Meet Kerrie Lovins | Meditation Teacher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kerrie Lovins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kerrie, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
That is an interesting question. When we talk about success, that can get complicated sometimes. As individuals, we have a lot of specific meaning attached to it based on our history, goals, culture, and outlook. Some may define it by a title, salary, community impact, family, or self-fulfillment to name a few. When I first started my career, I don’t know if I understood what success meant to me and how I personally defined it. I was pursuing this idealized version of success.

I worked in the non-profit world for many years, working with amazing organizations that provided valuable services. Like any industry though, there was a need for high output and little staff to accommodate it.

One day, several ulcers later, I realized that in order to honor my well-being I needed to set appropriate boundaries with work. When it was time for more help, I realized I needed to ask. And I found when I asked with the right intention, that often times people stepped up, staff were hired or volunteers offered help, and it took off some of the pressure. We all need support to be truly successful, and building relationships and appropriate boundaries are key to this, we really can’t do it all ourselves.

Like many though, I was afraid to speak up, that I might be seen as weak, or incompetent, or not committed enough. What empowered me was my meditation practice. As it got more hectic, instead of giving up on meditation, or letting it slide to carve out more time for work, I doubled down on my meditation, seeking the answers I needed to clearly see a path ahead.
I found for me, being able to center myself empowered me to have the courage to speak up, to respect the effort I had made, and to speak with compassion and concern as I made my request. I prioritized my health and well-being and found my version of success in this accomplishment. Meditation helped me build a life I loved, rather than one I dreaded every day.

What should our readers know about your business?
Opening Meditation 719 has been so surreal. I’ve dreamt of having a space like this for a very long time.

My mantra is Mindful Being, Mindful Business and Mindful Creativity. I think that in itself makes the space a bit unique and outside of the normal expectations of a meditation studio.

We often hold a perception of what meditation looks like, but what if we re-conceptualized them a bit. For example, the Excel Mindfully class we offer incorporates learning new skills that improve work performance and intertwines that with tips on how to bring mindfulness into the workday. It’s an adventure in left brain and right brain thinking! We also offer mindful lunches on Wednesdays. Instead of the usual lunch routine you could optimize that time and treat yourself to a mini break for your well-being. Meditation midday gives you an opportunity to refocus and re-energize for your day. You can bring a friend if you like, and bring a lunch, and enjoy a 20-minute guided meditation.

As part of our mindful creativity series, the studio will be hosting an art and meditation installation for the upcoming October first Friday with the theme of RECLAIM. Amazing and talented artists have offered to share their expression of what it means to them to reclaim. I will be creating a meditation that guests can listen to with silent disco headphones during the event that will speak to the amazing spirit we have as humans to reclaim what is important to us.

Our community is creatively unique and my goal is to support anyone seeking a mindful practice a place that when they walk through the door, they immediately begin to experience calm and relaxation. Meditation 719 is a place to explore your meditation practice.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely bring them to Cottonwood Center for the Arts to tour all of the amazing artistry of the folks that have space at the studios there. And then a downtown stroll, maybe a tasty pasta dish at Rasta Pasta, or a drink and some live music at the Wild Goose. There are a few hidden treasures downtown that might need some exploring too! And finally, no trip to Colorado would be complete without some outdoor activity. I’ve recently discovered the amazing art exhibit at Green Mountain Falls Skyspace. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, it is something special to see! James Turrell is the creator behind the exhibit and he has art installations all across the world! There is a short hike with beautiful scenery, and the exhibit offers a play on color, space, and our perception of both of those!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It is such an honor to have this opportunity to talk to you and I want to give a giant thank you to Shoutout for the work you do in supporting our creative community here in the Springs. I couldn’t express enough appreciation for all those that have allowed me to guide them in meditation, seeking calm, a fresh start, a new perspective, your dedication to finding your way is absolutely inspiring to me. My husband, Rob Lessig, is a writer, poet, teacher, and an all-around amazing human being, his unwavering support has been huge in making these dreams of a meditation studio and podcast come true. And then I couldn’t go without saying thank you to my daughter Nora, she has a beautiful and expressive way of being, her ability to tell stories through comic art is quite frankly bad ass!

Website: www.meditation719.com

Instagram: meditation.719

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrie-lovins-90371a20/

Other: Insight Timer – https://insig.ht/wi87zsmUbtb