besthealthmag.caSelf-acceptance: Embrace who you are
How it’s linked to joy: Many women live in self-imposed misery because the critical voice in their head tells them they aren’t good enough, says 43-year-old Christine Ciona, a “joy guru and abundant living guide” who coaches clients to stop judging and laying guilt on themselves. “So many people say they are doing just fine, but deep inside they are miserable and don’t know why. It’s because they get out of alignment with their true being.”
How we lose it: Self-acceptance is hampered “when we listen to our self-doubt and say things to ourselves that deplete us,” says Ciona, who adds that maintaining a harried schedule with little to no downtime is another way to avoid accepting ourselves. “Engaging in overactivity can be a way of numbing ourselves and not connecting with who we are inside.”
How to reclaim it: Take the time to be still, says Ciona, who operates a studio that allows clients to do just that with classes in meditation and tai chi and also offers a 10-day summer reiki and slow yoga retreat in Spain. For Ciona, finding her “joy champions,” an intimate circle of “soul sisters,” has been key to living a better life. “Think about the people in your life who inspire you and figure out what you can learn from them – they can help you raise your joy frequency,” she says. “Recently I met a woman and, although I didn’t really know her, I loved her vibe and told her I’d love to connect with her once a month over coffee. Be brave and reach out.”
