In 2023, our mental health is just as important as our physical health. While we’re all familiar with the concepts of meditating, journaling, and manifestation, we had the opportunity to speak to Roxie Nafousi, the manifestation queen!
Keep scrolling for some exclusive tips from the author and renowned speaker below…
Roxie Nafousi on positive thinking, finding a work-life balance, and her journey to success…
Cosmo ME: You’ve had a diverse career, from therapy to wellness coaching. Can you tell us about your journey and how it led you to where you are now?
Roxie Nafousi: In my twenties, I really didn’t do anything with my life. I had no career, no purpose, no direction. I was caught up in a very hedonistic lifestyle. But in May 2018, I discovered manifestation listening to a podcast. From that moment my whole world changed before my eyes and I decided then that I would use all of my pain and challenges to help other people so I embarked on this journey of self-development and healing.
I feel very lucky to teach the practice of manifestation to many.
Cosmo ME: What do think inspired you at a certain moment to be so open and have that impact on your followers?
Roxie Nafousi: I didn’t really have any career but I always really enjoyed writing. Marie Claire let me write some online pieces for them, and at the time I was really suffering from depression, so I thought I was just going to write this piece that tells people how I really feel. Mental health at the time was not usually spoken about and I would think I was really uncool, thought they would judge me, thought I was a loser, and I would have a stigma attached to me for saying I was depressed but actually the response was amazing.
I had people saying ‘Oh my god I feel this way too’.
So it just became something I started to do naturally and on my Instagram platform. Just being more open cause I like it when other people are open, it makes me feel connected to them and makes me feel less alone, I feel really lucky I have a community that seems to hold a safe place for me to do that.
Cosmo ME: In your book, you discuss the power of positive thinking and the impacts of our thoughts on our mental wellbeing, do you have any practical tips of your own on cultivating that mindset especially when you’re going through challenging times?
Roxie Nafousi: Yes, positive affirmations or positive affirming statements are so powerful. The way they work is because the subconscious can’t differentiate a truth from a lie. So whatever you say to it, it is believed to be true. Start saying positive affirmations to yourself when you wake up when you start to spiral like: I am enough, I can be anyone I want to be, I’m proud of who I am, I’m grateful for what I have.
Your subconscious will start to believe that the more you say it and find things in your life to support that belief system.
Via @roxienafousi on Instagram
Cosmo ME: What role do you see influencers and public figures like yourself playing in reducing the stigma around mental health and promoting well-being, especially in the Middle East?
Roxie Nafousi: I think firstly, what’s important is you don’t want people speaking about it as a trend. Because now people are talking about it but actually it’s not authentic. I also feel like people shouldn’t be pressured to talk about it because for some people it is still uncomfortable, but if you are comfortable talking about mental health and you do have experience with it and you do genuinely want to help others then I really think people can’t underestimate how powerful it is to talk.
Nobody feels good all the time and all of us tend to think we are the only ones going through it. There is so much comfort to be found when other people speak about it. I can give people support and tools where people can feel like it’s normal and they are normal and I think we can make a really positive change.
Via @roxienafousi on Instagram
Cosmo ME: Where do you think you find that balance, how do you create a healthier balance for your work life?
Roxie Nafousi: This is a journey I’m definitely on. I actually found it really hard to have a balance for a long time and totally burnt myself out many times. But here are a few things that really helped me.
In the morning and after work I have rituals that help me to deregulate and calm my nervous system. The last thing that is really important is having really strong boundaries because I believe when we are at work we want to give it our all, we want to put in all of our energy, dedication, and determination. But you have to have clear boundaries when you’re going to be off completely. So find out what your boundaries are and be really strict with them.
Cosmo ME: What do you think you’ve manifested in your life that you’re grateful for, and how would you convince someone who doesn’t believe in manifestation to practice?
Roxie Nafousi: There is nothing I haven’t manifested in my life. Everything in my life, I have this incredible career, my home, my son, my partner, my confidence in who I am today is all because of the power of manifestation and if anyone doesn’t believe it, they should read my book. It’s the perfect book for skeptics, so practical, so accessible and it’s laid out in these clear seven steps that anybody and everybody can follow.
Via @roxienafousi on Instagram
Head to Roxie Nafousi’s website here to learn more about her workshops and buy her Manifest Book.