The Humble Rising Podcast Arivee Vargas

Back in April 2024, I went on a wellness retreat and met Avantika Mathur. She had the brightest smile and most vibrant energy, and she led two art therapy sessions for all of us attending the retreat..  In one of the sessions, she asked us to draw: “Who are you without…all your titles.” In another session, she asked us to draw: “What do you do when you’re trying to protect yourself and what are you protected yourself from?” Take 20 people….give them that question, watch them draw their answer and listen to each of them as they share vulnerably each time.  That was the safe, contained experience Avantika created for us at that retreat. We also did some dance therapy because you know, music and movement is life!
I kept in touch with Avantika and asked her to be on the podcast to share more of her story and her incredible work. Avantika, known as WomenPow, is a distinguished multi-disciplinary surrealist artist with over a decade of experience in the art and fashion sectors. She holds a BFA from the University of the Philippines, Manila, and an MFA from SNDT Women's University, Mumbai.
Dedicated to women's empowerment, Avantika employs various artistic mediums, including canvas series, street art, and body painting, to convey her message. She collaborates with renowned fashion institutions such as NIFT and FAD, teaching color psychology, idea generation, and fashion styling. Additionally, she serves as the resident artist for leading real estate companies Raheja and Godrej.
Avantika does immense social work and was the President of the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai Industrial Area(22-23) and works with local political policymakers. As a certified therapeutic art life coach, she is part of a wellness retreat called Datu, offering Ayurvedic programs in Italy twice a year. She also supports children and women in need through art therapy across urban and rural villages. 
Balancing multiple roles—artist, activist, professor, philanthropist, and politician—Avantika is married to Rahesh Donny, and they have three fur babies– a dog, Chester, and two cats, Wakanda and Troy. She lives by the motto, "When life shines in full glory, why be subtle?"
In this two-part conversation, Avantika and I delve into her work and just how impactful healing and conversation through art can be, which is what I personally experienced when working with her. She shares how what may appear to someone else as a disempowered woman can still feel empowered, despite their situation. For Avantika, empowerment is really about how do we ignite change from within, when we cannot change our external environment? In her words, only you can turn misery into magic. No one can do it for you and you can’t hide behind excuses. 

CONNECT WITH AVANTIKA
www.avantikamathur.com
IG:  www.instagram.com/womenpow
Email: artist.avantika@gmail.com

CONNECT WITH ARIVEE
www.ariveevargas.com
IG: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and
Actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with less overwhelm and stress, and more fulfillment, joy, aliveness, and alignment.
By joining the email community, you’ll also learn about opportunities to know when pre-orders for my book (coming in January 2025) begin, to work with me 1:1, and to learn about our next women’s empowerment mastermind starting in September 2024.
 

I’m glad you’re here for my two-part conversation with Rachel Brooks. Rachel is an award-winning author, podcast host, entrepreneur, and champion for women's empowerment. She's a captivating storyteller who guides women on transformative journeys of self-discovery, fueling their confidence and igniting their purpose. Rachel's journey began with a personal quest for healing and wholeness.
Through her book, "Chasing Perfection: A Journey to Healing, Fitness, and Self-Love," she chronicled her struggles with body image, self-worth, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. This raw and relatable story resonated with women worldwide, inspiring them to embrace their authentic selves and create lives they love.
Driven by a passion to empower women through movement, Rachel founded I Am Athletics, a fitness brand that celebrates women's strength and resilience. She also created The Confident Woman, a multifaceted platform that offers resources,community, and mentorship to women seeking to amplify their confidence and step into their full potential.
Rachel's work is deeply rooted in her faith, which she credits for guiding her through challenges and illuminating her path toward discovering her identity and purpose. She believes that every woman has a unique story to share and a powerful voice to impact the world.
Through her authentic vulnerability and unwavering belief in women's potential, Rachel is a catalyst for transformation, inspiring women to rewrite their narratives and embrace their limitless possibilities.
In this two-part episode, Rachel and I delve into her story, and how we can stop chasing perfectionism and stop hustling for our worth. Rachel shares what you can do to start looking inward and uncover who you really are, and flip the script on your negative self-talk and your thoughts and feelings of unworthiness. She also shares how living authentically and in your truth is one of the keys to more freedom and fulfillment, in the way you define them.
 
CONNECT WITH RACHEL
 
Books:
Chasing Perfection - https://amzn.to/3SqsUL5
Fit From Within - https://amzn.to/3UQJfdI
Podcast: The Confident Woman Podcast: https://apple.co/3VTvkEp
Website: https://www.iamrachelbrooks.com
 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelbrooks
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamrachelbrooks
CONNECT WITH ARIVEE
www.ariveevargas.com
Instagram: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and
Actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with meaning, joy, aliveness, and alignment.
By joining the email community, you’ll also learn about opportunities to know when pre-orders for my book (coming in January 2025) begin, to work with me 1:1, and to learn about our next women’s empowerment mastermind!

I’m glad you’re here for my two-part conversation with Rachel Brooks. Rachel is an award-winning author, podcast host, entrepreneur, and champion for women's empowerment. She's a captivating storyteller who guides women on transformative journeys of self-discovery, fueling their confidence and igniting their purpose. Rachel's journey began with a personal quest for healing and wholeness.
Through her book, "Chasing Perfection: A Journey to Healing, Fitness, and Self-Love," she chronicled her struggles with body image, self-worth, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. This raw and relatable story resonated with women worldwide, inspiring them to embrace their authentic selves and create lives they love.
Driven by a passion to empower women through movement, Rachel founded I Am Athletics, a fitness brand that celebrates women's strength and resilience. She also created The Confident Woman, a multifaceted platform that offers resources,community, and mentorship to women seeking to amplify their confidence and step into their full potential.
Rachel's work is deeply rooted in her faith, which she credits for guiding her through challenges and illuminating her path toward discovering her identity and purpose. She believes that every woman has a unique story to share and a powerful voice to impact the world.
Through her authentic vulnerability and unwavering belief in women's potential, Rachel is a catalyst for transformation, inspiring women to rewrite their narratives and embrace their limitless possibilities.
In this two-part episode, Rachel and I delve into her story, and how we can stop chasing perfectionism and stop hustling for our worth. Rachel shares what you can do to start looking inward and uncover who you really are, and flip the script on your negative self-talk and your thoughts and feelings of unworthiness. She also shares how living authentically and in your truth is one of the keys to more freedom and fulfillment, in the way you define them.
 
CONNECT WITH RACHEL
 
Books:
Chasing Perfection - https://amzn.to/3SqsUL5
Fit From Within - https://amzn.to/3UQJfdI
Podcast: The Confident Woman Podcast: https://apple.co/3VTvkEp
Website: https://www.iamrachelbrooks.com
 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamrachelbrooks
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamrachelbrooks
CONNECT WITH ARIVEE
www.ariveevargas.com
Instagram: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and
Actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with meaning, joy, aliveness, and alignment.
By joining the email community, you’ll also learn about opportunities to know when pre-orders for my book (coming in January 2025) begin, to work with me 1:1, and to learn about our next women’s empowerment mastermind!

Ilhiana is an Executive & Leadership Transformational Coach, a DEI Consultant, a Hispanic advocate, a Bestselling Author, and an international motivational speaker. Ilhiana has over 20 years of global executive experience in top Fortune 500 companies leading and coaching professionals and businesses to success. 
As the founder of BeLIVE Coaching & Consulting and Co-President of UNITED LATINAS, Ilhiana is a certified expert in leadership and DEI best practices that help build resilient, collaborative, and high-performing leaders and cultures. 
She has earned multiple recognitions and awards globally, including the 2021 Top 10 Inspiring Women to Watch and ALPFA Latina to Watch, a 2022 Stevie Gold Award, and a 2023 P&G Alumni DEI Award. Ilhiana also serves on different Boards supporting initiatives that center on empowering women and the Hispanic community. Ilhiana graduated with honors as a Chemical Engineer in Mexico City and lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two kids. 
I met Ilhiana on LinkedIn. We connected over a virtual coffee chat and never looked back.  She was one of the reasons I joined United Latinas too. I find her story and her work incredibly inspiring, so it was really a pleasure to be able to talk to her about all of the things. In this episode, Ilhiana shares with us her story and all the pivots and transitions in her life and how she navigated them. She also shares the importance of recognizing yourself, how to move into action instead of staying in thinking mode, the fear of failure and fear of success, as well as the thoughts we have that really hold us back from doing what we may really want to do.
Be sure to rate and subscribe to this podcast, and share with a friend!
CONNECT WITH ILHIANA
https://www.belivecoach.com/
United Latinas: https://www.unitedlatinas.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilhiana-rojas7/
CONNECT WITH ARIVEE
www.ariveevargas.com
Instagram: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and 
Actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with meaning, joy, aliveness, and alignment.

By joining the email community, you’ll also learn about opportunities to know when pre-orders for my book (coming in January 2025) begin, to work with me 1:1, and to learn about our next women’s empowerment mastermind!
 

Ilhiana is an Executive & Leadership Transformational Coach, a DEI Consultant, a Hispanic advocate, a Bestselling Author, and an international motivational speaker. Ilhiana has over 20 years of global executive experience in top Fortune 500 companies leading and coaching professionals and businesses to success. 
As the founder of BeLIVE Coaching & Consulting and Co-President of UNITED LATINAS, Ilhiana is a certified expert in leadership and DEI best practices that help build resilient, collaborative, and high-performing leaders and cultures. 
She has earned multiple recognitions and awards globally, including the 2021 Top 10 Inspiring Women to Watch and ALPFA Latina to Watch, a 2022 Stevie Gold Award, and a 2023 P&G Alumni DEI Award. Ilhiana also serves on different Boards supporting initiatives that center on empowering women and the Hispanic community. Ilhiana graduated with honors as a Chemical Engineer in Mexico City and lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two kids. 
I met Ilhiana on LinkedIn. We connected over a virtual coffee chat and never looked back.  She was one of the reasons I joined United Latinas too. I find her story and her work incredibly inspiring, so it was really a pleasure to be able to talk to her about all of the things. In this episode, Ilhiana shares with us her story and all the pivots and transitions in her life and how she navigated them. She also shares the importance of recognizing yourself, how to move into action instead of staying in thinking mode, the fear of failure and fear of success, as well as the thoughts we have that really hold us back from doing what we may really want to do.
Be sure to rate and subscribe to this podcast, and share with a friend!
CONNECT WITH ILHIANA
https://www.belivecoach.com/
United Latinas: https://www.unitedlatinas.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilhiana-rojas7/
CONNECT WITH ARIVEE
www.ariveevargas.com
Instagram: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and 
Actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with meaning, joy, aliveness, and alignment.

By joining the email community, you’ll also learn about opportunities to know when pre-orders for my book (coming in January 2025) begin, to work with me 1:1, and to learn about our next women’s empowerment mastermind!
 

This week the tables are turned as Arivee is interviewed by Nelly Alba on her podcast, "Back to HER". 
Nelly is a mindset and life-alignment coach for moms. We talk about prioritizing your well-being, and share actionable advice to help you reclaim joy and fulfillment in your life. It's a conversation about the real self-care - the kind that sustains you beyond the fleeting indulgence of a spa day. 
Nelly was a special education teacher for ninth grade newcomer students. She's also worked as Director of Youth After-School Programs for students in third grade to postsecondary education. She received her Psychology (ABA focused) degree from Hamilton College, and her Master’s in Education at Boston University.
CONNECT WITH NELLY 
Website  (Itsnellyalba.com) 
Podcast  ("Back to HER" Podcast) 
CONNECT WITH ARIVEE 
Join Arivee’s  women empowering women email community for inspiration, motivation, and actionable strategies from Arivee in your inbox.  We’re focusing on how to live that one beautiful precious life that you were meant to live it - with meaning, joy, aliveness, and alignment.
Free Resource: Feeling stuck or uncertain in this season of your career? Get your clarity guide here
Website:www.ariveevargas.com
Instagram: @ariveevargas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ariveevargas/