“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” ~ Virginia Woolf. On this International Women’s Day, GlobalSpa recognizes and celebrates the women in the industry as we delve into their success mantra they follow, mistakes that have helped them grow, and of course, their WELLNESS philosophy.

Born and raised in India, Devina Kaur is an inspirational speaker, author, radio host, and the founder of the Sexy Brilliant Non-Profit Foundation.

What is your wellness philosophy?

As a full-time student of life, I am always in the learning mode. I have many miles to go before I leave my purpose of sexy brilliance completely. The more I stay focussed on self study and looking within, the more I gain in self knowledge. This also includes knowing your good side and knowing your not so good side. Once there is self-knowledge, one needs to practice radical self- acceptance. This also includes acceptance of your body, your soul, your ambitious side, your nurturing side, your emotional side, spiritual side, your sexual side. Every part of you deserves to be honoured and loved.

Your success mantra?

An entrepreneur by definition is a risk taker. They are empowered to create, organize, shape the world of business. They are successful because they choose to take on responsibility not only for themselves but also for the people in their intimate world, including their employees. Often, an entrepreneur has the power to do what they want with their business lives, but that also means that they need to be careful not to neglect themselves or their loved ones. Being a workaholic, this is especially true for me, to maintain and manage all my relationships, including being a full-time single mother. Entrepreneurship is a demanding lifestyle that requires you to be constantly on your toes and make decisions at a moment’s notice. To be successful, a person needs to have an understanding of who they are as an individual and how that impacts the people around them. It is important for entrepreneurs to know what they need-which comes from self-awareness-in order to maintain a healthy balance between work and life – whether it be time off, more hours in the day, more money or just more patience! The most important thing is to have fun.

A lesson you learned from making a mistake?

They say mistakes are our biggest teachers. Mistakes come on the path to true success, and nobody is exempt from experiencing difficulties that will ultimately test our strength and courage. My journey has been filled with many challenges and mistakes, from overcoming addictions, to living a lonely life in the world of a start-up business, to having a semi-arranged marriage, to being a full time single mother. It’s not easy. However, I am thankful for the entire journey because not only have I grown from my experiences, but I’ve learned a lot from them while inspiring others to do the same. I always say there is strength in numbers and that means actively seeking support from people that love you and you look up too and want to be good support structures in your life. When you are surrounded by spiritually wise, genuine people, you will be more inclined to find joy in daily things. This will motivate you to achieve your goals and allow your challenges to seem less of a burden to you. If you are struggling with dark thoughts, remember that no part of you is your own enemy. Welcome every moment and feelings and treat every emotion like a gift; never be ashamed to seek professional help to grow into a version of yourself that you would be proud of—despite all the difficulties you face, know they will shape you into a stronger, more resilient person.

Any piece of advice for all the women out there?

Be who you are! Never change yourself to fit the standards of the world and those around you. Being authentic is something that nobody should fear, because authenticity is the new currency of the world. Embrace yourself in such a way that it leaves no room for the other people to treat you less than you deserve. Be kind, patient and have compassion for yourself. Don’t rush according to other people’s timeline. At the same time, don’t delay any further the happiness you know you deserve.

What has been your biggest pride as a doyenne?

Everybody’s definition of success is different, for some success means having a 9-5 job with the government. For many others, success is about the number of social media followers one has. Yet for others, success is having a big house and having a big fancy car. Which is all wonderful. However, my question to you is what about success from the inside? For me, success is being content with myself and my own self-growth. So many people out there struggle to find ourselves and our purpose, because the world makes us believe that we are not good enough. When we mindfully let go of the labels, the expectations, the feeling of inadequacy and the old programming we can then start living for ourselves and realize that success lies within you and your own capabilities. It all comes down to knowing who you are, your body, your individuality and living in awareness of all your sexy brilliance.