Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Pleasants.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
A few years back, I was in a pretty unique place in my life. I had just been downsized out of a Fortune 500 company where I had grown my career for almost twenty years and my son went off to college. I was left with this huge empty space in my life that needed filling. I was hired on at another company that has been absolutely wonderful. I called it my “soft landing.” It’s the kind of company where you have a boss that says, “You be you.” In twenty years at the other company, no one ever came close to saying “You be you.”
Instead, I needed to fit into the corporate mold. With my old job, I was a great professional, and as a mom, I was a great mom. However, this concept of “you be you” took some time for me to understand. I didn’t know how to be me because I didn’t know who that was. To make matters worse, my health was in pretty bad shape, and instead of trying to get that in order, I ignored the problem until I ended up in the hospital for a week. Upon being discharged, I knew something needed to change immediately or the prognosis would be very bad.
Fast forward to today, I am 60 pounds lighter and I dare say a healthy person again. All the tests indicate a complete turnaround: BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, vitamin levels, MRIs, and just about every blood test you can imagine are all in the green. How did I get here? Well, I had to figure out what I wanted for my future and it was to live a long, happy and healthy life. To do that, I had to learn what “you be you” meant for me. So, that’s how Pleasant Life, LLC came about. I am Lisa Pleasants and me being me means living a Pleasant Life. How do I do that? Through proper nutrition, physical activity, being in nature, and my art.
I became so passionate about this new Pleasant Life, I wanted to teach others to be able to live their most Pleasant Life too. I became a certified wellness and nutrition consultant through the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA). I offer things like grocery tours for healthy choices, refrigerator & pantry cleanouts, individual consultant sessions. I also try to inspire people to get out there in nature and do something whether it’s gardening, hiking, relaxing at the beach, or whatever makes them happy. I tell them “you be you.”
Creating my art has probably been the most soothing thing for me mentally. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than creating my “flow art.” Flow art is not your typical painting. Instead, it’s manipulating fluids on some type of canvas or in a mold to create a look. The end result may not always be what you intended, but that’s okay.
Much like life, with flow art, you can try your best to control the flow and where it’s headed but sometimes you also have to let that control go and see what changes are in store. In the end, you just might end up with something better than you imagined. You can often see my art at local art markets like the Riverside Arts Market, First Coast Vendor Village, and more. I hope to offer classes soon to anyone else who wants to give it a try.
I am still working my “day” job because it is a great place to work and is still my soft landing every day with a boss who still says “you be you.” So, for now, Pleasant Life, LLC is part-time as a job. Although it’s full time as a way of life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Obstacles are time management and changing unhealthy habits. I was able to change because I wanted to and I had to, but it was still hard. It is even harder to help others change because they have to want to and do the work. There’s no easy fix.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Pleasant Life, LLC is a Universal Approach to Wellness through Nutrition, Activity, Nature, and Art. I am super proud of this business because it’s a lifestyle and even when I can help just one person with small changes, it is a great feeling.
Offerings include Nutrition Consulting (individual sessions, healthy grocery store tours, refrigerator & pantry cleanouts), Activity Tips and motivation, Art Sales, and Art Classes (soon).
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Favorite Health Consultants: Dr. Deanna Minich author of Eat the Rainbow. She teaches how color can change our lives, and Michael Greger, M.D., author of “How Not to Die.” They both focus on how different foods can help your body heal and prevent disease. They also have blogs, videos, lectures that I learn from weekly.
There is a flow artist YouTube influencer, Olga Soby, who teaches how to create acrylic pour painting that is some of the most beautiful “flow art” I’ve seen.
Pricing:
- Consulting starts at $50 per hour depending on the type of session.
- Art pricing varies by piece.
- Art classes T.B.D.
- The walking group is free.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.pleasantlifellc.com
- Instagram: @pleasantlifellc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pleasantlife
