The Power of the Mind-Body Connection with Michelle Gazze

Lauren Best (00:00:08) – Welcome to Provoking Possibilities, where we reflect on pivotal life moments, asked provoking questions and dream up new possibilities for living a life you love that may be a little out of your current reality. I’m Lauren Best, a certified hypnotherapist and provoker of possibility, and I’ve created this podcast for people who are curious about exploring new ways of living, who are looking to connect deeper with their bodies, their intuition, their hearts, and then known and who are really ready to just embrace their most authentic selves, to move into flow and into alignment. There is just so much that is possible for us when we open ourselves up to exploring new possibilities beyond our wildest imagination. So if you’re ready and curious to begin exploring new possibilities, join me every week for a new episode of Provoking Possibilities on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let’s dive in. Hi everyone! Welcome to Another Week where we explore new possibilities for unlocking the potential of your subconscious mind to design a life you love. I’m your host, Lauren Best Certified Hypnotherapist and Provoker of Possibility.

Lauren Best (00:01:25) – And before we get into it today, I just want to take a moment to welcome back any listeners who have joined us before and welcome any new listeners to the show. I’m just so grateful that you have chosen to spend your time listening to the show, and also for giving yourself that space to really discover something new. And it’s funny because every week, I am always wanting to start off with saying how excited I am for a really special guest. And it’s true, every guest that I have joining me is truly so, so special to me. And today again, I am feeling extremely grateful to welcome my dear friend Michelle and she’s one of my soul friends. She is a purpose driven communications and community engagement professional, also a published writer, and she just drives so much change within communities. She really is so in tune with her super powers, which in her work, she uses to really drive forward investment initiatives for nonprofits, private and public sector organizations. And it’s not too often that you don’t find her using those same Super Connector powers to inspire new connections with people that really do influence and transform relationships in the community.

Lauren Best (00:02:41) – Through her amazing orchestration skills of really bringing together intentional partnerships and communication initiatives that are culturally relevant, socially conscious and inclusive, she is just so, so passionate about creating environments that support inclusivity for new Canadians. Through her volunteer work with the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, the Rising Stars Foundation, and the True North Youth Foundation. And this really isn’t going to come as a shock to anyone listening. She’s also an award winner. She is the recipient of the 2021 Emerging Leader in Philanthropy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Manitoba chapter. And I can tell you that Michelle’s dedication to her own self-growth and development through her deep soul work is really rooted in her faith, community, and storytelling, and it just truly magnetize the worlds around her and her mission. And it’s what really inspires me. And even more so, just her beautiful heart is something that really makes me so grateful to call her an amazing friend. So you’ve moved the mountains and back and you’ve experienced miracles, Michelle. And now you’re here on this radio show and I welcome you and I’m so excited to have you.

Michelle Gazze (00:04:03) – Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Like I am grateful. This is incredible to see you doing your thing, using your gifts like it’s so dope to see you in your element. So I’m excited for our chat because when we chat, we end up talking about all the things, everything. And we’ve always leave our conversations feeling so, so enlightened and lifted and happy and so much peace and calmness. So I’m glad that we’re able to do this today too.

Lauren Best (00:04:35) – And we’re sharing it with all of you, because usually it’s like us sitting for hours chatting and vibing and like sharing our energy and inspiring each other and talking about our wildest dreams and what we’ve been through. And, you know, even though it’s just half an hour, all of you will get to tune in for a little snippet of what our magic looks like, because I do think it is magic that we are able to share with each other. So thank you.

Michelle Gazze (00:05:02) – Thank you to like when you mentioned, um, just being soul friends.

Michelle Gazze (00:05:08) – Like I love that term. I love that you’ve shared it in that way, because I really do feel even how we connected and how you came into my life 100%, that was meant to be and it was aligned in such an amazing way, especially at the times. Yeah, in our life and the seasons in our life. Yeah, I’m really grateful for that. And I think it was very purposeful and very intentional that we connected in that way through our beautiful friend Priya, and also just at the like, the specific seasons, two of what we were going through.

Lauren Best (00:05:44) – Totally. And even the first time, the first time we met there, like not knowing each other that well and maybe not knowing all the things we were individually going through, just finding so much joy in each other’s company. And I know over the years you have navigated, both of us have navigated such a journey of really growing and learning and putting, you know, going through this path of. Having to learn to put as much energy back into ourselves is what we give to others.

Lauren Best (00:06:14) – And I know we always talk about energy and, you know, being those energetic matches to people or places or environments and how our bodies always knew before we did when things were out of that energetic alignment. So I’d love to invite you to share if you know, I’m sure I know there’s many, but you know, any of those pivotal moments that you’ve experienced where you’re like, oh my gosh, my body is just screaming at me. I’m out of alignment. And you know, it’s manifesting in these ways, and I have to take note of that.

Michelle Gazze (00:06:44) – Yeah. No. Like yeah. Think there’s think throughout my life there’s always been those moments. But that’s only been over the last couple of years that I really understood that it was manifesting from an internal, you know, source or blockage or like something emotional or mental or spiritually that was like going on in, in my like inner being would always manifest physically, but didn’t really understand that or even learn that until like a couple of years ago.

Michelle Gazze (00:07:18) – So the, the most recent, I would say like experience that came up was last year. So I was diagnosed with lupus about six years ago. And for the most part it’s been like very manageable. There’s always ups and downs and it lupus for those people that don’t know, like it is an autoimmune disease, and the severity and how it affects your life is really different for each person. But for the most part, for me with like medication and doing a lot of holistic approaches, I was able to manage it. And so there were only certain times that were certain triggers would cause like a lupus flare up and a flare up for me would look like really bad joint pain, just like chronic fatigue, also like hair loss, skin rashes, just yeah, a lot of different things all at once. And so over the last six years I’ve been trying to find, you know, identify what those triggers are. So it could even be like things I’ve things that I eat or work stress, good stress, bad stress, like all of those types of things.

Michelle Gazze (00:08:28) – And then last year, my lupus had a really bad flare at the beginning of the year. And it was also a flare. I feel that was like triggered by a lot of emotional and mental stress that I was working through. I had just lost my grandpa at the beginning of the year and my grandpa was amazing, like he was. We were really, really, really close and I spent a lot of my life with him, like every single day. I lived with him for a period of time in my life, and he was just such a huge support of me and and a really big part of also like who I am today, you know, because we spent that much time together and we just had like a very close connection and at that point also hadn’t lost anyone in my life that I was that close with. And, you know, like, fortunately, that was the first time of like actually going through grief and, um. To lose somebody who meant so, so much to me and was very like very, very pivotal to shaping who I am and my values and really how I show up in this world, just like did not know how to really cope with that, did not know how to even work through that.

Michelle Gazze (00:09:51) – So that triggered a pretty big flare for me and I guess not, you know, coping with it in a healthy way, just kind of like going, going, going. Because my life is always like very fast paced. And I really do love that kind of pace. But obviously it’s not super healthy for lupus and my body. But, um, yeah, like not processing and not taking time to really feel the things that I was going through was just like, not great. And I just kept going. And then also at that time, there was just a lot of things going on in my life. Um, relation, ship stuff, family stuff, work stuff and everything just kind of was like going, going, going, going. So the lupus flare didn’t really have any time to just chill, right? And no time to like, recover. So I felt super terrible. All of these really, um, like very debilitating symptoms, like were happening. And the biggest part was that just like so much pain, like all over and just no energy and really short of breath.

Michelle Gazze (00:11:04) – So fast forward, I ended up in the hospital. In the hospital, they did a bunch of blood tests. My rheumatologist, who I’ve had for like six years, he and I like spoke after or at the hospital and he was like, the inflammation from your caused by your lupus flare has spread to your kidneys. And now you have kidney disease. And it was like, wait, what? Like how did that even happen? Just from like one flare. And it just goes to show you like how not really like giving the time and the space to like the mental and the emotional things that you may be going through. Like just going, going, going is like for sure going to manifest physically. And that’s exactly what had happened. And so when I heard that, um, those words like from his mouth and what came with kidney disease, like the treatments after the infusion, treatments like going into the hospital every 14 days, the fact that my hemoglobin was so low is basically my body shutting down from a lack of oxygen.

Michelle Gazze (00:12:09) – Like, you know, how this would affect, perhaps like me having a family, like all of these things all at once. I was like, okay, this is like, this is not it. Like, this is we are not moving forward like this. Like what? What how how do I shift this? So that would be. Yeah. Like the biggest thing recently of how not processing and and yeah not working through mental and emotional you know like stress or things and how it just like manifested physically in my life.

Lauren Best (00:12:47) – Yeah. And I know you’ve done like from that time like miracles have happened and you have literally like I told you, like, this is a miracle. And I know our friends who are like physicians as well have told you, like, yeah, where you’re at is literally like a miracle. And so I know you find, you know, so much power in your faith, your community, your storytelling, this soul work, you know, connecting back to that mind and body intuition and finding that confidence and self-trust.

Lauren Best (00:13:19) – But I’d love to hear, you know, what were some of the things that really, you know, you started to bring into your life as rituals, as things that would ground you as things that you use to really bring you back to a place where you felt healthy and you have these practices that continue to help you, you know, improve your health and just feel good in your life and in your body as well.

Michelle Gazze (00:13:42) – Yeah. Well, I think the biggest thing is that I think when really big challenges or big things, big, big stressors, big events, big experiences come up in my life, I always look at it as that, like, this is, you know, this is this is the lesson. Like, there’s something here that I am supposed to learn or experience. And I may not see it in this moment, but I’ve always, always believed that God has a plan for me. Like everything is always written. So whether experiences come into my life that I perceive as good or bad or whatever, like they’re meant to happen and what I take out of them and how I respond to them, that is really a test of my faith.

Michelle Gazze (00:14:29) – And I really do feel like. This was a huge example of that of God being like, you know what? You cannot go at this pace anymore. You cannot be all the things for all the people you cannot ignore, like your yourself and what you’re going through and the time that you need for yourself as well. And if this experience last year hadn’t happened, I don’t know if I would be in this space of like calm and peace and contentment and joy and appreciation and awe and like this complete faith walk that I’ve been on, like that one experience really shifted a lot of things for me. And. That’s what I’ve chose like to take out of it. Right? So like when it happened right away, I prayed right away. I like, you know, I was like praying to God, talking to God. And I’ve, you know, always prayed my whole life. I’ve always talked to God. I always like as a kid used to write letters to God and like, yeah. So it’s not like this one experience, just like, you know, made all of that happen, but it definitely made me turn inwards.

Michelle Gazze (00:15:42) – It really brought me closer to God and brought me closer to like, how are we going to navigate through this? So it was never a question of like, why is this happening? Or why is this happening to me? It’s more like, okay, this is what it is. But like God, how do I navigate it? How do I find the peace, the strength? Like, what are you guiding and calling me towards? Right? So prayer was a huge, huge, huge way that I was able to like navigate through all of this and then to like really starting to like learn about my mindset, my subconscious, like manifesting, visualizing. And I’ve heard those words before. I’ve done like what I thought were like visualization practice. Yeah, I’m like manifesting practices. But then I realized like, no, that was not it. This is like super driven by like your internal feelings and your internal. Yeah. Like reprogramming your mind and your thoughts and like, really taking control of your energy and your thoughts and being an observer and like, not owning all of these things and like, yeah, just like dived in to learning more about how I could really reprogram my thoughts, reprogram like my mind, and also like, really understand how I could create a life that was like serving me.

Michelle Gazze (00:17:19) – Because in that moment, it did not feel like it was. And leading up to that moment, it did not feel like this was like my life. But I was like, I created this, like with my thoughts. Yeah. Um, and taking responsibility of that, you know, like not victimizing myself, but taking responsibility to be like, okay, I’m going to learn of, like how why do I think the way I do? Why am I doing the things I’m doing? Where is this all coming from? So really learning about like my subconscious paying more attention to like connecting to a higher awareness, self awareness. Like I’m being really mindful of what I was absorbing. So books, podcasts, community like connecting with certain people that were also like adding to that positive mindset was really important. And also like making really tough decisions about like who and what I wanted around me. And that was probably the hardest part because, um, some of those things and some of those people I’ve had in my life forever, right? But I realized I’m not in a space right now where I’m equipped or have the strength to kind of like be in those environments or be in those conversations and, and, and release.

Michelle Gazze (00:18:47) – Right. So I would say, yeah, just being super intentional, intentional about what was absorbing, learning, exploring. Because I knew I wanted to make a shift, like with my thoughts in my mind. And um, also I would say just like, again, learning more about the subconscious and like how important just ending your day in like visualizing how I want to feel, how I speak over myself throughout the day, how what language, what words I’m using all of that. And, you know, really shifting my language to, to instead of, I’m going to be healthy or I, I will be healthy like I am healthy, I am restored, I am healing, I am, you know, like those that shift in itself and how I was speaking over myself, I really feel helped me like make intentional choices subconsciously too. Yeah. So before I would go to bed, I would just like go through all the AMS of like everything of everything. I wanted to feel like everything that I also want it to experience in this life.

Michelle Gazze (00:20:07) – Um, like everything from my health to relationships to jobs like my purpose, like all of it. And then. I do feel like saying that before I went to bed. Also helped me visualize living that life and how it would feel and how I would. What does healthy feel like? What does? Yeah, being in a loving relationship feel like and then it would like really start to like creep into my dreams. And then I would have these amazing, incredible dreams and wake up feeling like empowered and strong and like, yeah, like all of that is in us. Like all that power is in me. And like, the more I spent time tapping into that, the more I like, started to experience how powerful, like my thoughts and my mind really were. Right? So I would say those were like the biggest things. And lastly, but also like kind of ties into everything was just like this whole faith walk, right that I’ve been on. And so I grew up Hindu, my dad’s Muslim.

Michelle Gazze (00:21:15) – I converted to Islam. I’ve always like found faith super fascinating, and I’ve always believed in God. I’ve always felt God’s love. And so this year I started going to I popped into like, this church, think it’s like a Baptist church. Yeah. And so I went in and immediately this was like, actually, even before my flare up, I went in, was like called to go. And it was incredible. Really great energy, really great community. And so I started going like every Sunday. And then I went this Sunday before my first, like kidney infusion. And I sat like at the back and usually like sit by myself. But then this man, he came up and we were started talking and he was incredible, like really good connection. I didn’t share, like any of my health stuff at this point, but we just had like a really good conversation. The service ends, I leave, he like calls me out and he’s like, oh, Michelle, you know, I just want to like let you know that we’re here if you have any questions.

Michelle Gazze (00:22:19) – And was like, oh, that’s really nice. Thank you. And then he’s like, and I also want to know, like, would it be okay if I prayed for you and was like, oh, of course. Like, I’ll take all, all the blessing, like every, every religion, every person like bring them bring. Yeah. Like that. Of course you can. Thank you. And then he like, puts his hand on my shoulder. And then we literally start praying there. And he’s like, dear Heavenly Father. And I was like, oh, okay, we’re doing this now together. Okay. So we started praying together and I just start crying.

Lauren Best (00:22:54) – And then I’ve never heard this story before. It’s like, oh my.

Michelle Gazze (00:22:59) – Gosh, oh so cool. Crying. And like at this point, again, I haven’t said anything about my health. And he’s like, oh, what’s going on? And I was like, you know, I’m going through some health things.

Michelle Gazze (00:23:13) – Actually start my first kidney infusion treatment on, on, uh, on Wednesday. So like this is like super powerful and super meaningful to me. And I also shared with him in that point, like how conflicted I was feeling because I was like, I have trust in God’s love and his protection. I know I’m going to be okay, but like, I’m also feeling very scared and very nervous and like, I feel bad for feeling scared and nervous. Like, don’t want God to think that I don’t like trust him and blah blah blah. And he’s like, you know, God knows you’re human. God knows like you’re going to have emotions and God knows what’s in your heart and like it’s completely okay. And like when he said that, I was like, everything just like, kind of just made sense. We are all human. We’re having a human experience. Like God’s love is in us. God knows what’s happening in us. God knows what we’re thinking about, what we’re doing, like all of these things.

Michelle Gazze (00:24:16) – And like we’re allowed to give ourselves space to feel scared and nervous and and use that and use those feelings to kind of like turn inwards, like turn inwards and turn towards God, like closer to your faith, closer to the source, closer to the universe, like so. Yeah. Think the people, the the that I’ve met on this faith walk have been incredibly, incredibly supportive and important to this last year that I’ve, you know, been going working through things because, um, without that support, without those prayers, without that healing energy coming my way, I don’t feel like I would be in this space that I am now. So I think all of that created so many miracles, like in my life. Literally, I met incredible people. I was like, met, you know, brought into spaces that I was. It’s like these are the conversations that want to be having. Like, this is the impact that I want, like to make. And even this like conversation right now with you, Lauren, like, I literally last week was praying and I like, came to this feeling of like, I want to like share my faith walk.

Michelle Gazze (00:25:36) – I want to like, share my testimony. I want to put this on paper. And then you reached out and we’re like, and then what the okay, like this is completely aligned. And that’s what I feel like. That’s why I also feel so reaffirmed in my faith and my decisions, because as soon as I start like or like, as soon as I’ve started leaning into them, everything kind of just align in the most incredible, beautiful way. And it’s not to say like it’s been easy, but it’s been like so effortless in the sense of like this calming, peaceful, um, just like overwhelming sense of love and ease that I’ve never felt before. And so I’m like, this has to be right. This journey has to be like where I’m supposed to be right now, because it is moving in such a beautiful flow, like a beautiful direction. So it makes me feel super reaffirmed in the decisions I’m making.

Lauren Best (00:26:43) – Yeah. And I know I’ve planted seeds with you where I’m like, you need to apply for a Ted talk, but like Ted talk, you heard it here first.

Lauren Best (00:26:53) – Seriously.

Michelle Gazze (00:26:53) – But but you get like two hours long. Nobody would say, yeah.

Lauren Best (00:26:59) – Everyone would say, but it just is like, truly a testament, you know, this journey that you had, but this this faith and this trust and this, you know, just connection to yourself as well. And this positive thinking that is really. Rain has brought you to this place where you can say like I am. I feel powerful, I feel good, I feel like, you know, I’ve met this amazing person that I’ve been manifesting. That’s a whole nother episode.

Michelle Gazze (00:27:34) – I know.

Lauren Best (00:27:34) – But.

Michelle Gazze (00:27:35) – The miracles are literally. I’m so grateful. I’m so thankful. But the miracles are literally rolling in. And it’s not like these huge, ginormous events that are happening, right? It’s like in these everyday moments that I’m seeing like, yeah, like miracles and like even like just quickly, like even with the health journey that I’ve been on. Right? Like the infusion treatments. I asked my doctor, how long are people normally on this? And he’s like, oh, nine months to a year.

Michelle Gazze (00:28:06) – And I was immediately like, nope, no no no no no, no, we are not doing this. We are doing this in three months. We’re on the express healing package. Like, yeah, no. And so I had like put it in my mind, like, you’re only doing this for three months, right? And did everything that I could that was in my control to like make that happen. Right. But also giving my self like grace and space, like no pressure, no expectation. But like I just had this in my mind, like three months. Yeah. So three months in two weeks. Then I go check my bloodwork and he’s like looking through the bloodwork. And he’s like, Michelle, the inflammation in your kidneys is gone. Like and was like crazy, I knew it. Thank you God. Thank you God. Thank you God. Literally this is God’s work. Like this is God right now. Along with of course, like the hard work that I’ve had to make to like shift and redefine different roles and responsibilities in my life and just like, make those really tough choices to stay aligned with, like my healing right, and not feel guilty about making those choices.

Michelle Gazze (00:29:22) – That’s like the biggest miracle. And then two, meeting an incredible man who I literally prayed for. Yeah. And I just like I’m so, so thankful because he’s brought me closer to God. He’s probably closer to my faith. Like, literally, he’ll say and do things that sometimes I just have to pause and be like, I literally wrote that down and didn’t read the journal. Yeah.

Lauren Best (00:29:47) – Did you read it? Oh my gosh. But it it.

Michelle Gazze (00:29:51) – Just I mean, all of like God’s work because you just even met was incredible. And I’m thankful. I’m thankful for his presence and his energy in my life and even my relationships with my family. Like how I’ve redefined my roles, my responsibility. That in itself is a miracle, right? And that also comes from me. That comes from me shifting, you know, expectations and so, so much inner work with that because, well, like family dynamics is the whole other like. Yeah, but yeah. And I’m grateful for the love and the support that they’ve given me too.

Michelle Gazze (00:30:33) – But like that the conversations. That we’ve been having as a family, and the support and the love that we’ve been able to and understanding and respect that we’ve been able to share with each other. I feel like that’s a miracle in itself. And then to end off the year on December 30th was my last appointment with my rheumatologist for the year. And again, going through the bloodwork and all the things, and he’s like, Michelle, like, so I’ve had lupus for six years, right? So he’s been my doctor the whole six years. And so he looks this work and he’s like, Michelle, this is the healthiest your blood has looked in six years. So I’m like.

Lauren Best (00:31:23) – That’s amazing.

Michelle Gazze (00:31:26) – Looking at like the healthiest version of myself. Like physically, mentally, spiritually. I feel like I am growing, I am exploring, I am discovering, and I’m just so incredibly thankful. Like so.

Lauren Best (00:31:43) – Oh my gosh. Well, there’s like endless amounts of inspiration in your story and in your life.

Lauren Best (00:31:49) – And I’d love to end off on a note by just asking you for people who are listening, who are going through it in whatever way and are starting to lean into their energy and their bodies as a power of really recognizing their misalignment. What advice would you give them?

Michelle Gazze (00:32:08) – Oh, I would say to just. Oh. What advice? Well, one, not to be so hard on yourself. Give yourself the grace and the space to like, learn and explore and then to. You also have to be super intentional about creating that space. Like making yourself a priority, making yourself like, yeah, giving yourself that time and that silence to tap in to whatever it is and that you believe in. But the priority of self self-love, for sure.

Lauren Best (00:32:41) – Oh my gosh, that’s so beautiful. So I know connection and connecting with others is so important to you, Michelle. So I’d love for you to share how people can reach out, how they can connect with you. Where can they find you?

Michelle Gazze (00:32:54) – I think LinkedIn would be the best way to stay connected, because I really believe in the power of community and support and love, and I’d love to hear the journey that other people are on.

Michelle Gazze (00:33:07) – I’d love to listen. And yeah, so LinkedIn, if you just search Michelle Gazi, my first and last name, it will pop up right away.

Lauren Best (00:33:16) – Amazing. Well, I will share the link below as well, but thank you so much Michelle. It’s so hard for us to not keep talking away, but I just thank you for showing up with such courage and boldness and vulnerability and such a beautiful, open heart like you always have. But thank you so much for for sharing your story and inspiring all of us. It’s been amazing.

Michelle Gazze (00:33:41) – Oh thank you Lauren, I appreciate you so much.

Lauren Best (00:33:48) – Because you’ve been listening to the show, I want to leave you with a little treat, which is one of my favorite hypnosis audios that will help you let go of the noise and worry from your everyday life by bringing you to a place where you can connect with your subconscious mind and imagine and dream about your life. Because as we continue to move through ebbs and flows and seasons of our lives, there will likely be times where envisioning new possibilities becomes difficult, or where we struggle to move out of that autopilot mode and into self-awareness to really live the lives that we want.

Lauren Best (00:34:21) – So do listen to this audio. It will encourage you to keep dreaming about your life, even during uncertain times where new possibilities may feel cloudy. Hypnosis has been such an amazing tool that I myself have used to move from a state of overwhelm and stuckness to really being able to keep dreaming about my life. And I know you can too. So visit the link below to download the Visualize Life You Love Hypnosis audio for free or visit my website. Lauren. best.com. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey of exploring new possibilities and embracing your most authentic self. I appreciate you and your willingness to open your mind and your heart to new ideas and ways of being that are beyond your current reality. So if you found value in this episode, please take a moment to leave a reading and review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast. Your support helps us to spread the message of compassion, self discovery, and personal growth to more people who may benefit from it. And if you’re looking for additional support on your journey of self-discovery and transformation, I invite you to visit my website at Lauren Bascombe, where you’ll find resources, courses, and coaching services to help you navigate life’s challenges with more ease and joy and confidence and support.

Lauren Best (00:35:53) – So please check that out. And more than anything, I hope you’ll remember that you’re not alone on this journey. We are all in this together, and by embracing our most authentic selves, we can create more compassion and connection to the world. So please keep dreaming, keep exploring, and keep provoking possibilities with love and intuition. I’ll be back soon with more thought provoking questions, inspiring stories, and powerful insights and conversations to support you on your journey. But until then, take care of yourself and others and remember that you are worthy of love and possibility.