Meet Chen Lizra, a Somatic Intelligence expert helping people embody their true essence

Chen Lizra specializes in transforming people by changing behavioural patterns for the better, through bodywork. She offers Somatic Intelligence workshops, one on one sessions, training programs and keynote speeches, using the unique one-of-a-kind method she developed. She works with individuals, organizations and events in order to cause transformation through the body, through experiencing. After giving one of the most talked about TED talks with 8 million views, and receiving numerous awards and praise for her book ‘My Seductive Cuba’, her overarching mission is working with individuals, organizations and events helping people live and embody their true essence and to influence deep transformation.

My first job ever was… In a flower store designing bouquets of flowers. 

I chose my career path because… It really chose me. This is my calling; I am on purpose. I wanted to make a difference for people in the world and it all came together connecting all the dots of my life journey. By sharing the knowledge that I have accumulated as a result of this life changing journey, I feel like it opens up a door for many people to be the best version that they can be too.

My proudest accomplishment is… People expect me to say my TED Talk, which has eight million views, but I would have to say my proudest accomplishment is saving myself from dying and getting myself out of ten years of suicidal thoughts; healing the trauma and genuinely finding my happy place. Turning the curse into the most beautiful gift, as I like to call it. This is now my super power for impacting the lives of others and being of service for transformation to occur.

My boldest move to date was… Leaving my reputation behind in Canada after years of building it in order to move my base back to Israel.

I surprise people when I tell them… That I moved back to Israel because I wanted to spend time with my dad creating beautiful memories. I love him and we were apart for 17 years. I didn’t want time to run out. I wanted to choose what mattered to my heart and from there to find the way to create the rest.

My best advice to people starting a business is… Pick what you love doing and can’t stop doing, even if you’ll never get paid for it, then, turn this into your business.

My best advice from a mentor was… My dear late friend, Toronto born, Rob Stewart of Sharkwater said this to me and it’s the best advice he ever gave me before I decided what the business will be. I didn’t consider him a mentor but an inspiration because he lived his dream and led by example. Just watching him do his thing inspired me to dare more. On top of that he had amazing insights that he shared with me as a friend which were golden nuggets which changed the trajectory of my life.

I would tell my 20-year old self… That it will take 20 years, but I will find the way out of the mess, to not worry. And that it will be spectacular at the end and worth every second of the journey.

My biggest setback was… My mom becoming manic depressive when I was just 11 years old. My whole life fell apart, my emotional base broke as a result. It took 20 years of hard work to fix what got broken because everything inside was broken.

I overcame it by… Committing to finding the way out of it no matter how long it took me. The determination to follow through led me to an incredible human treasure I now call the Power of Somatic Intelligence – sharing all the secrets I discovered over the years that led me to my happy place. From finding the magical sabrosura in Cuba – the sensuality that’s inside each and every one of us that sits on physical self-love, reclaiming my femininity in a way that I didn’t know was possible for me, to developing the mindset of super positivity – jumping depression to inspiration, to learning how to release dopamine and endorphins in the body through body movements leading to a natural high, and so much more. 

Work/life balance is… About balancing doing with being, achieving while enjoyment, and having green slots in my schedule. I tag fun time as green and I look at the colours per week to make sure there is enough fun and enjoyment. It’s important to me to be balanced and make sure that my life always has some fun in it. If there isn’t good balance, I take a road trip for the weekend or a break. Sacrifices are made to succeed but are only temporary. I don’t get addicted to the race and I don’t develop guilt for doing nothing. I indulge. Enjoyment is the antidote of stress, anxiety, burnout and depression. I first of all live it, then I teach it in my retreats. I believe in leading by example.  

“It’s important to me to be balanced and make sure that my life always has some fun in it. If there isn’t good balance, I take a road trip for the weekend or a break. Sacrifices are made to succeed but are only temporary. I don’t get addicted to the race and I don’t develop guilt for doing nothing. I indulge. Enjoyment is the antidote of stress, anxiety, burnout and depression.”

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… That there is an aspect of my life that no one sees. My life is such an open book to people and there is so much about me out there that it seems like this is it. But I always keep certain private parts to myself and I feel I have a good balance between what I share and what is mine. Healthy boundaries are a very important thing to me, especially in the social media age and having to reconstruct my boundaries over 5-6 years.

I stay inspired by… Going to Cuba and living a 100% from the heart in a place that still lives in the past and is more about human connections, solidarity and love between people. And by doing this work and seeing lives transform. I am so inspired by people’s courage and willingness to trust me with their lives and be vulnerable with me, in order to create beautiful shifts – be it one on one or in workshops/retreats. I’m at awe at this beautiful tribe that’s coming together. I get inspired by the love that comes back via every medium possible; the courage, the challenges they share and the success stories, the inspiration they feel from me and how they pay it forward.

The future excites me because… If we will live out of our true nature and learn how to balance the 5 elements of Somatic Intelligence within us, the world will be a better place. If we each just focus on being the best version that we can be, then the world will be a better place to live in. I can also see how into the future, this knowledge will be passed on and will live way past my lifetime. That’s an exciting future to look into!

My next step is… Leading the Power of the Sabrosura retreat for women, reclaiming their femininity in Havana, seeing women discover what is possible for them – what they don’t know that they don’t know. I can’t wait to lead this retreat. It’s a game changer! Then, speaking at some pretty big events around the world to spread the message which I will announce soon. So much to look forward to!