Tosca Reno is a New York Times best selling author and founder of the Eat Clean™ Movement.
What my life looks like at the moment
Tosca Reno’s Morning Routine
Hydrate (1L of water right away)
Meditate (15-30 minutes)
Create (Journal immediately)
Educate (read to feed my brain for 30 minutes)
Operate (process what you’ve learned – write about it)
Take Action – exercise – I like to swing Kettlebells. I love it and I’ve been using my rebounder for years. I use those tools to shake off bad energy, bad moods – I adore the results. And most particularly women my age need to understand the value of doing a workout that stimulates the metabolic fat burning rate in the most efficient way.
Cultivate (cultivate health – nourish my body) through consuming clean foods.
Writing – writing – writing: I have written many books and even a New York Times best seller, but I also failed. Hard. My last book was not a success – and I’ve struggled to get my confidence back. What I’m writing today will not be what I wrote about in those other books. This is a new iteration of me.
This is me showing up as me. Not someone else’s idea of what they think I should be. I had a good ride, I learned a lot but I am a new person now.
My life lessons are many and painful but I am grateful for them all. I can say that now.
But I was so angry at one point I took all Bob’s designer suits and tossed them on the driveway, then drove the car over them a few times. Then opened the trunk and tossed them in and took them to a donation place.
I was broke and broken.
The Steps I Took To Grow
The first step was leaving my first husband. There was far too much domestic violence. One day I got up and walked away from that.
What did I learn there? He made me strong. I became a warrior for myself and walked right into freedom and possibilities. Strangely I wasn’t scared and ultimately I thanked him for teaching me how to be a warrior.
But what now? What I needed was to become successful in my own right and I vowed to do that.
I didn’t know how or at what but I just knew that my being successful would sting far more than a few dollars from him.
And I found it. I really did. I committed to the hard work. I trained. Got lean. Ate clean and began to tell that new story and it was brilliant. It was incredible. That feeling of overcoming – it’s good medicine.
I fell too. Everything broke apart. In 2011 … 2012 … 2013 ….
I had to start again. From zero.
That’s where I am now. The thread that joins up the dots for me is that every event is leading me to my future. I feel my best work is yet to come because a depth of internal wealth – an understanding of so many life experiences – this makes me more approachable than a woman in a bikini and stripper shoes – I am just like those who read my books and follow me – peaks and valleys, perfectly imperfect.
I have made myself an open person, willing to feel the fear, the pain and the joy. That’s been the big learning: Emotional Self Care.
I’m not sorry about any of what has happened. I have no regrets. I see that everything has happened for me not to me and I’m better because of it.
The new self is here. She is a new person. A woman who has become a greater self.
I’m not Oxygen eye candy anymore, I’m a new woman/person with so much history so much experience – this is my story now. I’m happy that I am willing to show up, just as I am and be ok with that.
Perfection – like what I used to chase on those fitness covers and on stage – doesn’t interest me anymore. What I love is the raw stuff. The surprises. The me that will have a powerful impact on the world in a new way. She’s a leader. A renegade. A pioneer.
If I were to speak to my younger self ….
14 years old. Hello Younger Self. I’m so glad I have a moment to connect with you because I’ve learned a few things and I think you should know about them, now that I’ve got the benefit of experience.
Have a sit down. Listen up.
The key message is to always trust your gut. You’ve had solid inclinations before and you chose not to pay attention to them. You’ve got to girl! You have to. Because it’s for the best. Your inner self already knows. You came here created from the divine spirit but various programs, other’s intentions, experiences you chose to have, steered you in different directions.
If I could suggest to you anything that would help you it’s that everything you’ll go through is worth it. Every dot will join up to another dot to create a beautiful story. Don’t be afraid of any of those dots – these are but moments in time and part of how you strengthen yourself. It’s all a mad adventure. A sometimes painful but often joyous ride.
I do admire something about you, younger self – I love your spontaneity and creativity. These are the things you must nurture.
Continue to show up as this soul – you are needed and your best work is yet to come. Don’t trade away these things about yourself mistakenly believing that someone else knows better about your needs. Never dim your light as I know you’ve done because others are threatened by it. Shine your light as brightly as you can. The world needs you just as you are. Shine on.
I believe!
January 1st, 2021
