Zigzag Trail Of Life

“We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”

Joseph Campbell

I came across this zigzag trail of beautifully hand painted stones on my walk earlier today. It depicted the path I’ve travelled on for the last few years. When I decided to throw myself into being an explorer whole-heartedly, I didn’t realise how many zigzags I’d face!

There were times when I faced so many obstacles that all I wanted to do was to hibernate like my favourite creatures, the hedgehogs. But that wasn’t an option. I had stepped beyond the point of no return and there was no looking back. And I soon learned that the more challenges I took on, the easier the decision to take more challenges became. It was as if I was building a new muscle I didn’t know I had!

Every time I faced another puzzle on my zigzag trail and decided to tackle it like my life depended on it, I found a hidden strength or a forgotten resource I hadn’t thought of before. Very often, a new mentor appeared on my path; literally from nowhere!

I persevered until I found my new path. My current reality. A reality that’s aligned with who I am, what I stand for and what I won’t tolerate. A reality that’s congruent to my core values.

And I found myself being the mentor for a younger version of me today. Someone who described what he was experiencing, and he took me back a few years. He showed vulnerability in sharing his story and found someone who’d been there. Exactly what I did back when I became an explorer. Who knows who this young man will inspire and mentor a few years down the line?

When the status quo isn’t leaving you fulfilled, what do you do?

When the call to adventure comes, you have two options:

💥You either choose courage and follow that call. When you do, you will connect with who you really are and what you stand for. You will sense a kind of ease and freedom in living your everyday life. You will become a better version of yourself and become more attractive inside and out.

💥Or you choose comfort and conformity and numb the pain by finding distractions in the form of work, food, alcohol and material possessions. You can be sure that you’re doing exactly as others want you to, and that you’re pleasing everyone else, but yourself.

If you choose courage, be warned! The path to finding fulfilment is not a straight one!

Finding this path isn’t for the faint hearted! Only enter if you’re willing to:

become an explorer
have your deep-rooted beliefs challenged
step outside your comfort zone
let go of certainty
trust your intuition
get out of your head and reconnect with your body
have the courage to let go of your perceived security which in-fact is keeping you stuck!
And most importantly…. Enter this path only if you trust yourself and are willing to trust the process…

If you’re wondering about the process, reach out and I’ll explain.

Love and strong coffee

Vafa x

You’re Never Too Old To Dream

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

I Found this beautiful stone amongst hundreds laid out on my walk today and I thought of the e-mail I received from a client recently.

“Thank you for helping me give myself permission to dream again” he wrote.

The email gave me a warm fuzzy feeling on one level! It reiterated the reasons I love doing what I do.

It also saddened me… At exactly what point in our life, do we remove the permission for ourselves to dream?

Have you ever considered how much of a more free and fulfilled life you would lead if you believed in your dreams and took steps towards fulfilling them?

What sort of a message are you sending your children when you tolerate a mediocre existence and regularly sacrifice on who you want to be and how you’d like to live?

Yes; trust me… they know how you show up! They’re more perceptive than you give them credit for!

Please remember, you’re never too old to dream new dreams…

Just imagine… What would it mean to you to live the life of your dreams?

Curious to explore this further?

Call me if you like my style, and if not, there are plenty more coaches out there whom you may like better.

But please invest time in yourself and pursue your dreams. Because when you do, it’s a different kinda life you’ll be leading. You only get one life and it so deserves to be lived well

Love and strong coffee

Vafa x

Trust The Magic Of Beginnings

“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” Meister Eckhart

I shared this post on our Mind Superheroes facebook page yesterday.

I was delighted to receive quite a few private messages. A few friends and associates texted to say how the post inspired them to start new projects!

It was the first proper day back to work for me yesterday. I had a few scheduled calls with clients and my business community.

In every conversation, I sensed ‘HOPE’ for a new beginning. The new year does that to us. We get a new lease of life! We get a chance to start over and become WHO WE WANT TO BE.

Although it was the first day of homeschooling for children in England. There was intent in making this year a brilliant one by their parents. I love the community I’m a part of. No matter how tough times get, we still remain optimistic. We look for what we have and what is in our power to do to thrive. We support and champion each other.

This is the beauty of surrounding ourselves with people who inspire us, not those who drain us.

One thing if for sure…

It’s been tough for most of us to have had some of our liberties removed by the events of the recent months. But our freedom will never be stripped away from us without our consent. We

are still in charge of our lives in how we respond to each event.
have full control over our thoughts and therefore our actions.
can choose our spoken words carefully. Because we know they have a direct effect on how we will feel and how we strive for results.

As always, investing in our physical and emotional well-being is key to keeping a positive mental health. Whatever that looks for you.

For me, that will include:

Staying connected with my optimistic community.
Sharing laughs, cuddles, kindness and loving gestures with mini me and the rest of the family on video calls.
Journaling the small, steady actions I’m getting to the habit of owning.
Taking my daily walks even more so, when it looks miserable out there and I don’t feel like doing it.
Listening to music to lift my mood and mummy dancing around the kitchen
Keeping hydrated.
Having a healthy diet with a sprinkling of cake to keep me sweet
And what never fails me! Read, listen and invest in personal development

NOW is a brilliant time to trust the magic of new beginnings

Take stock of what you’ve achieved in the last year and be sure to celebrate your wins.
IMAGINE where you would like to be in life and work at the end of 2021.
WRITE a letter to your future self and take yourself through that journey.
MAKE building small, consistent habits your new norm.

You’d be surprised at the magic that’ll unfold at the end of the year.

What are your plans for the upcoming year? It is your birthright to create a life of your choosing.

Reach out if you’re feeling a little wobbly and need listening ears.

Love and strong coffee

Vafa x

Getting Curious…

“Somewhere beyond right and wrong, there’s a garden. I will meet you there” Rumi

In loving memory of CH RIP 💔🖤💔

What’s one of the best pieces of advice you have ever been given?

Mine was to find my Ikigai when I was in the process of redefining my path and kept experimenting with new business ideas.

For years, I had a deep-rooted belief that all I could do for work was the profession I was trained to do. I had invested 25 years of my life in it after-all.

So I decided to become an explorer during which time I met a lot of people from different backgrounds. I became a curious student again and asked lots of good questions. I listened to the stories of many business owners at different stages of their journey. Some were start ups, and others seasoned entrepreneurs. Every single one had a viewpoint and a perspective worth listening to.

The new insights led to the doors of wonder being opened up in my mind where my logical left brain had dominated my outcomes up until that point. It was time to allow the creative right brain to get a turn in determining my future path. It was time to think differently.

I started to question my current limiting beliefs. It was like putting new colour shades on which changed the way the world appeared! I wondered what any of those people would do if they were in my shoes?

I compiled a list of strengths and the traits others valued in me. The activities I enjoyed taking part in. I wrote a list of tasks that motivated me. To take an audit of the things I would gladly do all day every day even if I wasn’t being paid was a useful first step for sure.

I was determined to find something that made my heart sing. And that’s what I now inspire and help my clients to achieve.

I present them with three questions to open the doors of wonder:

What would you do if you had all the time, money and resources in the world?
How would you choose to live if you knew you had a few months to live?
Who could you approach to seek different perspectives from?

I lost a dear friend yesterday. She championed me to the end and was an inspiration. She made everyday count because she knew the end was near. What would you do differently if you knew the end was near?

Let’s remember. You only get one life. Why not live it on your terms. How can you get the life you wish for?

Reach out and let’s have a chat

Say No To Anxiety!

“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” C Spurgeon

I often ask my clients to make a list of all the negative emotions and actions they have been tolerating when they seek my help to reach their Personal Revolution.

I’m sharing mine with you today.

Anxiety! I tolerated it for such a long time that it almost became a way of life. I called it paralysis by over-analysis. until I learned how to collapse the most powerful step in this process and control “it” rather than let it control me.

Don’t get me wrong; a little bit of anxiety is needed to keep us safe, but I’m talking about the kind of anxiety that takes over your mind and body, stunts your growth and stops you from exploring new terrains. Do you know what I mean?

How do you label your feelings of anxiety? How much headspace is it taking, and how much of your precious energy are you dedicating to masking it, fighting it and trying to control it?

Would it not be better to learn to combat it and free yourself up of this debilitating emotion? I did!

As always, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s have a chat if you’re curious about eliminating the kinda anxiety that’s stopping you from reaching for the stars.

Love and strong coffee

Vafa

Time To Stay Deliberately Connected!

“I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own Being” Hafez

Being a proud Shirazi girl, I’ve visited this quote many times during the past year when I’ve been getting used to living by myself, especially during long weekends when mini me has been away from home and I haven’t had plans.

I know there are plenty of you who’d say “we enjoy our own company” but I’m curious to know if your answer is still the same in lockdown times. Because let’s face it, we don’t have the distractions we once did.

I’m an extroverted introvert and adore proximity to people and hugs. But I have to admit that I’m grateful for lessons I’ve learnt in the last year before having lockdown imposed on us, and for getting to like my own company or I’d have found this experience hard!

I’ve still experienced some cracks showing at times because I sorely miss adult human contact. But I’ve been fortunate enough to turn to my vast network of supporters to find relief. I’ve ensured I stick to a structured self-care routine to remain optimistic.

So today, my heart goes out to those of you who feel lonely and are suffering emotionally. This post is a shout out to all of you who live alone. And to those who feel alone even if in company at present time. If you are struggling, please know you’re not the only one; even if some are putting on a brave face.

People come together in time of adversity, so please don’t suffer in silence and ask for help.

Love and strong coffee

Vafa