RTDM: Ainara Varela Pino
Ainara Varela Pino
Fitness, holistic and Dance expert
Turks and Caicos
Briefly tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you're living your dream?
I was born in Bilbao, Spain. Since I was little I always wanted to travel. I loved adventure. After graduating I moved to Glasgow where faith intervened and I got to study one of my passions, dance. I performed in many productions and I met the love of my life, Rich. After six years in Glasgow we moved to New Zealand where I felt in love with fitness and snowboarding. Two years later we sailed the South Pacific Ocean to get to Fiji on a green peace boat and as part of a charity project to help the indigenous of some isolated islands over there by donating the boat. It has been the most experience EVER as yet. After being in the Polynesia for a while we moved to busy London and I become a very successful group exercise manager in one the top ten virgin Active health clubs in London but not without a lot of hard work, too much stress and almost loosing myself in the middle. Five years later we decided to move to Turks and Caicos, a British overseas territory that is beautiful by nature. I went back to my passions , teaching and dancing and ever since coming here we have not look back. We absolutely love it . We go kiteboarding in our lunch breaks , dive in the weekend, socialize a lot and enjoy our jobs, the climate and the nature so much!
How do you define success?
Anything that has originated from a calm, kind and devoted place and that makes you wake every morning with a smile
What did it take to make your dream happen and how do you make it sustainable?
It took courage as we had to leave our families behind, it took patience as we had to adjust to another culture and it took a risk as you don’t know if the grass is greener on the other side but it is in this case!
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
I am proud of being a ballet teacher in the BBC dancing with the stars, proud of directing three dance productions on island which is a lot of work and patience while we raised $8000 for charity. !’m proud of winning a sprint triathlon in 2013 in London and to sail the South Pacific Ocean for charity.
What was your biggest obstacle/fear and what was your turning point?
I felt always the stranger as I was always the foreigner in the countries I have lived after leaving home, Spain. However , now I look back and I am so happy for it because it has make me more open minded, to value cultures and to love myself more for it. I think my biggest fear or obstacle is not to be true to yourself and to regret later not doing something.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
BE PATIENT!!!
How do you stay motivated and purposeful when you feel overwhelmed?
I a.ways go back to meditation, to my motivational books and movies. Back inward to bring awareness to what is truly important. Be kind, be honest , be authentic and smile
Tell us a time when a perceived failure was actually a blessing in disguise or served you in a surprising way.
I got fired from a job and although I thought it hurt my ego, later on it was the best that happened to me as I got time after to find the job that would be better for me...so the universe knew better
What is your favorite vice/guilty pleasure/strange habit? Come on now, we all have them!
I like talking out loud to myself in the car lol
What's the smartest investment you’ve made for yourself?
A masters in Neuroscience and psychology
What’s MOST important to you right now?
Have a balanced life
Share 1-2 books that have impacted you the most:
The Peaceful Warrior and The Little Prince
What's something surprising about you?
I speak the Basque Language which is from the Basque region. Nobody knows where it comes from but still survives thanks to the Basque government and its education system.
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