Wake Up to the Joy of You with Agapi Stassinopoulos

Meet Agapi Stassinopoulos Agapi Stassinopoulos is a best-selling author and speaker who inspires audiences around the world. In her previous book, Unbinding the Heart: A Dose of Greek Wisdom, Generosity, and Unconditional Love, she shares the wisdom from her life's adventures and experiences. In her new book, Wake Up to the Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life, she takes readers on a journey and inspires them to let go of what doesn't work and instead create the lives they really want. Agapi was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and then moved on to receive her master's degree in psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Her previous books on the Greek archetypes, Gods and Goddesses in Love and Conversations with the Goddesses, were turned into PBS specials.    She is currently conducting workshops for Thrive Global, a company founded by her sister, Arianna Huffington, to help change how we work and live. Agapi has spoken and conducted meditations at many organizations and companies, including L'Oreal, Accenture, SAP, LinkedIn, Pandora, Google, Nike, Weight Watchers, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Global Citizen Company, Museum of Modern Art, ABC Carpet & Home, Women's Health Magazine, Paul Mitchell, NYU, Gympass, and Hearst Communications amongst many others. She brings home the importance of self-care, practicing gratitude, generosity, and self-love to enhance performance and productivity so we can experience happiness and fulfillment. She divides her time between New York and Los Angeles and was born and raised in Athens, Greece. You can find Agapi at www.WakeUptotheJoyofYou.com Dual Citizenship: Being Part Human and Part Divine I loved this conversation with Agapi Stassinopolous. It was all about how to really show up in life, both in our humanity and in owning our divinity. I know I've struggled with this before, and we discussed how feelings like resentment, jealousy, anger, frustration, sadness, and disappointment can cause feelings of "I shouldn't be experiencing this now; I'm a spiritual being." The truth is we can't spiritually bypass our feelings and having all emotions is part of the human experience. The best remedy is compassion and kindness. Befriend your little girl, or little boy, that still lives within you and see what they might need to feel safe, heard, and listened to. As a spiritual being, the aim is to stay open-hearted to endure and experience all emotions and the bliss of presence. Agapi Stassinopoulos shared a way to handle challenging feelings; open your heart to the moment, breathe out and remember that right at this moment, you are being breathed in by the divine. In your breath are kindness, compassion, and comfort. That is the essence of existing as a spiritual being on this big blue marble.      Wake Up Your Joy We often have a hard time receiving, especially joy, because it seems selfish. This couldn't be farther from the truth. You have to go to places of discomfort and vulnerability to honor and love all parts of who you are. Who you are is a soul in a body. The essence within you is to be awakened and called forward. Joy is one of the purest ways to connect to your highest essence. Remember, waking up to joy is a process. Living in joy is another way to express yourself as a spiritual being. You don't have to bypass all your negative feelings, but be open to all the small moments of joy as they present themselves to you, and you will begin to find more moments exist than you previously noted.   Kindness Is The Way I love that Agapi said it is time to start romancing ourselves and do things that bring us joy and inner peace. Make your ego your ally and not your enemy. Claim your inner knowing and follow it with focus, faith, and trust. Through kindness, not through shaming ourselves, we can feel a greater divine spirit navigating and breathing us through our challenges. Slow down and notice the gaze of God, the divine presence that is always with you and shows up through kindness and compassion.   Final Thoughts Agapi Stassinopoulos was such a light and gave a lot of food for thought on how to awaken ourself to living as a spiritual being while acknowledging our human selves. It's important to note that while feeling our humanness is part of our journey here, we are also meant to recognize the joy we are blessed with. Stopping to observe the joyful moments, from tiny to more significant expressions, allow us to rise more fully into our spiritual beings, rising up into the higher vibration of joy.    To receive 8 of Agapi's top meditations, go to WakeUptotheJoyofYou.com or connect directly at agapi@unbindingtheheart.com.        Sacred Connection As always, this community is a sacred, safe place built on love and acceptance. It was created to help you evolve and expand into your highest self. Please share your wisdom, comments, thoughts. I love hearing from you and learning how you are being your truest, you-est you. Please join us in our Facebook group The You-est You® Community for Soul Seekers Join host Julie Reisler, author and multi-time TEDx speaker, each week to learn how you can tap into your best self and become your You-est You® to achieve inner peace, happiness, and success at a deeper level! Tune in to hear powerful, inspirational stories and expert insights from entrepreneurs, industry thought leaders, and extraordinary human beings that will help to transform your life. Julie also shares a-ha moments that have shaped her life and career and discusses key concepts from her book Get a PhD in YOU Here's to your being your you-est you! Connect with Agapi Stassinopoulos Website: wakeuptothejoyofyou.com Instagram: @agapisees Facebook: @AgapiStassinopoulos Twitter: @agapisays Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/AgapiStassinopoulos Enjoying the show? For iTunes listeners, get automatic downloads and share the love by subscribing, rating & reviewing here! *Share what you are struggling with or looking to transform with Julie at podcast@juliereisler.com. Julie would love to start covering topics of highest interest to YOU.   You-est You Links: Subscribe to the Podcast  Learn more at JulieReisler.com Become a Sacred Member at the Sacredology® Membership Join The You-est You® Community for Soul Seekers on Facebook Subscribe to Julie’s YouTube Channel Book Julie as a speaker at your upcoming event Amazon #1 Best selling book Get a PhD in YOU Download free guided-meditations from Insight Timer Julie’s Hungry For More On line Program (10 Module Interactive Course) 15 Days Of Gratitude To Change Your Life on InsightTimer