Maddy Moon is the podcast host of Mind Body Musings, author, blogger, life coach, and retreat leader on a mission to help women step into their femininity and live a joyful life. We wanted to dive deeper with her on how she tackled perfectionism, what her routines look like, what makes her feel confident and since she’s a personal development queen, we got the lowdown on what personal development resources she recommends most.
1. What inspired you to start helping women transform their lives? How did you get to becoming an author, podcaster, retreat leader, and life coach?
I was raised with a black-and-white mentality where there was always a right way, a wrong way, a bad way, a good way, and so on. I felt pressured to do things the right way, the “good” way so much that I developed a pretty intense case of perfectionism.
In order to cope with this perfectionism, I needed to find a way to receive an instant sensation of control. Of course, being a female in this modern-day society, I clung to body ideals, weight loss hacks and the pursuit of physical perfection.
For seven years, I ventured down a path that led to trying every single diet, workout plan, online class, program and so on. The one that did the most psychological damage for me was my bodybuilding and fitness modeling pursuit, where there truly never was a point where I felt I was “enough.”
After my second bikini competition, I had a huge moment of realization. I came to terms with the fact that my perfectionism was eating me alive. It was stealing my youth from me. It was stealing my sexuality, Femininity, softness, childlike wonder, freedom, joy and all of the amazing sensations that come with being a human being.
This big turning point happened in my life about five years ago. I began to document my journey in the earlier stages through my podcast and over time, I have become a speaker for women’s empowerment, leading retreats around the world, hosting my podcast show, coaching women and writing books.
I no longer focus on the body image piece of perfectionism as much, but it’s certainly a huge concern for many women in our society. Today, I spend a lot of my time serving women who desire to find their authentic selves, decrease anxiety/stress/perfectionism, heal their trauma, create the relationship of their dreams and harmonize their Feminine and Masculine energies.
2. What do your morning and evening routines look like?
My morning routine is a sacred time for me, setting the tone of my entire day, though it’s not always perfect. One aspect of the morning that is non-negotiable is my first meditation. I practice Vedic Meditation, which I highly recommend for anyone who thinks they simply aren’t the type of person who can meditation (trust me, I thought the same thing!)
After my meditation, everything else is a bit more intuitive but generally I will make coffee in my french press, watch a few inspirational videos on YouTube, walk my dog Ollie and make myself breakfast. I’m a creature of habit!
I don’t have much of an evening routine but what I can definitely guarantee will happen is some toothbrushin’, book readin’, late night emailin’ and probably a bit of snackin’.
Again, creature of habit.
3. What are some tips you have for someone who wants to live a more authentic life but doesn’t know where to start?
1. Subscribe to some inspirational, self-help podcasts: Mine is a great place to start, but there are many others if you do a quick search in iTunes.
2. Clean out your social media feeds: Get rid of any accounts that make you feel jealous or envious of their life over yours.
3. Create sacred friendships: Hang out with people who encourage you and lift you up.
4. Go on a retreat: Retreats are an incredible way to get out of your routine, share your soul, lift up others and get out of your comfort zone.
5. Simplify: Chances are, if you struggle with being authentic in life, you’ve got some clutter going on. Maybe you’re relying on other people to feel like “enough” or you’ve overpacked your life so much so that you never feel like you’re alone. Listen, if you want to find your authentic self you need to know yourself. Simplify your home space, your friendships, your pursuits, your to do’s and carve out time to simply be.
4. What are three things that inspire you and three things that make you feel confident/powerful?
Currently, I’m inspired by…
1. Rainn Wilson: I’ve always been a big fan of him, but I recently read his book The Bassoon King and I’ve fallen into an even deeper love with everything he represents.
2. Femininity: I’m inspired by the feminine essence I see in women all over the world, as well as the femininity I experience in my own body. When you’re in touch with your femininity, you’re in touch with your creativity. As we all know, creativity is what makes our world such a colorful place
3. Kids with brilliant ideas: I heard a talk recently by a 13-year-old desiring to create a company that makes virtual reality gear for kids with cancer. He’s currently creating a business plan to make connections, set meetings and get funding. My mind is blown by the inventive nature of kids.
Currently, I gain confidence/power from…
1. A really yummy perfume: Never underestimate the power of smelling good.
2. Amazing female friendships: I’ve been calling in some friendships recently that are so nourishing for my soul.
3. AcroYoga: it’s my favourite form of movement and play.
What are your favorite tools for personal development? (Books, podcasts, documentaries, etc.)
I have a list of 100+ of my favourite books on my website HERE where you can see all of the books that have made a difference in my life. It’s a long list, so take your time!
Others:
Somebody Feed Phil (a traveling show I can’t get enough of right now)
The Moth Podcast
The Priestess Podcast
Super Soul Sunday with Oprah