VIM Cover star: Monica Garcia of Love Yourself Foundation. Cover Photo by Seven 88.

Interview by Jorge Lara (@world.of.jorge)

For October VIM Magazine got the opportunity to interview the founder of the Love Yourself Foundation (@thelyfoundation), Monica Garcia (@lyfwithmonica). The organization will be bringing LYF Voices to the Beverly Theatre on November 15, an event that will bring inspiring stories of self-love within the arts and hospitality from industry leaders. There will be music, art, meditation, and community. The organization, committed to bringing approachable holistic resources to enpower the community in their wellness journey has featured previously on Las Vegas KTNV Channel 13, KSNV Channel 3, and Las Vegas Weekly.

VIM: What inspired you to create The Love Yourself Foundation?

Monica Garcia: The inspiration behind the Love Yourself Foundation stems from many areas. I grew up an environmentalist from a very young age and always felt a strong connection to the planet. As I grew, I knew I wanted to get involved in environmental advocacy work. In college I spearheaded a campaign called ‘Take Back the Tap’ with the mission to reduce plastic bottled water at the university level. I graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a BA in Environmental Studies and a BA in Sociology, with a minor in Solar & Renewable Energy. After graduating from college, I worked on sustainability initiatives that broadened my environmental advocacy work. In 2016 I went through a deep awakening that stemmed from a deep depression. This depression felt unlike other episodes of depression I had experienced; this depression felt like my life was changing in very unfamiliar ways, forcing me to grow in a new direction.

“In 2016 I went through a deep awakening that stemmed from a deep depression. This depression felt unlike other episodes of depression I had experienced; this depression felt like my life was changing in very unfamiliar ways, forcing me to grow in a new direction. ”

— Monica Garcia

In 2017 I experienced a near death experience that would change my life forever. As I went through these challenges, it made relook at my view of the world. Healing and understanding my mental health made me look at the issues modern society phases from a new perspective. For many years I had been focused on helping people shift to healthier habits when relating to the planet. As I went through my personal changes, it felt like my personal mission in life was now shifting to help people learn how to treat themselves with more love and care. It is as if a lightbulb went off in mind, making me think “If I would like people to treat the planet with more kindness, perhaps I need to start with helping people learn how to treat themselves with more love – perhaps from this perspective shift the dots will be easier to connect.” And so, going through my challenges made me alter my world view, which then led to the creation of the Love Yourself Foundation.

It had been a dream of mine to one day create non-profit organization and I was waiting for the right inspiration. Thankfully, the inspiration led me to the creation of the Love Yourself Foundation. Since I went through such low lows, remembering what helped me find my way is what became and has become the foundation of what we do at LYF. I thought, if it helped me, it has the potentially to help others.

VIM: What was the defining moment that led you to commit to empowering communities through wellness?

Monica Garcia: The defining moment was seeing how wellness was supporting my healing journey, I saw myself as a case study to show others it could help them too.

VIM: How did your personal experiences shape your vision for the foundation?

Monica Garcia: My personal experiences are deeply connected to the creation of the organization, as explained earlier. Through my own shift into self-love, I was able to see practices that supported my healing journey. Through receiving mental health support, engaging in practices like yoga/meditation, expressing myself through art and music, and asking for the help of others I was able to recover. All these activities that initially helped me is how the framework of the Love Yourself Foundation was created.

“What helps me to keep going and overcome the challenges is always to remember my ‘why’ on why I decided to move forward with creating the Love Yourself Foundation. Keep the mission in my heart and remembering my own hardships, is what helps me to keep going every day committed to growing LYF. ”

— Monica Garcia

VIM: What challenges did you face when founding the organization, and how did you overcome them?

Monica Garcia: There have been many challenges and there will continue to be challenges. I don’t see challenges as a bad thing, on the contrary – I think in life everything is met with a challenge. This is how we learn. At the beginning of the journey I drew from what I knew, I had built a variety of programs at that point of my life and was able to put my practice into creating this organization. Then, at the start, the main challenge was seeing who could be interested in volunteering for the cause. Thankfully, many friends joined in right away to help bring the organization to life. I have learned so much along the journey and continue to learn every day. What helps me to keep going and overcome the challenges is always to remember my ‘why’ on why I decided to move forward with creating the Love Yourself Foundation. Keep the mission in my heart and remembering my own hardships, is what helps me to keep going every day committed to growing LYF.

VIM: How does The Love Yourself Foundation approach holistic wellness differently from other organizations?

Monica Garcia: Our approach to holistic wellness sets us apart because it is deeply rooted in the principle of connecting community through the message of self-love. We understand that everyone has difficult days and faces personal challenges; it's a universal experience. By fostering an environment where individuals can unite in both good and tough times, LYF creates a sense of belonging and acceptance that is vital for true wellness. We celebrate life's highs and lows, emphasizing that no one is ever alone on their journey. This nurturing, inclusive atmosphere is at the heart of the organization.

VIM: What types of resources or programs do you offer to the community, and how do they cater to different needs?

Monica Garcia: The Love Yourself Foundation is dedicated to supporting holistic wellness through a variety of accessible resources and programs tailored to meet diverse community needs. We offer free online resources via our social media platforms, blog, and newsletter, ensuring that valuable information and encouragement are available to all. In addition, LYF has a seasonal podcast that explores a wide range of wellness topics, making holistic education engaging and relatable.

Beyond our digital outreach, we actively foster community by organizing events and workshops centered around self-love and personal growth. Looking ahead, we plan to launch the “I Am Love” telehealth program, specifically designed to provide mental health support to individuals in the Arts & Hospitality sectors. This initiative is inspired by the late Rasar Amani, former frontman of the band the Las Vegas based band, the Lique. His passing in September 2021 motivates us to offer resources that may help save lives in his memory.

Our resources address a spectrum of issues, including anxiety, imposter syndrome, and depression, ensuring we cater to different needs within the community. By empowering individuals to embrace self-love, we aim to demonstrate its positive ripple effects—not only by improving personal well-being but also strengthening connections within the community and with the planet itself.

VIM: Why do you think wellness should be more accessible to everyone, and how does your foundation ensure that?

Monica Garcia: Wellness should be available to everyone, as it forms the foundation for leading a positive lifestyle and making healthier decisions. At the Love Yourself Foundation, we believe that when people have access to wellness resources, they are empowered to take control of their well-being and contribute more fully to their communities. To ensure accessibility, we offer multiple avenues to reach those in need—including online outreach, engaging workshops and events, and an upcoming telehealth program we hope to launch next year. By meeting people where they are, we strive to make holistic wellness a practical and attainable goal for all.

VIM: What are some of the most common misconceptions about holistic wellness?

Monica Garcia: One of the most common misconceptions about holistic wellness is that it requires expensive treatments or products to achieve proper care. Holistic wellness can begin with simple, healthy daily habits—like mindful eating, regular movement, and self-reflection—that don’t have to cost much money. Many people also believe that holistic wellness is only for those who have ample time or resources, when in fact it can be accessible to anyone willing to make small, consistent changes.

Holistic wellness is only about physical health, when it addresses mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being as well.
It requires following strict diets or routines, but flexibility and personalization are key to its effectiveness.
Professional guidance is always necessary, when peer support, community resources, and self-education can also be powerful tools.
Holistic wellness practices are not evidence-based, while many approaches such as mindfulness and yoga have scientific support for their benefits.
It’s only for people facing serious health challenges, when in fact anyone can benefit from integrating holistic principles into their everyday life.

By dispelling these myths, we hope to show that holistic wellness can be both accessible and transformative for everyone.

“We believe that by nurturing the self, that has the capacity to help a person’s life turn in positive ways. By helping create a positive self-image, that aids in the possibility of healthier decision making thus adding to person’s quality of life. ”

— Monica Garcia

VIM: How do you define 'empowerment' in the context of your work, and how can it transform someone's life?

Monica Garcia: Empowerment in our work can be best defined by helping people on their journey of self-love and confidence building. We believe that by nurturing the self, that has the capacity to help a person’s life turn in positive ways. By helping create a positive self-image, that aids in the possibility of healthier decision making thus adding to person’s quality of life.

VIM: How do you balance mental, physical, and emotional wellness in the foundation’s programs?

Monica Garcia: The programming we offer varies to ensure we are addressing all these areas. We have organized a variety of workshops that cover group meditation, stress management techniques, yoga classes, and sound bath meditations. There are a variety of education-based events that we have produced that showcase various mental health facilitators and advocates. LYF does its best to always infuse art and music to showcase our messaging further through expression. Through our online outreach, we do our best to cover all the mentioned areas to help people in a variety of ways depending on what they may be going through. The aim is to make these resources of support too little to no cost to help break financial barriers to access help.

VIM: What has been the most rewarding part of seeing the community benefit from your programs?

Monica Garcia: Anytime I hear people saying they feel safe because of our events or content, it shows me that we are doing exactly what my intention was from the beginning. Over the years we have worked with many interns and volunteers, people that have come with passion and a willingness to help others. In that process, many have shared with me also that working with the Love Yourself Foundation has helped them build self-esteem and self-confidence. This means everything to me that people are also feeling empowered contributing to spreading the mission.

VIM: Can you share a story where someone’s life was transformed through The Love Yourself Foundation’s resources?

Monica Garcia: There have been many stories over the years, but one that I hold near to my heart is an artist that shared with me that coming to our events helped them find meaning and a haven. They expressed to me they had thought of ending their life, but that the LYF community helped him find his purpose again in a time when he really needed it.

Stories like this warm my heart, saving lives is what we hope to achieve through the work we are doing.

VIM: What do you hope the foundation’s long-term impact on the community will look like?

Monica Garcia: The hope I have for the organization’s long-term impact is for LYF to keep growing and supporting people. I would love for our programs and events to keep expanding on the amount of people we can support. Also, for our impact keeps growing beyond the Las Vegas area. For the past couple of years, LYF has been engaging in our own research to understand our impact through our research team.

VIM: What are your goals for the future of The Love Yourself Foundation?

Monica Garcia: There are many goals for the Love Yourself Foundation! I am very grateful to witness its continued growth each year, for me witnessing its growth shows me that the organization is growing. One of our biggest goals is to get the I Am Love Program piloted in 2026, it would be beautiful to see us supporting people 1:1 receiving mental health support. Aside from that, continuing to ensure the financial stability of the organization. This way, we can keep growing the Love Yourself Foundation for many years to come. In 2024, we began branching out in Valencia, Spain with the aspiration of having the Love Yourself Foundation recognized in Spain. It would be a dream come true to see us supporting various communities globally.

VIM: What advice would you give to individuals or organizations who want to make a similar impact in their communities?

Monica Garcia: For individuals or organizations that would want to make a similar impact in their communities, I would advise them to make sure they understand the intricacies of what creating a non-profit look like and how to sustain it long-term logistically. It’s important to understand the paperwork to ensure there is a strong foundation going into the process of creating non-profit. At first the thought of creating a non-profit could feel daunting, it should feel that way because I believe that demonstrates the magnitude of how the organization can grow. An analogy can be if a person knows they want to paint a mural on a large wall, having that goal in mind is essential to know where they are going. Once you know where you are going, then it’s important to break it down into tangible steps. After breaking it down to approachable steps, ask for help when needed. Support is everything when building something that matters to you.

VIM : How do you envision the future of holistic wellness and its role in society evolving?

Monica Garcia: I think the future of holistic wellness will continue to grow in society. Trends show that people increasingly are interested in learning expansive ways of taking care of oneself. It is also important to keep making it accessible for folks in diverse populations to have access to these methods of improving one’s life.

VIM: As a leader, how do you prioritize your own self-care while leading a nonprofit?

Monica Garcia: It is very important for me to practice what I am sharing with the community with the message of the Love Yourself Foundation. I am a human being with her own challenges and it’s essential that I practice daily self-care. I have my wellness routines that help me stay grounded in my everyday life. My yoga practice has been a saving grace in my life; it continues to travel with me through various phases in my life. Other practices that are with me every day are meditation, journaling, spending time with Mother Earth and listening to uplifting music. I also love to dance and engage in activities that help me stay creative.

“My yoga practice has been a saving grace in my life; it continues to travel with me through various phases in my life. ”

— Monica Garcia

VIM: What has been the most significant lesson you've learned throughout your journey?

Monica Garcia: I think the most significant lesson that I have learned is to practice patience. The saying, patience is a virtue, is known for a valid reason. The natural world helps me remember that nothing is created overnight, every natural process in life has its cycle. Mother Earth has her phases through every season and so do we, as we are an extension of hers. Practicing patience can at times be challenging, but it is a gracious reminder that we are living beings not machines.

VIM: How do you stay motivated and maintain passion for your mission, especially during tough times?

Monica Garcia: The way I stay motivated and maintain passion is to always remember my ‘why’ of what I am doing. I am a very intentional person, it’s important for me to always remember the purpose of what I am doing. I live by the mission of the Love Yourself Foundation and it has become a compass to make sure I am taking care of and loving myself with each passing day. I have my practices that help ground me: gratitude, celebrating even the smallest of moments, yoga, writing, meditation, dancing, playing music, spending time with loved ones, being outside with Mother Earth. I have also learned to be gracious with myself and to remember that each day is supposed to look different, every day is designed to be different and it is important to remember that life is not linear. Build the mosaic of your life and stay open to what life wants to bring in.

Monica Garcia of Love Yourself Foundation

Andrew Kiraly