Can you share with us a little about your background, experience and your passions in life?

Hi! I’m Justine Antoska, born and raised in the South West Of England, UK. I was always the chubby little kid when I was younger, which made me a great target for bullies at school. I would often put on a ‘face’ and pretend it didn’t bother me and then go home and cry into my pillow. I learned to wear my ‘mask’ of not giving a damn, with a big smile and gradually by the time I was 11 the bullying stopped but by then it had taken away any confidence I had (which was never a lot!)

I went on to do well academically at school but never really knew what I wanted to do – I was always quite envious of those kids that knew from the age of 6 what they wanted to be and often fulfilled that dream.

I got married at quite a young age – sadly my lack of confidence made me ignore the little voice telling me it was a mistake, I was just grateful someone wanted me , but he was controlling and a gambler as it turned out! (Didn’t see that one coming!) The marriage didn’t last very long and soon I was left homeless with my 12 month old son.

It was the lowest point of my life and only my son made me stand up and find an inner strength I never knew I had.

How they can lift a veil and allow you to see things and do things you never knew you’d be capable of achieving.

I started listening to self-improvement audios and watching coaching videos on YouTube and built my confidence up and applied for a Sales Manager job with a housing developer – and got it!

Over the years my confidence grew but I knew the sales job just wasn’t ‘enough’ so I went back to the coaching videos and knew that’s what I wanted to do!

I’ve always been the one friends and family come to for advice and have been told it’s because I never judge – just listen and offer ideas and ask them questions to help them find the answers. Coaching sounded perfect for me.

So that’s what I did and I became a trained Robbins-Madanes coach and just love the fact that I can help people make the changes to their lives that make a real difference. I am also trained in NLP which I find fascinating. Our minds are so incredible!

I am a Personal Development coach and specifically focus on Confidence and Communication. From my own personal experience I know how valuable these attributes are and what a powerful combination of strengths for anyone to possess!

What would you say are your top 3 core values in life?

1. Integrity – if a person shows integrity they also possess honesty and morals, which would lead them to make fair decisions.

2. Respect – I believe very strongly in showing and giving respect not only to others but also to ourselves. Respect creates healthy boundaries and good relationships.

3. Empathy – being able to put yourself in another persons shoes allows for understanding and paves the way for non-judgement of others.

If you could choose any new skill to have, what would it be?

If it was a ‘real’ skill then I would love to learn Hypnotherapy (it’s on my to do list) If it was any skill I’d be a Jedi – just imagine saying to the Tax man ‘this is not the money you are looking for!’

If you could select one piece of advice that you feel the world needs to listen to and bring into reality, what would it be?

Who is your virtual coach/mentor, and why?

Tony Robbins – (predictable? 🙂 I love the genuine regard he has for others and the way he will be honest even if it’s not what someone wants to hear but needs to hear.

What is your “secret ingredient” for a happier and fulfilling life?

Which habit do you think is making you a better, happier and healthier person?

A good self-care routine – it consists of gratitude, affirmations, exercise, mindfulness, reading and time for me to just be with my own thoughts and relax.

How did you build this habit?

I started doing a few affirmations and then found that made such a difference to my mindset at the start of the day and then added in other things that also made me feel good. It doesn’t have to take long – I can do the lot in 40 mins in the morning (and – airing my limiting belief! – I’m not a morning person 🙂

What helps you when you are stressed or anxious?

I love being by the sea – I find it relaxing and brings out my creative side. My mind just wanders and the sound of the water is almost hypnotic! I like walking in the woods too – being in nature is a great way to de-stress.

What book changed your life, and in what way?

Rachels Holiday – it’s a fictional book about a drug addict in denial, despite the other people in her life seeing the truth. It made me understand that we all have our own ‘truth’ and that just because someone doesn’t see things the way you do, it doesn’t make them right and you wrong or vice versa. Becoming a coach reinforced this understanding.

Are you into journaling/bujo? If yes, in what way do you journal?

Yes – I think journaling is very useful. It’s a great way to let the subconscious mind ‘stream’. I usually write a few lines in a notebook, especially if I’m struggling with something. Although writing is the preferred way to journal for most people I also say to my clients to use the voice memo app on their phones if they are out and have a thought they would like to explore more or if they just don’t like writing.

Do you practice mindfulness? If yes, why did you start and what do you like about the practice of mindfulness?

Yes I do practice mindfulness, every morning. I started a few years ago and I found just having that ‘grounded’ feeling stopped my mind running off and trying to predict the future of the day ahead.

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

Hmm – journaling (very odd what can come to the surface when you’re not trying to find it) or I stop thinking about it and do something that takes my concentration so I give my mind a break and usually the ‘answer’ will either just pop up or when I think about it again I have a few ideas and I’ll also discuss whatever it is with a few close people to get their ‘take’ on it.

What is the most unusual thing you are grateful for?

My divorce and being made homeless! Without those things I would never have had this journey and be where I am today. I’m a firm believer in everything happens for a reason.

What makes a “Good Day” a good day for you?

Waking up healthy, getting clients their breakthrough results, spending precious time with my husband, children and parents, having a catch up with my best friend (Fizzy Friday!) and achieving a goal I set myself.

What question I should have asked you by now that I haven’t yet…? What would your answer be?

What is your favorite thing about your career?

My favorite thing about being a coach is seeing the ‘aha’ moment on my clients faces. It’s that look that says ‘That was so obvious! Why didn’t I see that?!’ Every time I see that expression it just makes me grin like a Cheshire cat – it’s priceless. I know that this person is now going to make the changes they want to make and tackle the challenges they need to face, with a different attitude and walk away from me with something they were missing before – confidence in their ability and themselves.

Additional Notes

Discover more about Justine on her website, Facebook or LinkedIn.