Today’s post is written by Nathalie Lussier, the Raw Foods Witch.

If there is one woman who has made a large impact in my life, and the lives of many of my peers, it is my Tae Kwon Do instructor.

When I first met her, as a shy pre-teen girl, I felt drawn to her because she wasn’t much taller than me. I learned that size doesn’t matter, since she was capable of beating any of her students in a sparring match on sheer speed alone.

Yet the thing that was most remarkable about my Tae Kwon Do teacher wasn’t her physical strength, but rather the strength that she passed onto her students. She taught us to be confident, to get to know each other, and to look at the world through a completely different set of filters.

Instead of having awkward conversations with people, we learned how to communicate with respect. We learned to discipline our bodies, and in so doing we disciplined our minds.

I remember savoring the moments we could talk openly together, because every time I went away with a new-found positive outlook on life. She encouraged us, invited us to be different, and questioned our most entrenched assumptions about life.

Today, she continues to create a safe environment for kids and adults to test their own boundaries, increase their self-esteem, and make lasting friendships.

My instructor transcends stereotypes because she is both a strong, warrior-like teacher and a warm caring individual who embraces her femininity. That in itself is a great role model, and one that I still look to when I’m faced with trying times.

I feel privileged to have her in my life, and I still enjoy keeping in touch with her. Though she has moved away and started a new Martial Arts school, her students remain to pass on her ideals and teachings.

In many ways, my teacher was a role model for being different – a freak even. She didn’t have a regular job; she taught. She also ate differently; she was a vegetarian. She didn’t share everyone’s view of money, because she once worked in a bank and didn’t obsess over it like others.

All of these little things ended up coming back to me while I was growing up, and now I really understand her points of view in a whole new light.

And now I’m a freak, and in turn I inspire others to be a little different, too.

Nathalie Lussier, pronounced as “regular Natalie” Lucy-ay, is the Raw Foods Witch. She first learned about the concept of raw foods in early 2005. Like most people, she experienced tons of resistance (both internal and external) when trying to go raw. In March 2006, she dove head first and went 100% raw for 30 days. Since her 30-day raw trial, she’s learned what are the best ways to transition to a raw diet – and she can use her wisdom to help you make changes in your diet and in your life!