Are you looking for change? You are in the right place.

Hi, I’m Ari Holtzer. I help emerging leaders build stronger character so they can better lead their team.

I worked for 8 years at a company that was fascinating to me. But, there came a point where it fell out of line with what I wanted. I was unhappy. I also knew that only I had the power to change. Yet, I was unable to get perspective on which next steps to take..

I didn’t have my usual enthusiastic energy . I was frustrated that I kept procrastinating on making changes. My work ethic was subpar to my usual standard. I was stressed, overwhelmed, and emotionally burned out. In result, these troubles at work bled into the other facets of my life.

I spent time isolated staying up late watching Netflix. I put on weight, lost it, and then put it back on. This affected my relationships with family and friends. I had few boundaries and discipline with myself. Let alone balance, self-awareness, or desire to live by a set of principles that would guide me in life.

This was out of character for me. I am normally a kind, loving and enthusiastic person that loves life and believes strongly in living your values. I was always driven and motivated. For example, I started sailing at 6 and slowly chipped away at my goal of representing Canada at the world youth championships at 13. That year when training was the toughest, I performed in the top 5% of my school.

However, I was paralyzed with fear. I was trying to numb the truth. I could change. I just needed to ask for help and take action.

I started to search for a change. It began with trying to get promotions internally, then I looked into getting an MBA, then looked for other jobs. I was stubborn and blind to digging deep for the actual problem.

I kept trying to improve my results at work. I was trying to fix the surface-level issue instead of the deep seeded issue. My results would improve temporarily and then I would be back to square one.

I knew my life was not where I wanted it to be. The actions I was taking at this point were leading me to a life of unrealized potential, fulfillment, and unhappiness.

Earlier in my life, in 2003, I almost died due to a health scare. I had a long journey to recovery ahead of me and was guided by others. They went through similar struggles and they recommended different tools to grow and heal. Some of these were writing, sharing struggles with those with experience, meditation, & silence. Over time I incorporated these tools and rebuilt my life with a solid foundation that would set the tone of my adult life.

Within a few years, I was running my own business. I was a musician touring across North America and was living the dream I had as a child. Fast-forward 15 years later to my current situation. As described, I was unsatisfied with where my life was and knew from my past it could improve. If I focused on my foundation again, everything else would follow.

At the beginning of 2020, COVID happened. I realized that this would be a stretch of time that could be a challenge to deal with. Not to mention this compounding on my current situation with my work. I ramped up the tools I have been using over the years like meditation and silence. This helped me change the way I perceived COVID. I looked at it as an opportunity to grow.

This inspired me to completely overhaul and improve my health, specifically with exercise, sleep, and nutrition. Now with renewed purpose, and this foundation, I was able to manage my stress.

The most important change was my renewed commitment and habit to my growth. This recommitment to the tools I have been using over the years.

Due to my dedication to my mindfulness practice, I became grounded. I was building back my muscle of emotional stability and resilience. I was developing a set of values and living with integrity. My relationships with others in all areas of life and myself improved. My work-life balance was much better, but it was becoming obvious I needed to make a change in my work to continue to grow.

I got inspired during meditation to start my own business again. This would give me the freedom to work on something I was passionate about. One morning while meditating, I got the idea of what it would be. I realized that since my health scare I have been informally helping others grow and make changes in their lives. I didn’t realize it, but what I was doing had many parallels to coaching. So, it made sense to me that coaching others from my experience over the years would help them build the life of their dreams.

My wife and I also had the privilege to do a 6 month Europe remote work trip with this newfound freedom. We discovered the beauty of coliving on our trip. We started our own called Canadiana Cottage Coliving which is an in person experience that embodies our principles. We empower location-independent workers to get lots done while learning from each other and developing themselves. All while having fun and building lifelong friendships. With newly implemented habits developed with their ongoing accountability partners, they are refreshed and maintain the drive to tackle their exciting new goals and dreams.

I set another goal of completing an Ironman before I was 40 at the same time I started LucidLife. I had 3 years to train. Along the way I broke my collar bone, had achilles injuries and knee pain. I was so proud of my determination and resilience to keep going and I completed it a few months before my birthday, while working my full time job and building my business.

As you can see from my story I have experience accomplishing big goals and overcoming obstacles. I realized I help people grow mindfully, but also helped with concrete tools to help them clarify their purpose, change behavior, and accomplish goals. I had expertise in managing priorities, responsibilities, and time.

The next big step was asking for help. I hired a coach that I resonated with. This helped me increase my dedication to my growth and get perspective. I was encouraged to dream bigger and claimed ownership of the steps I needed to take to get there. I have done that and am currently coaching others, running workshops, and holding coliving retreats.

I am passionate about helping others. Helping you gain stability, peace and living the life you want is the driving force behind my life’s work and mission.

If you are interested in coaching, when working together I create a safe space and give enthusiastic curiosity. Helping you get where you want to go is my mission.

HOW TO GET STARTED

The best thing to do next is to download my free guide, "Discover the 3 Instruments to Craft Your Dream Life" below:

Thank you for your time to learn my story. I'm glad that you found me and I hope we get to connect soon so I can learn yours.

QUESTIONS?

To contact me about speaking opportunities, interviews, or other questions, please fill out the form below. I'd love to hear from you.

Before you reach out, please note that if you want to inquire about coaching, the best way to do that is to apply for a strategy session. That way we can have a conversation and see if we’d even be a fit to work together. If you’re having trouble finding a time that works for you, email ari@mylucidlife.com