Inspired Vida's Story

Please let me be the FIRST to wish our inspiredvida.com blog a HAPPY 2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY!  Congratulations! I honestly didn't realize it until I looked at my bank statement and saw my annual automatic payment for the website!  I know... I am THAT person, the one who is not good about dates (clearly), so… “Thank you automatic payments” for reminding me!

Why is it called Inspired Vida?

It was originally named Beautifully Imperfect You so that women would remember they don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful, and it still remains an important belief of our renamed blog, Inspired Vida (vida means life in Spanish).  My daughter and boyfriend are both Hispanic and are an important part of what inspires me in my life.  Inspired Vida is a tribute to them.

Why did I start this blog?

I started the blog because I LOVE TO WRITE and was needing something else in my life outside work that was for me AND for others.  Writing frees my soul, gives voice to my thoughts, and encourages me to reflect on life's struggles, as well as it’s beauty.  I started this blog because I truly believed I could help women through my writing.

Women I worked with previously would come to me with different dilemmas looking for advice or just to vent.  They’d come back a few days later and tell me, "Hey, thanks so much for talking to me the other day.  I was able to look at things another way and apply what you told me; I feel so much better now! " 

How many times do we hold ourselves back from doing something that would be good and healthy for us, mentally or physically, even when we know we shouldn’t, simply because it might be safer to stay where we are comfortable? I wanted to help break through that behavior and EMPOWER BEAUTIFUL WOMEN who were having trouble unleashing their GREATNESS!  

I  knew I wanted to do more, not only for those women, but selfishly, also for me and that AMAZING feeling I had from helping others. When I realized what a positive experience this could be for everyone going forward, I WAS HOOKED!!  Somehow, I knew I HAD FOUND MY CALLING… to empower women feeling stuck in their situation, in the state of their own body & mind, and to provide them with the tools they can use to reach their goals.

And who doesn't want an empowered, inspired life?

Life can throw us so many curves and knock us down repeatedly, but we CAN grow from it all and truly THRIVE!  My mission, my goal with this blog, with all the services I provide, is to inspire women to change their lives for the better.  I just want to let women know I'm here not only to listen, help and inspire, but to motivate them.  

We all have something give to the world; I just want to help bring it out!

Did I know I was going to include coaching?

After I started the blog, I realized I had more to offer.  I saw that my writing was helping women, but believed a one-on-one could provide a better opportunity for more successful transformations. I researched different training programs that would help them on a deeper level to evolve into the best version of themselves!

Who wouldn’t want to feel damn good about themselves?

Because coaching services have been SUCH a beautiful journey for me, the next few paragraphs will include a few coaching stories, in sequence order, for you.  For those readers who are “skimmers” (wink, wink!), feel free to skip ahead to the stories/journeys you are interested in.

1)  The Life Coaching Story

I knew I had found my purpose, "my calling," and I was GOING to make it happen!  I took quite a financial and time-consuming leap, to say the least (LOL!) and, after extensive research, committed to and completed my training.  I received my certification for a Strategic Interventionist!  Wooo hoooo!!  When I was helping women go through different, often difficult stages of their lives, I was also feeding my own soul and experiencing my own personal growth.  Together we were breaking through all the things holding us back (FLEXIN') and it was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! 

2)  The Healthy Lifestyle Coaching Story

I also started Healthy Lifestyle Coaching because I realized MY mind and MY body were not aligned.  I started a program focusing on ALL the basics. Eating, nutrition, and exercise were actually quite difficult to figure out! 

Others, myself included, would think…  “Pshh…I know what I need to do.  I just need to exercise and eat right."  Well, believe it or not... Personally, I HATED the gym and the fact that the fitness classes I wanted to attend were charging an arm and a leg!  

BUT STILL… I NEEDED TO KNOW…. what should healthy eating habits be for me; how much AND what type of exercise do I need to give me and my body what it needs; how do I combine these things to get MAXIMUM RESULTS?

When I started this quest, I wasn’t the picture of a fit, trimmed-up woman helping other women.  I was a woman (just little ol’ me, Sarah Lacko) who was 30 pounds overweight, fatigued, unhealthy and unhappy with where I was at the time.  I was wearing a size I couldn't mentally deal with and refused to go to a larger one (even when I really should have!).  FYI… When I was wearing a pant size (that I was NOT happy to be wearing), I bent over to pick something up in my house and the button on my pants went FLYING; my cat jumped out of the way for his life, probably thinking it was a drive-by!

Then, (Happy Dance!) I finally found something that worked (WHAT?), that gave me the support I needed (YES!), and told me what I should actually be doing to accomplish my healthy goals.  Armed with this new knowledge, I started coaching women working toward their health and fitness goals while I was working on mine too! These women and I went on our health and fitness journeys together!  WE ALL LOVED IT AND STILL DO!!

Health is an ongoing journey, not a destination! 
Health is something you continue to work for; 
it is not something you accomplish and then quit.

3)  The PiYo Instructor Story

I fell in LOVE with the PiYo program (pilates/yoga-infused workout) while on my health and fitness journey (and I don't mean like the love for your favorite pair of shoes, but HEAD-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE with, yes, a WORKOUT!)

I felt so flippin' good after these workouts… I found myself smiling during (and after) these sessions as I worked on my UN-flex-i-ble body, which was now becoming more flexible!  I could never touch my toes before (which, for some reason, was embarrassing for me), but was now possible, thanks to with this amazing PiYo program. IT WAS SO EXCITING!  A friend told me, "You should become an instructor?"  I laughed, responding, "Yeah... NO!" WOW, how things can change!

THEN… In July, I went to a conference and did the PiYo workout LIVE with Chalene Johnson.  If you think I was hooked before... now, it was a whole different world.  When I returned home and told my boyfriend about this inspirational experience, he did a little pushing and reassured me that I, Sarah Lacko, COULD and definitely SHOULD become a PiYo instructor!  I “forged ahead” and was certified in August (didn't wait very long, did I?)

Sometimes, you just have to let go of your fears and go for what you want!

NOW… I not only get to help women online, but also “up-close and personal” by giving local PiYo classes.  We get to laugh, sweat a bit (or a lot on some days), and just enjoy a great workout with great company!  The changes the women in the group are making are truly AMAZING and always EXCITING!

What people do I work with?

Initially, I was all over the place trying to help EVERYONE, but it wasn't realistic.  It was taking too much attention away from the very people who could truly benefit most from my help; from those who would actually accept it and apply it to their daily lives.  Presently, I’m working primarily with women between the ages of 26-54 years old, but at times, work with other ages as well.

BUT, the BIG “MUST” is that… the people who work with me MUST TRY (keyword: TRY) to be open-minded to change and new ideas, and be willing to work applying the steps we talk about.

SO, to wrap up….

Will I continue writing the blog and providing services?

Definitely; I absolutely LOVE what I do!  I can't imagine not doing what I'm doing.  I feel good when someone tells me how much the work we are doing has brought them closer to being where they want to be in their lives and to reaching their overall health goals!

We don’t focus on perfection, We focus on the goals you have set for yourself!

 Many times, as independent women, it can be SO difficult to let ANYONE else in!  We’re too busy trying to do everything ourselves, and although I commend such women for being so strong, they can become even stronger if they are willing to do the work with me that is needed to achieve their goals and positively enhance their lives.  I always feel so honored when someone lets me into their life, who shares their dreams and goals, and allows me to help them make their dreams a reality.  

So, I am offering a FREE 30-Minute Strategy Session to see if we are a right fit and if I can help!

It is a beautiful process to be a part of!