"Be Brave, Take Action" With Adee Cazayoux
Adee Cazayoux is authentically, beautifully, unapologetically herself. She is a woman who I deeply admire and I’m so proud to call my friend. She is the founder and CEO of an incredibly successful nutrition company, Working Against Gravity, wife of Michael Cazayoux, dog mom to a handsome labradoodle named Oti, and inspiration for female entrepreneurs and strong women everywhere.
Back in March, I interviewed Adee for my book, Empowering Womxn Through Strength. As I working through this project, I realize more and more that there is no time to waste. I’m sharing this content now with the hope that those who need the messages have the opportunity to receive them sooner rather than later. Enjoy!
The highlights of my interview with Adee include:
How to embrace change and love the process of learning who you are
How Adee is able to overcome fear and be brave
How to live each moment in bliss
Q: What was your childhood like?
Adee: I had a really amazing childhood. My parents are immigrants from Israel and I grew up in Canada. My house was really loud, we speak what we feel… and it’s all the same volume. My fondest memories are playing sports or traveling around.
I played pretty much every single type of sport you could possibly think of. My parents did a really good job. I went to plays and broadway shows and museums. If they were struggling, they never let us feel it.
Q: What were some of your struggles growing up?
Adee: I struggled making friends. I always wanted to be a part of a group of friends who didn’t necessarily want me to be a part of that group. I was always the odd one out and I could sense it.
I would often stay home by myself and cope by eating. I remember specifically buying gummies, chips, and chocolate. I ended up really struggling with my weight. I got too heavy to even participate in the sports I was competing in.
Q: Do you think your social anxiety was affected by your weight?
Adee: I think I had social anxiety long before I had any weight problems… I just liked food a lot. I only overate when I was alone. I was alone a lot.
Q: How did you get into CrossFit and weightlifting?
Adee: I ended up losing 45lbs when my mom took me to a nutritionist. I finally felt comfortable enough to go to the gym and met my first real boyfriend. I would just follow him around the gym and work out. He told me to go to crossfit.com and do the workout that they would post online. That’s how I found CrossFit in 2009 and I just loved it.
I was better at the weightlifting. I had never done much strength training before and remember deadlifting 200 lbs and thinking it was the craziest thing.
I just fell in love with being strong. I got hurt in CrossFit and took some time off and decided I would work on perfecting the technique of weightlifting and then go back to CrossFit but I never looked back.
Q: Where are you now with sports?
Adee: Now I just exercise to feel good. I’m in this new transition period of learning. I was really naive to be honest and a little bit ignorant in thinking that I’d always be motivated to work out and I’d never struggle with that. Now I’m eating my words.
Your motivation fluctuates forever. I’m not an athlete anymore and I don’t have competitions to help motivate me. So, I’m dancing a lot now, trying to embrace the feminine side of myself.
Q: What advice do you have for women who may be trying to explore their identity?
Adee: Just embrace who you are. Don’t be afraid to not know who you are and just go on the path of discovery. It’s like shopping. You’re like, maybe I might want to buy this sweater, and you really give it a shot. You zip it up, see how it feels, maybe do a little spin, and if you don’t like it, you can put it back. Just be brave enough to try it on.
I don’t have all the answers but I’m willing to try on just about any sweater.
Q: So, a lot of this is about bravery. Being brave enough to go to the gym for your first time. Being brave enough to put yourself in a position that you don’t feel comfortable. Being brave enough to hire a coach or ask for help.
There is a lot more of women in fitness now, but for so many women there is a fear. Of being judged, or getting bulky, but women are told by society that they have to be a certain way.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle facing women’s growth today? What can we do to help women overcome that?
Adee: We have more opportunity than we’ve ever had, especially now with social media. Probably the biggest obstacle is the bravery to actually do it. The opportunity is there so there’s less of an excuse to not go and have the life that you want to live or be the person you want to be. All the resources are available to you to live the best life that you possibly can and go out there and get it.
It takes a lot of courage. It’s scary. I still get terrified. We do these Q&A videos and every time I get a question I want to be as neutral as possible for the fear of someone responding on YouTube and making me feel small.
A couple negative things can make you completely terrified of being ever seen again.
Q: How do you be brave? How do you convince yourself that you should do the Q&A or start your own company?
Adee: First, I had one hurdle I didn’t have to overcome. I had amazing parents who created safety for me to be able to take risks.
The other thing that helps me now is that I have people in my life who I give permission to provide feedback to me. I will not get defensive when they give feedback. So, I have an environment where I allow growth to happen.
Another thing is I feel that fear every single time and I know that there’s no amazing decision I’ve ever made in my life that didn’t have fear before it. So, I know that just on the other side is relief.
I also ignore the future and instead think about the problem I’m facing right now. It helps me not be overwhelmed by the gravity of everything that’s happening.
Q: What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned recently?
Adee: I’ve spent the last 3 years really diving into personal development and I truly believe your success will never exceed your personal development. You provide your own limit and if you push through the ceiling, you’re at the bottom of the next ceiling. I’ve spent the past 3 years becoming MORE AWARE.
Being brave is not innate natural thing that’s there all the time. It’s like a muscle. You have to train it.
The mere fact that someone else is doing something is evidence that you can do it too. You have the power to choose who you want to be.
Q: If you had one piece of advice, one message to give to every woman in the world, what would you want to say?
Life is short. You are going to die. It’s a little harsh maybe, but I watch Grey’s Anatomy a lot and everyone is dying… Seriously though, you’re going to die.
You have the ability to choose the life you want. Just wake yourself up because you’re going to die and the best life in the world is one where you can give service to others. Life is about connection, doing good in the world, and you’re going to die one day.
You don’t want to wake up one day and say, wow I haven’t done any of the things I’ve wanted to do. Be brave, take action, and you’re gonna die.
Q: Mortality is my favorite, so thank you Adee for reminding me that life is too short to waste a moment. If there’s one thing you want to be remembered for, what is it?
Adee: I want to be remembered for being a good person. Trying to do the right thing. Being kind and compassionate. Someone who appreciates the simple parts of life. Making an impact on helping others live the best life they can live. Like, “Adee, she completely changed my life in a way that made me be a better version of myself.”
From my point of view, she is doing a pretty rad job fulfilling that mission.
Adee is someone who was so unique and authentic. She is thoughtful, caring, fucking real, and dedicates her life to making those around her feel loved.