We recently connected with Maja Roy and have shared our conversation below.
Maja, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
“Developing confidence and self-esteem has been a deeply personal journey for me. Growing up in a middle-class rural area of Slovenia, I often felt like I didn’t measure up to peers from more affluent backgrounds. On top of that, I struggled with body image issues throughout my childhood, which took a toll on my self-worth. For a long time, I felt like I had to change who I was to be accepted or loved.
It wasn’t until later in life that things began to shift—especially after the loss of my mother, which became a catalyst for deep self-exploration and healing. That period pushed me toward therapy and ultimately to psychedelic-assisted therapy, which proved to be transformative for me. Through that work, I was able to reconnect with my inner child, challenge limiting beliefs, and truly understand that my worth isn’t conditional.
The biggest turning point was learning how to love and accept myself as I am. That’s when confidence stopped being about external validation and became something rooted internally. Today, my self-esteem comes from knowing who I am, honoring my journey, and showing up authentically in all areas of my life.”
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m originally from Slovenia, but I’ve been living in the U.S. for the past 15 years. I first came here to pursue a master’s degree in wine geography, but life gently guided me out of academia and into working directly with wine. From the beginning, I was drawn to organic, biodynamic, and natural wines—not just for their taste, but because of the consciousness and care that these winemakers bring to tending their land and vines. I later realized it wasn’t only the wine that fascinated me, but the energetic connection—the relationship between earth and spirit—that truly captivated me.
That realization deepened after the passing of my mother, which marked a profound awakening in my life. It catalyzed a conscious shift in how I live, eat, move, and serve. This transformation naturally led me into organizing and facilitating conscious events and retreats. Becoming a mother was another initiation that opened me further, and through therapy and psychedelic-assisted healing modalities, I discovered a whole new dimension of personal and professional purpose.
Today, my work is multidimensional. I still host wine events, classes, and retreats—blending sensory experience with mindfulness—but I’ve also become a certified Kundalini Activation facilitator. I offer sessions both in-person and online, and I co-run a business called WITHIN with my partner Sarah in Tennessee. Together, we hold women’s circles, EFT tapping sessions, Kundalini Activation events, and support people through our online integration membership.
My life is beautifully split between Tennessee and Slovenia. In Slovenia, I host immersive retreats like our upcoming Wine & Mindfulness retreat, which is already full, and I’m preparing a new one in Istria, Croatia this fall. Long-term, I envision building two retreat centers—one in Knoxville and one in Slovenia—where people can come to connect deeply with themselves, with nature, and with spirit.
In essence, wine was the doorway—but my true work is helping people remember and realign with the intelligence of their own energy.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three most impactful elements in my journey have been strong communication skills, adaptability, and the life education I gained through travel.
Communication skills—including confidence, emotional intelligence, and the willingness to speak up—have opened doors that technical skills alone couldn’t. I learned early on not to be afraid of making bold or “unreasonable” requests, and that being clear, direct, and empathetic in communication builds trust and influence across all kinds of relationships.
Adaptability has become a second nature. I’ve developed the ability to stay grounded and effective even in unpredictable or high-pressure environments. I’m comfortable being uncomfortable, and that mindset has helped me grow faster, learn on the go, and lead through uncertainty.
Travel—especially starting young and doing it independently—has been one of the most valuable forms of education in my life. Since I was 15, I’ve traveled solo and stayed on people’s couches in unfamiliar countries. These experiences taught me cultural fluency, resilience, and how to problem-solve in real-world situations that no traditional classroom could replicate.
My advice to folks early in their journey – solo travel as much as you can, live in different countries and spend time living with different families, always be curious, if you find yourself bored means you are not trying hard enough to experience your surroundings (maybe you can help someone, maybe you can learn something), never assume that other people are “better” just because they are more experienced – confidently approach everyone with a large amount of curiosity.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
One of the most impactful books in my personal development journey has been Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza. This book fundamentally shifted the way I think about myself and about the relationship between my thoughts, emotions, and reality that I am creating as a result. It challenged me to take full responsibility for my internal state, and it introduced me to the powerful idea that lasting change comes not from external circumstances but from rewiring the mind and my habits of thinking at a deep, subconscious level.
A few things that really stood out to me in this book:
“Your personality creates your personal reality.” This simple but profound concept made me realize that if I wanted a different life experience, I needed to change the thoughts and behaviors that were keeping me stuck in the same patterns. I keep this sentence in my mind at all times and it serves me almost like a tool – it always helps me to remember to stop, center and ground myself, pick a better-feeling thought and elevate my vibration in that moment no matter what – sometimes can be dancing, sometimes meditation, sometimes I need to go do a hard work-out, anything to help me get out of my lower vibrational state.
The fascinating science of neuroplasticity – understanding that the brain is malleable and can form new connections based on intentional thinking and feeling gave me hope that change was truly possible—not just temporarily, but permanently. We can alway change how we are ‘wired” no matter the age!
Meditation as a tool for transformation. Dispenza emphasized that meditation isn’t just about relaxation—it’s a deliberate practice to disconnect from the old self and step into the energy of who you want to become. This reframed how I approached mindfulness and visualization in my daily life. I pick a better thought, I visualized a desired future and then I live it as it has already happened.
Overall, the book helped me realize that transformation starts from within and that by breaking the habit of being myself, I could become someone entirely new—by design, not by default.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wineforte.com
- Instagram: wine_forte
- Facebook: Maja Roy
Image Credits
@inesimages
Ines Krives – Ines Images Studio
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