Mahara Wayman [00:00:05]:
Welcome to the art of badassery where I explore what it takes to live life on your own terms. Break free from the status quo and unleash your inner badass. Whether you're a rebel at heart or simply seeking inspiration to step outside your comfort zone, this podcast is for you. I'm your host, Mahara Wayman. And each week, I dive into the stories, insights, and strategies of those who've mastered the art of badassery and are living life to the fullest. They smile when no one is lucky. Welcome to the art of badassery podcast. I'm your host, Mahara Wayman, and I'm excited to introduce my guest Sabrina Del Duca, a dynamic individual from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Mahara Wayman [00:00:53]:
Sabrina's journey is one of total transformation, Transitioning from a very successful career in advertising to following her true calling. Very badass. As a dancer and a dreamer from a young age, Sabrina initially pursued a traditional path, excelling in academics and earning a bachelor's degree in communications. She achieved great success working with leading beauty brands and fashion brands, traveling the world, and creating truly remarkable work. However, after a decade in the industry, Sabrina felt a disconnect and suffered burnout. In a very bold move, She left her career without a backup plan, returning to dance and embarking on a healing journey to discover her true purpose, Helping others connect with their own. In 2020, she founded her coaching company, Empowering Women to rewrite their life And transform their lives for the better. Her personal journey from rock bottom to thriving inspires her mission to provide tools and guidance for others.
Mahara Wayman [00:01:55]:
Today, she's a full time coach, dance teacher, and podcast host, utilizing her expertise in communication and over 20 years of teaching To inspire others, to embrace change, and create a life they love with confidence. Beyond her professional life, Sabrina is a passionate dancer, a dedicated cat mom, and an avid reader who loves reality TV and Spanish drama series. Sabrina, welcome to the podcast. I'm so honored to have you here.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:02:24]:
Thank you, Mahara, for having me. The honor is mine.
Mahara Wayman [00:02:27]:
It's a pleasure to be here. Beautiful. So I gotta say, after all of the work that you put in to create the life that you thought you wanted or perhaps the maybe your parents wanted for you. What was the deciding factor where you went, wait a second. What am I doing? Yeah.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:02:49]:
It's a great question. For me, it was the life I wanted. My parents have always been so supportive. They never pushed me in a direction. They always listened, and were there for me when I needed them. So I didn't feel pressure from them, but I did feel a sense of, you know, you need to make sure you're independent and, you know, have a good job and be secure. But it was never like you need to go into advertising. It was more You need to do what you love.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:03:18]:
And advertising was that for 10 years or I would say for 8 years because the last 2 years is where I really felt disconnected. And what happened for me is I don't know if people are familiar with the advertising industry. It's Very intense. There's a lot going on at all times. And for me, that's what fueled me in the beginning because I was able to find solutions and quickly. There was also the human connection, so I was the client director. So I was between the agency and the clients. I was making sure the agency was Happy.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:03:51]:
The creative team was brief. They were doing what they needed to do, and the client was happy making sure that their expectations were met. The budgets were followed. So I was the middleman. And, again, that kind of position of always finding solutions, making sure everybody's doing what they need to do, That's where I feel like I was excelling until it became overwhelming, until the demands became so Much that I felt like I can never whatever I was doing, I could never make everybody happy. And I'm a I'll say it this way. I'm a recovering people pleaser, so it's important for me to make sure everybody is happy. And then I Quickly learned that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I work, someone's gonna always have an opinion.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:04:39]:
Someone's always gonna have something to complain about. And that, to me, started the feeling of disconnecting because I felt I did not feel fulfilled in what I was doing. I felt like I was working so hard, But the result that I was receiving and the backlash that I was receiving from certain, the very demanding clients, for me, I started to question, is this really worth it? What am I putting myself through mentally? And this is before mental health really became talked about. But I felt that I was being drained For and no matter what I did, it wasn't good enough. That snowballed because once you start feeling like that and, you know, listeners, I'm sure you've had a moment of feeling like Your anything you do is not good enough. And when you're in that kind of space, it just if you don't Get to the root cause of it and start to work through it, it just gets worse, and everything else is then tainted. And that's what was beginning to happen. My relationships were beginning to be tainted because I was disconnecting from my core so much on my purpose, And I was just following the steps of what I thought I needed to do because here's where the guilt comes in.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:05:59]:
I have this amazing job. Who am I to start questioning if I'm happy or not? Who am I to even think of something different? If I'm not an advertising director, what would I be? And anybody would love to have my job. Right? So there was all that in the background too of, like, the feeling guilty for feeling this way And fueled and propelled the the burnout the burnout. Right? So burnout is really the feeling of being overwhelmed, the feeling that you hand control, the feeling of utter hopelessness. Because I was in this situation, and I did not see a way out. Because By by industry standards or by societal norms, this was my job that I needed to commit to, that I would have for life. That's We've been taught. You pick a job when you're 20 years old or when you're in college, and you stick to it.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:06:50]:
And I didn't want that anymore, But I didn't think it was okay to change my mind at the time. So here's where the badass comes in. I followed my heart, And I said no. I will not stay stuck. I will not be that person who's gonna be miserable for another 10, 20 years in a job that no longer fulfills me. Here's where I need to reframe my mindset and look at this as an opportunity to do something different, not as I failed and I can't get because of that Comes through your mind too. It goes it crosses your mind. I'm I'm failing at this job that I've Tried so hard and worked so hard to achieve.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:07:30]:
And now I'm no longer happy, so there must be something wrong with me. That's what goes through your mind.
Mahara Wayman [00:07:35]:
Okay. I I wanna jump in here because, oh my god, I can so relate to every aspect of your story. And there's a few things I wanna pull out for the for the audience that's listening. Everything that you've said is very is very natural, this idea of questioning the failure, this idea of Once you let that voice in, you hear I'm not good enough. It's hard to turn it off because it triggers things inside. So everything I'm hearing, you know, I've I felt it myself, and I know there's lots that that that a lot of our listeners can relate to it. But what I'm curious about is, Especially as this was a while ago when mental health wasn't talked about that much, and coach itself wasn't even talked about that much. Where did you find the courage to not end up as a puddle on the floor and just Keep going and get burnout burnout and and just continue.
Mahara Wayman [00:08:29]:
Because so many of my clients are only just you know, after years of feeling that way, are only just recognizing that there's an alternative. So I'm just curate. Did you have friends that said to you, hey, Sabrina. You don't have to do this job anymore? Did your parents say, Sweetheart, it's not worth it. Take a break. Like, how did you get to that point of questioning?
Sabrina Del Duca [00:08:52]:
My boss was incredibly supportive, and I'm so grateful. The president of the company and my, immediate superior recognized the symptoms of burnout and recognized that I was no longer in the space of being able to continue. My boss himself experienced burnout years ago, which actually encouraged him to leave his corporate life and start this agency. So he was seeing himself through my eyes, and he is the one who said to me, It's okay. You're done with this chapter of your life. You need to find something else that lights you up because this is not it anymore, and it's okay. So he gave me permission to do something different. If it wasn't for him, I don't think I would have had the courage.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:09:45]:
Because then when I spoke to my parents, the the parents you know, the my mom is very supportive. My dad is a little more Nicole. Right. So we always have 1 of each. And my mom, very supportive because she was like she was this sweetheart. This is not worth it. Like, your mental health is not worth it. Whereas my father, what do you mean? You're gonna leave your secure job, but you've worked so hard for it.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:10:09]:
But what are you gonna do? Like, the The practicality of the how are you gonna make a living, how are you gonna pay your bills, just the what do you mean you're changing your mind after all this time? So He I needed to convince him that it really stemmed down to my mental health, my well-being, And I could no longer stay in this situation. But for some reason, I did not feel stressed that I would not find something else. Everybody else was stressed for me because, oh, what are you gonna do? I had no backup plan. So my boss was like, here you go. Here's a beautiful package. Actually, gave me a package. Here's a beautiful departure package. Take the time you need to figure out what you wanna do, and take the time to heal.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:10:55]:
And through that process, I always felt deep down inside that this was the right move and that I would figure it out, and it was okay. And that's where the badass again comes in because it's like trust yourself. Like, trust yourself that this is the right move, and you're gonna figure it out no matter what That means, like, yes, maybe you're gonna have these challenges and obstacles along the way, but you're doing something that deep down in your core you feel is right. And that's the only voice you need to listen to.
Mahara Wayman [00:11:22]:
And that is the core of being badass is recognizing that you can trust yourself. Yes. And it's so I love that you I had the same experience when I met the corporate world. I couldn't have been happier, and I had to placate All of my friends and family. And one of the things I did was I started a website where a blog so I could share with people that I really was okay. It really is going to be okay. Yeah. And I think, to your point, when we surrender
Sabrina Del Duca [00:11:53]:
Mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:11:55]:
To whatever you call it, universe, god, spirit, Allah, Buddha, doesn't you know, whatever you call it, whatever resonate When we surrender, recognize that we are worthy simply by the fact that we exist regardless of what we've done in the past. When we accept that, then we open up this dialogue with ourselves or with with ourselves or with the with the universe. And we will if we allow ourselves, we'll figure it out. Some of us know way, I I wanna be this. Some of us don't. But when we when we say, I'm open, then stuff happens, and the universe show us. And that's why I think it doesn't feel so stressful because you're
Sabrina Del Duca [00:12:39]:
like, mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:12:40]:
I don't have to be stressed. If anything, this is the most unstressed I've felt all my life because I'm finally giving stepping into my greatness, whatever that looks like.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:12:51]:
Yes. That's exactly it. And the Surrender. I love that word because that's exactly what happened. I surrendered to the idea of I don't need to be stuck, And I have the power to change my path, to rewrite my story. And even if that story was unknown or that chapter, I should call it, was unknown. There was still this excitement within me that, oh my goodness, I get to actually choose what I wanna do in my life Now, like, I get that opportunity again. I had it when I was 20, and I made that decision, and it did well for me for all that time.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:13:25]:
But now How many people get the opportunity to actually say, at the time, I was 35, like, I get to choose now what I wanna do next? How exciting. So reframing it and thinking of it that way as an opportunity, something and deep down, I knew You know, I I didn't know immediately I wanted to be a coach. Like, you were saying some people know exactly what they wanna do, but what came up for me and what kept coming back is I wanna help people. I don't know how, but I wanna help people. And that's what I was lacking at the end of my advertising career. Because in the beginning, I felt I was helping people, Helping people excel in their in their personal development, in their career, helping people achieve projects and success. But with all the pushback and the resistance that I was getting towards the end, I felt helpless. Everything I was doing, it wasn't helpings and even making a difference.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:14:17]:
I wanted to create a greater impact. Cool. I was doing amazing advertising campaigns, helping them sell their product, but I wanted to connect with people on a personal level. I wanted to make a difference in their personal self development, and that's where I just kept coming back to, okay, how can I help people? That's where the dance background and the teaching came back because for me, that's immediate gratification. That instant gratification of you see someone Get the move and develop that inner confidence, and you see them shine, and you see them be amazing on stage. Like, that's what I wanted. So that's why I went back to dance for a little bit just to, like, let's let's get back into it in the in the interim, right, in the for the time being. And then that fueled my passion for, again, the helping people, helping people with their confidence, helping people just be a better version of themselves.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:15:10]:
And so yes. Yes. Jump in.
Mahara Wayman [00:15:12]:
Jump in. Was gonna say I wanna jump in and say what I think I'm hearing is that you've actually been demonstrating and living your truth from a young age without actually putting a name on it. You just found different ways to express yourself and express your superpower because listeners, we all have superpowers. Right? We're not just here to flail around and Fall down and be be sad and and discover, you know, pizza. We're we're here for more than that. And it sounds like you discovered that early on. And then when you were in your career, there came a time when despite all of the beautiful efforts that you and your skill set, The reward changed, and it stopped being it stopped filling your cup, and it began to feel draining of your cup, like, not not a good thing. Exactly.
Mahara Wayman [00:16:03]:
So first of all, I think that's great, and I invite all of the listeners, and I do this quite often with my clients is you actually know your superpower. Talk to me about what you love. What makes you smile? Because I think there's a misunderstanding that in order for us to be great, we have to Make a $1,000,000 or
Sabrina Del Duca [00:16:21]:
Yeah.
Mahara Wayman [00:16:22]:
Vent something that's gonna change the world, you know, on these big grandiose, ideas and or executions. But what I believe is, oh my god. You have to you really don't have to do anything except accept who you are and smile. Because when you smile, you are lifting the energy of the world. And when you do something that really fills your cup, it just gets multiplied. So I Identifying our story and the ones that work for us Mhmm. Though that's beautiful. Many of us hang on to with Both hands, a story that doesn't work for us.
Mahara Wayman [00:16:57]:
And that's why you and I work. That's what we that's what we often come up against is, wow. That Story doesn't work for you anymore. Why are you hanging on to it?
Sabrina Del Duca [00:17:05]:
Exactly. What's the goal? Right? It's all we know. And the and the unknown is scary, so I get it. We hold on to the familiar. Even if it's a little uncomfortable or we're not totally happy, at least we know what to expect. So I think yeah.
Mahara Wayman [00:17:21]:
So and to your point, I know that many of us are like, at least I'm paying the bills. I may not like my job, But my health is or but I or I have income. You know? I can put the I can take send the kids to the dentist. I can, you know, put food on the table. Right. I may not have this, but at least I've got that. And to your point, we've been taught, many of us, to just suck it up and get it done. Mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:17:45]:
Get it done. I wanna go back to something you said earlier, though. You've been talking about mindset.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:17:50]:
Yes.
Mahara Wayman [00:17:50]:
And, you know, for many of us, That's a word that doesn't mean anything. Like, what do you mean mindset? I get up. I go to work. I come home. I watch TV, and I'm I'm angry. That is that my mindset? Can you talk to us a little bit about how you discovered that it is possible to reframe a story. And just sort of explain that a little bit more because I know that not that's terminology that you and I know very well, but I want I want listeners to understand that.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:18:18]:
Yes. Mindset for me, it's how I perceive things, how you perceive the world, your surroundings, how you approach challenges. So The other buzzword, if we wanna call it that, growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you're set in your ways, you don't think change can happen for you, you're stuck. Whereas a growth mindset, you view failure as opportunities. You're always there To you're always willing to learn, to grow, to try new things. And often, the switch from fixed to mind fixed So growth mindset is really where we could see the biggest difference in ourselves. And it doesn't have to be something dramatic, or it doesn't have to be something Too complex.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:19:04]:
It's just how do you view yourself when faced with challenges? Do you Give up and just say, it is what it is, or do you actually try to work through that challenge with an optimistic positive attitude? The misconception about mindset is, just think positive and everything will be okay. Right? Good vibes only. That does not exist. There are all kinds of vibes. Right? The the growth happens when you're able to face the negativity and work through it and not Get sucked in by it and let it overcome or or take over your entire being. A lot of us get stuck in victim mode, and We don't know how to get out. Whereas, the mindset for me is, what are your thoughts? Are your thoughts Bringing you down, holding you back. How do you speak to yourself? What are the words that you use when you are faced with a challenge? Oh my goodness.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:20:03]:
Like, never mind. I'm just gonna give up. This is never gonna happen. Or okay. It's challenging, but I can do this. I have faith in myself. I trust myself. Our thoughts are number 1.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:20:14]:
If we pay attention to what we're thinking, knowing that our thoughts then influence how we feel. So if you're faced with a challenge and your first thought is, oh, it's never gonna happen, well, your feeling is gonna be one of hopelessness, Giving up right away, and then your actions will follow because you don't feel like actually trying. You know, like, what's what's the point? You're not gonna make it through. But if your thoughts are, I know it's challenging, but let me give it a shot. Your feelings are gonna be a little more motivated. Like, okay. Let's let's give this a try, and your actions will follow. So if we understand, even if all this mindset talk is a little complicated and really, like, what is all this happening, Your thoughts are your most important asset because your thoughts will influence everything.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:21:02]:
And that's my number one takeaway of how do we even begin to talk about mindset and what is this this new word that keeps popping up everywhere. It's really being aware of your thoughts, being aware of how you think, the words you use to describe yourself. When we wake up in the morning and you look in the mirror, what's the first thing you say to yourself? We all have those thoughts, and then they're usually negative. Oh, I look tired today. Like, oh, look at my skin or how about we wake up in the morning, we look in the mirror, can we say something positive? Because then that's gonna set our tone for the rest of the day, and there's Power in that. There's power in your thoughts. There's power in being aware of what you you think because then you can really be aware of How that influences your feelings, and then your actions, like I was saying, will be in accordance to your feelings and your thoughts. So there's so much power.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:21:53]:
And when I learned that I have the power to actually change my thoughts and It's not easy. I may I may make it sound easy, but it's not easy because there are patterns. There's there's conditioning there. There's programming. We need to go back and undo a lot of what we've been doing on autopilot for so long. But when you learn and you put in the work, oh my goodness. It's worth it. Because I found myself stuck in cycles of not believing in myself or not feeling like I was worthy or good enough.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:22:24]:
And Going into this new chapter of my life, I needed to have that confidence to know that I I could do this. Or else if I was stuck in that cycle of Nothing I do is good enough or if I let my situation at the agency and the clients bring me down and say, you know, every time I try something, I get Shut down or I get resistance. That pattern, I needed to break because I could not carry that with me into my next chapter. And the way that I like to think about this, We all have emotional baggage. We all have baggage that we carry with us. But when you're packing up your house and you're ready to move, What are you gonna bring with you that's going to inspire and make your space better, and what can you leave behind that no longer serves you? And that's where we can identify the patterns that we need to break, that the conditioning that we need to stop and reprogram ourselves to be able to be In this better new space and start fresh, if that makes sense.
Mahara Wayman [00:23:19]:
It makes so much sense, and there's so much goodness and juiciness in what you've shared. A couple things popped to mind. I can't think of who wrote it right now, and I should because I think of it all the time. But, stand guard at the portal of your mind. Because man, oh, man, you've gotta be to your point, we have to be so aware of what it is that we're saying to ourselves.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:23:39]:
Mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:23:40]:
Clarity is everything. That's one one of the things that I start with with with all of my clients is let's get clear. Do you even know what your stories are? Like, what do you to yourself? I know you may be smiling on the outside, but you've got a I guarantee there's a there's a running dialogue going on in the inside. So clarity is key. The other thing that I wanna just ask you about, because it popped into my head, was do you think your experience as a dancer, Who I'm a I'm I've been a I've been a dancer, has helped you to develop a growth mindset. And the reason I'm bringing a correlation between Our physicality and our mental growth is that as a professional dancer, even if you're not professional, There are times when you're like, oh my gosh. I need help. I can't figure this move out.
Mahara Wayman [00:24:28]:
Mhmm. But a teacher that shows you and you practice and oh my god. I got the move. So at the beginning of rehearsals, for example, nobody knows anything. By the end of 12 weeks, there's this beautiful production. And I'm wondering if understanding that You have the ability through your physical movements to have a growth mindset if that helped you in your mental growth mindset. You see where I'm going with this? So we're gonna take a short break right now, but I'll be back with my guest within 60 seconds. Ladies, unlock your inner badass and transform Form Your Life with my monthly subscription workshop.
Mahara Wayman [00:25:04]:
For just $47 a month, you'll have exclusive access to work closely with me, Mahara Wayman, as we dive deep into all things badass from personal development to conquering your goals. Imagine waking up every day with confidence, purpose, and a smile that radiates your newfound strength. Take advantage of this badass opportunity and join us todayatwww.mindfulnesswithmahara.com and start your journey toward a happier, more confident you. Smile when no one is looking. You've earned it.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:25:41]:
Yes. I'm sure there's a connection. I never thought about it, but it's interesting. I'm sure there's a connection. Although I have met dancers who have a fixed mindset, and what that means is that They're very hard on themselves, and they expect perfection on the 1st try. Whereas a growth mindset, you're gentle with yourself. You understand that it takes time to learn the new move, and you you're you give yourself some grace. Give yourself a chance to learn and to perfect it as you go along.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:26:13]:
And I'm someone who is hard on myself. Like, I I do expect perfection, and that was one of the things I needed to work on for myself. Self. When I started doing my healing and my inner self journey, I needed to really look at that side of perfectionist, and it still pops up every now and then. And I catch myself and I catch myself, and I say, okay. Will this help me move forward, or will it hold me back? So I think part of it, yes. Part of the the understanding that you need to give yourself a chance To learn anything new, you need to give yourself a chance to practice it, to experience it, and even stepping out of the box and taking a risk. That is growth mindset worthy because if you're fixed, you'll never give yourself that opportunity.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:27:02]:
You'll never have the courage to Take that risk and do something new. So I think there's definitely opportunities or ways that we bounce from one to the other, growth and fix. So I think it's not an all or nothing. And if I do think back to my dance background, I there were moments that I had a growth mindset and other moments where I had to fix, but definitely the experience of the growth mindset through that lens will definite Help definitely helped me to understand the difference between the 2, where I'm at now in my journey.
Mahara Wayman [00:27:32]:
Beautiful. What kind of dance were you doing?
Sabrina Del Duca [00:27:36]:
All kinds. I went through so when I was a kid, I did the traditional ballet, ballet and jazz all through my teens. When I was 18, I discovered hip hop, fell in love with, like But, specifically, like, new jack swing, like nineties hip hop because the music is excellent. So that is something that I carried with me. I also at around 20 years old, I discovered house dance and wacking, and wacking became my love. And I actually became part of a wacking crew, the 1st wacking brew in the world in Montreal. We're still together today. I started teaching not long after I started dancing hip hop and wacking and house.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:28:18]:
And the teaching is something that really called to me. I remember going to see my, the studio owner at the time. I was maybe a year into dancing hip hop. Like, he he took me under his wing, and he's like, okay. You're gonna be part of my crew. Like, we're we're let's let's do this. And I expressed interest to him to teach because I was like, you know, I think it'd be really interesting for me to, like, give back to the kids. And here's something that we need to understand about little Sabrina.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:28:44]:
She was very shy. As a teenager, even if she was a dancer on stage, Yeah. Like, the bright lights, and I knew I knew my routine. Like, I was comfortable with it. I went on stage. I do what I had to do, but then you come and talk to me after. And And then I'd have a little voice, and I'd be super shy. And then I'd I wouldn't speak up, and I'd just be I'm I'm little.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:29:04]:
Like, I'm the shortest one in the class. I'm always, like, standing behind someone's shadow. And when I was teaching, and I was afraid. I remember those 1st few days because, basically, the studio owner was like, you wanna teach? Here you go. Take a class. Go. He just threw me in. And I'm someone who learns well under pressure, so good thing.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:29:24]:
But he literally went, Go. Here's your class full of teenagers. And remember, I was maybe, like, 18, 19, so I wasn't that much older than them. Go. Teach this class. In the beginning, I was so shy. I was so intimidated. But that opportunity, I am so grateful for it because that allowed me To come out of my shell, to step into my power.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:29:47]:
And because of that opportunity of teaching a class, I know that it gave me the confidence to speak out to to be able to just stand in front of a crowd. And fun fact, in elementary school, I used to do public speaking competitions, and I used to win even if I was super shy. So talking about superpowers that you mentioned before, Mahara, that was my superpower from a young age, But I didn't step into it until I was 1920, until I had the opportunity to see how I could use this superpower. And now that communication when I was in advertising, I was doing presentations. Now I'm using my voice as a podcast host and I'm as a coach. Right? Still teaching and still expressing, so I feel like that's something that I didn't realize at the time was going to come back and really empower me to Be my best self and be my most authentic self.
Mahara Wayman [00:30:39]:
One of the things that I wanna highlight here, which I think is so key in being badass, is recognizing the opportunities because so many of us go through life with blinders on. We don't see it. And Now I have a little chuckle with my family and even my clients because I I share with them that I have a vision. That when I'm moving forward in my day, I there are people in this plane of existence, friends, family, peers, clients that I know are supporting me. But I also now know that in my world, there are people on the other plane that are also supporting me. I don't see them. Yeah. But they are behind the scenes sort of directing, and I'm much more aware of the opportunities that come my way.
Mahara Wayman [00:31:21]:
So those of you listening, Open yourself up to the opportunities. You may not know exactly how it's gonna play out, but look at everything with a new lens. Like, Oh, what is the world trying to tell me? What is the universe trying to tell me? What are my kids trying to tell me? What is my gut trying to tell me? Yeah. And I love that you have seen these and recognize that when you are just 18 and that teacher said, go teach, you saw that as an opportunity.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:31:49]:
Mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:31:50]:
That's to your point, total badass. Right? It's not easy to step into something that you're not comfortable with or that you didn't experience with, especially if you're a perfectionist. But, wow, be able to walk out of that and go, I made a difference in those kids' lives.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:32:04]:
Exactly. And that's what fueled me. That exact sentence and that exact sentiment of I just made a difference in someone's life is what propelled me to keep going. Because Even working with teens, I were I still work with teens. That's who I teach, and that's who I love to teach. I know they're challenging, But for me, that's where I feel I can make the biggest difference because I I can connect with them on a personal level, and it's beyond dance. I see I teach dance at a high school, but the most rewarding is not when I see them at the end of the year on stage, which, yes, is amazing because I know how hard they work, then it looks Great when everyone's dancing together, but it's the day day to day when I get to speak with them, connect with them, and They ask me questions about life, and I'm able to help them and just be that person that they can come to if they need to talk. Because often, they don't have somebody.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:33:00]:
And for me, that role is the most fulfilling, and that's the role I play with my clients as well. But The role of being the go to person. And I realized actually thinking back, you know, being aware and of of all of the Skills and the talents that we have. As a kid, I was also that person. I was the friend that people would come to to talk to. So, again, it's that going back and seeing, like, where do you excel? Where do you feel the most joy? Where do you feel the most lit up? And it always came down to helping people And trusting, like you were saying to, Mahara, that you might not have it all figured out, but trusting that knowing what your gifts are and what brings you joy will lead you in the right direction action, and we'll lead you to those opportunities and being just open to seeing the opportunities present themselves. And then you choose, do I wanna try this? Do I wanna do that? But the opportunities will come when you are in that space and in that energy of just being open to receiving.
Mahara Wayman [00:33:57]:
Comes down to and and thank you for sharing that. It comes down to this idea that we have to live life with the understanding that it happens for us, Not to us. I love that. Be very clear in what it is that we want after we've done the work of Moin. While I really love No. I love painting. I just love painting fences, right, or whatever. When we when we have a clear idea of what it is that we love And we live our life as if we are already in that space.
Mahara Wayman [00:34:27]:
Then it just happens so quickly. It just happens so quickly. But it's not always that it's not always easy to understand that because, you know, life happens, and stresses happen, and breakups happen, and hearts get broken, and And mortgages have to get paid and, you know, accidents happen. So life can throw at us all of these things, but I just I love how you've Been able to reframe and recognize looking back at your life, all of the things you've stepped into despite it feeling a little bit uncomfortable perhaps in that moment. Yeah. You say to the to the person that is listening and is like, yeah. Well, it's you had it easy. You had great parents who supported group.
Mahara Wayman [00:35:07]:
You got an education, and you had a fantastic boss. My boss is an ass. Like, it's way easier for you than it is. What are some advice that you would give or not even advice? What are some ahas about your experience that you think may help that listener because are out there.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:35:27]:
And if you're listening, what I wanna say to you is If there's something you really want, truly want, you can go after it. Recognize that your potential has no limits. And maybe it's gonna be more challenging, and maybe my situation in relation to yours seems a little easier. But We all have different challenges to go through, and it's how we approach those challenges that will make all the difference. And so if If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. So even when I work with my clients and, you know, they're stuck Because they're about to move forward into this new life, but something the comfort zone is holding them back, essentially. Right? Or the The idea of challenges, the idea of the hardships is holding them back. I always say go back to your why, and that's where the awareness and the clarity comes in.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:36:22]:
You need to be aware and clear on what it is you truly want. Are you really happy with your life? Are you content? And you're okay if you're content and you're okay with being content, more power to you. But if you feel if there's anything within you that feels like you you want more Or this can't be all there is to life. There there must be something else that I can do. There must be something more that I can feel more Fulfilled while doing, you owe it to yourself to try. You owe it to yourself and to this one life that we have To see what it is that you can go and accomplish. It might be it might be something drastic like me and changing your career. It might just be, Hey.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:37:06]:
I'm gonna develop a new habit. I'm gonna read more. I'm gonna educate myself more. I'm gonna wake up earlier and go for a morning run just to feel healthier. Like, there are different levels to which you can make these changes, but I feel we have to go back to our why. Do you know your why? Do you know what it is you are meant to do on this earth because I feel like everybody here serves a purpose. And, again, the purpose might be to impact the world at a greater level or the maybe the purpose is to raise a family and to have pets and to just be that person that everyone can come to To feel like that they're in a a beautiful, comfortable home. So there's different levels, but know your why.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:37:50]:
Know what it is that really fuels you and lights you up.
Mahara Wayman [00:37:54]:
I think that's so powerful. And you and I were talking earlier that I think that one of the greatest things that we can do as human beings is to make connections with youth in a vulnerable way. And I'm always amazed. Well, I'm not so much amazed now, but when I First started to, facilitate group coaching. I was amazed at how alike we all are. I would sit in a room Mhmm. 50 a 100 people from all different walks of life. And 1 person would say something.
Mahara Wayman [00:38:24]:
I would ask another question. That person went a little deeper. And then all of a sudden, I could see all of the eyes were just like, oh my god. That's me. Even though they all have different stories, different gender, different ages, you know, all of that, the the there's so much more we have so much more in common. And when we give ourselves permission to accept that Mhmm. Then our whole world opens up. And I wanted to just say, One of the things that I keep keep hearing as you are speaking and so eloquently explaining mindset shift and and how we can, You know, step into our greatness and into a great life.
Mahara Wayman [00:39:03]:
One of the things I really believe is as we step forward and make a statement to the universe. The universe says you're ready. Here's an experience. Here's somebody I want you to meet. I'm gonna I want you to meet Sabrina. She's cool. So put that thing put that post out on social media. Sabrina's gonna meet you guys need to meet.
Mahara Wayman [00:39:25]:
Right? So it's the more effort we take for our dreams, the more effort the universe will take to help us.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:39:33]:
Totally agree. And if I may share a story about that.
Mahara Wayman [00:39:37]:
Please. Yes.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:39:39]:
What you're you're speaking my language because I I agree that when you are ready, the universe will deliver. When you are ready and you're in that space, the story I love to share is, I so time line. I quit my job in March of 2019, and I gave myself the summer to heal and to do the necessary work to to recover from burnout. And in Montreal, summertime is great, So I took advantage of the weather, but I did heal. And come the fall, That's when I was saying, okay. Let's go back into teaching maybe. Let's just maybe get a job at my friend's local studio so I could just Have a little bit of income coming in because, yeah, some bills need to be paid, so I needed to be realistic. And I used to go to this yoga studio, and I hadn't been all summer Summer because it was near work.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:40:35]:
And since I wasn't going to work, then there wasn't an opportunity to go. But this one day, it was a Thursday before Labor Day weekend, and I'll always remember, and you'll see c y. This Thursday night, I said, you know what? I feel like I wanna go. I know the teacher who's teaching that Pilates class. Let me just drive the 25 minutes. Like, let me make an effort. I need to be there. Let's just go.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:40:58]:
So I go, Have a great class. And afterwards, catching up with the teacher, oh, I haven't seen you in a while. What's new? Oh, I quit my job and, you know, I maybe wanna get back into dance. She looks at me and says, I'm looking for a dance teacher. Are you able to teach jazz? And I was like, yeah. I can. She's like, okay. Well, school starts next week.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:41:22]:
Let me put you in touch with someone, and let's get you in. And, like, let's make it happen because my jazz teacher today told me that she could not She could not make it for the year. So I'm looking for a teacher, and I was like, universe, thank you. Yeah. Thank you, universe, because that feeling, that gut feeling of I need to be there, yes, to get a workout and whatnot, But there was a bigger reason why I needed to be there because I needed to speak to her. She had an opportunity for me, and that opportunity brought me into the high school where I'm at now And where I speak about these kids who I'm impacting them daily and they're changing my life too, and the connections that I'm making with these kids are what are driving me forward, and I know that it's because of that that I can remind myself that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:10]:
What a great story. What a great story. And, Sabrina, that's a beautiful example of of how I think the world works, How you and I think the world works, which when we surrender, admit that we are worthy, and I'm not saying that's easy. You mentioned it earlier. This work is not always easy or doesn't always feel good, but it is worth it. So when we surrender, Understand and wholly embrace the fact that we are badass. We are worthy. Ask all of the questions About what fills us up and what what we want more of in our life versus what we want less of.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:51]:
It's amazing to me how many of us only know what we don't want And haven't even what we do want.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:42:57]:
So true.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:58]:
Right? So ask ask the questions. What do I want more of in my life? What am I good at? What what have I done without even questioning? And yet people have you know, it it's had such a big impact. Typically, our superpowers are pretty easy for us, and they have a major impact. And what am I willing to do Moving forward, what am I willing to do? Am I willing to ask for help? Am I to be vulnerable and share with my partner That I actually don't like his cooking. I'm being I'm being you know? There's all different levels of being open and honest and true. Of course. All of those steps lead us to a place where we can say, okay. I am meant to be here.
Mahara Wayman [00:43:40]:
I am while I didn't enjoy some of the lessons along the way, I'm proud of myself for still being here, and I'm I'm an open book to what to what's available to me. Oh, I got the chills. I got Yes. Films. That's that's such a great story. I wanna be really clear on 2 things. A, I want you to tell us a little bit more about who you help exactly. But I just wanted to touch back on You you've talked about the work that you do with kids, and I wanna say I wanna thank you for that.
Mahara Wayman [00:44:07]:
My children are 20 and 25. And when I started this work and a little bit before, we had these great conversations about they would say to me, Mom, why didn't we learn this in school? Yeah.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:44:21]:
Why did I
Mahara Wayman [00:44:21]:
have to hit rock bottom? Why did this have to happen in order for us to have this conversation? And as I I'm a certified mastery method coach, so we talk about this stuff all the time now. My youngest daughter is studying psychology. So we had these amazing conversations, and we are Both of us all of us saying, k. This is more important than how to bake, you know, how to bake cookies in home. I don't even know if they have homework anymore. They did when I was going to school. This is important even in calculus. You know? People are teaching our children how to honor their feelings, How to recognize what's going on in their body somatically.
Mahara Wayman [00:44:58]:
All of that stuff is so much more important than I think a lot of what their standard curriculum has. So I just want to say thank you for teaching these children just to honor their bodies. Whether they Understand their growth through their physicality of dance, or you've just presented a space of safety and comfort for them to explore What's going on in their mental health? Thank you. It's so important. It's so important.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:45:26]:
Thank you. And I recognize the importance of it, and I'm so honored to have Been given the opportunity to be that person for them. And, yes, it's in the context of dance, but I do Take time to talk about how how are you doing? How's your mental health? Just yesterday, I went into class, and I felt that they were a bit low. So the what I had planned for them, I realized very quickly that I needed to rethink that. So it's also being Reading the room, as we say. Right? Like, being open to how they're feeling and not trying to force anything. And like, okay. We had a conversation.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:46:01]:
They were feeling low. Okay. Let's do this instead. And as a result, we a great class because I was able to listen to them and not be like, okay. Well, hurry up. Let's go. We gotta do this and be that fixed mindset. Right? And I was that teacher at the beginning.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:46:14]:
I was the fixed mindset teacher of, like, I don't care what you're going through. We're here to dance. We're here to learn. Let's go. And I quickly learned that I wasn't getting anywhere with these kids if I was like that, so I needed to be open. And they also expressed to me what you're saying, Mahara. Why don't we have this in school? Why aren't we learning this? I did the whole 1st week of class for them was a dancer mindset. How do you make the most of your year? How do you get To the best version of yourself through these dance classes.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:46:43]:
And everything that I was teaching them and the tools I was giving them, they themselves said, We need to be learning this in school. We need to be better equipped, and I totally agree. So if I can even have one Small part in helping this small group of students. With that, I'll take it, and thank you for everything.
Mahara Wayman [00:47:02]:
Oh, you're you're Welcome. And you may not remember this commercial because I am quite a bit older than you, but in the seventies late seventies, early eighties, there was a commercial for L'Oreal. And the idea was, you know, when you love your shampoo, you'll tell 2 friends, and they'll tell 2 friends and so on and so on and so on. And I think it's important to recognize that every time we connect and we impact 1 soul, we are actually impacting 1,000. Because that child will learn and behave differently to their friend, and they will learn it and so on And so on and so on. And so that's why it is so important the work that that we do, especially as you do it with children. So I wanna say thank you for that. Okay.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:47:43]:
Thank you.
Mahara Wayman [00:47:43]:
We just we don't have a lot of time left, but I I wanna I want you to talk to me about who your ideal client is. Yes. I want you to share the number one thing that you love most about the work that you do today.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:47:59]:
So much I love.
Mahara Wayman [00:48:00]:
I know, but just give me the number 1 One thing. The one thing client
Sabrina Del Duca [00:48:04]:
and what's Ideal client. Ideal client are women who have gone through a similar experience as I have gone through because I understand. I've been where you are, and I wanna help you through it. And I don't want you to have to go through The self questioning, self doubting, feeling guilty, feeling regretful, I wanna help you as soon as you feel like there's something more that you can get from this life, whether it be more from your job, more from your lifestyle, more from your relationships. I want to help you get to where you wanna be Faster. I don't want you to have to go through the hurdles that I went through. So by what I learned and my experience, I have packaged a program. I call it rewrite your life because we all have an opportunity to rewrite our life at any point in our life.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:48:51]:
Don't think you're too old. Don't think it's too late. Don't think it's too hard. Yes. It's difficult, but I will give you the tools to be able to just identify those limiting beliefs. Identify like we were talking about those stories that have been holding you back and knowing that you have the power to change that story at any time And seeing how we can do that. What's the road map? Being clear on who it is that you wanna be, where do you wanna get to, and Feeling supported along the way. So my program, it's a 12 week program because I feel like that's a good amount of time to work through all of it.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:49:22]:
And at the end of it, you'll feel like you have Clarity on where you're going, who is that future self vision, what it is that you wanna do, what's gonna light you up, and how to get there. You're gonna get all of those tools and resources. You're gonna work through those limiting beliefs. You're going to feel like you actually have the power to make a difference in your own life, And you're no longer on autopilot.
Mahara Wayman [00:49:43]:
I love it. So, guys, check the show notes. There'll be lot all the different ways that you can connect with Sabrina. And we'd love your feedback on this conversation because we've touched on quite a few things. Just a quick recap. We've touched on how easy it is To get stuck and end the even in your dream job. We've also touched on the idea that it is okay to change your mind. Right? It's okay to outgrow something and not to be afraid of it even if it's painful.
Mahara Wayman [00:50:13]:
We've looked at how badass it is To actually put yourself first. And sometimes it's easier than others. Sabrina shared her boss gave her permission, and I actually really like that word. Permission. Yeah. What we need to do, what really will serve us is when we give ourselves permission. Right? When we give ourselves permission to question, Look back. You know, I I say, look back at your past with clarity.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:50:41]:
Mhmm.
Mahara Wayman [00:50:41]:
Be clear on what's going on so that you can move with confidence, whatever the forward looks like for you. We've also talked about how fulfilling it is To connect with others, whether it's a teenager, whether it's with yourself or your parents. Just connecting with other human beings brings us energy and joy. And last but not least, do not be afraid of your greatness. I don't know if we phrased it that way, but I'm gonna phrase it that way.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:51:08]:
I love it.
Mahara Wayman [00:51:09]:
Afraid of your greatness because you were you're meant to be that person. You already are that person. Yeah. When you ask for help, Man, oh, man. It's gonna come at you from all different angles. Sabrina, thank you for joining me today. I really enjoyed chatting with you. We have a lot in common.
Sabrina Del Duca [00:51:25]:
We do.
Mahara Wayman [00:51:26]:
I don't think if I were to try dancing right now, I'd probably kill myself. I used to
Sabrina Del Duca [00:51:30]:
It's in it's in you. It's always there.
Mahara Wayman [00:51:32]:
It's in you. Yeah. I can I can move really well, but I just want a Funny note? Years years years ago, because I'm in my late fifties, when I was dancing professionally, I made a joke to someone about how, you know, dancers are we're really fit. Like, we're strong. And they came from the gym background where you really weren't dancers were nice. Dancers could move, but a gym rat was strong. And I'm like, do you realize that we don't have mats when we go into dance studio? We do sit ups and push ups and, you know, Versus and all of this with nothing. You guys do it with with padded pants and, like, on map.
Mahara Wayman [00:52:08]:
They were kinda laughing at me, but it's it's true. Right? So Yeah. Just a little funny story there. Those of you that were listening, thank you for joining us today. My name is Mahara. This has been the art of badassery. Share with us your comments, your feedback, and I will see you next week. Have a great week.
Mahara Wayman [00:52:31]:
Thank you for tuning in to the art of badassery. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and gained valuable insights to help unleash your inner badass. If you found this podcast helpful, please leave a rating or review on your favorite platform. Your feedback not only helps me improve the show, but it also helps others like yourself discover the podcast. Until next time, keep embracing your authenticity and living life on your terms. Here's to you.
