finding your passion – The Woman Wednesday Blog

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.

Q and A with Kripa, from Fiji, living in Melbourne, Australia.

“Whilst the struggle was raw, real, and overwhelming, it was one of the best things that happened to me. It was the start of a deeply personal and spiritual transformation that brought me back to who I am and what I stand for.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about empowering women to be seen and heard with confidence through authentic self-expression and wellbeing. There is nothing more captivating than seeing another woman show up in her truth, authenticity, and wholeness. For those that love Netflix and have watched Self Made and Becoming, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

I grew up in a conservative family and culture where women stayed at home, made sure meals were available on time, and looked after children whilst men went to work to earn an income to provide for the family. A woman was seen through her meals, upbringing of her children, and upkeep of the house. Her role was to work behind the scenes and not be seen or heard for who she really was and what she desired. This way of living was defined by customs and traditions which were passed down for many generations and shaped a lot of who I was and who I became in my earlier years.

Following the tradition, at the age of 22, I found myself in an arranged marriage to a man who neither my family nor I knew much about. I moved from Fiji to New Zealand with my then-husband and 12 months later, I moved to Australia. After being married for three years, moving to two countries, having bought a house in Australia within 12 months of arriving, and having a good job, I was deeply unhappy and felt unsafe and unloved. This marriage was not built on love; the idea of an arranged marriage is to fall in love once you are married and as you get to know each other. My parents, grandparents, my great grandparents, uncles, and cousins have been in arranged marriages, which have been quite successful.

Unfortunately for me, I was married to a narcissist who knew my family and friends were far away and the only person I could rely on was him. I tried marriage counseling, personal coaching, changed my work arrangements, and no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to save this marriage. When we divorced (culturally a big no-no), I found myself homeless on the streets of Melbourne with no roof over my head in a foreign country with $0 in my bank account and no family or friends. I hit rock bottom.

The only thing I had was my job. At that time, I had two options, to stay or to move back to Fiji with my family. I chose to stay.

Whilst the struggle was raw, real, and overwhelming, it was one of the best things that happened to me. It was the start of a deeply personal and spiritual transformation that brought me back to who I am and what I stand for. Through my struggles, experience, and journey, I met so many other women who were going through similar experiences who needed help and support and most of all wanted to be seen and heard for who they truly were.

My own journey and experience became my passion and has been for many years except, I did not fully realize it until I found more and more women asking me for help, support, and guidance which gave birth to my business.
I help my clients by sharing the same tools, techniques, and resources that have helped me to go from:
✨Being homeless to owning two properties
✨$0 to multi-six figure income
✨A narcissist relationship to soul-mate love
My biggest achievement by far has been my ability to be myself 24/7 and unapologetically show up in my divine truth in alignment with my purpose, passion, and path-priceless.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: On 28 December 2019, I lost my father, my best friend. He passed away with stage 4 cancer. He was such a brave man and he never gave up. My father was my champion, my mentor, and my greatest supporter. He taught me to value education (he was a top performer in his class, but he was forced to drop out because he failed English being his second language). Among many other things, he taught me the values of kindness, care, love, and independence.

Losing him has been the biggest wake-up call for me. In his last days, I learned many things; he wanted to travel, retire (he was 65), spend more time with mum and his children (we all live in different countries). His passing has made me realize that LIFE IS TOO SHORT and enough with the excuses.

After being back from his funeral, I hired two coaches so I could start to serve more deeply and do what I am here to do in this lifetime which is to empower 5 million women to be seen and heard and to protect the planet and its inhabitants (around the same time as the Australian Bushfires). This is what motivates me, this is why I show up, and this is why I do everything I do.

Getting this clarity for me has been priceless and being able to serve and support other women on their journey a blessing.

PS My grandmother passed away on 7 May 2020 (she was the last grandparent alive for many years and was a pillar of strength for me and my family). She was a strong woman who lived through hardship and poverty and raised seven children. She was one of the strongest women I knew and her passing has made me even more determined in my mission to serve, empower, and show up for women who know there is more to life and want to live a full, happy, and healthy life which is their birthright.

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Happiness is not something you seek; it is something you feel. It is available to you whenever and wherever you choose whilst being you.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is being who you are and showing up in your wholeness, fullness, and being-ness. It is about embracing all parts of yourself; the feminine and masculine while being AUTHENTIC to who you are at the very core of your being. It is about embracing and living in alignment with your divine truth with ease grace and flow.

Thank you for reading!

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Q and A with Angela, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Magnus Salon, Pittstown, NJ

“Before I was an esthetician, I had a different job that I thought was my “forever” job. However, I was let go from this job with no warning and on Valentine’s Day! And to make matters worse, we were right in the middle of buying a house and getting qualified for a mortgage. At the time, I was so upset and couldn’t see past what was happening. Just a short time later, I landed the receptionist job at the wax studio, and now I am a licensed esthetician doing work I absolutely love! If I had not been let go from that other job, I never would have found my true profession, nor have the enjoyment in a job that I have now. Looking back, I can see how all the pieces fit together and it makes sense, but at that time, I had no idea. So, no matter what is happening at the moment, continue to push forward and do your very best. What seems like the worst thing in the world can be a blessing in disguise.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about my family, my husband, my friends, my horse Ty, and my work. I guess that’s a lot to be passionate about, which may explain why I am so busy. My mother introduced me to horses even before I could walk, and it has been a lifelong passion for me. Riding keeps me connected to the Earth and the outdoors (and basically keeps me sane). For my career as an esthetician, I more or less fell into this through circumstance, but I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else!

Pictured: Angela, her husband, and their friends on their wedding day (last year).

After high school, I took several different jobs, including a receptionist job at a waxing salon. The owner thought I could be a good waxer, that I had natural talent, and she sent me to school to learn to be an esthetician. I immediately connected with the teachers and the classes, and I graduated at the top of my class! This was something I could not have imagined in high school. I have learned that when you are passionate about something, the studying and learning parts come easier. And I love my work! For the first time in my life, I am truly good at something besides riding horses.

Pictured: Angela’s sweet horse, Ty!

When I am working on a client, whether I’m doing a facial, skin treatment, or wax, I want to help my client feel confident about themselves. It’s not so much about our outer beauty as it is our inner beauty, and I feel that part of my job is to bring confidence to a client so that they can let their inner beauty shine outward. We are all different, and we all have different body types, different ages, different shapes, and sizes. But sometimes, a small difference can bring a person confidence in themselves, and when I can do that, it’s the best part of my job. Not everyone’s goal is to look like a model in a magazine. My goal is to help my clients to better match their outside to who they see themselves on the inside so that they bring that new-found confidence into the world. When a client’s face just lights up, I know I have done that!

Pictured: Angela’s eyebrow work (on her clients). In the circles, “before” pictures are shown above, and “after” pictures are shown below!

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: Never give up. Period. No matter how hard life is now or how down you may feel, know that everything happens for a reason. Before I was an esthetician, I had a different job that I thought was my “forever” job. However, I was let go from this job with no warning and on Valentine’s Day! And to make matters worse, we were right in the middle of buying a house and getting qualified for a mortgage. At the time, I was so upset and couldn’t see past what was happening. Just a short time later, I landed the receptionist job at the wax studio, and now I am a licensed esthetician doing work I absolutely love!

If I had not been let go from that other job, I never would have found my true profession, nor have the enjoyment in a job that I have now. Looking back, I can see how all the pieces fit together and it makes sense, but at that time, I had no idea. So, no matter what is happening at the moment, continue to push forward and do your very best. What seems like the worst thing in the world can be a blessing in disguise.

Pictured: Angela riding her horse.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: For me, the family was always a big part of my life. Every night we would have dinner together and talk about how our day was and what we would like our next day to be like. If there was an issue, we would talk about it as a family. So, because of this, I feel that I have a team behind me, people that are there for me. And now, as an adult, my team includes more than just my family, but what I refer to as “my tribe,” which includes good friends as well. My tribe is an important part of my life, and we work together to support each other.

School was NEVER my thing! I struggled a lot. Because I have dyslexia, I never felt confident or comfortable in the classroom. My brother was extremely studious and scholastic (as is my mother), so I always felt that I couldn’t keep up. However, once I went to school to be an esthetician, I just blossomed! I graduated at the top of my class, which was something I never thought I could do.

The biggest thing I can say to people who feel discouraged with school, their job, or other parts of their life – is to just hang in and don’t be afraid to try new things. One day, you will find your calling, what you were meant to do. Don’t give up!

Being raised with horses teaches you a lot of responsibility and respect. When taking care of a 1,200-pound animal, there are times your life is in their hands, and there are times that their life is in your hands. Being able to bring that sense of responsibility, discipline, and commitment to my career has been an important part of who I am today. I truly feel lucky to have the clients that I do. I guess it comes back to that old and wise saying: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I treat all my customers with respect, and I am very grateful that they chose me and trust me as their esthetician.

Pictured: Angela pictured with her husband and her dogs.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: For me, feminism is not about fitting a certain mold, putting yourself in a perfect little box or a perfect pedestal, or even anything to do with what society says a woman should be like. Feminism is about the ability to be a free spirit – to have the freedom of choice. Whether you choose to be a lawyer, a police officer, an artist, or a stay-at-home mom, feminism means that all these roles have value, and should be equally valued by society. Feminism is about having the opportunity to create your own best self, whatever shape or form that takes. It’s about being your own personal best according to who we are on the inside, not who society tells us to be. Feminism is having choices, having freedom, and having the ability to live the life on the outside that matches who we are on the inside.

And as I said earlier, the best part of my job as an esthetician (and where I like to bring this freedom to my career) is when I can help someone bring out their inner beauty, feel confident in who they are, and help them to shine their own inner light – in whatever shape or form they choose to do so. True beauty is something that is inside of us, and when I can be a part of bringing that beauty to the outside world, I know I am helping others. That is what is most important to me as an esthetician.

If you are in the area (New Jersey), come see Angela at Magnus Salon (click here for more) to get your eyebrows done, and let her make you feel amazing!

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Tag: finding your passion

Woman Wednesday: Kripa

Woman Wednesday: Angela