Once a media personality, Xandra Rocha Araneta is enjoying life as a mother. Indeed, when asked to participate in Lifestyle Asia’s 2018 Luxury issue, the young mother of two boys, Thiago and Maximo agreed, pointing out that the last time she had been on the cover of the magazine, she was just about to embark on the journey of married life. In four years, so much has changed. “I feel like a very different person to be honest,” she says. “Life took me down a path of self awareness and I feel like I’ve gotten to know myself better.”
Despite noting how hard it can be to adjust to a life of much less sleep, Xandra has taken the challenges of motherhood with grace. The best thing about motherhood are lessons my children are teaching me and have taught me even at just 2 years old and 5 months old,” she says. “It’s funny because I always thought it would be the other way around, me teaching them. But, really, it is not; it is them teaching me.”
RELATED READS: Laura Lehmann, Xandra Rocha Araneta and Lauren Liechtenstein Live True Lives of Luxury
One of the best things she’s learned is the importance of self-love and being the best person she can be for herself and her family. To get to this place, she has tried alternative spiritual healing practices to relax, like meditation, kundalini yoga and forest bathing, among other things. “These practices have strengthened my faith and relationship with God, and have taught me to trust in life’s journey. The shift in my perspective has been incredible. I still have a lot to work on, but I love that I am more aware of these things now.”
While Xandra admits to being occasionally strict on things like meal times, manners, bed time, she gives her boys free reign when they want to play. “Everything else I’m pretty chill about. They want to run around barefoot in the garden and make a mess in the mud? Great, go for it! They want to dance in the rain? I’ll dance with them! They want to paint on the walls? I’ll hand them the paint brush!”
RELATED READS: Laura Lehmann’s Beauty with a Purpose Cause Aims to Help Underprivileged Young Mothers Get Fresh Breast Milk
When asked how she wants her sons to grow up, she says “I want to raise children who love and appreciate nature. I want to encourage creativity, to learn that being bored isn’t a bad thing because I believe that’s when they can find fun solutions. I want them to have their own strong values and be confident enough to not feel the need to compromise them, but to also be respectful of those who may have different values and belief.”
She points out how she herself gives back. I believe in ripple effects. So I try to spread kindness and good vibes in my own little way everyday.” While she has charities and advocacies to support, Xandra is a big proponent in spreading small, good cheer everywhere she goes. “I think that small efforts every day make a huge difference in the long run. If you spread happiness and good vibes where you go and pass it on to people you meet you really don’t know how much of an impact it can make it their life,” she says.
On the day of the shoot, she considerately sent a text, foreseeing a delay and apologizing for the possibility of not making it at the appointed time. “Feeding the baby before I run out the door,” she messaged. For Xandra, while things may have changed, she is still the same, kind and patient woman she was four years ago.
Read the full cover story about Xandra Rocha Araneta in the June 2018 Issue of Lifestyle Asia in leading bookstands now. For a digital copy download the FLIP100 app now.
