Isabel Wartmann

Name: Isabel Kate Wartmann
Age: 20
Occupation: Breather

What steps do you take in order for you to feel your best

1. Rising slowly whilst allowing myself to observe how I might be feeling

2. Filling my tummy with nutritious foods whilst sipping on that h2o all day long

3. Movement is absolutely vital to my being as I am a hyper active little bean. Taking time to stretch, swim, practice Yoga, Pilates, dance or anything of the sort leaves me feeling clear. It’s is in these moments that I am most silent with in myself. 

4. Writing for me creates an open conversation without judgement, which I can observe and look at objectively.  

It’s not every day that I am able to do practice these, so simply acknowledging that I’m doing the very best I can, for me, in this moment brings me much gratitude.

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Self love is of the utmost importance for me. 
To me, self care is taking part in a yoga class, joining a women’s circle, having coffee with a friend, hugging mumma or taking time to feel the sun on my skin.
We hold everything we need inside ourselves. 
Consistently reminding myself of the power I hold, means I rarely rely on anybody else to fill my basket back up. It all comes solely from myself, and I think that is the greatest act of self love there could ever be!

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
I felt empowered when I started to develop menstrual issues oddly enough. 
Upon finding out my results, I felt a little disheartened when the answer became a bandaid to the actual problem. I’m a stubborn little button so I immediately decided that i wouldn’t stand for that. From every hurdle comes light & surrendering to this experience has left me feeling empowered. It’s a journey full of acceptance. There is time to heal, to breathe, to learn and to be.

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from? 
I have been a dancer since the age of 9.
At age 12 I developed a real distaste for my muscly figure.
Standing in class looking, poking and prodding at certain parts of my body whilst putting myself down for every piece of food i’d consume became my reality.
As the years went on and I started to develop, things took a turn for the worse. I loathed the site of myself. Teachers only encouraged these behaviours. Pulling students aside to inform that they’d need to drop weight to fit a certain criteria.
I ended up quitting dance at 18 and moved back to Australia. 
That’s where the journey of acceptance began. Learning to love my body for what it is, how much it does for me and for how well it works, as opposed to how it looks.

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?Just before I turned 20, I decided to stop. Stop the constant stream of self-loathing. I just stopped. It wasn’t serving me. I realised how much I was holding my self back from everything. Opportunities I had missed because I was never content in my present moment.
I was lucky enough to have the lovely Capucine walk into my life a few months before this. She embodied this amazing, fearless creature, so full of life, so passionate. Caps taught me what it was to be me, without shame or guilt. To be bold and brave, honest and kind. This little lady has impacted so many others lives, and she continues to be my inspiration today as well as a beautiful friend I cherish very much. 

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
When I’m feeling low my favourite thing to do is to get outside. A swim in the sea makes my heart very happy. I love to go and get myself some little treats and sweets, for the soul. When I’m low, I like to be alone to gather my thoughts and to slow them down.
I allow this time to flow through me, without suppression.

What does balance mean to you?
Balance to me means allowing yourself to do whatever your heart desires on that day. To listen to what you really need in that moment. The only person you need to show up for is yourself.
I think within balance, self care should always be a prominent factor, but going out with your friends, getting wild, having a dance till the early hours of the morning, or staying home watching movies and all you can eat chocolate are some of the best times. Knowing you have the choice and you deserve to enjoy this glorious life is key. Balance is everything. 

Do you feel proud to be the person that you are today?
I am very proud of the person I am today. It has been a very exciting adventure so far and I cannot wait to learn (and eat) more!!!

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
If I had one week left on earth, I would surround myself with every being whom I love. I would want to be home. To be close to everything I love. To sit, laugh, talk, feel. There isn’t much I’d change about my life. I am oh so very lucky to be living. 

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
Earlier this year I did some conservation work in New Zealand in the Hauraki gulf. We went and visited a private island with Sue, the lady whose family owned the island. It felt like home. It was all so captivating. On the island was a lone self-sustained cabin that had been there since the 1800’s. The day was spent exploring, swimming, canoeing, shell searching & tree climbing. That night we caught our dinner and cooked it together over the fire. I felt so much peace in this moment. The whole group was buzzing off the days beautiful energy. Over what we had seen and learnt. The island was truly magical & that’ll go down as my favourite memory to date.

Sapodia

Name: Sapodia
Age: 24
Occupation: Human

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
I always carry some essential oils with me to shift my mood throughout the day. As well as simple things like eating good food and keeping my space tidy and cleansed with sage or palo santo so I can think clearly.

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Self love is everything. I used to see self love as a place you got to where you felt consistently good about yourself, which made it very unattainable. When I realised that self love is the acceptance and validity of all emotions and the way you feel in different contexts, it changed everything. Now, I’ve developed a strong continuity of positive self talk and use that to work with my emotions instead of against them.

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
Taking control of my sexuality and how I choose to express myself sexually has felt really empowering. Realising I was sexually attracted to both men and women has put me on this journey of wanting to learn as much about it as possible. The more I learn and understand, the more I feel empowered as a sexual woman.

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from?
I’ve definitely had issues with self worth. I’m originally from Mullumbimby, in the Byron Shire, so was used to eccentricities being nurtured and encouraged. My self worth issues formed when we moved to a small town in the mountains, 3 hours away from the coast, when I was in primary school. Individuality was not easily accepted there. I remember forming a fear of speaking because there were so many times I was instantly judged or ostracised for expressing something that wasn't labelled the ‘norm’. It was strange being in a home environment that was so open to exploring all kinds of ideas and beliefs, to then being in an outside environment where I had to moderate and suppress parts of who I was for the sake of living easier. I fell into a deep depression and stopped eating because of it, so eventually moved back to the coast when I was in high school. Ever since then I’ve made it a personal objective to surround myself with creative, accepting, loving people and to focus on encouraging my own and other people’s authentic expression.

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
Two years ago was a very intense time in my life, someone close to me passed away and it made me question my whole reality. I was in a state of complete surrender to life and I gave up caring about people’s perceptions or judgements of who I was or what I was doing because it was totally irrelevant to what was going on for me emotionally. Prior to that experience I’d always been hard on myself, but I remember realising that being gentle and compassionate with myself was the only way I was going to get through. Looking back, that frame of mind was important in my journey to self love and acceptance because I really had to carry myself and my pain as no one could do it for me. That time really highlighted my capabilities.

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
There’s always something I need to work on, so when I’m feeling low, I scale everything back and reduce my expectations for how much I can achieve. I usually have a lot of baths because it takes me out of my mind and brings me back to my body. Company can be a great way to boost my mood, but sometimes having time alone to reconnect with myself is nice too.

What does balance mean to you?
Balance is important because I’m naturally a very impulsive and highly adrenalised person so I’ve always struggled with finding a middle ground. I’ve made it my new focus to be mindful about that aspect of myself and to implement more discipline and rituals so I stay grounded and channel that high energy towards something constructive.

Do you feel proud to be a women?
I feel proud now, but I was confused for a long time because I never identified with the stereotypical representations of what ‘feminine’ was. But at the same time, I never felt like I had to be a certain way because my mum was a single mum with four kids and did everything, so I never witnessed any set gender roles at home. It wasn’t until I was older and entered the world as an adult that I realised how structured gender is, and how intricate the expectations of both men and women are embedded into society. Taking time to disassociate myself from those expectations and find what being a woman meant for me was really important. It’s a beautiful feeling when you’re able to reclaim your femininity and decide how you choose to express it. Also thinking about what my mum would have gone through as a single mother, and how much emotional strength that would have required, makes me feel proud to be a woman. We’re pretty great.

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I don’t think I would necessarily change anything; most of my time is already spent surrounded by people I love that so I would just continue to make every moment about that. My friends and I like making pancakes together, so simply friends and cacao and banana pancakes everyday!

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
Recently some friends and I went on a mini road trip to a place called Coffee Rock, which is this area where a National park and the ocean are separated by huge sand dunes. One morning we got up at first light to watch the sunrise. Talking about dream interpretations we sat atop the dunes with the national park behind us and the sun rising over the ocean in front of us. That was pretty magical!

Gemma Owens

Name: Gemma Ann Owens
Age: 21
Occupation:  Massage therapist/Barista/Muso

What steps do you take in order for you to feel your best?
I like to refer to life being in the motion of a circle. Always going around, passing, transient...impermanent. Filled with ups, down and everything in between. Although my steps change often, these are my main squeezes.
Eating wholesome home cooked vego food, spending time in the sea...preferably surfing, listing my goals and manifestations, journaling thoughts and feelings, surrounding myself with uplighting/relaxed people, solo time to regather my mind, breathing, reflecting, playing & creating music (My biggest outlet of free expression), working towards/achieving my goals/passions & endless cups of tea.

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Humans are like onions. They're made up of several layers...emotional, physical and spiritual layers. We all have a story. Maybe even a traumatic past, yet the choice is ours to either negatively identify with these experiences with a product of self judgment, unhealthy personal expectations, fear, jealousy and envy OR to make a conscious effort to take every experience, either "good or bad", as a learning curve and a step closer to reaching your higher self. I must elaborate that is it OK to address & feel the negative emotions, yet we must not dwell on them. 
Follow your passions and dedicate your happiness to YOU. Purely for YOU. 
Self love is a process. Be Kind, gentle, forgiving & soft on yourself.
Make time for all that you enjoy, rippling into a flow of satisfaction and joy for life.
Through many different methods, trials, errors and realisations I gain further insight into who I am and what works best for me, peeling a layer off each time I find that power house lady inside of me.  If every human was freed from the locks of self doubt, self judgement and self expectation, everyone would glow and be ultimately free. 

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
I can’t recall one single moment. Rather a process of women empowerment.
Through Travel, heart break, self education and random life experiences, i feel empowerment. Each time i reflect, I see change in myself and I feel proud that i am ever growing !

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from? 
Of course. As like 99.9% of growing females, judgement on oneself is a thought in the mind. Always wanting everything we do not possess & in turn missing our very own blessed beauty. 
Being short, with biggish ears and feet that were growing faster than my body school was a little tough so i'd say they stemmed from there.
My 'first love' experience knocked my self esteem low. Giving my whole heart to another and forgetting about myself along the way taught me a lot. People will come and go. Some for the better, some for worse. To love another, we must first love one self.
I was reading through my journal and found a passage in regards to a self love lesson that i thought i'd share.
~ “In the nature of self discovery, I must experience my own true compassion rather than seeking love from another human - We must experience love from within before we can feel and give unlimited ‘true' love. We shall not beg for love to feel whole because that is short term. Rather feed of self love and the awakening of compassion in our own. Happiness does not come from another - The purist form of divine love and self acceptance comes from within."

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
Travelling solo for the first time. Little Gem alone, in the big wide world, with bunch of strangers. It was then that i found confidence & made the conscious decision to always follow whatever fills my heart with pure joy!

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
Through giving!
Also through exercising, mediation and journalling... Avoiding social media is necessary too, as the ego feeds off it for self satisfaction and acceptance. 
Writing down exactly how I feel on paper, in a nice environment is a cleansing mind shower.

What does balance mean to you?
When I'm out of balance, I don’t feel much stoke for life. I am everywhere except in that present moment. My mind becomes jumbled and my direction becomes a hazy. The times spent out of balance seem to push self love afar as I am not listening to what my body, mind and soul needs at that time. 
Balancing is an art. Its a forever juggling act which keeps things interesting and fruitful. When the scale tips, it’s not the end of the world....rather a gentle reminder that something in life needs little bit more care. Slow down. Breath. Reflect. Regather. 

Do you feel proud to be a women?
Absolutely! Every cell of me is proud to be female. 
I have always been quite a strong lass and have never let being female stop me from pursing exactly what my heart desires.

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
Being a very driven person, I find myself getting caught up in a fast paced lifestyle, so to combat that, I'd slow down and smell and feel and be with those roses.
My last moments would be spent floating in the sea, smiling in the sun, holding hands with friends and eating cheesecake!

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
Holding a small Sri Lankan Baby girl. Her eyes spoke of innocence & kindness...the purest form of human. I cried so hard, having never before felt such strong emotions before. Like a rush of love and bliss all at once. 

Tia Miers

Tia was born with an innate healing gift that she harnesses on the daily to help women find balance.
Focusing on womens health, hormones, digestive disturbances, fatigue, anxiety, depression and detoxification, Tia guides women to obtaining healthy relationships with their bodies. Not only is Tia extremely well versed in all things scientific and traditional medicine, she also possesses a unique power that presents itself naturally in all of her consults. 
For more info/to book a consult, visit https://www.tiamiers.com.au/about

Name: Tia Miers
Age: 23
Occupation: I am a Naturopath! My main focus is helping women to balance their hormones naturally as well as developing a healthy and loving relationship with themselves as a product! Through support, guidance and herbies miracles happen!

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
I am always doing things to top up my love tank!
To feel connected to my body and my heart, i practice yoga regularly.
Treating myself to Acupuncture weekly has become a ritual that makes me feel so loved.
Journalling! It's important to reflect and put things into perspective. It's a literal release! 

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Self-love is so so so so important.
Working in a position where I am giving advice to others means that being consistent with self love is critical. If my love tank is full, there's much to go around. If it's not, then how am i to consult at my highest potential? I work my best when i am a product of what I am so passionate about so self care is at the top of my priorities list!
All of the activities that i spoke of previously make me feel so complete.
If we are giving love to ourselves in abundance, we feel whole and we do not search for it in others.

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
Every single day! We are so powerful! We grow life inside of us!

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from?
Yes, from a perception that being skinny equated to beauty.
Restricting food, skipping meals and exercising in excess became a lifestyle.
Food was no longer viewed as nourishment. Although it was a rough time for me, I now stand grateful to this phase as it taught me a great deal, shaping me to the practitioner that I am today. I love empowering ladies and giving them the guidance they might need to develop a positive relationship with themselves and the foods they consume.

Tips for reducing negative body image include:
Mantras! Positive self talk every single day.
Focusing on your qualities, skills and talents. This will help you to appreciate and accept your whole self. Avoid negative self talk. Set health-focused goals rather than weight loss goals. How you feel is more important than how you look!

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
When I stopped caring what the number on the scales said and started nourishing & listening to my body.

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
Farmers markets, journaling, face masks, ocean swims, Yoga, Acupuncture, Cosy nights in with tea & a good book. 

What does balance mean to you?
Making time, practicing presence and not rushing.
Feeling connected to everything that I am doing brings me a sense of calming balance.

Do you feel proud to be a women?
So incredibly proud!

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I'd jump on a plane to Asia and leave my phone at home.
More time connecting with “real” life, feeling, and just being.

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
One Saturday afternoon, Cappy & I set up camp on an old dingy bridge ovdrlooking the river in Kingscliff. We spoke about love, passions and life. The sun set slowly whilst we sipped on Kombucha and organic wine...snacking into the night with bellies and hearts full as can be.
I felt pure bliss at that moment! Blessed to have such a special lady in my life. 

Zali Rae

Zali Rae. A woman on the rise. Possessing a heart of gold, a wild curiosity and a Carl Barron like sense of humour. Your presence in my life brings me more than you'll ever know.

Name - Zali Rae
Age - Eighteen
Occupation - Artist + filmmaker

What steps do you have to take in order to feel your best? 
If i’m feeling down or creatively un inspired, I will usually get myself into nature to rejuvenate. Writing, painting, listening to music & not being distracted by the outside world fills my basket right back up. Accepting where I'm at currently and moving through the thoughts without judgement is crucial to getting back on top.

How important is self love to you? 
It is so very important. Choosing to ban the thoughts that don't serve has helped fast forward the process to accepting Zali as a whole. It's definitely a process but i'm taking little steps every single day and it's an empowering journey!

How do you practice self care? 
To look after Zali, I will spend time in nature with my paints and journal to reconnect. My journal is my saviour. Physically letting it out feels like such a caring thing to do for myself.

Have you ever had issues with your body image, if so where do you believe they first stemmed from? 
I am critical with what I create and the way my energy impacts others so it's in my nature to be critical of the way I look as well. In this day and age we are surrounded by many ideals of the way we should look and act and it's toxic...It can be tough to not to unconsciously take them on board. That's where self love comes in...

What do you do for yourself when you’re feeling shit? 
I accept where i'm at. If I try to deny or push down the ill feelings, they tend to build up inside.
Dipping back into what I know makes me feel good is key as well as expressing how I feel with the ones i hold near and dear.

What does balance mean to you? 
Being able to juggle, manage and nail self care whilst living life, and caring for others.
It's a constant journey that we’re all taking. Life throws crazy hurdles in the mix with no warnings. Taking it as it comes & knowing that whilst trusting in the impermanence of all.

Do you feel proud to be a women? 
Yes! Increasingly more and more proud, I have to say. As I grow older and learn more about myself and this world, I feel more and more grateful to have been brought to this planet as a lady. We are so complex, expansive and capable of anything. We create LIFE inside us! What a whirlwind!

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss
Each sunset, smile, kiss, connection and brushstroke to fresh paper.
It would be too hard to name just one. My heart is so often filled with pure bliss!

What is your biggest goal in life? 
To live a life filled with love and creation!

If you had one week left on earth what would you change about your life,  how would you spend your last moments?
I would take more risks, tell people how I feel and be unashamedly myself whilst completely immersing myself in living without thinking.

Tanisha Cook

Name: Tanisha Ami Cook
Age: 23
Occupation: Life liver, coffee slinger & aspiring plant healer.

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
If I’m not feeling my best, I’ll peruse my 'How to be an overall healthy happy human list' which consists of rest, ocean time, connection, quality food, solitude, creativity, solo time and a tidy living space with hydrated happy plants. Self education also sits very high on the list!
I thrive off new information, wisdom from friends, strangers, books, Ted talks & Doccos. When I’m feeling uninspired and lost, seeking out these things definitely helps ignites the fire again.

How important is self love to you?
Only recently has self love been drawn to my attention as a priority.
Being in a relationship that was no longer serving me, whilst working 60+ hour work weeks, you've got a recipe for a crash. After ending both of these, I felt physically & emotionally drained. A fresh start brought with it some much needed Investment into loving and nurturing myself. I couldn't be more grateful towards the new found discovery.

How do you practice self care?
. Getting enough sleep
. Ocean time
. Maximum hydration
. Checking in with my emotions and deeper needs
. Accepting compliments
. Having a fire playlist I can always chuck on that adheres to every mood.
.  Essential oils and face masks
. Monthly acupuncture and float sessions

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
When I helped deliver my precious god daughter 5 years ago. The entire experience was insanely powerful.
I believe woman and females of any species for that matter are the strongest, most captivating creatures on this planet. 

Have you ever had issues with your body image? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from? 
Coming from an African background, my body has always been athletic and somewhat masculine.
Competing in dancing, athletics & gymnastics throughout high school, I was always exposed to an array of body types and of course, I envied what i didn't possess. Although each day brings with it more acceptance,  body image has always been a struggle. I am slowly but surely embracing my big booty, thicker thighs and strong core. It’s a confronting process, yet a necessary one. To answer the question, the issues stemmed from the typical high school pressure bull Scheisse.

What do you do for yourself when you’re feeling shit?
Depends how “shit” I am feeling. 
If I’m at a 6, generally i’ll go for a surf, lay in the sun, go for a run, get coffee with a friend, or play guitar. If I am feeling lower than that you'll find me watching doccos in bed with a jar of Peanut butter….. I should definitely work on that.

What does balance mean to you?
Enjoying literally everything and anything life has to offer..in moderation.
The 'I'll just have one' that turns to 9 Chilli Margaritas, a chill night in with a home cooked wholesome meal, a full day of work, surfing, band practice...Whatever it is, do a bit. Too much of anything isn't going to benefit you so dip into a little of all. Say yes & say no at times too.

Do you feel proud to be a women?
Definitely.
Being in the skin of a young black woman can be extremely tough at times. I'm very grateful to my ancestors who fought for my rights. The battle is ongoing for many black women around the world today who fight for gender equality & to put an end to racial discrimination.
It is such a blessing to be born a women. My children will be encouraged to express all feelings and will be taught the beauty of feminine and masculine energies from the get go! 

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss.
1st - Years ago, my Nanna would take me for spins in her flash red convertible with T-spoon “Sex on the Beach” or Shania twains “Man, I feel like a woman” blaring. It always made me laugh when she repeatedly muttered 'Don't tell mum'. Aaaaand that Jamaican curry that she'd nail every single time...that was bliss to me.

2nd - When my longterm relationship came to a close, I flew my butt to Sri Lanka with a back pack and my trusty surfboard with no expectations. Filled with the excitement of my first solo overseas adventure, my legs dangled out the train whilst rolling past colourful towns, lush terrain & smiley Sri Lanken kiddos.

3rd - The chick squad taking on Tasmania for a week of surf, lols & highs of the indescribable type. (There was no surfs but my heart was full to the brim anyway.)

What is your biggest goal in life?
I have many small goals that are always evolving.
If I have to choose one .. probably just being someone my siblings feel extremely proud to look up to. I also really really want to have a good enough idea to present to Ted talk. 

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I'd book my family and friends a trip to Jamaica or Africa and we'd surf and surf and surf some more and then we'd dance.

Ashleigh Evans

Name: Ashleigh
Age: 25
Occupation: I run a small vintage brand selling recycled clothing! It started out as a bit of a hobby and eventually an income flowed as a product!
I sell online & do a couple of markets here and there and teach a couple of yoga classes too!

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
Rise early, jump in the ocean, feeeeel the sunshine on my face, practice yoga & meditate.
These are my medicine. 

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Ahh self love.. the most sacred secret of all.
We are all born as compassionate, empathetic and loving beings...hungry for love.
To love others, we must ourselves. When we practice self love, we are naturally letting all forms of love into our lives. Cut short, It is completely critical.
To me, It’s about taking a moment to check in & to nurture myself & my needs.
It's also about embracing the days filled with productivity, being social & spreading my energy and kindly accepting the days where laying on the couch, eating chocolate is what my heart needs!

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women? 
When I travelled to India on my own a few years ago I gained a huge sense of empowerment.
A lot of time was spent in my own company, filled with curiosity, eyes wide & heart open.
Each day brought with it a new lesson. That it where the strength of my core was born.

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from? 
Growing up as a dancer and working in the performing arts industry has had a huge impact on the way that I feel about myself, physically and mentally. Learning how to overcome body image issues has proven to be a very uplifting path. My journey into acceptance began at forgiveness. We’re each indescribable miracles. How beautiful it is to accept our differences. The most powerful realisation of all was that we each have the ability to be whatever the hell we desire! Daily reminders of my own self worth come from a simple act of gratitude. Humans are seriously incredible & beautifully unique.
Embrace your quirks! That way you're unconsciously giving others permission to do the same. 

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
There’s not just one moment in particular that stands out to me.
It’s been a combination of multiple awakenings along the way. 
Discovering Yoga has taught me a whole lot about acceptance, patience, presence & trust..a truly beautiful philosophy.

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
Music. Always. It’s amazing what sound waves can do to the heart strings!
Spending time in nature always leaves me feeling like new again.
Walking around bare foot brings a nurturing sense of grounding.
Presence & gratitude are vital. Really FEELING brings me back to good spirits.
Being an earth sign I find it’s really important for me to be connected the planet.
Watching the harmonic flow of the waves can put any negative feelings into perspective.
Being aware of the transient, continual motion of the earth always reminds me to let go of my doubts and to surrender to the flow of life.

What does balance mean to you?
It’s about embracing the inner yin and yang and tasting all the joys in life.
Having balance is crucial. It gives life it’s flow. There’s nothing healthy about over indulging in one particular thing, no matter what it may be. When we find our balance, we find our rhythm. 

Do you feel proud to be a women?
Why yes! We’re the baby makers, the ground shakers and the life givers. What's not to feel proud about?

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I would definitely be more fearless in my approach towards life!
My last moments would be spent dancing, surfing, spending time with close ones, eating delicious food, swimming under waterfalls, playing Guitar and profusely reminding everyone in my life how much I love them!

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
The first time I saw a shooting star. Absolutely mesmerising.

Kirra Davison

Name: Kirra Rose Davison
Age: 21
Occupation: I’m a part-time Cafe minion, full-time environmental and ocean activist. (In addition to chasing my ambitions of becoming a Marine Biologist.)

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
Sometimes it’s as easy as waking up, munching on some ripe fruit and taking a dip or surf in the salty ocean. Other times I need to take it easy, light some candles, dress in clothes that make me feel magical and dance around to Mazzy Star on vinyl. I set intentions to get my butt moving a little bit everyday, but I definitely don't focus on having a strict workout schedule, it just doesn't work for me. Some days a three hour surf is plenty, occasionally I have this urge to go on a run, and boom I’ll randomly breakout in headstands and inversions when the moment feels right.  I like to change it up all the time, makes things feel more adventurous.

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
I never used to give much thought to self love. I’ve been through lots of different phases and versions of myself and I’m finally starting to feel at ease with who I am. I've learnt to embrace each one of my sides. I never used to leave the house without makeup on. Now I don’t need makeup to feel feminine, some days I like to wear it just for the feeling of putting it on…it can be sort of ritualistic. Sure I have insecurities, but they don’t overpower me anymore. When they appear, I don’t let them hang around. I allow myself time to cleanse and regather. I practice cleansing rituals of my space, and allow my thoughts to pass. Self-care to me means making sure I feel magic. Taking a bath with a good book and some essential oils can do that or just dressing up in mystical clothing. It’s extremely important that I feel individualistic and that I have my own style. 

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a women?
Being in nature makes me feel empowered. There are so many feminine elements in nature that help me to connect. Being in water is especially empowering. I remember going for a surf by myself not too long ago and being the only woman out in the lineup that morning. There were three older men out on their longboards and they looked at me as I paddled out. The sun was still rising, the air was warm and the colours in the sky were a soft pastel. It was a small day but I got a few good little rights to myself and I felt great. Now I sit here thinking about it and I could have gotten pissed off at the looks from the men easily, I usually do in that sort of situation. But I’m a woman! A captivating, mysterious and sometimes spazzy woman!
Feminine energy is a wonderful thing and before I got out that morning I felt those energies hovering around me.

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from?
I remember wishing I was curvier. Pre-puberty I was a lanky string bean and most of my friends had got their periods way before me. I actually remember wishing to get my period at like 13...lol… I did finally get it a few years later and got the curves (and stretch marks)  I wanted. Along with that, I had really “bad” skin issues that made me feel really crappy about myself. I overloaded myself with information on how to get rid of acne, I obsessed over it. Some nights I would spend over an hour picking at my face, I gave myself lots of scars. It turns out my skin issues were a product of my my unhealthy habits & hormonal imbalances. I identified too closely with them for some time. As I began focusing much more on my health, my skin cleared up. I still have stretch marks but I don’t look down on them any longer, I look at them as if they’re like the rivers that carved out the Grand Canyon. They show what my body has been through & that’s nothing to frown upon. So many of us fall victim to the way in which beauty is marketed/What the ideal body is and it's a waste of energy.
I don’t give a damn anymore if my abs are visible to the world, I just want to be physically capable of doing what makes me happy and that’s all I really pay attention to now.

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
I’ve been in a relationship now for almost three years. I remember leaving my boyfriend for two months so I could save up some money. I had lived with him for about a year when I had to move away and it was extremely hard for me. This is when I really developed my sense of self love. At first, I felt down and wasn’t focusing on myself. I was working full time and became really burnt out. I quickly realised that the upset was stemming from not focusing on myself. I went out into the forest and reflected. In order to get through these two months, I was going to need to take full advantage of this time gifted to me. I began by walking to work, riding my bicycle, taking myself out on lunch dates & treating myself to a good book every now and then and it felt SO good.
although I missed my boyfriend, I am so thankful for this time as it birthed something very special with in me.

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
I take a walk or a swim and let myself go through my emotions. To me, trying to dismiss feelings has always resulted in them piling up and eventually leading to a trigger that eventually sets off an explosion. I’ve learned it’s okay to be selfish in terms of putting your well-being first, how are you supposed to help others if you aren’t in the right place?

What does balance mean to you?
Making sure all aspects of me are content. Some days I get this urge to read, watch Ted talks and surf. Others, I my heart wants horror movies and pasta. Generally though, I don’t want to repeat the same day over and over. I start to lose sight of things when I get into a monotonous routine, so I just need to change things up to keep me motivated. Relationship wise, figuring out how to balance time for myself and my partner is crucial. We absolutely love being together all the time, but we express to each other when we need to step away and be by ourselves for a little. This used to be a problem for me because I couldn’t identify that I needed that alone time. I’ve figured out that loving yourself allows you to love others even more.

Do you feel proud to be a women?
HELL YEEAAA! Feminine energies are incredibly powerful. What’s amazing is that we can channel our feminine energies while also tapping into masculine energies. Women have an incredible sense of intuition. I feel I have a great connection with nature and this sense of respect that comes from it. Seeing and meeting powerful women is inspiring because they have this certain glow. A glow that shows they’ve been through hell and back to figure out who they are and what they want, and won’t be stopped till they accomplish their quest. I think that is a beauty that goes beyond this dimension.

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I would want to be with my family and the man I love. I really wouldn’t change much, I would just want to spend the last week smoking good weed, eating lots of vegan ramen and tacos, dancing under stars and surfing. I’d swim with all of the whales and sharks and would spread as much awareness about keeping our oceans clean! As long as everyone I love knows how much I love them, I’d be happy. Knowing I spent the last week surrounded by love fills my basket to the brim and well, that’s all I could really ask for.

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
On Valentine’s Day we went up to some waterfalls in Currumbin Valley. It was so warm that day and the water felt so pure on my skin. My man & I were the only ones there and I was floating in the water at peace. I brought one of my favourite crystals there at the time and my tarot deck to charge in the sunlight and felt nothing but positive and enchanting energies there. It’s stuff like that which makes you feel ever so marvelous.

Gopi Lev Dupain

A couple of years ago I had a powerful encounter with Gopi. Through sheer passion, she shook me in the best way possible. I sat mesmerised. Gopi held and expressed herself, with eloquence and ease, raising radical opinions on subjects of the ‘taboo’ variety. Without a lowering of the voice or a sideward glance she expressed her thoughts on addiction, eating disorders & sexuality. No fear was present, only passion and truth. Gopi spoke of the rules that she had buried to make way for strategies that would positively serve her journey towards acceptance and undying self love. 
Gopi enlightened me on some strategies that she had been implementing to live the most wholesome lifestyle. This woman rocked my world & left me questioning a lot of the rules i had unconsciously set for myself. Creating rules was a foreign concept to me that would inherently be brought to the forefront of my being. This conversation was vital to my growth and I vowed to dedicate myself to living a life of balance and limited rules. 

I felt it only fitting to open the ‘Women of Power’ series with Gopi!

---

Name: Gopi Lev Dupain
Age: 22
Occupation: Freelancer

What steps do you have to take in order for you to feel your best?
Beyond meeting my basic needs (nutrition, gentle movement, regular sleep which are all essential), I feel my best when I’m challenging the toxic ideas I’ve internalized around what make me worthy or beautiful or interesting. I feel my best when I’m playing the piano or 3 tequila-sodas deep on the dance floor with my best friends or when I’m kissing my partner’s face or walking alone through the park near my house. There are so many flexible, evolving ways to nurture joy in a life and I view it as a necessary journey to explore them.

How important is self love to you? How do you practice self care?
Self-love is the cornerstone of every meaningful process I’ve ever gone through. It’s what’s informed the decisions behind every good thing in my life.
I actually wrote a little something about self-care on my blog a while ago that went along the lines of saying that self-care has been co-opted by brands and ‘’influencers’’ into something cute and palatable that often requires a lot of energy and money (buy this expensive candle! Have a bubble bath! Go get your nails done! Go to the gym!) which I just find so frustrating because yes, of course retail therapy, bubble baths and exercise can all be part of a self-care plan. But this pervasive idea of having self-care look and feel ‘pretty is both a false and harmful way of looking at it.
For me, (more often than not) self-care can be cancelling all your plans and staying in bed with Netflix and a bowl of pasta. It’s cutting off relationships with people who hurt you, it’s having a huge cry at 11am on a Thursday and not supressing those emotions. It’s knuckling the fuck down and doing the boring jobs you need to do so you don’t stress yourself out further.
I think that it’s a matter of outcome vs. intent – your outcome won’t look anything like self-care if your intentions aren’t aligned with your own best interests. So yes, definitely go get your nails done but also make sure you’re staying on top of your laundry and not hanging out with assholes, you know?
So right now, my self-care is being incredibly selective with who/what I give time and energy to, consistently going to therapy, and taking as many chances as possible to speak kindly to myself and be patient with who/where I am right now.
I also practice self-care by eating intuitively, boycotting media that enforces thinness as the beauty ideal and doing a lot of reading on the Health At Every Size movement (life-changing stuff!!).
On the less serious side I love laying in the sun (whenever I can get it in Melbourne), I have an extensive skincare regimen that I enjoy messing with and I dance around my kitchen a lot.

Can you re call a moment in which you felt empowered as a woman?
To be honest, I find that the more distance I take from the gender binary, the more authentic and liberated I feel. Because of this, it’s hard to pinpoint where womanhood and empowerment specifically crossover in my life, but I will say that having been socialized as a woman and taught so many toxic ideas of how accommodating and ‘’nice’’ I should be (specially toward the men in my life) it’s been very transformative to raise my standards and disengage from those expectations.

Have you ever had issues with your body image/self worth? If so, where do you believe they first stemmed from?
I absolutely have, it’s been a huge journey in my life. When I was in treatment for my eating disorder they’d often refer to the starting point of one’s issues as a ‘’perfect storm’’ of genetics, socialization, personal trauma, media influence and family environment.
So trying to recall all the factors that went into creating my disorder is impossible because many of them were present before I can remember but I feel that there are a few huge ones that are worth mentioning:
1. Internalized fat-phobia that was ever-present in my family environment and constantly reinforced by my external society and the media. I didn’t even realize how bad my eating disorder had become because I was chubby, since the message was that of course it was fine for me to be obsessed with my weight/food intake.
It’s a pretty awful experience to be a vulnerable teenager, scrolling through social media and coming across someone’s ‘’before-and-after’’ weight-loss photos when your body looks like the ‘’before’’. It just reinforces again and again that you’re not allowed to feel joy about how you look, you’re not allowed to just relax and accept yourself because you should be forever striving to become smaller. It’s fucking everywhere and it is exhausting.
I’ve now made it a point to not support institutions, companies or products that use ‘’weight-loss’’ as a marketing tactic.
2. Feeling as if my body was public property the second I hit puberty. It’s so hard to feel comfortable and at ease in your shape when everybody around you feels entitled to comment on it in whatever way they feel is appropriate. I was sexualised a lot. Because of this, I developed a very skewed perspective on what consent was and the boundaries I felt I was ‘’allowed’’ to have.
As a response to this, developing an eating disorder was one of the only ways I felt I could call the shots. I definitely didn’t realize that at the time! It’s taken me a lot of therapy and introspection to stop feeling bitter about losing 10 years to the disorder and just try to understand what purpose it was serving – it was a warped attempt at developing self-protection and self-reliance.

Can you re call a pivotal point in your journey towards acceptance & unlocking undying self love?
Oh man, there have been so many. I think that it’s a series of revelations that just keep coming as you mature. Here are a few:
I remember having a 3 hour panic attack because I ate one of my ‘’fear foods’’ and being like ‘’damn – I can’t live my life like this anymore’’ being able to identify that was huge for me at the time.
Going through my closet and realizing how many items of size-small clothing I had that I’d never worn (most still had the tags on!) that I had saved as ‘’motivation’’ for when I’d be thinner and just being so liberated when I gave them all away.
Taking nude photos of myself and not trying to suck in my stomach or angle myself to look as little as possible.
Reading Intuitive Eating (a life-changing book if there ever was one, to be honest) and learning to eat whatever I want, whenever I want.
Also, reminding myself again and again that there is a multi-multi-multi-billion dollar industry run by old white men that actively profits off my poor self-image has been a pretty great motivator in my journey to realize I’m hot and cool because I say I am.
The real truth is, it’s my opinion that matters most when it comes to who I am, how I feel and what I look like.

How do you fill your basket back up when you’re feeling a little low?
Small, dopamine-boosting activities really help me gain some perspective when I’m depleted – painting my nails, doing the dishes, doing a ‘’cleaning blitz’’ where I set a timer for 15 minutes and do as much as I can to sort out my space in that time. Calling one of my best friends, stream of consciousness journaling. Giving myself an orgasm. Oh and definitely cooking! Cooking is one of the most balancing, meditative processes I’ve found for myself so far.

What does balance mean to you?
It means taking both your long-term and short-term wellbeing into account. It also means seeing ‘’wellbeing’’ as something that covers your mental, emotional and physical health. And finally, I think there’s an important balance to be found between looking after yourself as an individual and doing the work to make sure you show up for your community and using your access/privilege to affect sustainable, positive change for everybody.

Do you feel proud to be a woman?
I feel proud to be who I am!

If you had one week left on earth, what would you change about your life? How would you spend your last moments?
I’m very lucky, there truly isn’t much I would change. I’d probably just head to the nearest ocean and spend most of my day swimming naked and eating fruit! I’d write long love letters to all my favourite people and invite them all to a huge party with 80s bangers on repeat.

Describe a moment that filled your heart with pure bliss!
The first dance at my Love Celebration/wedding was the best moment of my life. The whole day was so tender and emotional and the chance to release some of that energy through jumping around to Don’t Stop Me Now surrounded by everyone I love under the springtime sky was complete magic. I remember just looking at my partner and thinking ‘’every moment that’s led me here has been worth it’’.