Everyday famous Lithuanian influencer Agota Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė generously radiates her warmth and light not only to her closest ones, but also to thousands of Instagram followers. Although now her life seems full of happiness and inner peace, it was not always so. Agota learned some hard lessons, that completely transformed her life.

From the age of 18, Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė has been actively travelling around the world as a model. While for many young girls, it may sound as a dream come true, she admits that this impression is far from accurate. As the young woman recalls, her chosen path was not an easy one.

"I believe that everyone’s experience is different, but mine was, so to say, not a walk in a park. Of course, traveling is a very fun, meaningful, revealing and educating experience. The modelling job is also a great learning experience, that teaches independence, responsibility, but at the same time it involves many risks," she says.

In Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė’s case, all the challenges she faced were linked to a lack of self-awareness – she simply did not know her true self.

"You are young, your values are to be set, you have just embarked on the journey of discovering the world and understanding people, so it is quite easy and even tempting to put yourself into some kind of frame of what you should look like, what you should do, how you should act. It involves putting many unnecessary masks, so you risk losing your true self. Also, in my experience, I have seen many girls who have let the guard down to perilous weaknesses. It could be money, alcohol, drugs or other temptations, ultimately leading to unfortunate consequences," she explains.

Fortunately, Agota was fortunate enough to recognize in due time that this way of life and her internal state did not align with what she really wants. She even had reached the point where she felt that enduring such a lifestyle was no longer bearable.

"I felt so terrible that started looking for options how on to change this situation. My life at the time was unbearable. I could not find motivation to get out of bed, not to mention exercising – everything seemed pointless and, even though opportunities for new projects opened up, inside I felt and aching black void," she remembers.

According to Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė, everything started changing and colours began returning to her life after she met one special person who remains important to her to this day.

"When I think about it, I realise that if I had not met my current husband, I do now know how things would have turned out. I met Mindaugas at a conference where he made a presentation on business development. I thought, what could be worse than that? I should go to him and thank for a really good presentation. Now it seems that such a small step changed my whole life. He was the one who gently introduced me to meditation practices and a new family in my life, which now I confidently call my spiritual family," she says.

Now Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė seems extremely happy. On social media, the influencer openly shares her real emotions from everyday life and talks about her experiences because believes that her life is no different from others – anything can happen.

"There are happy moments, and there are extremely difficult, sad ones, but now when I reached inner happiness, they do not change the essence. I have found my happiness in eternal things, such as love, gratitude, humility, sincerity. It was not easy finding and comprehending them. And it still takes a lot of effort, because the journey to self-knowledge and true happiness is endless," she says.

In her search for happiness, Agota had to get rid of certain expectations she had for herself and other people.

"I had to let go of the expectation that I would find happiness in "building" a business, accomplishing something "big" or travelling. Happiness on the outside is temporary, fortunately, I understood it almost instantly. Simultaneously, I managed to know myself all over again – my heart and my core values. That was the greatest gift I could ever get. That’s how I found happiness within: in family, in relationships, in simplicity, in modesty," Agota shares.

Today, Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė requires being introduced as someone who creates peace around and generously shares it with others. Her physical appearance and habits serve as a proof that famous phrase "healthy soul resides in a healthy body" is true, and its foundation is rooted in the notion of healthy lifestyle. For Agota, a healthy lifestyle originates from within and is based on good relationships with family, loved ones and friends.

"I can eat the healthiest foods possible, take the right supplements and be physically active, but if there is some tension or disagreement with my husband, everything feels out of balance, so for me relationships are paramount. Is our relationship perfect? No. Do we make mistakes? Yes, we do, plenty of them, but the most important thing is that we stand together and try to grow stronger as a couple," she shares.

According to the influencer, despite being with her husband for almost five years, only after the wedding she discovered and understood certain things about their relationship.

"Only after the wedding, I experienced a profound change and finally sensed that we really become one. If you have lost relationship with yourself, you will never sense that oneness. I firmly believe we are more than just physical body. We have a soul that we often tend to overlook, therefore, for me personally, the reconnection with God is also very important. It is not about religion or some dogmas. It is an inner, direct faith, which, like everything else, is continually tested," Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė says.

According to Agota’s personal experience, only then other elements of a healthy lifestyle come into the picture.

"Only then, you can incorporate physical activities, healthy diet and other things. Of course, sometimes just a shift to a healthier diet can lead to a bigger change in life. Hence, I think the most important thing is to make some effort and see where it goes," she said.

Nowadays healthy living is very popular; however, people do not even think about or simply overlook the fact that emotional health is one of the key elements when it comes to being an overall healthy person. As Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė has said before, for her the relationships with the people she cares about are very important, but in order to sustain harmonious bonds that have a positive effect on individual’s inner and emotional world, the daily routine is also very important. Specific rituals can even become habits, playing a very important role in our everyday life.

"Less than a few hundred years ago, people were not used to brush their teeth daily, but now it is considered completely normal. For me that is the same with meditation practices. The daily flow of information, extensive communication, demanding work and intense pace of life – all this forced me to focus on my mind, at the same time neglecting my heart. Thoughts race through your mind, there is no being here and now. For this very reason meditation now occupies an extremely important part of my routine. Just like brushing my teeth," Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė explains.

She encourages everyone to find at least 15 minutes a day for breathing exercises, prayer, meditation or other practices that facilitate returning to their inner self. However, the young woman admits from her personal experience that it might not be easy.

"For me meditation was a very difficult task. For about a year and a half I did it consistently, but there was no effect on me. Just like going to the gym does not build up muscle after an hour of exercising, the same holds true for meditation. It takes time to calm the mind. But I was very motivated to transform my life, and that motivation kept me trying, finally I was rewarded with desirable changes," she admits.

According to Agota, in her case, combining meditation with sport did the job.

"When we are physically tired, our mind naturally calms down, relaxes, and we can delve deeper withing ourselves, so, if these my words resonate with somebody, I encourage exploring this combination. Practice of writing is also worth considering. It’s a great way to let out your thoughts, emotions and feelings you have accumulated inside," she advises.

For some individuals volunteering may become the best way of reconnecting with oneself and real life, Agota suggests.

"It’s a great way to come back to "Earth". It’s a way to do something for someone else, not solely for yourself. Volunteering serves as a reminder that life is not all about us, that the whole world is full of suffering. When you help others, you ultimately help yourself first. Without being strong inside, you will not make the world a better place," Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė explains.

Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė regularly shares behind-the-scenes of her everyday life with her followers, and is difficult not to make an impression that she is constantly engaged in lots of activities. Looking at Agota, she reminds of the well-known saying "the more you do, the more you can do". Although this recipe for ideal life may seem rather mysterious and simultaneously complicated, Agota says she is simply trying to find a balance in all aspects of her life.

"I have always been an active person. Maybe this saves me from delving too deep into my mind. When you are constantly doing something, you have less time for bothersome thoughts. Nevertheless, both me and my husband are still in the process of learning how to balance work and time for us. Especially when you’re running a business, it’s very easy to lose yourself in it, because you can always make an excuse that it is your passion, your creative process," says Agota.

Although this may be the case, she thinks it is temporary.

"It’s just a tiny piece of the puzzle of life, we have tried to prioritise things many times. At times, I think what will be the last moments I would remember on my deathbed? Would it be business achievements? The money I earned? The power achieved? Certainly not. I would do anything to revive as many moments as possible spent with my family. Hugs, adventures, open conversations or even challenges met together. It is my personal opinion, but this balance for me is the most important," shares Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė.

People who follow Agota on Instagram have probably noticed that morning is her favourite part of the day. Her mornings are dedicated to various rituals and meaningful activities. Even when travelling, Agota tries to get up as early as possible and experience the ambiance of the morning city or nature. This is very important to her.

"My morning starts with adaptogenic supplement, helping in maintaining internal balance and boosting immunity. Then I either do sports or at least do some stretching. Mornings are my writing time. Usually, I write down at least 3 things I am grateful for – these are things that would make my day more productive. I think this habit cultivates sense of gratitude even for small things in life," says Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė.

After this the young woman allocates at least 40 minutes of her time to meditation.

"It starts with breathing and then I let myself go inward. With such start I feel calmer, everything seems clearer, and, if encounter some challenges in my daily life, this routine helps me to keep my balance. I think, most of my rituals come with experience, and they are not unique. These rituals are widely popular, suggesting they do work," she smiles.

No matter what goals in life she tries to achieve, or in what activities engages, Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė admits that her ultimate current goal is inner peace. In order to achieve this, she spares no time and effort, because it seems that the life itself guided her attention to what is really important. Today, by sharing her experience, Agota is eager to help others. And her advises proves to be both worthwhile and meaningful.

"My every action, every task, every effort comes from within – from my heart. Otherwise, I would not be sure if I do good, if my choices are right. Also, when I feel calm inside, it is reflected in the relationships and communication within our family. And a harmonious relationship based on respect and commitment is the greatest gift one can get. If you feel fear, anxiety, sadness or doubt within, the first step is to accept these feelings, do not ignore them or push away," she says.

It is important to understand that there are no perfect people in this world.

"We all face some inner challenges, but not everyone is brave enough to face them and, more importantly, take action. Many people simply submerge in that suffering and try to numb it with alcohol, drugs, toxic relationships, unaware that we should self-reflect. Accepting how we feel is a very big step," she explains.

According to Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė, in the journey to accepting the problem it is also vital to seek the help you need.

"If you do not want to share this with your family, seek help from professionals, discover communities where people are looking for the same thing as you – inner peace. It is very important to surround yourself with those who will support and understand you. In my case, when my priorities have shifted, I lost some friends. However, there were also a lot of new acquaintances, friends. I got myself a whole spiritual family," shares Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė.

For those looking for inner peace, she has one simple suggestion.

"Together with my soulmates, we have decided to share our experience and invite you to meditations in Vilnius and Kaunas, where you can try these practises and take some first steps towards change. I used to have panic attacks myself, so I highly recommend exploring breathing exercises, which can be extremely helpful in this case," she said.

According to Jakutytė-Kriščiūnienė, anyone who finds her experience or her meditation practices interesting, can always reach her on Instagram.