Cat Aldana: See That Your Life is Enough – EP25

Candice Wu 0:00

This episode is a light-hearted and simple yet essential conversation with Cat Aldana, the founder of Eat Stretch Nap. We dive into stepping into power, seeing that your life is enough, business sense and the simple yet profound practice of pausing and breathing.

Candice Wu 0:21

Hello and welcome. You’re listening to the Embody Podcast, a show about remembering and embodying your true nature, inner wisdom, Embodied Healing, and self-love.

Candice Wu 0:35

My name is Candice Wu, and I’m a holistic healing facilitator, intuitive coach, and artist sharing my personal journey of vulnerability, offering meditations and guided healing support, and having co-creative conversations with healers and wellness practitioners from all over the world.

Candice Wu 0:57

This episode is sponsored by the Soul Body Women’s Retreat, which will be held in October 2018, in a private villa in Zion National Park. This retreat is specially designed for a small group of women who would like to go very deep in their healing and their spirituality, as well as in setting forth a life that they would really like to feel authentic in and to be themselves in. If this retreat would interest you or anyone you know, feel free to go to CandiceWu.com/retreats for this and future retreats.

Candice Wu 1:31

And now let’s get started with Cat.

Candice Wu 1:36

I’m happy to introduce a friend and colleague of mine, Cat Aldana, and she has created this brilliant company called Eat Stretch Nap because she loved to eat. She loves to stretch. She loves to nap. So simple, yet profound, which is how I experience a lot of her teachings.

Candice Wu 1:56

I first met Kat in Yoga teacher training, and quite literally she’s just taken her practice and flown with it. She’s a master Aerial Yoga teacher trainer of the nationwide chain, AIR Aerial Fitness, and she is a widely sought after corporate wellness consultant and speaker. Her passion for Yoga, stems from her contagious love for dance, holistic wellness, and personal and professional development, and her fun-loving and energetic personality. Her deep empathy and gentle motivation create an extraordinary atmosphere of calm in all of her classes and inspire her students to trust their inner wisdom and strength.

Candice Wu 2:37

And I’ve personally experienced that every time I go to Cat’s class, or some talk that she has. She has just a very light-hearted and fun way to connect with people.

Candice Wu 2:49

So now, let’s jump into our conversation with Cat.

Candice Wu 2:55

I’m here with Cat Aldana, who is the founder of Eat Stretch Nap. I’m really happy to have her on the show because ever since I met her in our advanced Yoga program with Jim Kolakowski, I’ve just been fascinated by her work, loving, seeing what she’s putting out there, and it’s been fun to learn alongside her.

Candice Wu 3:18

Cat, hello!

Cat Aldana 3:19

Hi, Candice!

Candice Wu 3:20

How are you?

Cat Aldana 3:21

I’m great. I’m so excited to be talking with you today.

Candice Wu 3:24

So I’m all the way in Bali, you’re in Chicago, and I’m just watching you from afar, build your entire business and I’m just seeing it grow and grow and grow. So can you tell us a little bit about Eat Stretch Nap, about you, and what you’re doing in the world?

Cat Aldana 3:42

Yeah, so, Eat Stretch Nap is my retreat and corporate wellness company. Basically, through Eat Stretch Nap, I just love helping people relax, and just have fun and enjoy life, so that’s the service I provide through that company. Maybe, some of the stuff you’ve seen online includes, like, pictures of my latest retreat to Costa Rica, and I love doing rooftop Yoga and meditation classes in Chicago. I feel like in Chicago, the only place you can really get away is like on a roof, like fresh air, and like clear skies and the sun on you. So, those are the kind of things I offer through Eat Stretch Nap as well as the corporate wellness programming piece, which I mentioned, which basically means just going into office buildings and different companies.

Cat Aldana 4:36

I love working with digital marketing agencies because I’m really fascinated by that space and going into companies like that and helping them relax, I feel, helps them be more creative as well. So, I feel like I’m contributing to the world in that way. And yeah, I started on this path of creating my own company, basically when, well, we met, I think we met before we did that teacher training together, maybe just like in classes and Yoga with Jim.

Candice Wu 5:11

Right! In my mind, what I was saying, and I was like, “Wait a minute, didn’t I meet her right before that, somehow?

Cat Aldana 5:17

Casually, maybe. Yeah.

Cat Aldana 5:19

So that’s when I started, I started by teaching Yoga, like, when I graduated college, I had that, like, I don’t know, I just call it that freakout that everyone has, where you’re like, “I don’t know what to do with my life. I’m not ready for anything.” Like, I was such a, like, overachiever and was totally prepared to enter the corporate world in PR and advertising and easily could have gotten a job in that world. But I was just not ready and felt like I wanted a break or to do something different.

Cat Aldana 5:38

And that’s when I pursued teaching Yoga, because I had already, had a dance background and was teaching group fitness and dance classes and I thought Yoga would be complementary to that, and little did I know, it was like such a deep philosophy and lifestyle that I had no idea I was getting into. So it kind of was perfect. It really fed that lost, confused phase of my life. I’m just so happy I found Yoga at that time because it really helped me define who I am and what I want to do. And here I am now with like this company Eat Stretch Nap, which I feel like really embodies everything I’ve learned about Yoga and that moment of time.

Candice Wu 6:40

Yeah, I hear you talking about with Eat Stretch Nap, I heard you say in a previous podcast that you chose the name for your company, based on what you want it to be doing the most and I think that’s so great. It just reminds me of the things that you and I learned with Jim together in Yoga, and you can tell me what, your thinking was behind it. But what I saw in it was you getting to the essence of what you want to feel and who you want to be, and creating a whole business, a whole offering from there and sticking with what’s really true to you. What was your intention and thought process behind that?

Cat Aldana 7:23

When I started it, I did have that mindset, I was like, “Okay, I heard that when you start a company or build a business, it becomes your life.” And, I just wanted to like, remember why I started it, like, the whole reason I wanted to create my own company was so that I could have more time to Eat Stretch and Nap like, that’s all I really want to do.

Cat Aldana 7:45

And when I think about Jim and our teachings and what we’ve learned and the importance of like, being in that neutral and relaxed state, and how that gives you access to like, everything, is basically my inspiration, like, that’s what I was thinking. I was like: if I could just help people slow down enough that, you know, life stands still for a moment, that’s when they realize — you can at least, that’s what’s happened for me and what I’ve noticed happens for my clients and people I meet is where you, just finally, like, hear your own voice and are able to listen to your inner world a little bit more clearly and define what you actually want to do in life.

Candice Wu 8:28

Yeah, that’s really powerful. Because when you say you were an overachiever, you are obviously achieving a lot right now. But I see you doing it with a lot of ease.

Cat Aldana 8:37

Yeah, it’s so weird. I just don’t understand. I feel like I’m doing less than ever in my entire life. But like, I’m getting so much done and I don’t know how to, like, prove that to people other than like, I don’t know, like, follow me around, I guess, put me on a reality TV show and I’ll show you like, how how much I’m like, just like hanging out with my cat all day and like actually making money. I don’t know.

Candice Wu 9:06

So how do you do that? Like, how are you -? I know, for me, that when I slow down, and I get really clear with my desire and my intention and who I want to be, with whatever I’m offering in my business that — and I feel into the purity of that, then everything seems to come. And it’s almost like I’m drawing the energy towards me instead of chasing it and doing less instead of trying to do more. But how do you see that? Is that similar to what you experience or what happens for you?

Cat Aldana 9:41

I think, one of the main differences in terms of like, my mindset, or how I approach things or think about things is that I’ve really come to accept and be grateful for the opportunities that I do have already. And like, the situation I’m in, like, I know that I’m really lucky in terms of where I live, being with my husband, being in this apartment that I’m in, like, coming from that place of like, okay, like, I’m so lucky to have all these resources and people who like, support me and care about me so now, it’s just my responsibility to enjoy it. First of all, be grateful for it and then see what I can do from this, like, place of love and support.

Cat Aldana 10:36

What I’m trying to get at is, I think a lot of people, at least I was like this before, like I didn’t recognize where I was and that made me feel like I didn’t have enough or like I couldn’t, I couldn’t do all the things that I wanted to do because it wasn’t fair or something. Is that make any sense?

Candice Wu 10:57

Oh, it makes complete sense because I experienced that sometimes myself, I need the reminder of, wow, look at what I do have and the people that care about me and how I get to live, like, what I’ve created already for myself and what people have offered me, it almost feels like when I’m in that space and I really embody it and sink into the enjoying it, it feels like, what else is there that I need right now? Like, it’s already here and then you just have — I just have freedom to add on to it but from that place, instead of thinking or feeling that I don’t have enough. So that’s just such a really good reminder to me what you’re saying.

Cat Aldana 11:40

I think for a long time, like, I’ve felt the shift recently, especially this year, but for a long time, I just felt a lot of like, guilt about the privilege I had and I felt like I had to work so hard. But I was like, “I don’t have to work that hard, because I have a lot of things that are like working out for me already.” So I need to use these opportunities, and like lean on people that are already here for me because they’re here already. Like, I don’t have to like, struggle, just because I think that that’s what it takes.

Candice Wu 12:14

Yeah, isn’t that interesting? Like, there’s this whole idea about hustle or working really hard and work ethic and I completely see the value of it. It’s such a good tool. And I can relate to what you’re saying about not having to work so hard because, and the guilt.

Candice Wu 12:31

And in my life, I’ve watched my family, being Chinese-American, I’ve watched my family work so hard for everything and they did such a good job that it feels like I don’t have to work, to work hard like that, like struggle hard but that I can work from a different place, and I have that privilege. And I just thank my family, like all the time, inside of myself and outside but it feels interesting to not work in the same way.

Candice Wu 13:03

And I’m wondering, how for you — you came to that or how you worked through the guilt of that privilege? Or what, what comes to you around that?

Cat Aldana 13:12

Yeah, I mean, I can definitely relate to you firsthand because I’m Filipino-American first generation so my parents are also that very hardworking type and I would say what has helped me the most in terms of getting through it is definitely working with you. I’m not just saying that, but, because it was so — you do help people with, like, family dynamics, like this Family Constellation work, like, even though maybe we didn’t do it. Like, I don’t know how often you do it with people but we didn’t do it that often. But every time I did do it, I was like, “This is like so transformative and so healing.” Because I was able to just like, see my parents or see my family members in the same way that I usually do but in a healing environment, which is like crazy, like, what, that’s so cool that you could do that so that has worked.

Candice Wu 14:15

That’s so cool. What was the difference? Like, what do you mean by seeing your family, your parents in a healing environment? Like what difference did that make for you?

Cat Aldana 14:26

The difference it made for me was that, it all of a sudden showed me, like, that it could be healed or, like, I could do something about it, that it was all me, like, I knew that, but doing that practice with you, Family Constellations work, made it even more real. It’s like, “Oh, yeah!” Like, I can heal this relationship I have with my parents and you know, the guilt or whatever and they don’t even need to be here, because that’s how much energy of theirs I carry with me.

Candice Wu 15:01

It’s interesting. It’s like we’re the ones carrying it.

Cat Aldana 15:05

It’s true. Yes. So, that has really helped and then obviously, all the learning that I’ve done about Yoga philosophy and just reading about stuff that really helps shift and changes your mindset about things, therapy, I started going to therapy, which has been awesome.

Candice Wu 15:29

Is there any Yoga philosophy at this point, just in your life right now that you’re excited by or having on your mind or heart?

Cat Aldana 15:41

I don’t know if it’s necessarily a Yoga philosophy, but just this past weekend very recently, I did an Akashic records training and that has been just so cool. I feel like I uncovered a whole new world. It’s all about just like tapping into the present moment, at least that’s how I read it. And when you are so tapped in, you’re just, everything is available to you, like, you just get — you just see everything so much more clearly. I know people say that all the time. But from doing this training, I was like, “Oh, damn, this is so cool.” I’d never known that this was available to me like I did, but I didn’t know it was so, there’s like a certain system through the Akashic records that you follow and it’s just so awesome. Really into it right now.

Candice Wu 16:32

I’m so jealous because I wanted to be there with you guys and I just feel so excited about that practice. And I think how you describe it sounds so simple, yet, it does seem like there’s a whole world that can open up.

Cat Aldana 16:48

Yeah, it actually reminded me a lot of the Somatic Experiencing work that you’ve done with me, in terms of like, just like feeling into your body. I’m very like kinesthetic so I feel like that’s how I was able to like, be very present or like, receive information was like through my body. So reading that with a different lens of just like explaining how you feel and what information is present for you, like I thought that was really cool and it reminded me of the work we’ve done together.

Candice Wu 17:22

You mentioned to me that you were in a big transition right now in your business, and you are learning to step into your power and show up bigger and you are quite big already. And I mean it in the — like, your presence and your reach, and just in your energy, so what are you doing now?

Cat Aldana 17:42

Right now, I’m really starting to like, step up into like, who Cat Aldana is. I have these, you know, various tools that I’ve learned over time, like Yoga meditation, Ayurveda, all this stuff, and I’ve been working on a way to package that and help people where I don’t actually have to be like, physically present, only because this is the whole idea of just like being bigger, and like showing up more and being able to reach more people. Like, I just think it’s so cool and fascinating, like what you’re doing, you know, like living remotely and just being able to help people, still, I think that’s really awesome.

Cat Aldana 18:27

So what I’ve been creating is like an online coaching program and it’s been a lot of like, behind the scenes work, like me, just like sitting at my kitchen table and putting some things together, and I’m planning on launching it on May 15th, and it will just be this big thing, and it’s specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners and helping them be more focused. Because as someone who is an entrepreneur myself, I like totally get how hard it can be to just stay focused and like be productive. So that’s what I want to help people with the most.

Candice Wu 19:10

Oh, that’s great. What’s something that helps you when you’re feeling unfocused or needing that kind of direction?

Cat Aldana 19:18

Yeah, I mean, meditation is, I mean, I feel like it’s the answer to everything. But that has helped me so much in terms of really being able to focus on one thing, like, something I say all the time is, for an example, when you’re doing like a breathing meditation, like you’re not focusing on your breath, because it’s important, you’re just focusing on it because you need something to focus on. Like, it’s just, if you could focus on your breath, like something so boring, you could focus on anything. And so, —

Candice Wu 19:48

Yeah.

Cat Aldana 19:48

You’re really training your mind to do that and it’s so hard because it’s so simple, and our minds are so complex and like, are capable of so much more. But again, that’s why I think it’s so powerful. Because if you can do something like that for a long period of time, then you can definitely, like focus on creating some email campaign and knock it out in like five minutes, because it’ll be so interesting to you after that.

Candice Wu 20:16

It’s like focus Bootcamp with the most boring thing.

Cat Aldana 20:19

Yeah.

Candice Wu 20:19

Or, what could seem boring.

Cat Aldana 20:21

You find out it’s like the least boring thing ever, but that takes some time.

Candice Wu 20:26

Yeah, exactly.

Candice Wu 20:28

Well, I find that when I ask people to breathe or notice their breathing, or even this, just the simplicity of feeling what’s in the moment, there’s so much there. It’s so overwhelming. And that’s the challenge of being with one breath. What do you find?

Cat Aldana 20:46

When I’m practicing?

Candice Wu 20:48

Yeah, or just when you’re working with people as well.

Cat Aldana 20:51

Oh, yeah, I mean, you can just see the distraction. Like, it’s so clear, because there is a lot out there. Like, I think when people close their eyes and say the meditation is simple as like, watch your inhalations and your explanations, like, all of a sudden, everything on there like, to-do list comes to mind, or all of a sudden, they’re itchy, or their foot falls asleep, or, you know, everything just starts to show up. And I think of that like, as kind of the same way as saying, I’m like, working on redoing my website or something and like, all of a sudden, my phone starts going off, like I get text message or Instagram notifications, like, I kind of think of that as the same thing, like, and that’s what I use to help my clients and just like, “Look, this is — your breath is there, it’s always there. It’s what you’re trying to focus on, and all those other notifications and like, things that pop up in your body and whatever, and you just have to learn how to refocus.

Candice Wu 21:54

It’s so crazy. Hearing that language is so fun, like, what are the notifications that are coming up. And I just had a conversation with another friend of mine who’s a coach who talks about like your spiritual cell phone and dialing in, and we use all these analogies that are geared towards tech, because we are just so ingrained in the tech world, in our daily lives now. And, whereas some of the lessons we used to, I don’t know, I talked, we used to as if I’m like, so old or something but talking about nature is that analogy. And I know, we still try to bring that back, like, I hear people still using that and it’s great, but I’m just kind of laughing at the tech analogies. That’s great, the notifications.

Cat Aldana 22:43

I know. It’s so true, but people get that and I feel like we’re sometimes so far removed from nature, you don’t even see it. I love using the analogy of like, when you’re trying to explain that, like, everything’s okay in the end. Like, that’s always like a belief that I have and carry with me that, like, you’re going to be okay. Like, everything always ends up okay, and use nature as that example. Like, it’s just trees die, there’s storms, hurricanes, you know, all this stuff. Like, we’re constantly destroying it or seems that way, but at some level, it’s all just like, okay, like, it keeps transforming and changing and that’s how we are too

Cat Aldana 22:46

Yeah, that’s a great one to remember.

Candice Wu 22:57

So, as you’re making all these transitions and building your package, you’re offering online, stepping into your power, and showing up bigger, what are the challenges that you’re experiencing?

Cat Aldana 23:44

It’s definitely a lot of, like, internal, like negative self-talk, just like, oh my god, like, no one wants to hear from you. Like, stop it. Like, you’ve said this, like, three times, no one cares, like, a lot of that is so hard, that’s probably the biggest one.

Cat Aldana 24:03

And then other ways that show up that I’ve been actually playing with more so. You know, what really inspired me is this show called Queer Eye. Have you watched it?

Candice Wu 24:12

No, not yet. I’m really — I don’t watch very much stuff but tell me about it.

Cat Aldana 24:18

It’s on Netflix and I love it. And it’s just all about — it’s five gay guys, they’re called the Fab Five and they go into someone’s home, this person gets nominated, because their friends think that they dress bad and they have bad taste or like, you just need help in terms of like their appearance and like life and then these five guys come in there and they just like completely transform them from like, the outside in, which is so different than the work you and I do.

Cat Aldana 24:48

So, they give them a makeover. They change their clothes, they redo their house, like just all this stuff. And then you see them actually feel and look different and I was like, “Yes!” Like, the external stuff works, too and I forget that sometimes, so part of my way of like showing up bigger is also just like dressing in the way that I want to appear, the way that I feel. Just like last night, I wore heels and I like haven’t worn heels in like forever. But I was like, “Yup, here I am, I’m so tall already, and now I’m even taller.” Like, look at me. Stuff like that has definitely helped in terms of like, trying to show up bigger.

Candice Wu 25:34

It can really make a difference, right? It just —

Cat Aldana 25:36

It does. Yeah.

Candice Wu 25:37

Setting yourself up into how you want to feel and looking the way you want to look in terms of how you dress. It’s just, it can make all the difference.

Cat Aldana 25:48

Yeah, and I never think about that stuff. At least until lately, because I’m just so focused in words all the time, like, always trying to like, changed things from like the bottom of the ocean, you know, and sometimes it’s nice to just, like, surf.

Candice Wu 26:06

Yeah, I mean, it’s all there for us to use and it seems also about congruency like, reflecting something that’s on the inside but tapping into it from the outside so you can feel that connection.

Cat Aldana 26:20

Yeah, right. It feels more cohesive, right. Integrated, as you said, so true.

Candice Wu 26:26

So you have a lot of internal negative self-talk, and you said the one that seems to be the biggest is like, nobody will care. Is that right? Or, like who’s gonna listen?

Cat Aldana 26:37

Yeah. Like, nobody cares, or like, they’re annoyed, like, everyone hates you.

Candice Wu 26:42

Yeah. It’s almost like no matter what person I talked to, whatever they’re trying to do and express, especially if they’re an entrepreneur, or an artist, or someone who’s sharing something out there, creating, they have that same thing, that same thought, and I have that thought, when I’m putting something out there or at different times, and one day, I feel great, and I’m I’m just whole and very connected and then that those thoughts will come up. It’s amazing, right?

Cat Aldana 27:17

I know. Yeah. It’s so crazy how universal it is. But I don’t know how do we fix it. I don’t know. I mean, you’re right, in that some days, it’s better than others. It just like, is kind of amazing to me that so many people feel this way and how are we still feeling this way. I don’t know.

Candice Wu 27:36

Yeah, I have that same thought, and most of the time we keep it in, like, there’s enough shame in the world that nobody wants to really talk about it, especially when it’s happening, that we were okay talking about it when it’s over.

Cat Aldana 27:51

Oh, yeah, absolutely. Talk all day about it. But while it’s happening, it’s like, nobody talked to me. Don’t look at me. I don’t know.

Candice Wu 27:59

It’s so painful, we can go through that completely alone and not wanting to feel exposed. So, yeah, what do you do with it? What do you personally do with it, Cat?

Cat Aldana 28:08

It’s like an ongoing process, dialogue conversation. The book, The Untethered Soul, really helped me recognize the voice in my head, you know, and really see that as not me, and I just do my best to remember that, that’s not really me. And like, continue to say or express what I really want to express. It’s easier said than done, for sure, there are times where I just like, can’t help it and I just don’t say what I actually want to say, and then I just feel bad about it and then it’s like this spiral. But I would say, most of the time I am able to conquer it by just trying to keep that perspective of like, seeing myself, think about, or say these things about myself that I know are true and just try to do my best to be as like, observant as possible.

Candice Wu 29:08

It’s not easy.

Cat Aldana 29:09

Not easy.

Candice Wu 29:13

Something that I’m thinking about now, one constellations facilitator that I work with, is that the words that we’re saying now, are often the words someone that came in the lineage before us, but perhaps unconsciously, because when a story is not told by the person who owns the story, whose story it was, if it was too hard to tell that story, or you just had to survive and move on or go forward or cope in some way, or even move fast, because it actually was dangerous or life-threatening, then that story isn’t told, and it gets passed down.

Candice Wu 29:53

And I’ve experienced for me, especially with the words, “I’m not enough,” and I’m going to lose everything that I’ve gained, these fears that just don’t seem like they apply to my life. They did have a place, a context in someone before me, my great-grandma, actually. And so I just find it fascinating, all this talk about whose story is it? Or, what part of you is speaking and what story are you telling yourself? That story is the clue, usually, on one level of healing work to somebody that didn’t get to tell it.

Cat Aldana 30:33

That’s an interesting perspective. Yeah, I’ve never heard that. That’s really cool. I’ve heard about it in terms of like, past lives, which is another perspective, I guess. But to me, it’s kind of the same idea of something at a soul level not being able to be expressed. And so, it kind of just like stays with you until it’s done.

Candice Wu 30:57

Yes, it’s like everything just wants completion.

Cat Aldana 31:00

Another one I have is, “I am alone.” I don’t know if you have that one too, where I just always feel like I have to do things by myself and I wonder if we’re talking lineages, where that came from in my family or anything like that, I don’t know. But it is something that I struggle with, too, in terms of being an entrepreneur or anything like that. I do feel it’s really lonely. Like, I get that stereotype about it and I’ve been just like, I feel like I debunked to like, work hard aspect of my life. And like that, I don’t think that’s real and I don’t have to do that. I also want to, like, get rid of this thought that I’m like, alone in this, like, the pursuit of wanting to fulfill my dream.

Candice Wu 31:46

I’ve often had that. I feel it less now, at least for me, I connected that also with a past life. Like, there’s this feeling of, something of an exile, of like, having been a healer, or shaman, or witch of some sort, where I had a gift and it wasn’t accepted so harshly that I was even wounded for it, like violence.

Candice Wu 32:10

You know, I don’t know if these things are true, but they just feel like, they live somewhere in me and the idea that coming out of being isolated and exiled is a totally different experience, and to find that now, I don’t have to be alone, is one of the hardest things, was one of the hardest things. And I can definitely relate to those thoughts, especially being a business owner or entrepreneur, wanting to create something that’s totally unique to you.

Cat Aldana 32:39

Yeah, actually, I’m really happy you brought that up, because it just reminds me of like, another fear I had, which was like, feeling misunderstood, or strange or crazy, and that was like the fear I had actually doing this, like an Akashic records training I did this weekend, I was like, “I don’t know, I feel called to do this, and I’m like, terrified, and what are people going to think of me?”

Cat Aldana 33:08

But like, after having done it, it was like, that was just like a stupid fear. Like, that is not relevant to me at all anymore. I’m so glad I, like, quickly got over it. But the reason I’m happy that you also brought that up, just saying how you felt, like, you were — you just better healed by this idea of like, this past life that you may have had and whether it’s true or not, it like, helps you feel better.

Cat Aldana 33:33

Recently, I had a situation where this was just like a couple of weeks ago, where I was just like, sitting in my room and reading and I couldn’t go to sleep, and I tried and I was like, “Well, maybe I’ll just like try meditating.” And I didn’t really have normally, I have like a meditation that I like to focus on, or, like, try to do and I was like, I’m just gonna sit here with my eyes closed, just see what happens. And out of nowhere, I just like, get this thought, this idea where it’s like, Cat, you are an orphan in a past life. And I’m like, “What the heck is that?” Like, I’ve never had any sort of information like that come my way. And I was like, “Whoa,” that’s kind of weird and like, and then I just kind of like, went to sleep. But the next morning, I like, really did feel better, like receiving that information. Like, I didn’t ask for it, or talk to anyone, and I’m like, “Wow, this is crazy.”

Candice Wu 34:33

That’s so powerful.

Candice Wu 34:35

And yeah, we can just dismiss it as that’s really weird. And I think that that happens on so many levels. Like, we get information all the time where we’re like, that’s weird, or I don’t know what that was. But if we actually give it some respect, and it sounds like you just felt better the next day, which is really cool. It was just working.

Cat Aldana 34:54

I did.

Candice Wu 34:55

Working inside of you. That’s so interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

Cat Aldana 35:00

Thanks. I’ve definitely have not shared that with anyone. So, here we go, stepping up, big in the world, here I am.

Candice Wu 35:10

With all of you, right? You don’t have to hide any parts.

Cat Aldana 35:14

No, you’re right.

Candice Wu 35:16

Well, that does sound like it has some connection to the feeling of alone. But also, you know, that’s for you to explore and decide yourself.

Cat Aldana 35:26

Totally.

Candice Wu 35:28

Well, I want to shake things up a little Cat and do our lightning round.

Cat Aldana 35:33

Okay, that sounds fun.

Candice Wu 35:34

I’m going to just ask a couple of questions, a quicker pace and just sort of short response and just say whatever comes to your mind or your heart.

Cat Aldana 35:45

Okay.

Candice Wu 35:46

What makes you feel alive lately?

Cat Aldana 35:49

Dancing. Lately and always. Dancing. I know you got into ballet. So that makes me happy too.

Candice Wu 35:55

Yes. I didn’t know you did ballet when you were younger until I listen to your other podcast.

Cat Aldana 36:01

Yeah. When I was like in eighth grade, that was like my first, like, intro to dancing and yeah, I love it. That definitely makes me feel the most alive.

Candice Wu 36:11

And do you do ballet now? Or is it more just like freestyle?

Cat Aldana 36:14

Yeah, more like freestyle. I don’t do ballet. I would love to do like, a lyrical or like contemporary modern type dance. I love like, throwing my body around and just like, doing very dramatic, slow movements. I think that’s super fun and you don’t really have a lot of opportunity to do that anywhere.

Candice Wu 36:33

Yes. I have some possibly good music for you if you want music to go with that, it’s called Maksim.

Cat Aldana 36:42

Okay. I was like, that’s like, a porno magazine. But —

Candice Wu 36:48

That’s true. But he mixes electronic music with piano, like, classical and he’s really good. And it’s dramatic and it’s intense. And I just see those emotions going with that so well.

Cat Aldana 37:02

Cool. Yeah, like a good head roll and —

Candice Wu 37:05

Yeah.

Cat Aldana 37:06

Back into the floor. Yeah. into it.

Candice Wu 37:09

Get into it. Okay, what was your first job?

Cat Aldana 37:14

I was a teller at a bank. I was 16 years old. Why they hired me. Who knows? I guess that was really smart.

Candice Wu 37:23

Oh, that’s great.

Cat Aldana 37:25

That’s so random.

Candice Wu 37:26

Oh, my goodness. And that’s in Chicago. Right? That was because you grew up there.

Cat Aldana 37:30

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. So I grew up in Bartlett, Illinois. And yeah, so that’s where I went to high school and that was where my first job was, all my friends were like, working at the pool or the mall or pizza place and I was like working at a bank, and I was so jealous because everyone was having so much fun.

Candice Wu 37:50

Okay, so let’s talk about sleep. So I know you love to sleep. I do, too. And if for some reason you decided to sleep for a long time, like you were cryogenically frozen a long time. What’s the first thing you would do when you woke up?

Cat Aldana 38:06

Oh, I would, I don’t know, go outside, tried to get into like, the ocean or like, fresh air. I wish, like, if I could have that perfect moment, I would want it to be like, a nice crisp, 60 degrees and like, go for a walk.

Candice Wu 38:26

That sounds lovely.

Cat Aldana 38:28

Yeah, probably around like 10 am. Let’s hope I would wake up at 9 am.

Candice Wu 38:33

Okay, we can set the timer, you know?

Cat Aldana 38:37

Yeah.

Candice Wu 38:38

And unthaw you, I mean, thaw you, not unthaw, unfreeze. Okay, on the opposite end, if you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?

Cat Aldana 38:51

I probably learn a language like, take like, some sort of language classes, any of them. Like, I’d love to learn sign language. I took two classes in college, but I would do it for more. I would learn Spanish. I think I would just fill my time with like, learning some new languages.

Candice Wu 39:14

That sounds so cool. Yeah, I would love to do that, too.

Candice Wu 39:18

Okay, last question. Let’s see, which one I ask. What’s the most controversial opinion you have?

Cat Aldana 39:27

A lot of people, because I’m like, in the fitness and like, wellness world too, a lot of people like, don’t believe me when I say this, but I think it’s true or like, you just like, don’t have to work out every day. I think a lot of people think they need to do that. And I’m just like, “Nope. You definitely do not.”

Candice Wu 39:49

Oh, I’m so with you. But what do you say when people are like, “No, you do.”

Cat Aldana 39:54

I tried to — it depends on how much time I have, I guess. But I explained to them how, like living in Chicago, at least like, we experience four different seasons and during those seasons, you have different levels of energy, and it’s like way better and makes so much more sense to like, move and act and exercise in accordance to the seasons are like, what is going on in nature. And sometimes it’s okay if like, you have less energy or more tired or don’t want to go out in the winter, like, it just makes sense for your body. So, like, stuff like that, or like in the summer like, totally like, run every day if you want to, like, that’s just like it’s Vata. And like, that’s cool. Like, that’s probably what you’ll want to do and to just like, actually listen to their bodies instead of following some sort of like, schedule that they have.

Candice Wu 40:53

Yes, such a good reminder of how the seasons and how the climate and the world around us, we are of that and it’s important to sync up.

Cat Aldana 41:06

Yeah, exactly. That would probably be the short version of like, No, you got to sync up with nature and like move according to that, not like what you put into your planner, calendar that day. It’s totally relevant to like, what’s happening in the world versus like, what you think should happen.

Candice Wu 41:25

I just had a tech analogy.

Cat Aldana 41:27

Full circle here. I love it.

Candice Wu 41:29

It’s like your computer is the motherboard for your iTunes, your playlist. I mean, okay, people have Spotify now. So that’s different. But you know, in the days where like, iTunes was your motherboard for all of your music, and then you would sync your phone to it or you’d sync your mp3 player to it. So like, sync up to the larger.

Cat Aldana 41:53

The larger, like, world that you’re in. Yeah, love that. Too bad no one’s going to get that soon, that analogy is just like not going to mean anything.

Candice Wu 42:02

Yeah, they’re like, no that has no basis. I just use — Spotify is everywhere.

Candice Wu 42:08

Oh, Cat, this is so fun. Thank you so much for playing with this part of it and for sharing everything you have. Is there anything else you want to share today? Anything you’d like to offer our audience, you know we didn’t talk about that in the beginning.

Cat Aldana 42:23

Oh, yeah. It should be launching soon depends on I guess when this airs, but Cataldana.com will be launching soon and on there is a master class that I made, that is specifically for business owners and entrepreneurs to help them be more focused. I mean, you could watch it if you’re not one either. But that’s who I made it for specifically. So love for everyone to check that out. I think it’ll be really helpful.

Cat Aldana 42:54

And then the other thing I would love to offer your listeners, your tribe, your community is a $200 off my retreat coming up. So, I have an Eat Stretch Nap retreat coming up in January 12th through 19th 2019 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and it’s like, my second time going there. It’s so beautiful. It’s just the most, like zen-chic place ever, which is how I like to do things. And I think people will really enjoy it.

Cat Aldana 43:05

So yeah, if you are anyone from the Embody Podcast community wants to come, they can just send me an email and I’ll know that they heard about it through you, and we could go that way.

Candice Wu 43:45

That’s awesome. Thank you so much. And where can people find you? So CatAldana.com will be out.

Cat Aldana 43:51

And then EatStretchNap.com is where you’ll find all the information about retreats and events.

Candice Wu 43:58

Beautiful. Thank you. Is there anything else you want to share today before we close?

Cat Aldana 44:03

No, just thank you so much. And I am really honored to be here and I think that, I hope we helped some people today like, if anyone has any comments or anything like, please just like, let me know, let you know. Like, I’m just so honored to be a part of this with you.

Candice Wu 44:22

Oh, thank you. Yes.

Candice Wu 44:24

And for anyone listening, Cat is one of the most approachable, loving human being ever. So as she says, like, if there’s any comments or questions or anything, I just know she will be there and answer every single one just like I do. And so you can reach out to either one of us. Thanks, Cat.

Cat Aldana 44:45

Thank you, Candice.

Candice Wu 44:49

And now we’re at the end of the podcast, I want to thank you all for listening and thank you, Cat for joining us today.

Candice Wu 44:55

Every time I listen to Cat, I feel that I’m just reminded of the simple things that I can do to support myself or to step forward.

Candice Wu 45:05

You can find all of the links to Cat’s information as well as the gifts that she has to offer you today in the show notes link to this podcast.

Candice Wu 45:15

And before you leave, I’d like to invite you to listen to more interviews, meditations, and explorations at CandiceWu.com/podcast. You can also feel free to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and become a member of the Embody community at CandiceWu.com/embody where you can get lots of free resources on healing, embodiment, meditations, as well as information about my retreats, workshops, private sessions, and other offerings. See you next time on the Embody Podcast.