Celia Joy is one of those women who reminds you to slow down and take it all in. A secondary school teacher and wellness practitioner based in the Scottish Borders, she brings a calm, considered approach to life outdoors — one rooted in connection, not competition.
You might recognise Celia from our On Our Terms launch film, where she was captured practising yoga on the hillside — a quiet moment that spoke volumes. Her story is one of shifting from pushing harder to listening more closely, and finding joy in the simple, everyday rituals that reconnect us to ourselves.
Hi, please tell everyone where you are based and what you do!
Hello, I’m Celia Joy — or Miss Wilson in the classroom.
I live in the Scottish Borders and have called it home for almost nine years. I’ve been a secondary school teacher for nearly three decades — a role I still love — alongside running my own wellness business supporting women through yoga, nutrition and nervous system work.
What’s your favourite way to spend time outdoors?
My absolute favourite way to spend time outdoors is walking with my Labradoodle Daisy and my husband Rab.
After a busy day at school, Daisy is often waiting at the door, eager for her evening walk. There’s no time for a cuppa — it’s straight out for Daisy time. I take my job of looking after her very seriously. She makes me smile in the same way the outdoors does.
Can you share your favourite, memorable outdoor adventure or experience?
About nine years ago, Rab and I moved to Innerleithen for the biking. Back then, I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie — mountain biking, skiing, and tackling big, strenuous hikes and Munros — always pushing my body to the max.
Not long after we moved, our bikes were stolen. It felt like such a loss at the time. Rab joked that maybe we should get a guard dog… and that same day I found Daisy.
Two days later she was home with us — and honestly, everything shifted.
Being outdoors with Daisy, just a precious wee pup, changed me. Life became more responsible, softer, less full on. I began to slow down and really appreciate the beauty around me.
Being outdoors has always been a huge part of my life — I love it. I love nothing more than heading off in the van with Rab and Daisy. Nothing fancy — just being out in nature, cooking outside, enjoying a wee glass of wine by the fire, and looking up at the stars.
Waking up the next day to explore the hills, beaches or riverbanks — wherever we’ve landed — reminds me just how lucky we are.
That, to me, is heaven — my happy place. I feel truly blessed to live in such a stunning part of the world.
How do you manage to find a balance between being active and life’s other responsibilities?
Life as a secondary school teacher can be full on, but I bring my experience as a yoga teacher into the classroom too. I often share simple tools with the students and staff around stress reduction — breathing, slowing down, and taking a moment.
And if someone’s doing my head in… I simply take a few breath and practise a little gratitude. My energy shifts, and often the room settles too.
If I’ve had a particularly hectic day, I’ll walk barefoot in my back garden or sit quietly by the banks of the River Tweed. Not for too long though — Daisy soon lets me know when she’s ready to go!
A daily yoga practice always helps too — I’m not an angel, I just do what I can, when I can.
Is there anyone in particular that inspired your love of the outdoors?
Rab, without a doubt.
He has always loved being outdoors, and that has shaped so much of our life together. There’s a saying — those who play together, stay together — and for us, that feels very true.
We’ve been together since 1998, and he’s still my best friend. So many of our happiest memories have been built outside, just being together.
What role does nature play in your mental well-being?
It’s everything.
Training as a yoga teacher deepened that shift even more. I began to move away from constantly pushing, and instead started to listen — to my body, my breath, my energy.
Over time, and especially through my own experience of menopause, I’ve come to understand that women don’t need more pressure… they need more support.
We need to turn down the cortisol, activate rest and digest, and learn to be kind to ourselves.
Through my work as a nutritional therapist and yoga teacher, I support women who have often spent years giving to everyone else — to come back to themselves. Through nutrition, breathwork, movement and meditation, I help them regulate their nervous systems, balance their energy, and reconnect with who they are.
Nature helps me do that. It helps me slow down, breathe, and reconnect.
Sometimes it’s as simple as stepping outside and letting your shoulders drop.
What’s the one piece of gear or clothing you never leave home without on an outdoor trip?
A merino layer from FINDRA.
Some of mine are years old now — a bit worn, but I still love them. They’re easy to pack, keep me warm, and just feel good to wear.
When did you discover FINDRA?
When we moved next door to the FINDRA shop, I fell in love with the clothes straight away.
I bought my first proper cycling shorts there — ones that actually fitted my waist and my bum — along with a few beautiful merino pieces. I still wear those shorts to this day!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Think before you speak — is it kind, is it necessary, is it true?
On writing this blog, what is your key message to inspire others?
Start small.
Step outside, take a breath, and give yourself a moment.
Practice a little gratitude — especially in the morning — and say one kind thing to yourself each day.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just begin.
Join Celia for your own moment of Joy.
I run weekly yoga classes, as well as workshops and retreats, and I am currently offering a 6-week online Menopause Reset programme, supporting women to rebalance their energy, regulate their nervous system and reconnect with themselves.
For more information on Celia's workshops, follow her on Instagram and drop her a message. @Celiajoynutrition
Sunday Inspiration
Favourite Quote
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates
Favourite Place
Walking in the hills around the Scottish Borders with Rab and Daisy — my happy place.
Favourite Song
“I Feel Love” — Donna Summer
It always lifts my mood and makes me want to dance — I love dancing.
with love from Celia Joy
