At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Meetu Mohanty. Meetu is an Entrepreneur, NLP Practitioner, Life and Leadership Coach and Soft Skills Trainer. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background, and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Meetu:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I am a Life coach, Soft skills Trainer, and NLP practitioner. I am also an Access bars and Reiki practitioner. My journey has been a complete roller coaster, some parts I have enjoyed, some not so much. Everything has contributed to being who I am today. I come from a place known for education, and spirituality that is Allahabad.
I also have a great interest in music since I come from a family which had great musicians. My father was a Radio Artist in percussion instruments and my mom was a vocalist. My childhood has been full of emotional struggles since I lost my mother when I had just turned into a teenager.
The grief never stopped me from doing my hard work in my studies though because my father was always there to support me. I completed Bachelor’s in Chemistry and then did a year and a half course in Computer Science.
Though I was a single child and we had enough, I was always inspired to work and earn since I had always seen both my parents working. I started my professional journey as a content writer in Mumbai and then for some time worked as a faculty in a computer training institute in my hometown. I was fortunate to have a small stint with an International non-profit organization as a part of the administration and training team, which has contributed to a great extent in changing my perspective about how we can impact lives by contributing selflessly towards society and its greater good.
When I was in my late 20s life hit me again and I lost my dad to illness. I did not actually get enough time to even grieve because I had become bankrupt due to the medical expenses for my dad’s treatment and what was more important in front of me was supporting myself emotionally as well as financially.
Working from home has become more popular in the pandemic but I had been working from home since the year 2002 since I could not attend regular office, to take care of my dad. ! I also completed a course in Business Administration from IMT, Ghaziabad. For 1.5 years I worked as a technical support person for an MNC in NCR which is an outsourcing company.
During this tenure, I fell seriously sick and it was a life and death situation. When the doctor broke the news to me I remember telling him, “ I am not afraid of dying but if I live, I want to live well”. I underwent a major surgery and came out victorious again because I think I had not given up on life and I had the support of the organization I worked for, a few friends and an extended family who I could count on.
Some supported me unconditionally to get back up. As I recovered, I shifted to the field of Operations and Management in the IT industry and eventually to Human Resources where I got a chance to work with clientele from different parts of the world, mostly focusing on Learning and Development and Change Management. Throughout this journey, a few of my very close friends supported me like a rock.
I got married in 2007 and the same year I lost my infant newborn. Life was giving me emotional blows one after the other. This time though I had the support of family I fell into depression but chose to come out of that without medication in spite of the doctor warning me. I think that was my willpower and grit which helped me.
I did take alternative therapy though since I was sponsored for a hypnotherapy learning workshop (in Patna) once by the international organization I was working for and I knew how the mind works. I was always so excited to work that I did join work again but had to leave because of my medical condition for conception. I had joined a professional Learning and Development course from ISTD, which I had to stop because it was a regular course back then and there was no online learning option. I was blessed with another baby in 2010.
That is when I took a break on choice to be with the family. The break got extended too long because after so many losses I had become overprotective of my child and did not want to leave in anyone else’s care. I have returned to work after a long gap! I have overcome my own limiting beliefs and self-doubt because of the gap and constantly working on myself to be a better version every day.
During the break also, I never stopped learning. I joined music classes and learnt a new instrument. Did some self-help courses as well. Now here I am all set to take on the challenges and enjoy my professional journey again. I have also done an NLP practitioner course from Bangalore and now I am an aspiring coach doing the PCC pathway from ICF (International Coaching Federation).
I look forward to facilitating changing lives through the coaching approach. Interactive Training is something I enjoy because I go deep into learning myself before imparting it to others. The motivation always remains self-fulfilment and my own growth and learning which happens in the process.
How did you discover your passion as a ‘Coach’?
I had no idea of becoming a Coach. I am a people person and always wanted to choose a career which helps me grow while helping others move ahead by working through their problems, listen to them and being present for the ones coming to me with their issues and providing guidance to the best of my abilities and knowledge.
Others found me empathetic and approachable. I had a totally different perspective about coaching till I was interviewed before choosing this journey. That is when I came to know that the coaching process was all about making the client realise their own potential and trusting that each person has the answers to their problems, and they have the ability to work it through on their own.
I realised that coaching is something which was congruent with my values and greater purpose in life and gave me self-fulfilment. As a coach, I facilitate and support the individual to come to their own self-awareness. I think coaching is a divine intervention and is all about respecting that everyone has the capability and resources to create life the way they want.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
What drives me is my passion and an innate desire to make this world a better place through uplifting people and having more kindness in the world by helping them realise who they are through self-awareness. I have faced a lot of challenges in my life and understand what the feelings of fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and helplessness are.
I was able to overcome every challenge with my grit and determination and of course by the unconditional support of a few friends and some family members. Therefore, it gives me a sense of joy to see empowered people, who believe in themselves and walk away after my session with a sense of self-belief, while rising above their perceptions of problems and situations. It is very fulfilling to see how someone felt relieved by letting go off their limiting beliefs and now see themselves in a different new light.
I can keep going despite the challenges because of my never give up attitude and the trust that things happen for us and not to us. I am an avid reader and have a great collection of books from great writers which are a source of inspiration and guidance to keep up in the challenging times. Spirituality is something which comes to me naturally and that plays a great role in keeping me balanced in any adverse situation.
Learning is something which never stops for me whether it is from life or a professional course. I am presently enrolled on a Radio program where I am learning RJing, and voice-over.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
The first biggest source of motivation is the childhood lessons ingrained in me by my parents who I had seen striving hard, having the courage to stay true to themselves and serving people with kindness.
That’s the biggest reason I feel, I became the person who believes in always moving ahead by overcoming my own limitations, fears and beliefs while constant work on myself.
The third biggest source is my husband and two of my very close friends who I met in my 30s and who I have seen never quitting on hope and growth while balancing life no matter what came their way. I always was very inspired by them and they had a great impact and influence on shaping my thoughts in the longer run.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
> Spirituality helps me stay grounded.
> Being resilient had helped me to stay strong and move through the toughest times.
> Having an optimistic outlook never let the difficult times take over.
> Keeping the faith and trusting the process of the universe/God/consciousness has always given me the courage to keep going and know that things happen for our growth.
> Continuous work on self and learning for growth.
> Hobbies like gardening, art, music helped me stay calm and, travelling to different places, meeting different people helped me broaden my perspective on diversity and inclusion.
> Count my blessings.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
There is not one that can fit all but here are some which worked for me:
(a) Accepting people as they are and setting boundaries (Which I learnt as life happened).
(b) Taking responsibility for my actions and decisions.
(c) Never give up on hope in difficult times.
(d) Loving and taking care of myself as much as others. (Again this was self-realization)
(e) Believing that change is the only constant and nothing is permanent.
(f) Growth happens with some amount of discomfort.
(g) Without action, knowledge cannot be utilised.
Here is a reminder which I always give myself when I go into a blame mode ever:
Blaming takes away your power and turns you into a victim. When you take responsibility, you take your power back. Self-awareness is the key to realization.
What advice would you give to our readers?
No matter what profession you choose, it is important to know that what is significant about the profession for you, how does it align with your, beliefs, values, and bigger purpose.
How choosing that profession, would impact you and others in the journey and how can you utilize it to make greater changes in your lives and that of others.
One answer does not fit all, and you have all the answers you are looking for. You create your life every moment with the choices you make. Life may seem stuck for a while, but the only way is forward. When there is no one to guide you or you are not sure, follow your inner guiding compass.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Even though I have not been on the coaching journey for very long, and yet in the process of learning and discovering, when I get feedback from the clients, and they say that they are looking forward to the next session with me is what makes me feel glad about choosing coaching as a career.
When the clients have a breakthrough and experience a shift, something also changes in my own being and propels me to do more and continue to work on myself for doing justice to my profession.
Talking to different people is what I enjoy and especially one on one conversations I feel are very precious and meaningful in a fast-paced world today where two people partner with each other to make progress.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
