This is your permission slip.
Stop Ignoring Your True Desires, and Start Following Your Heart
My guess?
You’re a giver. You’ve likely spent a lifetime putting the people you love first, and yourself second.
Your kids. Your Spouse. Your team. Even your family and friends — You name it.
As you sit here reading this to yourself now, later in life — maybe now it’s years later — it’s hard to ignore that you don’t feel the way you want to feel: deeply fulfilled, alive, and excited about who you are and where you’re headed.
There is a part of you that keeps nudging you with questions:
Is this it? What’s next for me? Why do I want more? What is my purpose?
You’ve likely been pushing those questions away, afraid to find the answers. But the truth is, now, you want them. Because you want to take this one great life and LIVE it. Not on someone else’s terms, but on your own.
And, man, am I so excited for you.
I’m so excited for this space you're in — the in-between, the waiting.
God is in the waiting.
And I want you to know that you are in the perfect place. Not only because I can help you step into this next chapter, but because I’ve been in your shoes many times. For far too long I filled my time with unnecessary work commitments, stress, and one too many “we should have lunch” cocktail meetings. I was afraid of not meeting the expectations of others because I didn’t like dealing with their disappointment or upset...
And most of all, I wanted to avoid judgment. Brene Brown says it best, “Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment and shame.”
Why do we care so much about what other people think of us, especially as women? Why have we let outside opinions influence so many of our decisions, from small daily commitments and tasks to the big life choices?
I want you to know that it’s never too late, and you’re never too old to explore what the answer is. It’s time to start taking action and create what you really want.
And I’m here to help you do just that.
My Story
In 2016, I was pregnant and battling a chronic health issue at the same time. Amidst all of it, I was told my baby was healthy and everything looked good on the bloodwork panel. I was in the clear. Everything was going as planned … until suddenly, it didn’t.
At 14 weeks, I had a miscarriage. My heart was shattered...
Thousands of women are in this unspoken group who often suffer in silence. I hear you. I see you. I understand a tiny bit of what you’ve gone through.
I don’t have all the answers but for me, this moment, although painful, was a wake up call. The grief process and details of my personal story set me on a new trajectory:
Live what you love, and do it with intention. There are no coincidences.
I now believe you can either transform your pain into purpose, or you will transmit suffering onto everyone you meet and everything you do. Witnessing the demands of working mothers, I recognized the advantage of practicing meditation. Making time to get still and honor your emotions is powerful. Meditation is about realizing there’s nowhere to go. It’s an invitation to facilitate inner peace.
I believe that our work in life is to learn to love ourselves so we can love others enough to give continual grace. (I’m still working on this!) I believe meditation can help because it is the antidote to stress.
I’m not a researcher, doctor or psychologist. I don’t pretend to be. I am, however, an entrepreneur and encourager. I’m a wife and mother, a sister and friend.
This has been my path, what I’ve come to know, and I want to share it with you.
A Few Things About Me
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Northwest Arkansas, the heart of the Ozark Mountains, is where I call home. My husband and I met on a blind date after being set up by a friend. We have two beautiful kids, and when we’re not cheering them (or the Razorbacks) on court side or from the bleachers, we’re riding bikes as a family. We do live in the Mountain Biking Capital of the World, after all.
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I found my way to Fayetteville from small-town Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in print journalism. I began my journalism career at a state-wide newspaper taking pictures at high profile society events and weddings before becoming editor for the community magazines. I’ve worked for myself longer than I’ve worked for anyone else, and I highly recommend it!
In 2008, I co-founded a regional publication devoted to philanthropy with a mission to help area charities and non-profit profit organizations. Philanthropy is a big part of the culture here. I continue to serve on nonprofit boards, as well as fundraising and event planning committees for several organizations in Northwest Arkansas. Also, I can still take a great “party pic". IYKYK.
Writing brings me so much joy, but so does prayer, meditation and movement. I’m a big proponent of strength-training and walking. I advocate for whole health and well-being. And an important part of that is connection. You can always count me in for genuine conversation over coffee or an occasional glass of champagne. My own health journey led me to becoming a Chopra-certified meditation instructor and I’ve completed “The Coaching Way” training with Tara Mohr, best-selling author and expert on women’s leadership.
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I’ve interviewed the most brilliant business leaders, and learned from the best of them. I’m a recovering perfectionist, full of grace, grit, and a lot of laughter.
As an entrepreneur + former publisher turned meditation teacher, I’ve discovered time after time, people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty. I’ve definitely been there, but guess what? Life is happening now. I no longer do small talk. Tell me your story. I want to know about you.
I believe in the importance of championing women now more than ever, whether that’s through community involvement, supporting local businesses or navigating ways to thrive in motherhood. My hope is to inspire women to realize their potential, play bigger, stop following everyone else’s rules, and live by their own truth. I believe we can start this process through the practice of meditation and mindfulness. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
Professional Bio
Leslie Zanoff is an entrepreneur turned meditation teacher in Northwest Arkansas. A Chopra-certified instructor and former magazine publisher, she combines her business acumen with mindfulness expertise to help others find balance in their busy lives. With over 20 years of experience collaborating with Fortune 500 companies, Leslie understands firsthand how meditation can be the antidote to overwhelm and stress.
As a mindset mentor and public speaker, she shares the science-backed benefits of meditation while serving her community through nonprofit work focused on women's and children's healthcare. Leslie lives in Northwest Arkansas with her husband Ramon and their two children, where she helps individuals create intentional, purpose-driven lives through the power of meditation.