Hello lovely people <3.
How are you feeling today? How is your week going so far?!
My week so far has been a bit all over the place. I am a little bit of a freak with my time and I usually write down everything I will be doing hour by hour, throughout a day.....I know, crazy!!!!! I haven’t always done this but once a friend of mine suggested me to do it, I tried it and never looked back! Except for this week....I convinced myself that I was too busy to write it and only to realize how much that affected my productivity. For some wild strange reason that I will never be able to completely understand, when you write the things you want to accomplish down on a piece of paper, you magically make your way to them automatically, it helps you focus & achieve what you want to achieve. On the contrary, when you don’t, it’s easy to forget things & spend your time on unnecessary things that have nothing to do with your ultimate goals........Do you experience the same thing?!? I would recommend you trying and seeing for yourself, let me know how it goes! (maybe my theory is not as accurate as I think)
On another unrelated note, this week I am so excited to introduce to you a beautiful woman that I’ve just met via our favorite social, Instagram—JOY LIIRA. Her name suits her so much & who she is so perfectly. Like many of us, she is a woman who wears many different hats. She is a mother, a student, a wife, a model, running a clean beauty business on the side & much more.
She stands for loving yourself & believing in who you are. Being your own hero & serving others with your gifts and talents. She is passionate about helping other women connect with their authentic selves. Joy is constantly adding so much value to her community, she's also not afraid to share her own struggles which make any woman feel ultra related & connected to her.
I wanted to know more about her life & share it with you so I virtually interviewed her for the blog and here is what she had to say:
How would you describe yourself to someone who doesn’t know anything about you?
Adventurous..I’ve always been willing to try. I’ve always been willing to go..to take the risk..even when I feel afraid. I battled a lot of fear and anxiety, and then I found a way to get back to that core of myself..now I tell myself go for my dreams even when you’re scared.
Where did you grow up? How did your environment impact you?
I grew up on Vancouver Island Canada. I always loved to be outside, to get messy. I loved to swim in the freezing Canadian pacific ha! I loved camping growing up and felt the most peaceful outside playing. My environment sparked creativity in me. I never was one to color inside the lines or follow the rules exactly. I always wanted to enjoy life with friends, and being outside brought me joy.
What were you like when you were young and your most authentic self?
I was silly. I loved to make everything into a song. I’m a 4 on the enneagram and even as a child I remember just staring at sunsets..really deeply feeling the way certain colors made me feel. Just staring at the stars could stir emotion in me. I was then and am now a deep feeler. I thought for a season that that was a curse..and now I see it as my greatest gift.
What does a day in your life look like?
Right now life feels a bit crazy..but it’s 2020..who’s life doesn’t? I’m a full-time mom, part-time nutrition student, running a clean beauty side business. I've discovered in this season that I need to step into my passions beyond modeling and I’m so grateful that somehow this hard season of COVID produced that fruit in my life. I wake up, move my body, eat my favorite blueberry bowl and drink matcha..set my son up with some learning and do some school myself..we do one fun exciting thing every day to keep life light and to remind me to not take myself, and my season right now so seriously. He has quiet time, I cook something healthy for us and do more school and then we eat together! We play and I usually feel pulled to do a lot of things..but I’m working on that balance! We live for when daddy is done work haha..best part of the day. (Mommas can relate) Haha!
Like many other women, you wear many different hats in your life, what is one trait about yourself that you carry throughout?
My word for 2020 was confidence. I am growing and trying to carry this trait into everything I do. I want to be a woman who believes 110% in myself so I can inspire other women to do the same. This has been a journey for me and one I will keep walking. We can be the loving expression of who we are with boldness, and truly make a difference with our passions and giftings.
What did the path of freedom & confidence look like to you?
It wasn’t an easy road! I walked through a heavy season after our son was born of forgetting my identity, questioning my extreme value, and comparing myself. I never felt that I was enough, and I knew that was not ok. I wanted to walk forward and really understand the root of these feelings for myself and not just numb it somehow. That road felt raw and painful. I feel that I’m always continuing further down this path..but all I can say is I’m so thankful that I committed to walking forward. I never gave up doing what I felt called to do in the season..even when I was battling with those feelings and emotions.
I just kept walking and had to rewire some shameful thoughts about myself to be life-giving confident thoughts. I had to trade lies for truth..and I had to learn how to be my own advocate and believe in myself.
When I felt week I knew God was strong and carrying me forward for a purpose. I still believe that every day.
As a model, how has the modeling industry influenced the way you feel about yourself?
You don’t realize that it impacts how you value yourself. It’s hard in moments not to see yourself as a product for someone. I’m so passionate about this. I think that’s what sparked my hard season with confidence. But what I did was I didn’t give up on modeling even when I felt less than..and I learned how to see myself even when others didn’t care to see the deeper me. I was blessed to work with amazing people though and made a lot of good friends.
I think you have to learn how to see yourself as worthy and beautiful even on your hardest days instead of running from those feelings.
What advice do you have for a woman who struggles with comparison?
Start with one thing you love about yourself. Start there and maybe build something with it. See how something beautiful in you can encourage others and watch your confidence bloom and grow. You will learn to value yourself more when you use your inner beauty to bring life and hope to other people.
What is your number one self-care thing to do?
It sounds weird but I love to dry brush. Haha. If I can gift myself those three minutes before the shower I’m telling my mind and body I value myself enough to slow down and connect with how I’m feeling. It feels like a ritual haha.
What has motherhood taught you about children that you didn’t know before becoming a mother?
They see things from a completely different perspective. They care so deeply and understand more than we know. They just see things simply. We overcomplicate things as adults and I’m always inspired to simplify when I talk to my son. They carry such joy.
What are you most grateful for?
My family. We have such a bond that nothing can break and we will always protect it. My husband is my rock and we are passionate about making our marriage healthier and healthier. Marriage is powerful and beautiful!
I am so inspired by her, and I hope you are too!
Her ability to be so open & vulnerable is something so special. Sometimes we can walk in the world and feel so alone in our struggles. It's nice when someone opens up to you and makes you feel like you are not alone. I really appreciate her for that!
Life is not easy, damn it can be hard sometimes! The key to happiness & fulfillment is to not give up, keep moving forward, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, you just got to believe it.
Thank you for keeping up with the blog!
I appreciate you.
Raphaella Santana
Xx