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Aaniin. Ariana nindizhnikaaz.

 

 

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here’s what I know to be true

 

Real life begins when you connect with Mother Earth.

When your feet are in the soil, your hands are full of fresh berries, and your body is nourished by foods that begin in the ground.

My approach in my work—whether that work is breathwork, coaching, or facilitating—is guided by nature.

Nature is cyclical. Colonial ways of being ask for linear models of growth & change, however our true blueprint is one that ebbs and flows with the internal + external seasons.

Nature trusts in right timing. The modern world of personal development promotes shortened timelines and a "make shit happen" attitude. A regenerative way forward asks us to embody patience and trust.

Nature embraces rest. Our current system of profit-at-all-costs capitalism asks for 100% output 100% of the time, but one look at the trees in the dead of winter will show you the periods of rest + integration that are required for rejuvenation.

Nature collaborates. Everything in the ecosystem works together for the good of the whole. When a certain Being becomes displaced, the entire ecosystem becomes disrupted. *You* are an integral part of the ecosystem.

Nature does not dictate. Our non-human Kin do not decide what's best for one another. Each Being holds their own innate wisdom that guides how they contribute to + interact within the ecosystem. You are your own best Guide; there is no other individual, course, program, or book who knows what's best for you better than you do.

May we return to nature. May we all remember the roles we're here to play in the ecosystem and to feel free to fulfill those roles in the ways that are most authentic to us. May we appreciate slowness. May we embody titration. May we respect ourselves. May we respect our great Mother.

 
 
 
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may we also remember the medicine we all carry.

 
 
 
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Since 2013, I’ve been helping people reconnect to themselves.

What started as a personal training business fuelled by a desire to be of service & a deep sense of gratitude for how fitness carried me through my first year of sobriety has taken on many iterations in the past decade.

Life coaching, business coaching, spiritual healing. In-person workshops, community events, online courses, freelance writing, consulting, and more.

While on the outside it may look as though I often change what I do, on the inside I know I am simply following the whispers of my spirit. As I grow and evolve, the ways in which I’m meant to share my medicine also grows and evolves.

I’ve had my fair share of existential crises and painful experiences to navigate—healing from a decade of substance abuse and the ongoing colonial impacts of residential “schools” and sixties scoop has had me falling back on the very same tools I support others with many a time.

And while I’ve had a number of breakdowns that left me crying on the floor wondering if any of it was worth it (dramatic, I know), I’ve also been amazed by how resourceful and resilient I—WE—can be.

I can’t help but laugh these days at the breakthroughs that inevitably occur shortly after the breakdowns. It’s a notion that helps me maintain some level of groundedness as I witness and try to navigate the current state of our world. I’m consistently reminded that our internal world can be a mirror of our external world, and vice versa.

I also know that when we’re willing to combine the inner work with the outer work, to trust in our own divine brilliance, and to surrender control to the greater energetic forces at play, that we can create a future that’s brighter for all.

 
 
 
 
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this is me

I’m a mixed heritage woman, with my ancestors on my mother’s side hailing from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, and my ancestors on my father’s side hailing from Methoni in Greece. I’m proud to be reclaiming my Indigenous roots after centuries of attempted erasure and am committed to decolonizing myself and my work.

I’m a Mama, something I have found more purpose & meaning in than I could have ever imagined. I’m in a never-ending dance of finding the harmony between motherhood & entrepreneurship.

I’m a tree hugger, constantly amazed by Mama Nature and her beauty. I love nothing more than an icy-cold ocean dip and tending to my garden is sweet sweet medicine for my soul. While I’m a newbie at this whole homesteading thing, my intention is to support the growing food sovereignty movement by providing my family and community with accessible and organic eggs and produce cultivated with love.

I’m a dynamic being, one that can’t be packaged into a neat and tidy colonial box. So welcome to my world – a collection of contradictions that appear to make no sense, but damnit, do they ever feel right. I’m happy you’re here.

 
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 The Cred

Certificated Breathwork Facilitator - Breathwave Levels 1, 2, and 3. 2019-2020

Earth Medicine Practitioner Apprenticeship - Melanie O’Leary. 2020-2021

Trauma of Money Facilitator - The Trauma of Money Method. 2020

Integrative Wellness and Life Coach - Integrative Wellness Academy. 2016-2017

Personal Trainer - British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association. 2013.

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Places + Spaces i’ve been featured

How Choosing a Flavour of Gelato is Like Getting in Shape: Huffington Post, 2016

The Ugly Side of Self Care: Huffington Post, 2016

Why Perfectionists Should Pursue Mediocrity: elephant journal, 2017

Get Fit and Have Fun at Health Crawl 2.0: A feature about one of my events in BC Living Magazine, 2018

The Importance of Slowing Down: Small Steps Podcast, 2019

Best Meditation Tips to Calm Your Mind: Coach Me Podcast, 2019

An Assortment of Articles About Building a Fitness Business: Trainerize Blog, 2016-2021

How a Fitness Trainer and Business Coach Uses CBD Oil: Interview with Nadya Pecherskaya, founder of Icaria, 2020

Energy and Mindset Work for Success with Business Coach Ariana Fotinakis: Newly Nutrition Podcast, 2020

Syncing Your Work with Your Cycle: Standout CEO Podcast, 2020

What the Heck is Breathwork and How Can it Change Your Mental and Hormonal Health? Holistically Awakened Podcast, 2020

Optimism vs Toxic Positivity - Here’s How to Know the Difference: Guest expert piece for Slice.ca, 2020

Breathwork Playlists We Love: Head Plus Heart Feature, 2021

5 Unique Ways to Work with a Life or Business Coach: Head Plus Heart Feature, 2021

Expanding Our Minds with Ariana Fotinakis: Let’s Grow Together Podcast, 2021

Ariana Fotinakis on Finding a Deeper Connection Within Ourself to Expand and Align in Business: Newly Nutrition Podcast, 2021

Breathwork for Preconception and Beyond: Interview with Below the Bump Coach, 2022

Spiritual Entrepreneurship: Tools to Align with Your Dreams: Guest article in Head Plus Heart, 2022

Starting a Solo Side Hustle: Feature in The Daily Hive, 2022

 

 
 
 
 

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