possible.

I am an ordained Minister of the Healing Arts, a certified Celebrant and Ceremonialist, a Toltec Sacred Journey Breathwork Facilitator, a trained Life Coach, and a holistic Chef.

I bring my vital mother energy and lived experience to everyone I serve.

My lived experience is a big part of my wisdom and service.   I lifted a heavy cloak of shame and fear that I had worn for most of my adult life.  I felt shame about everything beautiful and powerful about being a woman.  I had fear about being seen and using my voice.

I stepped onto a new path of deep healing and spirituality with Freedom Folk & Soul, whom I eventually apprenticed with for several years to learn how to guide others through releasing shame and toxic stories and rewriting their stories.

I first focused on my body shame and discovered it lived for generations on the maternal side of her family.  I was literally born into shame.   Through sacred ceremony, ritual, and breathwork, I released my shame and returned it to my ancestors.

“I learned to love and accept my body as is, and ever since, I have felt deep freedom and zest for life that is still growing.”

​After working on my shame for decades and eventually breaking through, I gained a lot of wisdom about what truly works.
In serving others, I have a deep wisdom about what needs to happen first.  There is a lot of advice in the world about how we can change our mindset and “think” our way to self-love. I have learned that we can’t escape it with the same brain that got us there.  We need to have somatic experiences to release it from the body.  Deeper roots must be exposed, honored, felt, and released before we can heal and gain freedom.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Like many women, I had to unlearn the idea that to love myself, I had to look outside myself for approval, affirmation, and love.

I had to undo my tendency to be a perfect people-pleaser and martyr, at my own expense, to gain love and approval. These were co-dependent strategies I brilliantly developed as a child to meet my needs, but they no longer serve me as an adult. Because my family lacked intimacy, emotional support, and communication, I had to learn how to “be” to feel loved.

I also had to unlearn that outside factors, like where I lived, how much I weighed, what I wore, who I was in relationships with, and where I worked, would not make me feel loveable, worthy, and enough. I had to learn that it comes from within. I had to change my focal point to meeting my own needs and giving myself approval and love. I had to come home and love myself.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

What makes me uniquely qualified to help women cultivate self-love is my own lived experience of breaking through many barriers of shame, fear, and co-dependency to gain self-love. This makes me an expert.

I believe that lived experience is an essential qualification for any kind of helping profession. Without it, it is hard to relate to and guide someone through transformation.

I think for women to see a middle-aged woman who is comfortable in her skin and loves herself is inspiring. It shows that all of those “When I ________, then I’ll love myself” goals aren’t necessary. For example, when I lose 20 pounds, then I’ll love myself.

I am not glamorous or thin. I don’t wear make-up. I have grey hairs coming in, and I have to pluck an occasional chin hair. I didn’t have to change anything about my appearance to love myself as is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ExposingTheRoots.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exposingtheroots
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExposingTheRoots
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/exposingtheroots/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@exposingtheroots
• Other: https://www.morethancakeandpresents.com https://www.lifechangingpowerofselflove.com