Rulebreaker Lifestyle Podcast with Camy Kennedy

Episode 007:Diane Flores on Owning Your Feminine & Starting Before You Are Ready

Hi there! My name is Diane Flores and I’m a mom, sister, daughter, friend and, most importantly…a WOMAN who knows exactly how you feel!

I am also a Certified Health Coach through the Institute Of Integrative Nutrition, Certified Pole & Fitness Trainer, previous NPC figure athlete and NPC Bikini Competitor with over a decade of experience in the health and wellness field. The demands on my life are no less or more important than yours. Which means, if I can live a Fit, Sexy and Confident lifestyle, you can too!

Download the show notes at camykennedy.com/episode007

I love this conversation with Diane today, because it feels so authentic, as we discuss our own hangups, body image issues and self-sabotage. Diane Flores owns a sensual dance movement studio in California, but has a background in bodybuilding and fitness competitions. She now teaches women how to change the conversation about what’s going on inside their heads. Diane is open to thinking about things she may not agree with, in order to see a different perspective. We discuss body shaming, freedom through authenticity, and taking action before you are ready. This interview unfolded in a real way, like having a conversation with a friend (because this momma is awesome!) I hope you tune in and have some ah-ha moments!

Connect with Diane Flores:

@livingthegoddesslife

What’s your story?

Diane owns a movement studio: fitness, sensual movement and pole fitness. She blogs at . Now creating more things for the online space – such as Sensual Movement – and moving towards more freedom as she has an amazing staff in the studio.

What is sensual movement and how did you get into it?

I started weight training in high school with my friend to avoid running in PE class. From there I got pregnant in high school. Gained some weight, then had a second child and did a little better then. When I started working at a gym part time, I started seeing fitness competitors coming in and I become obsessed with magazines such as Oxygen Magazine. Then I went in waves like a lot of people do where I did it for some time, until I opened my pole studio.

What rules did you break to honor & empower your soul?

I was on every single government assistant program there was when I was younger. And it would have been very easy for me to just say “this is just where we’re from” and it would have been easy for me to just settle for that life – a broke, single mom. I knew I wanted better for my children and I wanted to lead others.

Surround yourself with people who are better than you. I was constantly reading. A lot of times we focus on improving our weaknesses, but I think it’s important to focus on your strengths and passions and what gets you fired up. Immerse yourself in things you are interested in and passionate about. IT’s so easy to get sucked into social media or TV shows, but stay constantly learning and growing.

Podcasts:

Lewis Howes – School of Greatness

Marie Forleo – B-School

Tim Ferriss

Book list:

Think & Grow Rich

Loving What Is by Byron Katie

The Four Agreements by Don Miquel Ruiz

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

How to Be Compassionate

Relationship books:

Rising Strong by Brene Brown

The Power of Vulnerability

Mating in Captivity by Ester Perel

The State of Affairs by Ester Perel

The Desire Map – Diane’s Facilitator info email

Do you have a morning routine?

Waking up at 6am, come down and have some coffee and then work out first thing in the morning to combat anxiety/depression. Getting back into meditation and exploring Transcendental mediation. Then I get my high priority tasks done first before I get caught up in Facebook, email and other tasks. I keep a journal with my to-do list and I write them out the night before. . If I write it down, then I don’t have to jiggle my marbles around in my head, and then I know exactly what I need to tackle and try to avoid the procrastination monster.

How do you feel about not getting everything done on your list?

I still struggle with the thoughts of “did I do enough?” I try to give myself 3 big ticket items that if I get them done in a day, the rest is just a bonus. I know that there are 1-2 things that are “fires” that need done, and some things can be done tomororrow. I allow myself to just write things down so I don’t have a bunch of “sticky notes” floating around in my head. And if I get 2 big things then I feel successful. Journaling is a huge part of my life, and helps me when I’m feeling stuck on something or going through something in life.

Also – the Morning Pages (recommended by Tim Ferriss) is a tool to use in the morning to “brain dump” all your thoughts. I’m a huge advocate of getting it all out of our head, and writing it down.

When we know the things that are good for us, why is it so hard to do it?

A lot of times you are meeting it with resistance. That means there is something there. Maybe I don’t want to crack open and have a little bit of a melt down, or deal with some emotions I don’t want to deal with, or have difficult conversations with people. I’m all about authenticity, and being honest and sometimes, I’m too honest. But its easier to ignore stuff rather than confronting it. I think this is a lot of reasons why people will go to overeating, and alcohol or other things in order to avoid the things they really need to deal with.

If there is something I need to deal with, I actually need to have some time to think about it, so I can have some time to communicate effectively and be considerate of the other persons feelings. I’ve been reading a lot of books on communication, and putting yourself in the other persons shoes, and been a huge help and mindset shift.

You might need to communicate with someone, and that might help you with your problem of overeating. I like to listen to things that I don’t necessarily agree with, so I can get a different perspective.

Women really want the latest flat-abs meal plan, and its at your fingertips on the internet for free. If it was easy, we would all do it.

Sensual Movement and emotional healing – why are women so scared to own their feminine power?

I feel like one limb for weight training, sensual movement and yoga are part of my lifestyle. Sensual movement has been the gateway for being unapologetically who I am. It makes me feel like I have a voice, in relationships, in society and being accepting of my body with all the different shapes and forms its taken over the years. Some of my clients have been able to transform from relationships and bad habits, and their body changes shape through emotional and mindset shifts. Women thought they were coming in for a sexy workout, and then then come out feeling like such a bad ass. It has taught me so much. It feeds me to want to get it out to more people. Women are in such a masculine work force, and have been told it’s not okay to feel sexy.

Sensual Movement link

Body image: how do women make the transition from not having to be a certain weight to feel sexy?

Cultivating the culture early on, starting off very gentle, allowing women to concentrate on how they feel, instead of how they look. A lot of times, I have to market is as weight loss because I’m selling you what you want, but giving you what you need. As soon as you walk in the door, we are going to immediately start changing the dialog that you have with yourself and with your body. You are not allowed to say “can’t” and we don’t allow any body hate. You’re beautiful as you are, and why can’t you feel fit, confident and sexy while you’re on your way to working on your goals. You have have body composition goals and want to lose 10-40 pounds, but why not chase that feeling, and feel it right now on day 1, and love your body on the way. It’s a little bit of sexy brainwash.

What is your definition of freedom?

I just got the chills! Danielle Laporte is hands down one of my favorite authors. Leading your life by your core desired feelings. That looks like being completely authentic and honest in all areas of my life. Being transparent, and not holding back. Amy Schumer said “the last thing you want to hear when you are basically nude for a magazine ‘wow, you’re so brave’”. Being able to offer my story is very freeing to me, if I can save someone from going through the same things as me. For more info on The Desire Map workshops in person or virtual email:

“Don’t stop learning! There is so much out there than can be discovered. Take action, start before you’re ready, and keep learning! “-Diane Flores

This podcast episode & show notes were brought to you by Camy Kennedy Consulting LLC, *some included links may be affiliate links, on which a small percentage is made to support the podcast