A Love Note from Lisa

The owner and CEO of The Studio (MDR), Lisa Hirsch, opens up about the power—and sometimes, the pain—of reinventing yourself.

Last week, I got hit with something that millions of Americans deal with on a regular basis: I woke up with severe back pain—pain that was so bad, I could barely walk let alone make my beloved workouts at (MDR). To all of you back pain sufferers out there, let me say that I have now literally felt your pain, and it is something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.

I don’t want to harp on the negative, but for a brief moment last week the pain had me feeling so low, so not like myself, that I started wallowing in a teeny bit of self-pity. (OK, maybe it wasn’t so teeny.) I did all of that “pain catastrophizing” the experts talk about, wondering and worrying that my back pain would never subside. But then, I started slowly feeling better—and I realized that my pain was the impetus for a big “ah-ha” moment.

My takeaway? Life is about reinvention. Reinventing the little things, like how you have to bend your knees when you lift something heavy (ahem!), and the big things, like your job, your friends and those pesky bad habits that you’d like to finally break. And what I’ve learned is that the best way to crowd out the “bad” is to usher in something new. That’s why I’m continuously inspired by all of you.

So many of you found The Studio (MDR) and are reading this right now because you were looking to reinvent yourself in some small or big way. Maybe you just wanted to breathe new life into your same-old workout, or you were trying to lose 20 pounds or tone up for your wedding. I know I founded The Studio (MDR) because I felt called to reinvent my career and myself, knowing that my calling was to do something in the health and wellness world rather than the dog-eat-dog music industry.

When I go all Pollyanna on myself, I come back to the fact that these times of reinvention in our liveshelp us get to know our ever-changing selves just a little bit better. The toughest times—the ones that leave you in pain, in awe, or in a rage—actually crack us open in good ways. So while a week on the couch thanks to back pain is the pits, if you’re in a state of constant reinvention and re-evaluation, it’s way easier to take it in stride and chalk it up to being part of your process.

Of course, this is way easier said than done, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t have a genuine reaction to the tough stuff. However, what’s becoming clearer and clearer to me the longer I’m here on this Earth is that rising above it all and learning from your setbacks is the ultimate goal.

As we embrace Spring and start to think about ushering in Summer, this notion of reinvention is a really powerful one. The seasons are in a constant state of reinvention (yes, even in SoCal!). And The Studio (MDR) is too, with plans for yet another awesome space in the works.

So why not embrace the change? Or better yet, as Gandhi so eloquently said, BE the change. Seek out all the little and big ways you can reinvent yourself right now and know that when you do, you’ll be happier, healthier, and better able to deal with all the curveballs (even the occasional bout of back pain!) that life will sometimes hurl your way.

Big hug,

Lisa

Love, Lisa

The Studio (MDR)’s owner and CEO, Lisa Hirsch, on why it’s so important to make more time for the things you truly want in life—starting now.

A few days ago, I fell into bed after a long day and had a realization that threw me into a tailspin of one “aha” moment after another. That day, my alarm went off at 5 a.m., I worked (and worked out) at The Studio (MDR), I raced home to walk Willie Meatball Nelson and Mabel (my beloved pooches), then proceeded to go on a mad dash around my place to change into fresh clothes for a business meeting. This was followed by an entire day and evening—I kid you not—of following a schedule that didn’t even give me a millisecond to take a deep breath.

As I tried to fall asleep that night, almost too wound up to finally relax, I thought to myself: This is my typical day. When did I become that person who never has any time?

I know I’m preaching to the choir.

The hectic holiday time is upon us and along with the fun festivities comes a motherload of stress. And while I definitely don’t want to put any more stress on myself or on any of you, I do think it’s a good time to take a step back and really think about why most of us live in this place where we feel like we never have enough time—and simultaneously feel like we have all the time in the world.

Think back to your 20-year-old self and how she or he thought there was all the time in the world to do things like get married, have babies, land dream jobs and make millions of dollars. The 20-something version of yourself was also probably pretty busy—maybe even feeling the same way you do now, like there’s just not enough hours in the day to do everything. While I’m the first one to say regrets are a waste of time, and that each of our paths in this world unfolds in front of us for a reason, I’m also starting to wonder if I should’ve tackled this issue of time a bit sooner—and not settled for the “I’ve got loads of time” excuse.

What if I’d decided at 33 that I really wanted kids and didn’t, in fact, have all the time in the world to start a family? What if, at 35, I’d ditched my music industry gig to open the Studio (MDR) instead of dreaming of a different life for years before it finally happened? I know I could play the wouldda, shouldda, couldda game all the live-long day, but what my big lesson has been—and what I hope resonates with all of you, as well—is that now is the time to take stock of your time. How are you spending your days, and does the answer to that question make you happy and feel fulfilled? Who are the people you’ve chosen to fill your life with, and do they help you grow as a human being and add joy to your world? What, exactly, is your calling and are you manifesting your biggest, wildest dreams? The bottom line is that now’s the time to really think about these things—and to carve out a few more moments in your days to making what you really want in this world a reality.

Seems to me like there’s no better time than the end of a year and the start of another to ask ourselves these questions and be honest with ourselves when we come up with the answers. I know I feel lucky to have such a supportive family and friend network—which includes all of you—as I charge into 2015 with an eye towards making my biggest dreams come true, and I can’t wait to hear about all of your journeys, too, so reach out and tell me your stories!

With love and appreciation and a wish for all of you to have a very happy holiday season and your best year yet,

Lisa

Love, Lisa

The Studio (MDR)’s owner and CEO, Lisa Hirsch, on the biggest birthday surprise she got this year …

November has come and gone, and as anyone who knows me knows it’s my absolute favorite month of the year. The air is just a little bit crisper, my Rag and Bone booties are in regular rotation, and, well, it’s my birthday month.

Remember that excited feeling you used to get when you were 7 years old and your birthday was coming up? Did it involve a countdown to the big b-day, party planning, and a discussion with your mom about what kind of cupcakes she’d make for you to bring in to school? Full disclosure: This is still the kind of excitement I feel before my birthday and the kind of planning that goes into my celebration—minus the school cupcakes.

This year, however, I found myself looking at my looming birthday through a different set of eyes. It was the first time in my 43 years that I seemed to have an issue with my age. Normally, I am the one to embrace the number, celebrate it, and shout it from the rooftops. But this year, for no apparent reason, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks that the passage of time may not be such a joyous feeling after all. All of a sudden, I felt as if there was not enough time to accomplish all that I want to do in this life of mine.

You may think it sounds silly or even dark, but this wasn't coming from some place of sadness or depression. It was my reality that I tried to lay out in front of me so that I could take steps to smartly approach and figure out the next half of my already blessed life—a life that I have not taken for granted. But in the grand scheme of things, life is short, and I want to ensure that I appreciate the days to come and make the time to cherish the things that are most important to me: my family; my nephews; my work; and my health and happiness. Turns out the longer I’m here on this earth, the more I’m realizing how important it is to take everything in and to truly enjoy life—because it’s in that enjoyment that things start to blossom and flourish.

I came around by the time I rang in my 43rd year. I’m a firm believer that when we learn to think positively and make a regular habit of it, we can do so much more of what we initially think we cannot accomplish. So I’m going to go ahead and cut myself some slack for feeling anxious about getting older last month, and then—like I have every year for as long as I can remember—I’m going to embrace it. Here’s to all of us having an amazing December filled with self-discoveries and much to celebrate—and know that I am thankful for each and everyone of you.

Lots of love and let’s get this holiday season kicked into high gear!

Lisa