Uncategorized – Cheryl Ilov International

The Art of the Fall

Written by Cheryl on July 10, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know that I am passionate about helping people learn how to fall. Safely. You know, without getting hurt. Falling in a way that you do not get hurt and can effortlessly pop back up to a standing position, with the only thing that gets injured is your ego. I used to be terrified of falling. Even after 50 years of downhill skiing, I rarely, if ever, fell down. My youngest sister, who was a fantastic skier and on the Penn State ski team in college, used to push me to go faster, take more chances. She actually once asked me “Don’t you want to lose control sometimes?” I looked at her in horror and replied, “Haven’t you met me?” Falling was simply not in my repertoire, nor in my future. However, that...

June is Busting Out All Over

Written by Cheryl on June 27, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized.

It’s June. Actually, it’s already the middle of June. How the heck did that happen? It seems like it was just yesterday that we were dealing with the brutal winter weather that seem to settle in with a vengeance in the Midwest. After having lived in Colorado for 47 years, it was a shock to my system and I welcome the warm weather and bright sunshine. On the other hand, along with the warm weather and the sun comes some of the most spectacular storms I’ve ever seen in my life. I actually don’t mind storms, and find them kind of exciting, but I do get a little rattled when we get tornado warnings. I have never experienced a tornado and hope I never do, but perhaps my husband and I should have considered the possibility before we decided to move to Missouri. Oh well....

The Reluctant Ninja Strikes Again!

Written by Cheryl on March 2, 2026. Posted in Uncategorized.

This March marks the 4th year anniversary of the release of my second book, “The Reluctant Ninja: How a Middle-Aged Princess Became a Warrior Queen.” Being an author is exciting, rewarding, and terrifying. Putting yourself out there for all the world to read (and judge) your work is incredibly intimidating, and vulnerable. Sometimes you wonder if it was worth all the hard work and effort. Or if anyone is even paying attention. And then you get an email like this: Hello Cheryl, Our community gathers twice a year for The Book Feast, yet the real momentum builds beforehand through live reader conversations, podcast features, and coordinated engagement around selected titles. When I came across The Reluctant Ninja, it immediately stood out as a story that blends discipline, humor,...

Episode #54: Awareness, Intuition, Trust, and Self-Worth

Written by Cheryl on February 17, 2020. Posted in Femininja Podcast, Uncategorized.

Meet Nicole Jansen, Business Breakthrough Coach and Behavior Specialist who has helped thousands of clients transform their lives and achieve extraordinary results in business. However, her greatest accomplishment is her own personal experience in overcoming adversity through quiet introspection to regain physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Download this episode to hear Nicole’s secrets in this gentle, uplifting, and enlightening interview, and how you can apply them to your own life. You do not want to miss this! www.DiscoverTheEdge.com LeadersOfTransformation.com https://www.facebook.com/nicolejanseninc https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverTheEdge https://www.facebook.com/LeadersOfTransformation https://twitter.com/nicolejansen https://twitter.com/DiscoverTheEdge https:/...

Episode #53 Pelvic Health and Awareness

Written by Cheryl on February 10, 2020. Posted in Femininja Podcast, Uncategorized.

Margaret Woodward, one of the leading pioneers in pelvic floor physical therapy health,explains how dysfunction in the pelvic floor can result in back, knee, hip, and even neck pain, and what we can do about it. Margaret also shares her personal story of facing her own health crisis as well as the proactive steps she took to get her life back on track. Download this information-packed and educational episode to learn more about pelvic dysfunction, interstitial cystitis, pelvic pain, and how you can be proactive and take charge of your health. Knowledge is power! Links: https://www.hopeptlakewood.com/about https://www.pilatespluslakewood.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pilatespluslakewood/

Episode #52: Alternative Health and Healing From Trauma

Written by Cheryl on February 3, 2020. Posted in Femininja Podcast, Uncategorized.

In a follow up episode, Dr. Elva Edwards shares more of her personal story about surviving a terrible car accident that took the lives of her mother, father, and beloved grandmother. Although nineteen month old Elva and her four year old sister survived, they were orphaned by an event that turned their lives upside down. Many of the details were left a mystery to Elva and her sister, because none of the adults wanted to discuss the details of the accident with them. Download this episode to learn how Elva did exhaustive research to find out what really happened that night, and how she was able to be a voice for the parents she lost all those years ago, as well as her passion to help other people heal from childhood trauma. www.drelvaedwards.com

Episode #15: The Genius Of Pilates

Written by Cheryl on August 28, 2019. Posted in Femininja Podcast, Uncategorized.

Pilates is a household name. But it wasn’t always that way. As recently as twenty-five years ago, very few people had even heard of The Pilates Method. But when it became popular in the ’90s, it hit the fitness industry as the hottest “new” exercise on the market. Not true. Pilates has now been around for a hundred years, and has helped millions of people recover from injuries, improve their posture, core strength, balance, fitness, fitness, health, and general mobility. Pilates has a lot of really cool (and incredibly expensive) equipment that provides a safe and supportive way to work out, as long as you have a qualified instructor. But what makes Pilates so powerful and effective are the six basic principles outlined by Joseph Pilates as he developed this...

Mirror Neurons on the Wall….Mirror Neurons make You Smile

Written by Cheryl on August 21, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Mirror neurons on the wall….mirror neurons make you smile. This is a twist from one of the scariest fairy tales I’ve ever heard, Sleeping Beauty. But, what are mirror neurons, and why are they important? They’re important because we have a tendency to mirror behavior that we observe. Imagine that you are having a bad day, and you come across someone who flashes you a radiant smile. Even though you may be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, the natural tendency is to smile back. Immediately your mood is lighter. You feel like your load has been lifted a bit, and all of a sudden your day just got better. It’s not simply because someone smiled at you that lifted your spirits. When you see someone smile, there are neural pathways in your brain that are activated. These pathways...

Be Careful What You Tell Yourself

Written by Cheryl on January 16, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Be careful what you tell yourself. Words are very powerful, and what you believe it what you become. Several years ago my husband and I were traveling to Atlanta to visit his family. We were on the train from the concourse to baggage claim and I was practicing a technique I learned in martial arts. I stood with my eyes closed, my knees bent, and without holding onto anything, I practiced finding my balance while I sensed the movement of the train. As I was getting into a meditative state, I heard a loud voice say, “I have to sit down, because I’m an old lady! When you’re an old lady, you can sit down, too.” I opened my eyes and saw a woman squeezing into the last available seat and talking to a little girl standing near her. I closed my eyes and went back to my musings...

The Grinch That Couldn’t Steal Christmas

Written by Cheryl on December 21, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized.

Everyone knows the story about the Grinch that stole Christmas. But I have a story about the Grinch that couldn’t steal Christmas, even though he tried. He couldn’t steal it because the faith of a child was so much stronger than he bargained for. I was four years old, and I was sitting in church with my family. There were parts of the service that I really liked, even as a child. However, I never liked the sermon. Mostly because the priest had cold eyes, never smiled, and had a booming voice that he used to full capacity when he preached to us. And most of the time, the message wasn’t positive. There was a lot of talk about hell, purgatory, and the fate that awaited us terrible sinners. I guess he believed in the God of vengeance rather than the God of love. When you have...

All of her experiences, training and practice contribute to a truly customized workout/core-strengthening program for each of her clients.
-Claudia D.
She not only helped alleviate the pain, she helped me regain flexibility and got me back on my center.
-Misti M-K
She gently guide you so that ultimately you understand your body better and are able to move with greater ease and less pain.
-Gwendolyn P.
Some of the numbness around my knees has subsided and I’ve regained some feeling as well as had deep joint pain reduction. Flexibility and overall strength has increased.
-Melinda C.
Her gentle, loving approach is just what my body needs to fully recover from a recent car accident. I leave each session with a slight tingling sensation and movement seems much more fluid.
-Shannon G
Cheryl’s background in physical therapy, dance, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and martial arts make her very capable of not only understanding movement but helping others achieve their goals!
-Sheila S.