I am Lydia Lazzara: a daughter, a wife, a friend, a veteran, a nurse, a biker, a novice blogger, a coach, a spiritual healer, and most of all, a rebel.
I am married to a wonderfully smart, goofy man who supports me, loves me, and challenges me. We do not have kids, but my role as Aunt is sure fun!
Much of my working life is a “jack of all trades” story, with my main highlights being a Machinist Mate (essentially a mechanic) in the U.S. Navy and a registered nurse (with multiple career steps along that path). Now, I am a holistic life coach and spiritual healer. All of my life experiences, jobs, and professional experience have led me to this point.
I have a long history of listening to people—not just the words they say, but listening to their body language, intonation, energy, and spirit. This experience has been vital to my role as coach and spiritual healer.
Questioning Authorities
Since I was little, I have been questioning the world and people around me—the “authorities”—when I notice inconsistencies, hypocrisies, power differentials, and things that just don’t make sense. I experienced religious and spiritual trauma as a child and was raised by a ritual abuse survivor, so have questioned a lot of the religious “authorities” and the shame that seems to be inevitable if one is raised in a religion.
Another “authority” that I’ve been questioning is the societal standard definition of success: “Get married, have kids, climb the professional ladder, make more money, own your house, work long hours, and maybe retire early.” Society’s definition of success was what I was working towards for so many years, always with the nagging feeling that I wasn’t doing right by me. And I kept getting more and more stressed and anxious, feeling less and less fulfilled and aligned with my true purpose.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. And I got sick. Really sick. Like, couldn’t work anymore sick. I had recovered from the corona virus, but developed long hauler’s syndrome. When I thought I had recovered and started a new job, I relapsed so badly I quit within 6 weeks. I was so lost. I didn’t know what to do. Everything I had been working towards felt stripped away from me and I struggled to come to terms with my new chronic illness and disability.
Finding My Purpose
That’s when I found holistic coaching. I enrolled in a program and dove head first into a new career path. I found my true purpose and began to align myself with it. While in the coaching program, I also started learning shamanic and energy healing practices. I was reconnecting to my spirit again.
Not only that, I was shifting my mindset from one of despair to one of hope and exciting new beginnings. I also dove into caring for my body, learning what foods and activities would trigger a relapse of my chronic illness.
Now, I have a daily spiritual practice and I have learned how to pace my activities and what foods to limit or avoid to feel like normal. Because of my new spiritual practice & the holistic coaching I receive, my healing journey has been fast tracked. I have made more progress in healing from my childhood traumas in a matter of months than I did in 20 years in therapy.
I have crawled my way out of burnout and overwhelm and have defied society’s “rules” about what success should look like. Now, I want to help others who are feeling burned out, disillusioned, or stuck in their healing journey.
How I Show Up for You
My core values are courage and growth, which I bring to my coaching sessions. I know how hard it is to redefine yourself outside of the mainstream. I know how scary it is to change your lifestyle in order to serve your whole-person health better. It takes setting new boundaries and expectations with yourself and those you love and beyond. It’s not easy. It takes dedication and support.
As your coach, I will listen to your desires, your doubts, your wildest dreams and your darkest moments without judgment. I will encourage and support you to grow and do the hard and scary things that you were meant for and want to do. I believe in you.