Written by Tanya Tsikkos, CEO
Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewelry designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewelry creations and empowering messages.
Discover positive ways to evolve, pleasantly embracing change and easing into the next version of your best self.
Every season you grow into the newest version of yourself, and you let go of the one you were before. As the seasons unfold, we too shed a layer of ourselves with every passing moment. We open up a newness that evolves into another adaptation of ourselves every time that is just a little wiser, a little more aware, a little more accepting, and a little more self-loving than it was before.
Imagine for a moment the many layers that fall away to unveil another piece of you. Like shedding your old skin to reveal a fresh new skin that will serve you better and healthier. A renewal process in your personal journey where you are learning, growing, and evolving each time. A time for reflection, ridding yourself of feelings or ways of being that no longer serve you. Making your peace with the past. Forgiving yourself and others. Owning your power and showing up for yourself in the highest and truest authenticity.
Consider trying these simple techniques to guide you on the road to greater self-awareness, positive change, and growth:
Celebrate your wins and your fails
It's all too easy to downplay your life experiences. Sometimes, we can skim over and belittle our triumphs. But however big or small your achievements are, they are all worth celebrating. Equally, you should celebrate your failures too, (or as I prefer to call them, your lessons), as they are there to teach you and to guide you, so they are just as important to acknowledge as the wins. This all adds vibrant colour to your life as a whole and makes your journey worthwhile.
Take me for example, if I stop and think for a moment, I can tell you that there are many things I should celebrate from my own personal life journey so far, things that I mostly dismiss when I really should not.
There's being a mum for starters, which has got to be my greatest achievement by far. I won a singing competition when I was a teenager, and then left before the winner was announced because I was convinced that I wouldn't win – lucky runner up who bagged my prize! I briefly sang in a band and performed live at various music venues (my dream job, had loads of fun). And now, I am running my own business, and writing wellness articles that are being published in a prestigious international magazine.
And the not-so-great stuff?! Well, there's failing most of my exams at school, losing a job I really loved, and relationships that ended badly when they didn't need to, to name just a few.
Believe me when I say that I feel so blessed and grateful that I have experienced all these things. They have all been wonderful versions of me that have shaped my life and have kept me knowledgeable. They have expanded my growth mindset and allowed me to become more resilient and adaptable.
I also invite you to embrace your life experiences wholeheartedly. Be proud of all that you go through and how it shapes your life. No win is insignificant, and all failures/lessons are enlightening.
Be patient with yourself
You know, I sometimes forget just how important I really am.
From the moment you are born, you are with the same person your whole life through. They never let you down, they always show up for you, and they stick around for the good times and the bad. That person is you!
You are always with yourself every single second of the day. That counts more so than when you are with others. You will be doing yourself a huge disservice if you do not recognise that. Start showing yourself the respect you deserve and keep loving your beautiful self.
Take note of who you are as an individual. Be patient and kind towards yourself. Show yourself some compassion and understanding. Recognise your strengths and weaknesses, of which creates the wonderful human being that you are. Yes, sometimes you will get things wrong, and you'll make a fool of yourself. Equally though, you will conquer other things and you will succeed at them. Appreciate that this is all a part of your journey and look at it as another of your layers that adds substance and character to your overall being.
Learn how to adapt
Adapting to and navigating through life's challenges only acts as a positive in your growth and personal development. Being open to change and being able to adjust when life throws you a curveball can enhance your life greatly. Welcome the new and the unexpected. You never know what it may bring, and you may even find something you love about it. Flexibility allows room for self-discovery and self-improvement. Seize opportunities to learn something about yourself and to transform into your best self every time!
Practice reframing your thinking patterns and be willing to change your response to unexpected situations. Try to see things from a different perspective and be curious as to what each encounter can teach you.
Be mindful and present
Learn how to let go and live in the now. Gain clarity and focus simply by fully embracing the moment. All daily activities can be experienced in a positive way, if only you take the time to mindfully immerse yourself in them. When you are eating, when you are walking, when you are ironing, or even showering, you can feel lighter in spirit and peaceful of mind just by focusing on the task in hand.
You'll soon find that your stresses and anxieties are stripped away as you are engaging more in the here and now. This is the best way to experience life and to encourage new aspects of yourself to emerge.
We do not know when the winds of life will change on us so let's appreciate the present moment.
Accept discomfort
Coming out of our comfort zone is something most of us like to avoid. I mean why on earth would we want to feel uncomfortable and out of our depth?! That's an utterly ridiculous notion. No, we would prefer to feel safe, comfortable, and secure, knowing that we're ok and nothing can hurt us. Am I right?! BUT...and there's a big but here, I'm sorry to say that it's quite impossible to achieve that without a little discomfort along the way. I know because I've tried, countless times. And I never get away with it! It is fair to say that, without stepping out of our comfort zone from time to time, we will never grow as a person. Accepting discomfort helps us to learn valuable lessons, allowing us to progress and to improve on our life experience.
Try not to see it as a bad thing. Remember how much value it will add to your life. And once you've gone through the initial discomfort of whatever you are facing, it really is an uphill trajectory from there on. Honestly, what have you got to lose?! Nothing. But you will gain everything. You will learn, you will thrive, and you will set yourself free.
Maintain positive habits
Set aside some time to reflect on your values and to think about what makes you feel good. Create pathways that align with these values in the form of positive habits that will shape your life and help you to grow and develop.
Reinforce these positive habits regularly and be consistent and dedicated in your efforts. This can only lead to optimism and contentment, and who doesn't want to feel a little more of that?!
It could be something as simple as eating more healthy foods, exercising a little every day, creating a calmer sleeping environment and regime every night, or connecting more with others. Whatever you value, whatever brings a little more goodness into your life, try to incorporate that into the everyday, maintaining those positive habits so you can develop a better quality of life and one that marries up with your intentions.
Keep learning
Engaging in any opportunity to learn and grow, and pursuing hobbies/interests, keeps the brain stimulated and the soul happy. Seek out the ways in which to become more self-aware, to help you progress in your personal development.
Be willing to improve. Nurture your growth mindset and let it bring you joy. Being open minded to your strengths and weaknesses helps you to become more resilient and appreciative of yourself.
Expanding your skills and knowledge is key to self-improvement and can help you to build a sense of purpose. It boosts self-confidence and self-esteem and enables you to meander through the twists and turns of life with resilience and courage.
Embrace your personal growth and let it enrich your life. Your journey is uniquely yours so keep loving the process you are going through and learning from.
Personally, for me, who knows what will happen next, but whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be worth it. It will undoubtedly add another level of substance and growth to my journey. It will teach me and guide me. It will most probably make me laugh, and in some cases cry. I am so interested in all the new versions of myself that will appear, that I can peel away to reveal someone, who in the end, has lived a life worth living! Someone who has experienced so deeply, explored her emotions so vividly, soared to great heights and taken a few blows on the way down too, made profound memories and left her own set of footprints in the sand of life. Here's to 'me' before, 'myself' now, and the 'I' to come. I celebrate you all!
Tanya Tsikkos, CEO
Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewellery designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewellery creations and empowering messages. She has since dedicated her life to helping others to always feel good and empowered . She is the CEO of EntityUK, an online fashion jewellery company, that combines jewellery with empowerment in each design. Her mission: To inspire, uplift and empower all, to live their best lives, with confidence and style!
