Meet Christina Aristidou, the new director of Global Woman Club in Cyprus

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Embark on an extraordinary odyssey alongside the unstoppable force that is Christina Aristidou, a living testament to the profound impact of choice and self-determination. In the grand tapestry of her life, Christina unravels a captivating saga, triumphing over both personal and professional challenges through deliberate creation and introspection. At the core of her philosophy lies an unwavering belief: that true success is an intimately personal journey, anchored in contentment, joy, and fulfillment.

Trace Christina’s trajectory from triumphing over personal turmoil to the revelation that life’s true essence resides in the choices we make and how we respond to challenges along the way. As a high-performance coach and the author of the empowering e-book ‘The Success Formula,’ Christina sheds light on the transformative power of mindset shifts in the pursuit of audacious goals. Her journey transcends the confines of conventional success, forging a path toward the discovery of authentic happiness and profound fulfillment.

In the commanding realm of the Global Woman Club Cyprus, Christina is not just a leader but a catalyst for transformation, empowerment, and collaboration among women. She ignites a flame that inspires women to own their stories, embrace vulnerabilities, and realize dreams through collective strength. In the symphony of Christina’s life, empowerment and inspiration resonate as resounding notes, beckoning others to embark on their own extraordinary journeys.

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Christina, your journey is truly inspiring. Can you share a pivotal moment when you realized the power of choice in shaping your path to success?

I believe that free will and choice are the greatest superpowers of all. Not only do they shape our success, but also our happiness, our mindset, our relationships, everything. So, it is extremely important to use these powers to create the life we deserve and desire. That pivotal moment for me was during a personal turbulence when I realised that life is a gift, precious like no other. During that period of darkness, I chose to become the light – become the best version of myself, authentically and unapologetically, and I committed to myself to doing whatever it takes. This transition was a total breakthrough – it was a bold apology to myself for mistreating me and dishonouring my needs, my dreams, my emotions, over the years, for the sake of achieving the ‘standardised’ version of success imposed by social norms. I realised that success is personal and means nothing unless it makes the person feel content, joyful and fulfilled within. I committed myself, done the inner work, transcended my pain into power, and chose to follow my calling.

In whatever you do, you highlight the importance of self-awareness. How has cultivating self-awareness played a crucial role in your high-performance coaching and personal success?

In order to find something that we love, enjoy and then go and do it, we first need to get to know ourselves. Self-awareness is key – we need to look into our heart and see what is important to us, what our values are, what inspires us and what are the qualities we admire in ourselves and others? We need to understand and appreciate what we have achieved to date, where we want to go and why this is important to us. Self-awareness is about accessing our inner wisdom, trusting ourselves, our journey and our intuition. Self-awareness played a critical role not only in becoming a successful transformational coach, but also fuelled my personal life with intention, clarity, and purpose. It enabled me to build myself up, unleash my full potential and become bold, fearless, and resilient. Pain and challenges are stepping stones in our way towards greatness. But for these limitations, problems, setbacks, and challenges, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Change is an uncomfortable, yet rewarding, choice. It requires courage and commitment. We may not control what happens to us, but we can always choose our response – ultimately, our responses define ourselves as well as our story.

Your e-book, ‘The Success Formula,’ emphasizes mindset. Could you delve into the key mindset shifts that can empower individuals to achieve their goals?

It’s all about mindset, because our thoughts and perceptions determine the quality of our life. Mindset shifts occur when we dare to challenge our thoughts, our beliefs, our life by asking powerful questions. For instance, instead of asking, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ which is neither an empowering or insightful question, one could ask ‘What is this trying to teach me?’ It is not always about finding the why. It is more about understanding and trusting that everything happens for us, not to us. For us, in the sense that through enduring pain and facing challenges, we are presented with a crucial choice—to embrace growth and evolution or succumb to victimhood.

As the weekly host of ‘Life Skills’ at the TV show ‘Alpha Kalimera’ on Alpha TV Cyprus, you have a broadcast platform and the chance to impact many lives. How do you use your role to uplift and inspire your audience?

‘Life Skills’ reach and impact many lives and this is something I am grateful for. It is not only about uplifting and inspiring but mainly intriguing people to challenge their thinking, patterns, limitations and beliefs. It is like planting a seed – that will bloom at the right time for them. The way people think, speak and act, are the only things that really hold them back from achieving what they want and becoming who they want to be. People usually blame other people for their unhappiness and find excuses, because they are afraid of facing their truth and take responsibility for their lives. Awareness always precedes change. We cannot change anything we are not aware about.

Being the Regional Director of Global Woman Club Cyprus, you connect with numerous powerful women. How do you foster an environment that encourages empowerment and collaboration?

In the Global Woman Club, our motto is ‘if you want to empower a woman give her a microphone’. As the leader of the Cyprus club, I am cultivating a dynamic and empowering haven where every woman in Cyprus can immerse herself in education, forge connections, and unveil her potential locally and globally. Knowledge is a formidable force, but its true power lies in application. To evolve, women must embrace continuous learning, embark on new experiments, and master new skills. Central to this journey are networking and collaboration, pillars that uphold the creation of a safe space where women can not only show up, stand up, and speak up but also feel seen, heard, understood, respected, celebrated, and appreciated. Our mission extends beyond mere empowerment; we aim to guide women toward authenticity and vulnerability, urging them to own their stories. In embracing vulnerability, speaking their truths, and becoming the authors of their narratives, they, in turn, empower others to follow. Our commitment is unwavering – we practice what we preach, paving the way for others to do the same. We also provide a platform for women to expose their narratives, promoting their businesses and products, initiating a ripple effect of powerful transformations across the globe.

You talk about pursuing desires close to the heart. How can individuals identify these desires, and what steps can they take to pursue them fearlessly?

The only way to identify these desires that are dear to us, is through introspection – that is, what will give us the self-awareness. We need to do the work, there is no shortcut – we need to get to know ourselves at a level deeper than beliefs, expectations and ‘should have’s’. We need to explore what we really love and enjoy doing, as well as what we get excited and passionate about. Our intuition, our inner wisdom, becomes our compass. Pursuing these desires fearlessly is key, as fear is what is holding us back. Fearless means to start before we are ready – with what we have, and how we are, right at this moment. We can always build the confidence, the skills, the team, along the way. Fearless is a state of mind, so working on our mindset, challenging our fears and limitations, is necessary. If our mind can conceive it, and our heart believes it’s possible, then we can achieve it. Having a powerful ‘why’, will fuel not only our passion, but also our perseverance in pursuing the goal. We need to embrace the journey, trusting that one way or another, sooner or later, we will get there. And, finally, it’s all about being committed to our desire, and take relentless action, day in and day out, and do whatever it takes until we get there.

February is the month of love. How can self-love and a positive mindset contribute to one’s personal and professional success?

Being the February front cover is an excellent opportunity to talk about love – yet not in the ordinary way, the Valentine’s way, the ‘I need someone to complete me’ way. Instead, I choose to talk about self-love. Because unless we get to know, love, value, accept, and appreciate ourselves for whatever we have been through, whatever we have achieved, as well as the daily challenges that we overcome, nothing can change. Love, happiness, and fulfilment, always start within. It’s about becoming whole and complete. Cultivating self-love, self-acceptance, and adopting a positive mindset, make us feel happier, more successful, fulfilled, and confident to pursue whatever success we want to achieve. And what is the greatest success, if not happiness?

Your journey involves wearing multiple hats – executive lawyer in multinational corporations, high performance coach, mentor and trainer, mindset expert, author of ‘Success Formula’, motivational speaker, TV host of ‘Life Skills’, and regional director of the Global Woman Club Cyprus. How do you maintain balance and focus while pursuing your diverse passions?

Each of these hats is a source of wisdom, joy, and excitement. Empowering and supporting people to be, do, and have, whatever it is that they desire, has become my mission, making my heart overflow with gratitude, passion, and fulfilment. Each hat challenges me, in a different way, to grow and evolve, both mentally and emotionally. I got to learn new skills, try different things, and gain valuable insights, and experience. For me, the purpose of life is happiness, and happiness cannot exist without progress. Nobody feels happy, and excited when they are stuck, afraid, or in a comfort zone repeating themselves, and living on autopilot. Nothing in this universe ever stays the same, not in nature, not in our bodies – everything is meant to evolve. When it comes to balance and focus, I do not believe that perfect balance can exist. However, I do believe that focus is a form of superpower. Choosing something we love, becoming committed to it, and being present while doing it, giving our 100% of attention, and energy, definitely contributes to our success.

As an advocate for empowering women, what advice do you have for aspiring female leaders looking to break barriers and shatter glass ceilings?

Firstly, to own themselves and their story, honouring how far they have come, and realising that there is so much more they can achieve. Unless they accept and appreciate themselves for who they are, and be grateful about their life journey to date, they cannot tap into their full potential and become the best version of themselves. Secondly, to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. They cannot break any barriers or shatter glass ceilings if they live in fear, or if they want to stay in their comfort zone. It’s about embracing the unknown, accepting the challenges that life throws to them, and seeing them as opportunities to learn. And finally, befriend failure and rejection, because these are just redirections. Committing to themselves is about trying again, becoming resourceful, and never giving up unless they achieve their goals, dreams, and desires.

Your role as a coach and mindset expert involves guiding others to their best selves. What role does gratitude play in the journey towards success?

Unless we are grateful for the precious gift of life and learn to embrace the journey along the way, we cannot become our best selves. Most people are in victim mode, repeating their stories and looking at their past with regret, anger, resentment, guilt, and shame. But that’s not a very empowering way to live. We are the stories we are told and we are the stories we tell ourselves. All the limitations we have, as to why we cannot be, do, or have what we want, are self-imposed. So, gratitude is about reframing from what we are not, have not, do not, to all that we are, do, and have already. Gratitude is about appreciating ourselves, embracing the journey, knowing and trusting that all is for our highest good. Similar to diamonds, our brilliance and resilience emerge through enduring the rigors of challenging processes, allowing us to shine bright and thrive.

‘Powerful Pursuits’ suggests an intentional journey. How do you set and achieve your goals with purpose and determination?

I strongly believe that the potency of any powerful pursuit, lies in its intentionality, anchored by a compelling ‘why.’ A crucial component for success is goal setting, as those who fail to plan inevitably plan to fail. So, is all about sculpting our ideas into clear goals, with a precise timeframe and action plan. Commitment, regular reviews and adjustments, as well as the cultivation of a strong mindset conducive to becoming the person capable of achieving those goals, are crucial. Nothing unfolds overnight, and the path is seldom a straight line. Success is a process and, in my perspective, is more about who you become, rather than what you accomplish.

In your opinion, how does the synergy between mindset and skill development contribute to long-term success in any field?

Success relies on our mindset, our skillset and our actionset. Cultivating the appropriate mindset empowers us to foster commitment and wholeheartedly believe that achieving what we desire is indeed possible. Mastery of new skills facilitates growth, experimentation, and the embrace of a transformed identity. And then, it’s about committing ourselves to the task, investing time and effort, securing the support required, and situating ourselves in an empowering environment. Success involves granting ourselves the space for trial and error, as well as the freedom to embrace failure. Sustaining long-term success requires a commitment to lifelong learning, consistently enhancing and upgrading the three crucial elements—knowledge, skills, and experience—accumulating them continuously along the journey.

Being a part of Global Woman Club involves connecting with diverse women globally. How does this network contribute to the power and strength of individuals within the community?

Our network is our net worth. We are the average of the five people we spend our most time with. In order to thrive, we need to be in the right environment. We need to show up, stand up, speak up, and connect with other like-minded individuals. Surrounding ourselves with powerful women and having an international tribe contributes towards us feeling powerful, supported, and fearless. We can then tap into our power, open ourselves to new ideas and opportunities, and foster friendships, synergies and collaborations. No doubt that we can each achieve great things alone, but we can achieve far greater things together. That’s exactly the spirit of the Global Woman Club. We empower women to own their story, educate themselves, and build their confidence, brand, network, and go global.

Your journey is a testament to the value of continuous learning. How do you stay curious and open to new possibilities in your personal and professional life?

Certainly, continuous learning holds immense value and presents infinite possibilities. Additionally, I would emphasize the importance of perseverance – adopting a growth mindset, flowing with the circumstances, adjusting, and reframing as often as necessary. At times, life becomes uncomfortable, challenging, and even painful to propel us forward, urging us to grow, evolve, and realise our true essence and full potential. These challenges become the catalyst for transcending limitations and stepping beyond our comfort zones. While we cannot control external events, our true power lies in how we choose to respond to them. Personally, I embrace challenge and change with curiosity and openness, trusting the journey, and extracting the outmost value from each and every experience.

What is the message you hope readers take away to fuel their own journeys of empowerment and success?

To embrace and cherish themselves, to live life authentically, and unapologetically. It involves placing trust in the belief that whatever unfolds is ultimately in their favour. It requires viewing challenges as opportunities for personal growth and expansion, trusting that they have all the resources they need to overcome them. Life’s beauty lies in its unpredictability, replete with surprises, twists, and turns, as well as ups and downs – all meant to be embraced, felt, learned from, and ultimately appreciated. Striving to become the best version of themselves is not only a personal journey but also a source of empowerment for others. This, indeed, is the most profound legacy they can bequeath, not only to their loved ones but to the world at large.

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