At this time many of us feel the unity with nature and the themes of rebirth and renewal.

To offer some inspiration and ideas for your spring arrival we’ve asked the Summersalt yoga ladies Rosie, Leah, and Milda to share some of their wellness and good-life favorites for the season and we can’t wait to hear yours too, so leave a comment, tag us in a photo and let’s welcome the spring healthy and happy!

Food

Rosie. Tahini! I have been enjoying this nutty, flavor-filled condiment of everything at the moment. Amazing with avocado toast and adds a wholesomeness to Salads. Also packed with protein so a real energy giver.

Leah. Refreshing quinoa salad chock full of lots of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables.

Milda. A simple classic, but so good – a morning smoothie. My current favorite is banana, frozen forest berries, orange, leafy greens, peanut butter, flaxseed, amaranth powder, and maca!

Body treatment

Rosie. Dry brushing! Bit painful but great for improving circulation in the skin. I also want to try and take the time to do morning coconut body oiling which I used to do when I lived in Bali a lot (and had more time!)

Leah. Lots and lots of Vitamin D from the sun

Milda. I am super lazy when it comes to this, but I am trying to use body lotion more often as I age (uh…), my favorite one is Neutrogena!

Hair treatment

Rosie. I am the most low maintenance hair person ever! However, have recently decided to go back to my auburn roots which have made me want to look after it a little more. So lots of conditioning masks for redheads.

Leah. Saltwater! I swear it does wonders for my hair.

Milda. A natural shampoo. I’ve recently stopped using the regular drug store shampoos as my hair would grease up way too quickly and ever since I’ve started with the all-natural one it makes all the difference in the world.

Face treatment

Rosie. After a long cold winter and teaching quite a bit of hot yoga I have actually been treating myself to a few holistic facials which have been so lovely for tired, winter skin. It is a bit of a luxury but one that has been making a real difference to how I feel.

Leah. Always just simple coconut oil.

Milda. Rosehip oil! I alternate it with coconut oil, rosehip oil has amazing anti-aging and anti-blemish properties, it’s best to use it in the evenings as even if it’s not comedogenic it is still an oil and it can leave your face a little shiny!

Spiritual

Rosie. I am currently holding an intention to spring cleaning my morning routine. So no phones for at least 30 mins on waking and instead of waking myself with some gentle movement, a little writing or a cup of tea and meditation.

Leah. Metta (or loving-kindness) meditation to send loving intentions and energy out to all beings everywhere. For some reason, this feels especially relevant to me this time of year.

Milda. I’ve started meditating every day with as short as 5 minutes if I can’t do more. I feel like it helps me a lot to keep perspective and not freak out over things that actually are not too serious or important. Sometimes I use an app (I use Insight Timer) for a guided meditation session, sometimes just some nice calming sounds from a Spotify playlist.

Yoga

Rosie. I am really feeling the urge to get my body really moving, which is often the case as we move into the warmer months. I am really loving my Forest yoga practice at the moment, the focus on the core and grounding elements of the practice. And of course, I can not WAIT to get out on my paddleboard again!

Leah. Backbending! To be honest, backbends are not my favorite postures, but I always gravitate toward them when spring and summer roll around. There’s something so opening and embracing about them. After hunching over and closing off my heart all winter to combat the cold, my body craves openness and expansion when warm weather approaches.

Milda. Yin! That’s my favorite for when my back or shoulders are sore from all the time spent at the desk. I love how calming it is and how I can do 20 minutes even if I don’t feel like exercise. I even bought a book and can’t wait to practice more.

Leisure

Rosie. Ah beach! I wish! In the meantime leisure time, this Spring will be all about picnics in the park and enjoying the start of the long light evenings that hopefully are on their way. Dinner and wine outside with friends is everything. I am also making an effort to read more fiction at the moment, and currently loving ‘Conversations with friends’ that was gifted to me by one of my favorite friends to have conversations with!

Leah. Beach, beach, beach, and then some more beach (with a good book in hand—I’m currently diving into philosophy and devouring the Bhagavad Gita)

Milda. I’ve always been a book nerd, so books it is. Yoga books (Donna Farhi’s “Bringing yoga to life”), non-fiction (David Eagleman’s “The Brain”) or good ole crime thrillers (Camilla Lackberg’s “The Ice Princess”

The post Spring wellness and feel-good inspiration appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt yoga founder

Martina is one of these women who radiate confidence. She knows what she wants and she goes for it – her positive energy was felt straight away when she has joined us on our Vis island for a week of yoga and so needed relaxation.

The Austrian raised and based in Vienna has a background in political science, with a focus on international relations and international humanitarian law which she uses in her work as a humanitarian for an Austrian NGO. She’s responsible for most of the South Asia programs of the organization – Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and partly Pakistan. Talk about inspiring!

How long have you been doing this work?

I have been working for the NGO for more than 10 years now. More specifically, I work in the international humanitarian- and development sector now for almost 4 years. After spending 1 ½ year living and working in the Philippines, I returned to our Vienna office to work as a program manager in our international department within the Asia programs.

How and why did you get to this career? Was it planned or did it just happen?

In fact, most of it rather happened since I am not a big planner when it comes to my life. However  – as the saying goes – nothing just happens out of the blue.. you always play an active part, even if it is not consciously or specifically planned out as such..

In 2004 I started to work for my organization in the office for asylum and migration issues in Vienna. Somehow I always felt drawn to this kind of work and find it hard to imagine working in any other sector or enter the corporate world just for the sake of making money. However, during and also after my time at University I worked as a waitress or related job in some restaurant and event businesses. I also worked at the University of Vienna to assist my professor at the time in International Relations Studies.

Also the work I am doing right now somehow rather happened. After some years as an executive assistant to the CEOs of my organization, I was offered to go to the Philippines to join our team in the implementation of the humanitarian aid program in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan (which hit the Philippines in November 2013).

I decided to face the challenge and finally left Vienna in the beginning of 2014 and for me – being 42 at the time – it was quite a change to my life and quite a jump at the deep end as well.  But I can definitely say: no regrets for having taken this step.

It sounds very interesting, but what does your job entail? I know it takes a lot of traveling! 

Currently, I am responsible for most of the South Asia programs of my organization; mainly in Nepal, but also India, Bangladesh and partly Pakistan. Although I am based in Austria, the work also includes frequent traveling. My recent travels have mainly been to Nepal, but also briefly to Thailand, Myanmar, and India.

My everyday work entails mainly management at program and project levels. More specifically, this means planning, financial- and content monitoring, working with local partner organizations when going on project visits, planning and facilitation of planning workshops with my Asian partners and colleagues, communication about the contents of our programs, looking for funds, etc.

What are the most rewarding parts of the job and what are the difficult ones?

For me, the most rewarding parts of the job are in fact connected to traveling. I consider myself quite lucky to get to see all these places, meet wonderful people, and make new experiences in the countries we work in.
Going to sometimes quite remote project areas and actually meeting the people we work for can be very rewarding and a bit challenging at the same time. It often means leaving your personal comfort zone and sometimes seeing things that are not only beautiful and nice. What sometimes can be hard about traveling is the fact that you are responsible, on duty, and representing your organization at all times. But still, within this scheme, I find spaces to relax and enjoy.

Quite honestly I would say that for me the normal office work is harder; to stick to a 9-5 schedule and get things done off my desk is certainly a necessity but if it was only for that part I would like my job probably a lot less..

What projects are you most proud of?

That’s a hard one.. I am always very critical about my own work. I and I might be quite a good example of the notorious impostor syndrome… But just as an example, I remember that it made me very happy back in the Philippines when we actually realized that even small things like reconstructing basic houses or some livelihood assets (livestock, agriculture, etc.) made a big difference to people who had lost everything during a disaster and empowered them to get on with their lives even after we had left.

What have you learned about working in various countries and cultures?

There are many new experiences related to traveling and living in countries that are quite different from what you are normally used to. It also changes you in ways you have maybe not anticipated. Sometimes that can make it a bit challenging to get back into everyday life in Austria/Europe.

Thinking about it I would say that the most basic lesson is: people around the world have the same wants. Besides basic needs like sufficient food and a safe shelter people want to live a decent life, have a safe and peaceful place to call their home, and experience the love of relationships, family and friends. There is not much more to that, wherever you go.

I’m curious, have you faced some difficulties during your career just because you were a woman and how did you overcome them?

In our international work, we are mainly in cooperation with local NGO partners. Maybe it is because I am representing an organization from Europe – but in that context, I never really faced any severe difficulties and have always been met with appreciation and respect. In the Philippines, I was in fact impressed by a number of very strong women who were leading some of the local and national NGOs we worked with.

Of course, the South Asia context is rather male-dominated – but again I did not face major problems as a foreigner and representing a European NGO. I am aware that this might have been in some ways different if I were a local woman.

What does it take to work in a social organization? Is it different from the corporate world? What would your advice for someone who’’s interested in getting into that line of work be?

The main things I usually hear from people who are part of the corporate world are some remarks about my work following some higher “purpose” or “meaning” – which they might feel is missing in their work. (This is usually paired with expressions of pity when they learn about common levels of NGO salaries…)
For part of our work, this might be true, as it is for all social services or any work that aims at improving lives for less fortunate people. Serving some “purpose” can make the work more rewarding for many people. However, this can also be tricky, since it can make it more challenging for some people to find their necessary work-life balance. (This might be one of the reasons why aid workers and any other professionals in the social sector are known to be specifically prone to burn out..)

My advice would be to first of all look at yourself as a professional – as you would do in any other job – and enjoy the rewards and experience that come along with this kind of work.

It is definitely rewarding work, but how do you balance it with your personal life?

Having said all this, this is probably the toughest thing for me. The more responsibility comes with the work the harder you can let go.

When I was living and working in Asia, the separation between personal and work life became even less distinct, which was a bit difficult and also good at the same time. This also had to do with being new to a foreign place and finding and defining your life there.

How do you unwind? Do you still do yoga?

I am still trying to include yoga in my everyday life, but that has been a bit of a challenge and I only started recently. I still enjoy yoga very much whenever I am doing it – although I find it easier to have guided practice in a group rather than practice by myself.

During work travel there can be those small and very rewarding moments, just to pass a misty rice field in the early morning or suddenly getting a close look at the peaks of the Himalayas while traveling on long road trips. Also, unwinding and relaxing in the evenings with your travel companions is a nice way of stress relief during travels.

During my work life in Austria, I try to get away every now and then and take a break. Croatia by the way is still my favorite destination when it comes to unwinding..

The post The Madame Guru: Martina Maetzl – humanitarian work is rewarding and challenging at the same time appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Danae Mercer is an American travel writer for whom a day at the office means exploring the most amazing corners of our planet. On her own! Talk about determination and wanderlust.

Had I met her back in my early twenties I would have thought that she’s me in the future career-wise. Life has brought me to other places instead (zero regrets here), but it was still very exciting to spend time with someone who’s doing something so close to my heart. The fact that Danae is a super sweet person was a bonus.

This beautiful soul has visited Vis and we spent a week at our Balance yoga retreat this past fall and I am thrilled to share my interview for The Madame guru with you! Inspiration guaranteed!

You are a freelance travel journalist, sounds exciting? What is it exactly that you do?

I’m a freelance journalist who specializes in travel, health, and luxury. This means I’m often traveling on various commissions around the world, writing for a range of outlets in the UK, UAE, and USA. It certainly keeps me busy!

When did you decide you wanted to be a journalist? Was it always the case or this realization came later?

I’ve always known I wanted to write and be a writer. Journalism appealed to me even as a little girl, and honestly, I had never even considered a career that wasn’t centered on writing. I studied journalism and politics for my undergraduate degree in the US, then did political philosophy at Cambridge in the UK. I’ve been working in media pretty much since then — and even before, as I was writing for outlets as a student.

How would you describe your career path from the beginning until now? What were the major obstacles or challenges? Did you ever want to quit?

Journalism is a changing industry. It’s one where you don’t get paid much (ever, really), where things are uncertain and outlets are closing, and where the competition is tough. Yet there’s a real pure joy in finding a good story and thinking of interesting ways to tell it. I’ve been lucky in that the full-time jobs I’ve had (working as an editor for a luxury magazine in Dubai, working in media in the UK) have always been quite flexible, allowing me the freedom to develop and explore.

In terms of obstacles or challenges, it’s always just been about trying to find a balance between commissions and income. There’s also the fact that switching off becomes tough.

What was so far your most satisfying job?

I wrote a book with The Guardian on an Olympic trainee who was severely injured, recovered, cycled from Beijing to London, and raised a lot of money for the air ambulance that saved her life. It was such a blessing to be able to tell that story. And I love The Guardian.

What are the main reasons you are in this line of work and what keeps you going?

I love writing. I love people. I love exploring new things, learning new things, seeing new things. It’s such an amazing profession that, while challenging, also has so many positives.

Were there situations in your career when you’ve encountered challenges just because you were a woman? While trying to dig deeper for a story or otherwise (especially being in so many different cultures around the world)?

I’ve been quite sheltered from this because I’ve tended to focus on luxury or health during my travels. Some of my journalist friends, those who do hard news or investigative stories, have had different experiences.

Of course, there are instances where I’m travelling in remote destinations by myself that I’m made acutely aware of the fact I’m female. I had a situation recently where I ended up getting lost in an unfamiliar city. My presence attracted a lot of stares and quite a few provocative comments. I didn’t feel very safe and the whole process set me on edge. But those instances are few and far between. For the most part, people are good, warm, welcoming and open. I’ve met so many amazing people on my travels.

Is there a harsh competition? Were you ever in situations where you had to “fight” for an assignment or a job?

Journalism is tough. You’ve got to work hard and really push yourself to excel. But I feel like the freelancer world is a close-knit community of folks all striving to achieve something against quite big odds. It’s not ‘dog-eat-dog’ — it’s more supportive, collaborative, helpful.

From my own experience, I know that going out to work on your own can be scary. How was it for you? How do you deal with the stress, fears, and worries on a daily basis and in general?

Going to work on my own has been fairly terrifying. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sometimes keep me up at night (or in my case, wake me up in the morning!). But I navigate that by talking a lot to other freelancers, getting advice and tips, and also taking corporate writing projects to help provide a bit of the stability I need. I also do a lot of yoga!

Is it worth it?

Definitely. I love the freedom and the chance to pursue things that actually interest me. Life is so short and fleeting. Why in the world would I want to spend years of it doing something I wasn’t passionate about? For me, for now, this is perfect.

What were the things and did motivate you at the beginning and what motivates you now?

I’m motivated by the moments between the chaos. I love it when I’m in a little cafe thinking through words and just allowing myself that chance to be creative. Or when I’m in a beautiful destination by myself, surrounded by nature and so many untouched stories. It’s a splendid thing.

What would you say are the qualities a woman needs when embarking on a journey to become a freelance (journalist or not)? Do you have any tips from your experience on how to cultivate those qualities?

I think it’s just being tough but also flexible. The whole industry is in a state of rapid change. Who knows what the media landscape will look like in five years, in 10? But this is exciting. We just need to be flexible. But you also have to be tough. Not every interview will be great. Not every experience will be sunshine and rainbows. And that’s perfectly ok. Sometimes that’s what makes the best story.

What is the downside of your job?

No real stability and you never switch off. I’ve been trying to have at least one non-working day a week, but it’s hard.

What are your plans for the future?

That’s a great question. If you can tell me, that would be fabulous.

Any advice for women who are looking to take the leap and pursue their dream career?

You have to be practical. Research heaps before diving off. Ask other people in your dream industry how they did it and what they wish they would have known. Have a money buffer, because money takes ages to come in and payments are often late.

But if you believe in it, if you have the flexibility in your life and your situation and want to do it, go. Jump. Try it. Other careers will always be there. The skills you have aren’t going to disappear. It’s better to try than to spend life wondering.

The post The Madame Guru: Danae Mercer- it’s better to try than to spend life wondering appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Ivana is what I call a super-woman. I know that many super-women actually do not like being called like that, but it doesn’t make that less true and I stand by my statement!

She has a very responsible job in the man’s world – she is the president of Zagreb (Croatia’s capital) stock exchange, she is very active in supporting women and their career development and she’s a mother of a 7-year-old.

We met Ivana in spring 2016 when she’s joined our Balance yoga retreat and I am very happy to now share my interview with her. We talk about her job, being a woman, and the challenges that come with that as well as the big and small things she does to influence the positive change for all of us. 

You are the President of the Zagreb stock exchange – it sounds and is very important. What does the job entail?

For six and a half years I am heading only the capital market in Croatia. Recently, we have also acquired the Slovenian stock exchange, so we can say we went international. My job entails running a company with 22 employees as any other but also includes following strict rules of capital markets, running new projects, opening new markets. I have studied at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, finished an MBA at IEDC Bled, and have also finished a number of educations in the field of finance and management.

What was your first job after graduating from university and how long was your career path until you reached this position?

My first job was in Pliva, the largest pharmaceutical company in Croatia, that was at that time listed on both Zagreb and London Stock Exchanges. This company is now entirely owned by the largest generic drug producer from Israel – Teva and is still very successful. I was really happy to start my career there. I studied and traveled a lot. It gave me international exposure in late 1990s. I have stayed there for 5 years, leaving the position of Head of Capital Markets. I was very young, only 28, but the Croatian economy was still erasing from the socialist era and was recovering from the war, so many young people managed to get really good positions early in their career.

What were the main challenges you’ve encountered along the way? 

I lost my parents pretty young until I was 25 both of them were gone. I can not say I was a child, but taking into account that many young people live with their parents still in their 30’s, it was a thing differentiating me from others. It still does. I have a son now that is 7 and traditionally in Croatia, parents help with the child. I never had this help. On the other hand, it made me more determined to rely solely on my own means.

In your career, have you ever experienced discrimination just because you were a woman? And being in this position now do you still do? How do you handle it? 

Discrimination is all around us: old, noneducated, poor… get discriminated against. Women get that too. You just need to look at the numbers: although women represent more than 50% of the population and also have higher numbers in finishing education, we still don’t hold the same percentage of top positions. How do you get discriminated against? In various ways and very subtle. Many women get setbacks in their work or career because they give birth. And taking into account that almost all EU countries struggle with negative birth rates, any women having a child should get all possible support from society. It does not happen.

In the business world, discrimination is also present. I don’t handle it. I fight it. I have selected to work on small issues to have some positive outcomes. I am active in pro-female organizations, I strongly support women in my organization that is pregnant, I select top female talents, train them, and promote them.

Are women still a minority to hold such a position like yours?

Big minority. Last week I was at the conference where 11 stock exchange heads were present. I was the only woman. How this can be changed? I actually wrote a paper on it for my Ph.D. I strongly started to believe in quotas. That is the only way to achieve results in the next decade. Did you know that the situation in Croatia is actually getting worse? The current parliament, elected in October 2016 has the lowest number of female representatives in history! There is even a law against it but is not being respected by Government officials. To conclude – if there is no voluntary advancement, it is the role of the Government to ensure equal chances to all its voters. It is actually very simple.

What are the main reasons you chose and love your career and what are the downsides of it? 

I love my career because I can influence society and change things. They are not big things, but small steps towards a more developed, mature, and healthy society. There are some downsides: long working hours, a lot of stress. But I take it strong-yoga helps.

What qualities should a woman posses to get to the top in your line of work?

I have only one piece of advice: work hard. No matter you are a man or woman, if you work hard, if you are passionate about what you are doing, you will succeed. Be there on time, respect all the people you meet, look around, help, take into account the big picture, enjoy on the way.

What main challenges a woman must be ready to encounter in this line of work?

You get lonely sometimes. My male colleagues have their “men talks”, I am interested in different things. Also, never forget you are a woman. Be feminine, you don’t need to act like men to succeed in men’s world.

Do you agree that even in this day and age it is much harder to reach high positions in business and politics if you are a woman? Why is that and how can we change it?

Yes, it is. As I said, numbers speak for themselves. I have seen so many capable, intelligent, and strong women not managing to get through. It is not right. The change will come.

Back in 1926, Nikola Tesla said:

It is clear to any trained observer, and even to the sociologically untrained, that a new attitude toward sex discrimination has come over the world through the centuries, receiving an abrupt stimulus just before and after the World War.

This struggle of the human female toward sex equality will end in a new sex order, with the female as superior. The modern woman, who anticipates in merely superficial phenomena the advancement of her sex, is but a surface symptom of something deeper and more potent fermenting in the bosom of the race.

It is not in the shallow physical imitation of men that women will assert first their equality and later their superiority, but in the awakening of the intellect of women.

Idea, 90 years old sounds really encouraging. I will be happy if any girl born to our world has exactly same chances to be successful as any boy. This is important not because of earning more money, or getting more attention, or being on top position. It is important because it will give women freedom to be whatever they want to be. Today in newspaper I read several stories about women that were attacked or killed by their partners. If they had same opportunity to be independent and self-sustaining, I am sure we would not read this stories.

What would be your advice for women who are on their own career paths and are maybe feeling discouraged sometimes?

Learn and stay calm. Look always one step in advance. Plan, be strong. Don’t be afraid. You are as good as anyone else. Look around you, there are women who can offer help.

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