We had the good fortune of connecting with Bella Mokover and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bella, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
We forget that balance is fragile. Even if you work hard to balance two sides of a scale, one small weight falling off one of the sides destroys the balance. Instead, I teach my students to understand harmony, not balance. Harmony is when everything in your life resonates well, when you love what you do, when your life’s work is your rest, when your family respects and shares your enthusiasm, when your true friends know your values. Work and life are not separate, if we are truly in harmony with what we do. Find a way to love your work and feel rejuvenated while working. When my kids were younger and I had greater family demands, I had to plan and choose what was important for me, what was nourishing me, so I could nourish my family. It was not easy to do, but the choices were very clear, once I understood who I was. My family loved having a strong mom, whether I was always around or not.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own a Martial and Healing Arts School and teach my students the world over. I opened the school many years ago, a year into my studies of the fascinating Traditional Chinese Martial arts and Medicine. I chose a small space in an old building in a busy, but not “prime” location, with rent I could already cover with my slowly growing classes. 

My friends and students shared their talents: decorators, builders, plumbers, designers and artists – I saved a lot! I constantly changed our banners and signs out front and people got to know that we are there and we became well known in the area. Both my sons started practicing Martial Arts with me, and as they and their friends came, the School started growing. I think support from the youngest members of my family was important; as a result, I did not feel guilty being away from my sons on evenings and weekends – they knew exactly how important the teaching is to me and students. Since our Martial Arts is not competitive, it is not well known like some others, so we constantly work on marketing, though word of mouth is still our best resource: an enthusiastic friend who healed a chronic shoulder pain through tai chi or improved mental health in self defense class. Still the challenges of building a sustainable student group, while also training new teachers and raising the family was not always easy. I also had to study and deepen my knowledge of the Martial and Healing art, but because I was able to build a growing school, my teacher agreed to come and teach there as well, so I could do continued education in my own backyard! I added Reflexology, Archery and Swords to my practice and really loved teaching it. We introduce our students (from age 3 to 97) to the art of meditative exercise, empower people to believe in themselves, treasure their loved ones and trust in their human connections, and cherish what life presents.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wow – what a question! The beaches of course! Farmers markets, Theodore Payne Foundation. Leonors Mexican Vegetarian restaurant in Studio City (their Mike’s Special is the bomb!) Mulholland drive. Chinatown, Laguna Beach. I love teaching Tai Chi on the beach or Archery on one of LA’s beautiful outdoor ranges.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My teacher and master of Martial and Healing Arts, Adrian Fratantoni, the leader of World Pa Kua Martial Arts and Health. He is responsible for bringing PA Kua Martial Arts to the US and for thousands of lives he improved by his teaching, directly and through his students.

Website: pakuahealth.com
Instagram: instagram.com/masterbella/
Twitter: worldpakuaca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaKuaHealthNorthHolywood/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/world-pa-kua-martial-arts-and-health-north-hollywood
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pakuahealth

Image Credits
Alex Villegas

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