Unlocking Your Potential with Ally Mona
“We are all writing a story. When you look back in 3 months, 6 month or a year, what story do you want to be able to tell about this time?”
A mompreneur of 4 beautiful daughters living in China, Ally Mona spills the secret between running a household, a wellness business and being quarantine in China during the early months of this year (and still today). Ally is a long time friend of mine from our years in college, and I am excited she was able to give us some time to do a piece about her life in quarantine in China with four daughters, and wellness business! Read more about this amazing mompreneur!
Curito:
Who is Ally Mona! Tell us about yourself!
Ally:
American by passport, I've lived in China for the last 16 years. My husband and I have four beautiful daughters. We're adoption advocates (our third babe is adopted from China), and we are passionate about inspiring others on their path to health and wellness.
Curito:
How did you start your business?
Ally:
I worked a full-time corporate job and taught nights and weekends to make ends meet when my first two daughters were one and three. I NEVER saw them, and it just wasn't the life I wanted for my girls or me. A friend introduced me to essential oils for some pretty serious health concerns I was having, and once I had a fabulous experience, I knew I had to share. When I learned that there was a lucrative compensation plan attached and that I could bring other health-conscious, heart-centered, and ambitious people along with me and help them reach their health and financial goals—I was hooked!
Curio:
What is your mantra?
Ally:
If you're going to do it, do it with excellence.
Curito:
With covid19 and your family experiencing lockdown and quarantine in China, what can you share with us about your experience?
Ally:
First, we were never told NOT to go outside. So I guess that means we were on social isolation, not strict quarantine. Maybe that made it easier to handle mentally. For us, it's been like this since January 24th, and there still is no end in sight. We are going day by day, making small shifts, staying mindful of what's working, and trying to make the best of our time together. Honestly, this time can be a GIFT, if that's what we choose to make of it.
Curito:
What are your top tips for those currently experiencing quarantine or #stayhome initiatives to get themselves physically, mentally healthy, and motivated?
Ally:
Sleep. 8-9 hours a night. Now's not the time for Netflix binges late into the wee hours of the morning. Your immune system takes a hit, and none of us can risk that happening.
Eat well. Now's the time to spend more time in the kitchen, creating nutritious meals—not grabbing for the easiest thing to fill your belly. Again, well over half of our immune system lies in our gut. Happy, healthy gut = strong immunity. Leaky gut spells disaster for so many reasons, and we can do a lot during this time to help heal our guts with clean, yummy foods.
Hydrate. 2L a day—minimum. If you're chronically dehydrated, like 85% of Americans, this will make you feel like a million bucks right off the bat!
Exercise. Bodyweight exercises. Yoga (Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is my fav!). Anything to get your body moving!
Supplement. Now's not the time to skimp on the goodness you're fueling your body with! Every bit counts.
Curito:
How can we use essential oils to keep our immune systems healthy?
Ally:
Pure essential oils are fabulous at supporting different body systems. When we give our bodies what they need, our bodies work the magic. There are many oils that support the immune system—On Guard Protective blend is probably my favorite. But then there's Thyme, Oregano and Tea Tree (Melaleuca); they are powerhouses for the immune system. We can use them topically, automatically, and even internally (if it's the right brand, so be sure to check!). They can also be used around the house in place of toxic house cleaners to help keep our home environments healthy. Remember, all of our daily habits work in conjunction with one another. By getting enough sleep, eating well, resting, and managing our stress, we're giving our bodies their best chance at optimal health.
Curito:
For those who have their whole family quarantined together with kids, what suggestions do you have to get into a routine and manage chores/work/etc.?
Ally:
Most kids (and adults!) thrive with routine and having clear expectations, so that's what we've attempted to do, with varying degrees of success along the way, of course! The school gives a lot of work—and they should, in my opinion, work with the parents who are looking for that. For us, we decided pretty much Day 1 that we wouldn't be able to keep up with the work for our two four-year-olds. We then emailed their teachers to thank them for their copious amounts of amazing work and share that we were going to have the girls be present for their daily Zoom calls. So that they can stay connected and that the daily learning tasks would have to take a sideline to our two older girls who required lots of help each day. It was a hard email to write, but it was just reality.
For the two bigger girls, they're in grades 4 and 2. The first three weeks were pretty much torture for the lot of us. Then once they got into the routine, we could lay off and not be so heavy-handed. We're the kind of parents that have high expectations of our kids. We can't afford to lose an entire semester of learning, but we've also broadened our definition of learning. Brie, our oldest, spent an entire day and a half researching how to start a YouTube channel. That's learning—and massively useful if you ask me! Joelle, her sister, is super into the arts, so I've found her browsing through art tutorials. Is it something to document on Seesaw? No, but it's an invaluable learning time. So we're trying to find ways to encourage learning, whether or not it's a direct assignment by their school teacher.
For chores, each week, the big girls split duties. One does the dishes and sets the table for each meal. The other is responsible for keeping the living room clean. It seems to work pretty well with minimal fussing... now. We've been at it for a couple of months now, and it's getting better and better by the week. They are paid 50 RMB (US$ 7) a week for their chores. 10% goes to tithing, and 5% on savings and they can spend the rest.
4-8 AM, Ron's at work getting his work done (yes, 4 AM, he's an animal!)
6 AM-7:30 AM, Ally time. Yoga, devotion, meditation, mindset work, journaling... no babies open my bedroom door until I open it.. or ELSE! :) That took a bit of time to drill in, but if I don't get my time in, "Momster" comes out (as my girls say...)
From 8-9 AM, the girls organize their day with their Zoom calls and check any teacher comments from the work the day before. Our teachers are ON it and are super fabulous about timely feedback!
9-11:30 AM, they're on the computer. Working, yes, and playing, I'm sure. I look away most days and let them manage for my own sanity—this time, I use to make my necessity list for the day.
11:30-1 PM, lunch, and free time.
1-5 PM, more work time (again with some play)
5 PM, dinner, and family time. On a good day, when we're SUPER on, we are all off electronics by this time for the night. Games and family time take over. Sometimes, we're so tired that we toss a movie on, pop some popcorn and call it a snuggle fest.
Curito:
For the elderly, what do you recommend for them at this time?
Ally:
For the elderly, social distance as much as possible, and that's ALL of us. One thing I've noticed, and maybe this is going into your next question is that people in China are willing to take a personal hit of freedom for the greater good. Our US culture bucks against that, and I'm afraid it will have unnecessarily detrimental consequences. One of our girls was born with a type of congenital heart disease called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. In essence, she has half of a functioning heart, and her pulmonary system is highly compromised. I have an auto-immune called Hashimoto's that makes me immune-compromised as well. And our family is not alone. In light of this, I look at some of the West’s sentiments about freedoms being squelched with a heavy heart. A teeny, tiny bit of sacrifice on our end, can mean life and death—yes, life and death—for others. One of the memes that hit me hard this week was: "Our grandparents were asked to go to war for their country. We've been asked to stay in and binge on Netflix." Ironically, those who DID go to war for our country, or at least their generation, are those who are highly at risk and who now need our help. Stay in, be smart, don't think that you're different than others, and do it with a smile on your face. THAT'S what the world needs right now.
Curito:
What can we learn from the last few months of covid life in China now that the West is encountering the same lockdown situation?
Ally:
Much of the above. With the addition of actively staying positive through it. There's so much science behind what fear does to your body, but the most essential two here is that it weakens your immunity AND makes you act irrationally. We can't afford either one at this time. Luckily, we can actively combat the emotion of fear by staying present and grateful for what's going on that's GOOD in our day to day. Focus on what brings you joy. Spend time dreaming of the future and what good things you anticipate. Do anything and everything you need to hold onto your hope as it's the first gateway into a positive emotion.
We are all writing a story. When you look back in 3 months, six months, or a year, what story do you want to be able to tell you about this time? Did you learn a new skill? Write a book? Reconnect with your family? Conquer your fears? Build your dream business? Master your emotions? Take your health more seriously? What is this global crisis going to spur for you in your next chapter? If you're intentional, you get to write your story yourself. If you're passive, then the story will get written for you. Ball's in your court!
Curito:
If we wanted to learn more or do sessions with you, how does one go about that?
Ally:
I did a video miniseries on thriving during this time that you can find on my IG or FB. I'd love for you to check it out. If you want to learn more about essential oils, create supplemental income during this time, or partner together in some other capacity, my email is allison.mona@ymail.com. You can check out www.allymona.com for some useful resources, too. And I'm reviving an old podcast that I used to host, LimitlessLaowai, with new content related to maximizing your potential in all areas of your life. You can find the podcast on any podcast app by searching 'Limitless Laowai' and look for LimitlessLIFE shows. I'd love to connect with you any of these ways!
Curito:
Thanks, Ally, for your time and sharing your grounded lifestyle with us! Now is such a pivotal time for all of us to recaliber ourselves, and some of your tips and thoughts are on point! I look forward to collaborating with you in the near future to share more essential oil techniques, lifestyle changes to enhance each individual’s high vibration of self!
First published on April 5, 2020
