Yogi Diaries: Aquila Bergstrom @paradisefound
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YPC: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Aquila: I grew up on the Sunshine Coast and looked forward to annual trips overseas to see the other half of our family. I have always had a deep love for the sea and the sky, and if I could flash back to my earliest dreams in primary school, I’d never have thought it could all be possible to cram it all into one life. I never was a kid that had one dream, I had about ten different ones, probably due to raging ADHD and an extremely vivid imagination. Flash forward to now, I’ve lived and or worked in 44 countries, have a degree in Public Relations that I swiftly swapped for one in Anthropology. Then during my studies (which 90 percent was conducted online), I was working as a travel journalist and a model before winding up in the yachting industry. I then got displaced when the glorious COVID 19 hit and moved from the Caribbean islands straight back to Australia with pretty much no way to work, cheers to every single thing I was qualified to do being an offshore industry or a position that revolved around tourism. I spent two weeks cooped up in hotel ISO in Sydney before I was allowed to come back here to QLD and I cannot even describe how that time alone to myself with literally no escape, was the best thing to happen to my life. I was over working away from my partner in the yacht world, and thought that I should at least just call around to different flight schools to see if I could try and study aviation while this lockdown took place, and sure enough I’ve gone solo and am on the pathway to having a commercial pilots licence in the next year.
YPC: What is your morning ritual?
Aquila: With live being a crazy cluster of different career paths running on similar timelines, I cannot stress enough how important a morning ritual can be to keep some form of sanity and structure in your life. The first thing I do when I wake up is make my bed, it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something already and sets the day in a positive motion forwards… Also, there’s the epic bonus of jumping in a made bed at the end of the day! Next ritual is a really short 5 min yoga sequence that I love to do just to wake my mind up slowly and stretch out everything before a big day :) Then it’s shower time, and I know its not good for you buttttt the hotter the better in winter and in summer I love the cold outdoor shower. The only other things that makes my morning ritual amazing is ensuring there are no televisions or annoying radios on anywhere near me and enjoying a cup of coffee or chai while I watch the sun come up over the ocean at home. Also, a cheeky Lola dog cuddle.
YPC:What activities bring you joy?
Aquila: Lola dog cuddles, Longboarding, yin meditation, flying, SAILING, visiting off the grid cultures and documenting their way of life, anddddd of course ART
YPC: What are your top 3 tips for feeling happy from within?
Aquila: Doing what you love to do, regardless of people’s lame opinions. I can’t tell you how many people have asked me why I keep going back to school (my mother included- bless her cotton socks), but truly the most mentally freeing thing I’ve finally learnt to do is to be unapologetically sure of what you enjoy in this very moment and not feel the need to justify to other people around you in five years time if that idea of what you love has changed shape. Everything needs to change to evolve so, for me that’s the most important thing.
Second tip, LAUGH lots and laugh often. Do not take life so seriously that you miss out on all the joy and positivity around you. I could easily be neutral and rather introverted or a stress head or perfectionist at school or work, but how boring. Also sweet perks to laughing at nothing regularly is abs without going to the gym- yup you’re welcome.
Last thing to feel happy from within, is love yourself the same way you want your partner or dream partner to love you. Take yourself out for breakfast, go swim in the ocean, do a face mask at home in a bath on a non- special day just because you can, wear nice essential oils, have positive self talk, and if you suck at all that start a gratitude journal. Also, plants in my room really really really have changed my happiness levels.
YPC: What is your favourite Happy Recipe?
Aquila: Ginger, Carrot, Pineapple, mint juice anddddd savoury muffins with tomato relish (can get you recipes for both)
YPC: What is your favourite song that brings you happiness?
Aquila: My man Andre and I’s song, “Geowulf- Saltwater” or my dear friend Elle Musa and her song "Mango Pops”. Both these artists are local and their music is just as dreamy as it is tropical- BIG YES and I may also be just super proud of local talent, they’re both killing it!
