Lifestyle

WHAT I’M READING: WAKE UP TO THE JOY OF YOU

05/23/2018

Last month when I attended W.E.L.L. Summit Boston (more on that here), I had the pleasure of meeting Agapi Stassinopoulos, best-selling author and motivational speaker who inspires audiences around the world. Having now sat through one of her keynote addresses, I can officially bear witness to this truth. Agapi’s energy is warm and captivating and motivating and emotional. Her words burrow directly into the depths of your soul like a ray of sunshine melting any remnant of a bad mood or thought that’s ever crossed your mind. She tells it like it is while also somehow telling you exactly what you need to hear most, all the while dancing and reminding you that you are a fierce warrior of a woman who can change her own life through acts of love- for yourself and for others. It’s really something else.

Born and raised in Athens (and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to call out my excitement for anything that involves a Greek person), Agapi has been captivating audiences for years with works including Unbiding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity and Unconditional Love; Gods and Goddesses in Love, and Conversations with Goddesses; the later two of which were turned into PBS specials. Her most recent book, titled Wake Up to the Joy of You motivates readers to let go of what doesn’t work and create the life you really want- broken down into a simple 52 chapters, one for each week of the year. Motivating AND schedule-oriented? Now that’s an approach to wellness I can really get behind.

Creating the life you want to lead seems simple enough when you think about it at base level. But making your ego your ally, overcoming your childhood and being a master manifestor can be a bit daunting when you start to think about how to actually go about doing those things (coincidentally, these are also chapter titles in Agapi’s book.) Whether you’re new to the #WELLNESS game, or are just looking for a bit of self-reflection, I’m sure you can relate on some level to “Cool. But how the heck do I even do that?”

Pro tip: You listen to Agapi.

Wake Up to the Joy of You is a guided journey through a year of self discovery- 52 weeks of letting go of what doesn’t work for you and finding what does. You’ll walk through the building blocks of self care (meditation, health, making time for yourself) and confront the roadblocks that we all face (like living in denial and not making time for yourself). NOTE FROM NATALIE: I am so guilty of the time thing. Anyone else?

What I like most about this book is that it’s not meant to be speed-read or powered through. It doesn’t belong in the “just another thing on my to-do list” pile. It’s meant to be read slowly. To be thought about. To be discussed. To be kept on your desk, or at your bedside, or in your purse, and to be read when you’re feeling inspired. Or in some cases, when you’re not and are looking for a little pick me up. And that’s ok, too.

I built the brand Wear You Are Now on the foundation of embracing wear you are in your life and how you live- how you eat, how you travel, how you work, and how you dress. In a world where selfies and perceived perfection reign supreme, Wear You Are Now isn’t about having the newest or the best. It’s about living genuinely and celebrating the hell out of that. Bearing that in mind, I’d like to share an excerpt from Chapter 41, Accepting Wherever You Are Right Now, that resonated with me and Wear You Are Now most deeply. (And a special thanks to Agapi who gave me the official go ahead to share this!)

So often we judge where we are as wrong. This judgement distracts us from getting where we’re meant to go. Take a look at your life and ask, “What am I judging about my life?” Maybe you’re single and searching, but you feel a sense of incompleteness because you don’t yet have the right partner. Maybe you’re discontented with your work and you need to find something that calls to you. Maybe you have a creative idea for a startup or a book, but you feel overwhelmed by all the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. What if you stop resisting and accept where you are, and are honest with yourself so you can see the path intended for you? This week start by focusing on accepting exactly where you are and everything you feel about it. If you are tired and frustrated, be tired and frustrated. This is not a permanent state of being, just something you’re moving through. If you’re children are driving you mad, and your husband is checked out, accept it and don’t be bitter. If everyone around you is moving forward in their careers, accept it and know you’re on your path. If your mother is driving you crazy, accept it and realize you can’t control her. If the love of your life came and left, perhaps faster than you wanted, accept it and be grateful for this love. With this mind-set of acceptance, the grip of trying to control our lives releases. The people around us are not going to be the way we want them to be. They have their own codes of being, and when we accept them, with their differences, we will be at peace.

If you’re looking for a new addition to your summer reading list, this is it. You can find a copy here. And if you do pick it up, let me know! I’d love to chat.