Tag: travel

Woman Wednesday: Kripa

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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!

I’d love to connect with you!

Facebook: beingyou11

Website: https://beingyou11.com/

Instagram: beingyou11

 

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

 

Woman Wednesday: Celeste

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Q and A with Celeste from St. Louis, Missouri, living in Smyrna, Georgia

“…resilience, faith, and perseverance can transform pain into purpose.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am passionate about helping people heal, rediscover their purpose, and understand that their story still has value no matter what they have been through. As an ordained minister, life and grief coach, author, and community advocate, much of my work centers around supporting people through life’s difficult transitions, including grief, trauma, incarceration, family challenges, and personal reinvention.

My passion was born from my own experiences. I have faced seasons of loss, disappointment, and challenges that forced me to rely on faith, resilience, and God’s grace. Those experiences taught me that healing is possible and that our greatest pain can often become the foundation for our greatest purpose.

Currently, I am developing faith-based resources, devotionals, grief support materials, coaching programs, and community initiatives that help individuals find hope, healing, and direction. I am especially passionate about supporting women, families, and individuals rebuilding their lives after setbacks.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My younger years were shaped by both challenges and valuable life lessons. Growing up, I learned early that life does not always follow the path we imagine. Family responsibilities, personal struggles, and unexpected circumstances taught me resilience at a young age.

One of the experiences that most impacted my life was becoming a mother as a teenager. While it brought many challenges, it also taught me responsibility, perseverance, sacrifice, and unconditional love. That journey forced me to grow up quickly and helped shape the woman I am today.

Education came both inside and outside the classroom. Some of my greatest lessons came through life experiences, relationships, faith, and overcoming adversity. Looking back, I can see how every obstacle helped develop my compassion for others and strengthened my desire to serve and encourage people who are navigating difficult seasons.

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

A: One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that your past does not have the final say over your future.

Many people carry shame from mistakes, losses, disappointments, or circumstances beyond their control. My story has taught me that healing begins when we stop allowing our past to define our worth. We can acknowledge our wounds without allowing them to become our identity.

I want others to know that setbacks do not disqualify you from living a meaningful life. You can experience grief and still find joy. You can make mistakes and still become successful. You can face rejection and still walk confidently in your purpose.

If people learn anything from my story, I hope they learn that resilience, faith, and perseverance can transform pain into purpose. What you survive can become the very thing that helps someone else heal.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: To me, feminism means recognizing the inherent worth, dignity, and God-given value of women. It means supporting opportunities for women to grow, lead, learn, serve, and use their gifts without unnecessary barriers.

As a woman of faith, I believe feminism is not about competing with men but about ensuring that women are respected, heard, protected, and empowered to fulfill their purpose. It means advocating for women who have been overlooked, marginalized, or silenced and creating spaces where their voices and experiences matter.

I am especially passionate about supporting women through healing, personal growth, leadership development, and life transitions so they can live fully and confidently in who they were created to be.

MORE ABOUT CELESTE: At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to service. Whether through ministry, coaching, writing, mentoring, or community outreach, my goal is to leave people better than I found them.

I believe healing and growth happen in the community. I believe faith and practical action work together.  I’ve been a part of Kiwanis of Greater South Cobb for over 13 years, that’s dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities

Most importantly, I believe every person has a purpose, regardless of their background, age, mistakes, or current circumstances.

My life’s work is helping people discover that purpose and giving them the tools, encouragement, and support they need to walk in it.

I am a transplant from St. Louis, Missouri, but live in Smyrna, Georgia, (20+ years) a city just outside Atlanta, Georgia. Community involvement and ministry work have allowed me to serve people throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond, helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges while building stronger, healthier futures.

Contact Information

Podcast: “Confidently Speaking” anchor.fm/celeste-houston
Facebook: www.facebook.com/celicacoaching
ministry
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestehouston 

website:https://www.purposefullylivingnotperfect.com

Book Resources:

Purposefully Living Not Perfect: [https://a.co/d/7lroDfo]

  – Coloring Through Clouds of Loss: [https://a.co/d/azUaVKs]

  – Coloring Your Way Through Grief: [https://a.co/d/iVdf60T]
  

Woman Wednesday: Cornelia

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Q and A with Cornelia from Germany, living in Panama

“Happiness is a decision and gratitude is the key to it.”


Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I am passionate about well-being and abundance to follow your dreams, live, work, and ENJOY it while being happy, vibrant, and confident. Yes, this is quite a bite to chew, but seriously, when we take responsibility for our own personal situation, that is where freedom begins. So, it starts within ourselves, our thoughts, words, and actions that create the outcome of our own journey. 

Years ago, back in Germany, I was struggling with health and emotional issues. The recommended approaches by the doctors I saw did not seem to solve the issues of the source but only the symptoms. So, I decided to take my health into my own hands, studied naturopathy, entered a completely new world of looking at well-being, and opened my own practice.

This path led me to follow my heart. I closed my practice in Germany and moved to the United States where I founded my own business called Life Balance Passion. I create and share simple steps, routines, and online programs that help people to learn and understand what they can do to achieve what they want to improve. 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Protected, shy, and eager to fit in…I grew up as a middle child with two brothers, near I grew up close to Hamburg, actually Norderstedt, which is a little town about 30 minutes from its center. I played instruments, sang in choirs, and played handball several times a week. I always felt like an outsider, a late bloomer, and for sure the violin lessons I went to, were not helping to be part of the “cool peeps.” 

I was afraid of doing things the wrong way. I was playing the violin, playing handball, and in retrospect with all the knowledge and experience of other countries, cultures, and stories, I got very lucky. In my youth, I was often angry about being so protected and not allowed to go out or else. Even though I think that my parents may have been overprotective, I feel that the trust and love that I have experienced from them was a great foundation. I would walk to even as a first year on my own to school (followed by my mum in secret, if I can handle it), she later started working. I was about eight, and my older brother and I had to make our own lunch. In the neighborhood, it was incredibly special that a mum was not at home the whole day.

My first really rebellious action I remember was (when I was about 16) climbing out of the bathroom window to hang out with friends later than I was allowed to be out of the house. Coming back in without being caught was such a success and started in me the seed of independence growing.

The cool kids at school would have parties and boyfriends, and I was still in my little world. I don’t think that it has harmed me, quite the opposite; I had a late start but a great solid foundation of love and trust. I started to be rebellious around 18. Then I moved to southern Germany at around 22 years old to be as far away as possible.

Later in life, in my 30s, other attempts to “be part of” or “fit in” would work for a while but the passion for independence and just being my authentic self without “playing a role and function” was always stronger. After accepting that, life became more joyful and fulfilled.

After studying in Bavaria and coming around, partying and experimenting, I moved to Berlin, studied there, met my first husband and moved back to Hamburg and married. My own health issues showed up, and over the pain and disappointment of not giving birth to the next family heir, I was at the most desperate and sad times in my life. It was my awakening.

I learned about more holistic perspectives of life and became aware that I am an empath, and that is not a bad thing but something beautiful to work with. My husband and I separated and got divorced as friends, peacefully. In my studies, I learned about essential oils and how they benefit me and my emotional state with such an enormous impact. I started to trust and looked deeper into aromatherapy. I started to use them in my practice with clients. Meanwhile, I had studied naturopathy and I learned about so many new aspects and perspectives of life and nature that I felt that I had finally found what I was looking for unknowingly.

My journey brought me to Salt Lake City, I met my wonderful, crazy man (and now husband). Within a year, we married, I moved and immigrated to the US., left my country with two suitcases, and four years later, we left the US.

I had meanwhile built my international network marketing business. Four years later, we left the U.S. with two suitcases, two cats, and 1/3 of a shipping container for a new adventure in Panama. Panama is in so many ways different…the culture and the ways how things get done. When we arrived, we had to get our papers done. It took about four months, and then the Pandemic hit. We had here strict curfew, defined days when were allowed to leave the house, defined by passport numbers at what time. At that time, we lived in a high rise and ordered fresh produce, fish, and meats via WhatsApp. For workouts, we ran down and up our stairs. Alcohol was not allowed. The government was afraid of domestic violence. People jumped out of high risers, so it was an intense time. Feelings were up and down; that’s when we started fostering cats or kittens, and that’s also how our bunch of two grew to a crew of four. As soon as we were able, we moved to the historic district where we heard that there was kind of a community. Since then, we have been living here in the beautiful district of Casco Viejo, which is finally waking up from sleeping during the pandemic to a touristy vibrant party area. Life in Panama is slower, louder, and warmer. We have two seasons: rainy season or dry season, temperatures between 26-32 C, and humidity around 80-90%. It makes me humble to see what people are struggling with here and even though I feel that our adventure of exploring other countries has not found an end here, I am incredibly grateful for this experience in beautiful Panama.

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

A: Make a decision and make it count. It is YOUR personal story and path. Nobody can tell you who you are and how to live your life. You will make mistakes, and run into obstacles and pain. Embrace them and find gratitude in the experience they have given to you. Happiness is a decision and gratitude is the key to it. 

Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: I grew up very protected, kind of naive, and in the knowledge that the generation of my mother fought for their rights. For me, I never felt a disadvantage for being a woman. My mother never differentiated between me and my brothers. I grew up with the confidence that I can do and accomplish ANYTHING I want, so I took it for granted and stood my ground.

Living in Panama, and being exposed to other countries and cultures opened my eyes to the fact that we still live in a world that does not treat every person like it is: a person, an individual, a wonderful creature. 

The unbelievable torture, traditions, and rights that are still to this day practiced in some cultures to subdue and treat women and girls like property is hard to comprehend from where I come from. It makes me feel naive and furious, and the unspeakable injustice rattles me deeply.

MORE FROM CORNELIA: I am often asked: “Cornelia, what is it that you do?” My answer is always the same: I provide simple tips, routines, and programs for working women, as well as clean solutions, provided by nature for you and your business. Well-being and health don’t have to be complicated. It starts with a mindset and a decision.

A big part of my success so far has been sharing tips, routines, and programs with other women in wellness-oriented businesses. The difference now is the way of sharing…instead of traveling around Germany…we now share in online courses and video classes.

Not sure yet if and where we will go next; let’s call it “laid-back digital nomadism,” only moving every couple of years.


www.cornelia-mikolash.com

Instagram: @cornelia.mikolash

Facebook.com/corneliamikolash

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@CorneliaMikolash

Woman Wednesday: Minh

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Q and A with Minh from North Vietnam

“…learning, continuous learning, and investing in ourselves always pay off…”


Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I have always been passionate about making the world a better place. This was inspired by my parents, who both had a strong interest in world politics, literature, culture, and people’s lives generally.

Since college, I have worked for 30 years in international development on poverty reduction for disadvantaged communities, economic development, and natural resources management.

I want to see economies growing, enterprises thriving, the environment staying healthy and beautiful, and people’s lives improving.

I have also been strongly interested in sharing my knowledge and experience and supporting people’s growth. I used to be a dedicated manager and team leader.

For the United Nations, I managed and motivated a team of senior, older female, and male staff colleagues to stay strong and deliver during a transitional period for human resources in its Hanoi office in the early 1990s.

For the UK Aid program in Vietnam, I was part of and then led a team in 2015 of an economist, climate adviser, and program manager to design and implement projects worth hundreds of millions of US dollars.

In addition, capacity building for member countries was one of the priorities in my work on socio-economics with the Mekong River Commission Secretariat until late 2022.

About eight years ago, having survived depression due to a family crisis, I realized I lacked the knowledge and “soft” skills to build good relationships.

I had always been kind, dedicated, and responsible, but at times I had also been unaware of other people’s feelings and thinking and in many cases may have thought I was always right.

I started to focus my learning on these soft skills, or people skills, to understand men and women more, and above all to focus on my relationship with myself. I learned to love myself, accept myself, and take better care of myself, to be in a much better position to love, accept and care for others, as a woman.

I recognized deeply the values of self-love, inner strength, and feminine confidence, and the benefits these can bring to a woman’s happiness and inner peace.

After my job as an economist with the Mekong River Commission, I decided to become a full-time happiness coach for professional committed women, who, like me, may have focused and succeeded in their professional lives, but less so in their personal lives…women who would benefit hugely in all aspects of their lives by improving their confidence and inner strength and achieving the happiness they deserve and desire. Here is my LinkedIn page minh-nguyen-050299102.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in the North of Vietnam when the country was still going through war and then reconstruction.

My parents were loving and also strict, and taught me a lot about discipline, hard work, kindness, and respect for others. We were poor, like many other families in Vietnam then, but always rich in our thirst for knowledge and information about our country, and about the larger world.

My father would bring back books he borrowed from his university library every week of subjects ranging from history to geography to politics and literature. He would also listen to radio programs from America, the UK, and France (which were considered “enemy” influences then). He wanted me to do the best I could, so he bought me books in drawing, music, and maths for me to explore. I did not do well with art but was much better in maths and English, and I was successful in a highly competitive entrance examination for one of the most prestigious high schools in Vietnam, thanks to guidance from my dad.

Each week I left my family, for boarding school, with high-performing students from all over the North of Vietnam, only returning home with my family on Sunday. It was demanding but also very rewarding.

We considered our teachers as our second parents, and classmates as special friends that I still keep in contact with after nearly 40 years, and visit from time to time. I then went to college for teaching English as a foreign language. I did not become a teacher but an administrator with the United Nations office in Hanoi, Vietnam, thanks to my English capacity, hard work, and positive attitude.

I also did a second degree, in economics as I wanted to do more substantive work, which I did also with the United Nations as a program assistant managing regional projects. I then got a scholarship to do my master’s in development economics in the UK in my early thirties, with my mum’s strong support in taking care of my small children together with my family.

In reflection, I am always grateful for the good education opportunities I had, my parents’ relentless support, and my family’s care for my children.

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

A: Through the ups and downs of life, I have learned that hard work, discipline, and consistency are important to do well in your work and life. But I have also realized the importance of softer skills such as self-love, understanding of ourselves and others, believing in ourselves, taking care of ourselves, accepting ourselves and others, choosing happiness and positivity, raising ourselves up, and moving on…whatever life throws at us, it is an opportunity for us to explore, to learn, and to further grow.

Once we develop the ability to have a basket of tools to use and stay strong and positive inside out, including embracing our vulnerability, we are and will always be fine. And learning, continuous learning, and investing in ourselves always pay off, quickly and sustainably.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Working previously for a long time in international development, I have been trained in gender equality extensively. I have also been lucky to work in organizations where women receive equal treatment and a lot of support.

However, I feel I did not fully understand the “feminine power” as somehow it was widely believed and propagated (at least before in our society) that women may suffer more than men, or that women are disadvantaged (and this latter view is still true in many societies).

Only after I improved my knowledge and skills about men and women, and about relationships did I come to know and fully appreciate that being a woman is a beautiful thing, and in fact an advantage in many ways.

Feminism to me is to recognize and take into account the differences between men and women in all activities and environments, and to give equal opportunities to men and women, as all the gender equality rhetoric often says.

More personally, and more strongly than ever, feminism to me is about empowering women to appreciate their unique roles and power, at home and in the society at large, as loving, nurturing, supporting, and compassionate forces. I would not seek to compete with men at work or at home.

We all have unique and valuable energies to make the partnerships work, at home and at work. And once we women believe in ourselves more, and most importantly love ourselves the right way, we can be successful and happy in all our important relationships. We can live a truly “zen” balance with the world and our loved ones.

Here is my youtube video on feminine confidence that you may find interesting. https://youtu.be/vQAeX4IsVO0

Other things I like to say:

Life is beautiful! trust yourself! And trust the Universe! And thank you to The Woman Wednesday Blog for featuring me and other women, all working hard in our different capacities to improve the lives of ourselves and others.

Woman Wednesday: Rockshana

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Q and A with Rockshana from Fairfield County, Bridgeport, CT

“Something valuable that I learned very early is that not everyone is going to enjoy my talents and, that if I wanted to get the role, if I wanted to get a high score, I needed to work hard, train, and only put my best foot forward...”


Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I’m passionate about performance art and helping others grow into and in the best versions of themselves through a field of work that they enjoy so that they can be happy and feel good about themselves.

I found this through my own passion.

I feel most confident when I am actively doing something that I love such as dancing, modeling, and acting—whether I’m in class, on stage, or just consistently have it on my schedule. I feel confident and happy, and I feel like the best version of myself.

I help others find that confidence and happiness through their passion even if that might be as a nurse, financial advisor, etc.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I went to a private school from daycare all the way up to my senior year of high school in Connecticut [United States].

As a child, I always wanted to be on stage performing for my family at home which led to my mom putting me into modeling which then turned into acting.

I enjoyed singing and gained a solo at school, which lead to me taking vocal lessons and then getting into dance. Each of those activities taught me how to express myself in different ways and learn confidence. Taught me to have drive, determination, persistence, and individuality and that my hard work pays off one way or another.

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

A: Something valuable that I learned very early is that not everyone is going to enjoy my talents and, that if I wanted to get the role, if I wanted to get a high score, I needed to work hard, train, and only put my best foot forward, and if I do get a no and/or if someone gets a higher score than me, it’s okay.

What I have to offer might not be what someone needs that day/in their production. Along with that, I learned that there are other people in the world that can do what I can’t and that work as hard or possibly even harder than me to get a high score.

Everyone puts in as much work as they are able to and it’s incomparable.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feeling confident in wearing whatever you would like to wear, working in a field that you enjoy and are truly passionate about, and being the best version of yourself that allows you to be happy is what feminism means to me.

Fb: https://www.facebook.com/rockshanadesances/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/rockshana_