I finally got a chance to interview and interact with none other than renowned Yogini and Mumbai-based Entrepreneur, Sunaina Rekhi.
She is not a model, an actress, or a singer. She is someone who built her name and her business on the basis of authenticity, transparency, passion, and drive,” she explains. It is collaborations such as this, being on the cover of the coveted Women’s Fitness Magazine, according to Sunaina Rekhi, that show the world that there is room for everyone, where every person can create and forge their own path.
The Optimistic, Feel Good content she creates on her Instagram Channel with her Travels, Adventures, and Yoga to the masses is much-needed sunshine, a smile on the face of cynicism.
My first encounter with her was 5 years back when I finally got to attend her much-awaited Feel Good Workshop in Yoga and Emotional Therapy in Mumbai. Since then I have been drawn to her style of teaching and absorbed by the energy and positivity she constantly exudes.
I have a different kind of respect for single mums! Running a global business, taking care of the home, and parenting, all take on a different form when you uncouple.
- YOGA REPRESENTATIVE AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Every single person navigates life differently – but International Yoga Teacher, Feel Good Advocate, and Mother of a Teen (believe it or not!!), Sunaina Rekhi seems to be thriving more than most. The secret? Yoga, Optimism, and a Degree in Psychotherapy and Child Development don’t hurt either!
Born in Germany, raised in South Africa, and studied in London she brings a global view in both her teaching style and inaccessibility. This has led her to amalgamate her two deep loves: Wellness and Travel, by offering Wellness Workshops and Transformational Retreats all around the world.
She is the First Indian Woman to represent India at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the prestigious Yoga Day celebrations. Her infectious energy got more than 5000 spiritual world leaders off their seats and joined her in practice! That’s the kind of energy I’m talking about!!
❖ Content Creator? Teacher? Influencer? Entrepreneur?
“Building The Sunaina Rekhi brand has made me feel comfortable with calling myself an entrepreneur now. But I’ve always been someone who is just depicting life. I want to bring Feel Good Wisdom into people’s Modern Day Life.
I think that’s why my page is growing at the pace it is, and why people have gotten so attached to it. It’s because everyone wants to Feel Good in their lives, don’t you agree?” She smiles. And the good news is, that the overwhelming feeling she ‘influences’ is warm, fuzzy, wholesome, and heartwarming. She is a sweetheart, serving up daily reminders that – in Sunaina’s words – “You can have it all.”
Popular Internet Sensation with more than 2,50,000 across digital channels, she works with some of the biggest lifestyle brands in the country like Apple, Starbucks, Google, Puma, Aditya Birla, and Porsche. She is featured on several OTT & DTH platforms like Hotstar, Tata Sky, D2H, and Dish TV – where you can watch her very own shows.
Training thousands of people across the globe, she has helped her students gain mastery of releasing trapped emotions from their bodies and healing stress, anxiety, and trauma through their bodies.
❖ 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.
❖ EMPOWERMENT
For the overall growth of any country, the f-word is very important. And by the f-word I mean feminism. Women are still treated differently compared to men, in different parts of the country. What do you have to say on the same?
“My messaging has always been positive because I’ve always wanted to be an
inspiration to women, to help them understand they can do it all. A lot of women
are under the misconception that if they’re mothers, they can’t work or they won’t
have enough time for their family,” she explains.
“I have always been a working mum and always been very hands-on with my
daughter. At the same time, post my divorce, I also learnt how to take care of
myself. I wanted to be that role model for my kid and for other young girls and
women around the world. Someone who did it all and motivated them to find the
power to do it, too. I was one of those people who was afraid that once I had
children that my life was going to be boring and I wouldn’t be young and fun anymore,”
she laughs. “That’s why when I got married I told my husband back then, four years without kids!”
❖ GOALS
All of us dream of a better tomorrow or have future goals. What goals and aspirations do you have personally?
“I want to travel and see more of the world. I want to continue growing my Digital presence to help as many as I can. I want to love the people already in my life who have seen me through every obstacle and triumph that I’ve experienced. These are the things that really matter to me.” says the yogini.
Define your legacy. What do you want to leave behind?
I try to establish and contribute my time and talent toward the impact I can have on the lives of others through coaching, mentoring, or leadership. The Dua’s (blessings) that I get from people every day are the legacy that I am creating.
What are the top three things you personally need to do to take good of yourself?
Mentally and emotionally
- Paying attention to my feelings
- Resting, and
- Dreaming.
“Once I get disconnected from my feelings then I have no compass to navigate everyone else’s voices. I make it a point to journal or meditate when I can. The main thing is to get quiet so I can hear my heart.” Claims the therapist.
Have you ever thought something was a flaw only to realize that other people actually appreciate that as a quality? What was the “flaw”?
“Ah, reconnecting with my writing has been a real struggle. I believed I was no good and that writing was just a waste of time and not something worthy and valuable. But I allowed myself to start playing with it nonetheless.” I could sense her excitement.
“The beginning of my writing journey looked a lot like a game of “attract and repel”! I’d start writing a thousand times, I’d stop a thousand times, only to be pulled toward the writing again so much that I’d pick it up time and again.”
She continues, “And gradually, I started uncovering my voice (if you’d have asked me upfront, I never ever would have thought I’d be writing BLOGS—that is the magic of allowing yourself to play!) and owning that I can write. And that feels so good!”
What’s something you do regularly that makes you feel proud of the difference you’re making in the world?
Writing my weekly blog posts on Instagram. Sharing nurturing, self-loving, and empowering perspectives to inspire brilliant women (that forgot how brilliant they are) to do their thing in the world (because they are so much more than they give themselves credit for!).
What are the top five things you personally need to do to take good of yourself, mentally and emotionally?
- Yoga (My best friend!)
- Writing (I just love it!)
- Resting (I often need to remind myself! though)
- Nature Walks (I love soaking up the fresh air and the beauty of nature!)
- And – taking pictures (I love Instagram!)
- WELLNESS STAYCATION
What is something new that you discovered about yourself or have done recently?
“Taking up the endeavor of renovating my home in Bandra,” she says proudly. From tiling to creating all the furniture you see in the house, I have created it. And that in itself was a great learning experience for me. I didn’t know head or tail about renovation and for that matter, interior design. But I learned as I went along, and Oh boy, what a learning it has been!” The home gets converted into a Wellness Staycation when I’m traveling; for people who need to escape from the chaos of the city.”
I could see her eyes glistening as she spoke about her home and how she would love to share her experience of living with other like-minded souls.
Her place is filled with bursts of fun and color, exuding her personality, but nothing captured my attention quite like the views. This exquisite beachfront condo is really what coastal dreams are made of!
Can’t wait to book a weekend stay at #sunainaSTAYS.!!! The very best of luck on her new venture.
Unable to stop me I sneak in one last question: her recipe for success?
“Setting goals and working hard to achieve them while maintaining an attitude of humility, gratitude, and authenticity is my recipe for success.” With her smile, she adds “you know me a bit by now” -;)
I just loved doing this interview with Sunaina. She has an incredibly powerful presence, it’s contagious. You cannot help leaving her feeling like you are ready to take on anything. Dedicated to helping people lead a Feel Good life, she believes that to achieve one’s optimal level of health and happiness, the body, mind, and soul must work together. “This foundation of consciousness, combined with a healthy lifestyle, is the recipe for self-love and acceptance which leads to abundance and feeling good!!!
Post the interview I felt like snuggling up and taking a nap on the couch…how could sleep not beckon with the sun and sea playing their magic on her hammock!!
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FULL INTERVIEW ON NEXT PAGE!
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President of womenfitness.org, and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
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