Health and wellness influencer Makaia Carr shares her advice on self-love

''You deserve happiness and success, no matter where you are from''

By Now To Love with POWERADE
Why is it important to promote positive body image, confidence and self-belief?
I know from personal experience that when you can start believing in yourself and finally showing true self-love one's ability to succeed in our goals and dreams goes through the roof. We start living in a true space of self-love, which impacts on our intentions and actions, leading us to what we should be truly doing in this world.
What does being healthy mean to you?
Listening to my body and my mind, and being able to give it what it needs to live a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. Plus, drinking lots of water, eating lots of vegetables, being active and getting lots of sleep.
How has your idea of health changed over time?
As I've aged, I've learned to be much kinder to my body by training differently, pulling back and resting when I need to. I am also looking at myself with kinder eyes, not being negative or making choices because I don't like something or the way I look, but making them because they make me feel happy and at peace.
What does your own fitness regime currently look like?
A mixture of Reformer Pilates, Bodypump and Conquer at Les Mills Auckland City. Followed by eating at a local eatery to refuel and drinking POWERADE Active Water to keep hydrated.
I have also played a lot of netball and basketball throughout my life, but since tearing my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) a couple of years ago, I've struggled to get back into it competitively. I want to improve my fitness to get one more year of club netball under my belt in 2020, so that goal is something that a lot of my exercise programme is being tailored to this year.
How do you deal with hard days?
As easy as it is for me to hold it in, I try really hard to talk it out with someone. More often than not, this really does help. However, there are definitely times when I just want to eat pasta, drink red wine and go to bed and hide away.
Who or what inspires you?
My family and friends inspire me to try and be a better person than I was yesterday, last week, last month. I won't be perfect, but I just want to try and improve my relationships with the people I love.
If you could tell every woman one thing, what would it be?
Walk tall, put your shoulders back, smile, let your heart fill with love and know that you belong here. You deserve happiness and success, no matter where you are from or what you look like.
I feel that so many women let their past determine who they are today, or believe because they are from this town, or didn't go to this university or their skin is this colour that they are "not supposed to" have a happy and successful life.
Do you have any advice for other women in business?
My biggest piece of advice is to be really clear on what you're offering and know who you are targeting. Don't get too distracted or try and offer too much.
Also, be really passionate about something – ideally the product or service, but it may be the people, the growth, the potential for sale or whatever. Know that it's your passion or dream that will help get you through the tough times or the days where you just want to give up.