❖ TROLLING ON INSTAGRAM
I politely push the most popped-up question to Sunaina as to how she handles one of the most challenging issues celebrities face in social media.
“It was honestly never a problem for me. I completely accept that some people are going to love me and what I do, and some people aren’t; they’re going to criticize me. That’s completely fine as well. The world is made up of different tastes and different people and we can’t all love the same person. It’s impossible.” she answers without a pause.
❖ THERAPY AND COUNSELING
Looking back she remembers how her background in Psychotherapy and Counseling, was in no doubt helpful and fascinating to call upon when unpicking the behavior of trolls and very useful during difficult times in life!
“It’s a very big part of who I am. I benefited so much from all the learning… especially the fact that I went through therapy myself for a year… and in that year, I felt like I grew
Today I use all the techniques in my daily life and in my teachings. They continue to help me every single day.” she adds with wide eyes.
❖ YOGA
Yoga is an inseparable part of Sunaina. “Living yoga is what resonates with me; taking the skills, challenges, successes, and experiences we have on our mats, and applying them to our everyday lives.” She believes that as we align our bodies in poses, we are actually aligning ourselves toward optimal health. She further goes on to claim, “As we flow, we are actually learning to ride the ups and downs of life with grace and ease.”
All of these elements, and more, come together in her workshops and retreats to weave together a complex and beautiful tapestry that becomes the fabric of our living yoga. With open arms, she invites me to come to explore with her on the mat, and she truly believes yoga will change your life.
❖ SELF LOVE VS PARENTING
For most parents, the answer to who they take the best care of is immediate: their children. I was intrigued to know and understand how Sunaina balances self-love and parenting.
“I understand that; I am a parent. Yet the idea of self-love – as important as people are realizing it to be – often comes up against that wall of parenting. Most of us, myself included, were raised (or learned by example – good or bad) to adhere to the theory that “the children come first.”
At the risk of poking the hornets’ nest, I will even go so far as to say that parents with the least self-love or the most fear of delving into the subject hide behind the ‘responsibility to their children.” She further goes on to say, “I know now from experience that when a mother puts her own oxygen mask on first, things are better for everyone… because she’s happier, kinder, more patient, more vital.
She’s more present, and that presence is priceless.”
She further adds, “As parents, we have our own dreams and loves and fears and flaws. And I feel the biggest gift I can give my child is to have a mum who pursued that path because it gives her permission to do the same.”
Now, from being a scared and overwhelmed mom, I have a thriving social purpose business, a seemingly endless list of adventures on the cards, tons of friends, a great relationship, and a childlike sense of wonder. And when I found my wildness, I not only wanted to teach my daughter but other young women around the globe. To really try to live a life that matters.
“I’m happy. I’m free. I’m wild. I feel empowered and I don’t give a damn about what others think. “She sounds personal, warm, and liberated to her soul.
❖ FITAT40
My next question catches her beautiful smile. I saw that your daughter just celebrated her 13th birthday. When I look at you, I just can’t believe that you’re a mom to a teenage girl! How do you do it!! How do you manage to look like a teenager yourself?
She smiles and answers “There was a time when I wasn’t as fit and healthy as I wanted to be and I became an expert at finding the right clothes to “hide” my flaws. That way, I didn’t have to exercise that much as I looked fine in my clothes anyway. I’ve come to realize that these kinds of outfits do me no favors – because they let me get away with looking and feeling just “okay” instead of living my best life – so I got rid of them. Now I just wear bikinis! She winks jokingly.
❖ MINDSET
Hitting their 40’s— might sound “fabulous” to some or alarming to others. How did turning 40 feel to you?
“Entering my 40’s, I have made sure that I don’t slide into a mindset that as I age,
I should expect and accept that my body will change. In my line of work, I constantly hear from women who are older and wiser than me but who have been dedicated to maintaining their fitness. They gave me all the proof I needed that age was no barrier (remember, no excuses) and now, my body is better than it was 10 years ago.” All the ladies out there make sure you note this down.
Sunaina believes that as long as you have breath in your body, there is an opportunity for you to try new things, challenge yourself to move in new ways, and discover more about yourself and what you can do. “For example, my ex-mother-in-law is pursuing her Ph.D. in art history at that age. I love it!!! My grandmother at 92 is traveling on cruises with my mom! It’s commendable!” She exclaims.
Calling upon all her experience as a therapist I ask her my next question as to how she lives her life without regrets.
The therapist in her answered to my question “The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have. We all have something stored in our memory banks of the past that we wish we could have done differently or something we wish we didn’t do. As we get older we learn and grow, but that doesn’t mean we have to regret what we did before we learned how to do things differently. If we didn’t go through those experiences, we might not have grown into the strong and knowledgeable people we are today.”
So true & right!
After a pause, she wisely adds” What I’m proposing is that we get rid of the negative thoughts—the could haves, might have, and should haves—and start living a life that won’t make us feel regretful. Not even at an older, wiser age.” she winks.