Ilana Kosakiewicz is a kinesiologist, retreat facilitator, and energy mentor helping women move from burnout to balance. After a personal health crisis forced her to walk away from corporate life, she began rebuilding from the inside out—trading hustle culture for cyclical living and intuitive rituals. As the founder of Ilana K, she now teaches others how to reset, restore, and reclaim their energy through movement, nature, and the seasons. In this interview, Ilana shares how she maps her life to the lunar cycle, protects her energy with firm boundaries, and why sometimes the most powerful action is doing absolutely nothing.
What does the first hour of your day usually look like? Are there any non-negotiables that help you start in alignment?
The first 30 minutes to an hour of my day is sacred. As a mum, business owner, and energy mentor, I’ve learned that how I begin my day deeply impacts how the rest of it unfolds. My non-negotiables include no phone until after I’ve had some quiet time.
I usually start with a warm drink—either herbal tea or lemon water—followed by a grounding practice like five minutes of journalling, meditation, yoga, or heading out for a beach walk. In the warmer months, this ritual also includes a beach swim (hopefully no more stingrays—read below!). These rituals help me ground and connect before I give to others.
You’ve lived through burnout, chronic fatigue, and major life pivots. What’s something you understand now about energy that you wish you’d known earlier?
That energy is everything. Everything we do is a form of energy. And that my energy—and having energetic boundaries—is my responsibility. My passion is teaching women to manage their energy. I used to push through exhaustion, thinking productivity equaled worthiness. But chronic fatigue taught me that the body keeps score. I now understand that rest is not laziness—it’s deeply productive. If I had known earlier how vital it was to listen to my body, honour my cycles, live within the seasons, and prioritise energy management, I could have avoided years of depletion.
Your work blends ancient wisdom with modern practices. How do you stay grounded while holding space for others in such a personal way?
Staying grounded is a commitment. I regularly use my tools—including kinesiology, essential oils, yoga, meditation and acupuncture—to reset and recalibrate. Nature is my sanctuary—I walk outside, spend time in my garden, or soak in the ocean when I can. I also have non-negotiable energetic boundaries: I clear my space and energy after each client or event, and I schedule regular “white space” in my week to rest and receive. I can’t hold space for others if I’m not holding space for myself first.
Can you talk us through a recent moment where you had to slow down and really listen to your body? What did that look like in practice?
Earlier this year, just after the summer holidays, I was eager to dive back into work. My daughter had just returned to childcare, and I was ready to start planning the year ahead. But truthfully, I was already running on empty—juggling full-time parenting over the break while still seeing clients had left me depleted.
Then, in a moment I’ll never forget, I was stung by a stingray during a 7am swim.
The sting was incredibly painful (I ended up in Emergency) and shocked my entire body and nervous system—this event was deeply symbolic. Stingrays are known to represent sensitivity, intuition, and hidden emotional currents. To me, the sting was a literal and energetic wake-up call from the universe: slow down, reset, and stop pushing. It reminded me that I have my whole life ahead of me to share my life’s work.
I had to cancel sessions, press pause on plans, and let my body (and energy) fully recover. It reminded me that even with the best intentions, forcing our way forward doesn’t work when the body and spirit are asking us to be still. Sometimes, the most aligned action is no action at all.
You often talk about cyclical living. How do you plan or structure your weeks and months around that rhythm?
Cyclical living is central to everything I do. I plan my business around the lunar calendar, seasons and my menstrual cycle. For example, I schedule high-energy activities—like speaking, launching, retreats or teaching—during ovulation or the waxing moon, and reserve slower tasks—like admin, journalling, or retreat planning—for the new moon or my bleeding.
Each month, I check in with the moon phases, my energy levels, and my commitments, then adjust my calendar accordingly. It doesn’t always align completely, but I’m very mindful of creating more white space and maintaining energetic boundaries during these times. Planning in this way has brought more ease, flow, and alignment into both my personal and professional life.
Running retreats, mentoring, managing your own energy—it’s a lot. How do you create boundaries around your time and space?
I’ve learned that boundaries are an act of self-respect. I schedule rest and recovery into each week, especially around events or fuller work and life periods. I have clear work hours, and I check in with my energy daily to adjust things accordingly. I protect my weekends—especially Sundays—and create intentional digital detox days.
I also let people in my world—clients, team, family—know when I’m in creation or recovery mode so expectations are clear. My calendar is colour-coded with energy in mind, not just tasks, and I’ve learned to let my intuition guide me. This helps me honour my energy and life season flow. My boundaries are generally firm, but there’s also room for flexibility and adaptability.
Finally, what advice would you offer to someone who feels constantly depleted, but doesn’t know where to begin reclaiming their energy?
Start small. Reclaiming your energy doesn’t require a massive overhaul overnight. Begin by asking yourself: What is draining me? and what nourishes or lights me up? Then gently make space for more of the things that energise you. Simple things—like prioritising sleep, hydrating well, spending ten minutes in nature, resting, and unplugging from devices—can make a big difference.
Most importantly, learn to listen to your body and inner guidance. It’s always speaking—through symptoms, moods, and fatigue. Rebuilding your energy is a journey of reconnection, not perfection. You might need to do an energy and life audit. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone—support is always available. Be sure to ask for it.
