A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a conference call with Leeza Gibbons, as several of us had the chance to interview her. Just to share bits and pieces of that interview….

“A mother’s love is a powerful thing, and it endures everything in its path.”

Leeza married this last spring on the roof of the Montage. Her 3 children were there (ages 21, 19, and 13), the older two even officiating the wedding ceremony. Leeza said that, “it was just a family wedding, that it was the most magical, special, beautiful, memorable moment.” One of the most beautiful moments of the wedding was when husband Steven read vows to Leeza’s children and talked about not just marrying her but marrying the whole family.

Leeza talked a lot about motherhood and how, “As moms, we’re the producers in the world, the CEO’s of our families, always thinking of how to make things matter more.” Leeza’s mother and grandmother influenced her life in a very powerful way. She had a picture of her mother at the wedding. You see, there’s a story behind their relationship, a story that created strong ties, strong bonds within the heart. Leeza recently wrote a book, based on her experience with her mother, entitled Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss. Leeza’s mother had Alzheimer’s.  In the book Leeza shares her passion for taking care of those caregivers who are giving their all, sacrificing much to take care of someone with a memory loss disorder, such as Alzheimer’s. I could tell, throughout the call, that Leeza was very passionate about this subject, having gone through this experience with her own family. The book is full of such helpful information and aims to help the caregiver physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. There are even descriptions of different disorders to help the caregiver understand the illness a bit more; sometimes if you can understand the illness more, it helps you to care in a much more profound way. Of course, Leeza also shares pictures of her own mother and her family, so the reader can put a face to the names behind the stories that are shared.

Leeza shared that, “When things fall apart in your life, it’s just an opportunity to put those pieces back together again, to have a breakthrough and not a breakdown.” This quote really stuck out to me. Even with everything Leeza and her family have gone through, they’ve weathered the storms and come out seemingly stronger on the other side.

So how did Leeza even begin to write a book? What inspired her? Her mother “was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and showed such dignity and grace….” It became a motivating factor for Leeza to change her life. The change she made was to leave her job for awhile and start a nonprofit, to offer the world what she wished she had when dealing with her mother’s illness. She felt very helpless, frustrated, stressed, depressed, isolated, etc. Her mother told her she was a storyteller all her life, and this was Leeza’s story, to tell it. She created Leeza’s Place- (Mantra: Take your oxygen first.) At Leeza’s Place, they take care of caretakers, mostly women. Leeza wrote her book to support all of the families who are going through this journey, to let them know they are not alone, offering her family’s insight as to how they were able to “breathe, believe, and receive. Before we can give to anyone else, we have to nourish ourselves first. When illness or disease rips into your life, suddenly your dream of how life should go is shattered. At Leeza’s Place, we talk a lot about getting back to central (finding your grounding), so then you have the energy to find the resources to help the people you’re caring for.”

What else is Leeza up to? She’s also created a wonderful line of beauty products, SheerCover. She stated that, “You have to know where you’re going and look good when you get there.” She developed this beauty line and a worldwide base of customers, developing mineral foundation for women who have skin problems with minerals that are good for the skin. The core of this beauty line is that it’s a mineral makeup. “Makeup is a way to unleash your confidence.” I received a compact with blush, eye shadows, and lip cover. I absolutely love the compact, as it’s square, and the makeup really does look and feel flawless on my skin. The lip cover is probably my favorite part of the whole compact because it just gives that extra kick. Of course, Leeza’s also created Sexy Legs, which is a leg cover cream, as well as Perfect Style, a hair extension line with 18 shades. These products offer affordability as well as a touch of beauty.

Another question for Leeza: How do you  balance everything? Leeza said there are days when she’s balanced and others when not so much. She said that you just have to continue to try, “Showing your children that this is something you value. Showing my children that I value the attempt to create balance for myself first and to offer that to my family has really been an important thing over time; it gives them permission to know in their own journies they will have some failures, which lead to knowing what’s for us. It changes daily, the balance. The F Words: Flexibility and Forgiveness, guide my life.”  She said to be open to your children’s cues; be able to read their whininess or neediness. “Which part do I have to own as a mother, and which is their path as a kid that I don’t have to take on? Empower them to own the choices they make.”

How has being a storyteller helped her to advance her career? Leeza said that, “It is my career. I am a conduit for stories. I help other people find their stories and their place in the world.” Leeza stated that, “If you’re on a path with no obstacles, you’re on the wrong path; you need to turn around and find a path that is more challenging. Get outside your comfort zone. Dancing with the Stars helped me find that I am enough. Dancing is such an articulation of joy, a celebration of our spirits.”

Finally, my question for Leeza? As a seasoned journalist & media pro, what is your advice to bloggers and writers who long to be a positive force in the lives of women worldwide? Leeza shared Gandhi’s statement, “To just be it.we all have to offer up what we want to receive back….to authentically be that person (ourselves) means facing a barrage of obstacles nudging us in a different direction….but move ever forward in the direction of your dreams.” She quoted Eleanor Roosevelt. “As bloggers we have a voice, offering a place for women to be heard and express, core to our health, reminding all of us that our own ability to tell our story and share our story is what we’re here for. As women, the way we connect is through our words. We use more words every day than men. We’re the gatekeepers for our families and the world. With all of the elevated consciousness right now, women are central to historic events, even in our own lives. We matter to so many so much. We all want the validation, need recognition, but we sometimes can feel invisible and competitive.”

Leeza’s story is an inspiring story, one that I didn’t even know she had gone through. She is one of those women who, I believe, can truly be looked up to, someone who’s been through the fire and come out on the other side even stronger. Be sure to check out Leeza’s book; you can purchase Take Your Oxygen First for $12.95. You can also find Leeza on Facebook and Twitter, as well as on YouTube.

(Disclosure: I received a copy of Leeza’s book, Take Your Oxygen First, as well as another book, Wishes for a Mother’s Heart, and a SheerCover compact, free of charge, from Leeza Gibbons and DKC Public Relations, for the purposes of this interview/review. All views/opinions about the products are my own.)