If you were fortunate enough to catch "Sylvia" at 2nd Story Theatre last year, you might know Lara Hakeem as the show's eponymous, overeager, slightly R-rated stray dog—or perhaps you became acquainted with her through any of the other roles she has masterfully played at the Warren theater over the years. Just last month this talented performer was awarded Motif Magazine's "Best Professional Actress RI" for 2015.

Maybe you first met Hakeem from the floor of a Zumba studio, the sweat running into your eyes and blinding you as you tripped over your own two feet trying to keep up with her wicked dance moves. (She teaches yoga and body sculpting too).

Or perhaps you know her from her day job as an interior design professional in Hasbro's marketing department.

Apparently feeling she had time in her schedule to wear a some new hats, Hakeem is currently directing a one man show, starring 2nd Story colleague Kevin Broccoli. "Buyer and Cellar" is about a (fictional ) character who imagines what it would be like to manage the (real) shopping mall that iconic singer Barbra Streisand maintains in the basement of her home. It's playing at the Contemporary Theater in South Kingstown, though there are plans to bring the production to the East Bay. Plans are also in the works for Hakeem to direct another play that will go live some time this winter.

With all she's got going on, it's no surprise that at times, Hakeem had noticed that her diet and stress levels were not what they ought to be. Long interested in non-traditional therapies and remedies, Hakeem had a biofeedback session that confirmed that there was room for improvement in her wellness. The practitioner introduced her to essential oils,  a staple of holistic health devotees who believe the oils may aid with a wide range of wellness issues. Hakeem tried them out, and liked what she found.

She started reading and researching, and experimenting with the pure oils, distilled from natural, organically grown plants. It soon became clear to both Hakeem and her husband James Anderson, that the health and wellness benefits were undeniable.

Hakeem did not just identify a product she enjoyed and get on with it—true to form, she has turned her fondness for essential oils into a(nother) career, selling and marketing Young Living brand essential oils through her new wellness collaborative, Perfectives, with a mission to "educate, enhance, and inspire personal transformation and healthier lifestyles."

Hakeem has always been focused on health and wellness (there are few  gyms in the region she hasn't graced with her energy) but the "upgrade," so to speak, that oils have brought her have inspired a renewed devotion to the life skill "living above the line": creating a balanced life, taking responsibility for yourself, and being the best you can be. "Above the line" is clearly the space occupied by this renaissance woman.

Contact Lara Hakeem and Perfectives at 401/497-5421; Info@perfectives.net; or www.perfectives.net.