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 Sadaf Saeed for an exclusive interview with us. Sadaf is an Entrepreneur, Psychologist and Founder of Blooming Souls & Psyche Pvt Ltd. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Sadaf:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
The extensive journey spanning over 9 years has been incredibly enriching and diverse, offering me invaluable lessons from my mentors, friends, teachers, and colleagues. Speaking of my leadership development, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Mr. M. Valli, a Padma Shri awardee, and Dr. Gayane, a distinguished cardiologist. Both individuals played pivotal roles in shaping my character and nurturing my leadership and creativity skills.
Take, for instance, Dr. Wali’s remarkable demeanour—his kindness and humility are truly exemplary. Despite attending to multiple patients simultaneously, he maintains his composure and wears a constant smile. His unwavering patience taught me the importance of kindness not only towards others but also towards oneself. He instilled in me the belief that we mustn’t burden ourselves unnecessarily.
Reflecting on creativity, my tenure at Rashtrapati Bhavan tasked me with managing five assignments simultaneously. This experience profoundly influenced my creative abilities and contributed significantly to my growth. Indeed, my five years of training at Rashtrapati Bhavan have played a pivotal role in shaping the individual I am today.
How did you discover your passion?
Basically, facing challenges isn’t an easy task for anyone. Like others, it wasn’t easy for me either. But I always have this one mindset: never give up. No matter what, Sadaf, you don’t have to give up. It’s your attitude that helps you overcome challenges.
If we stay positive and have a clear vision, we can definitely overcome every challenge. Each challenge then becomes a step toward success rather than a hurdle. So, mindset is crucial. My principles are grounded in being ethical and moral. I have certain values in my life; I won’t exploit my knowledge just because someone else needs it. The fundamental principle I abide by is empathy and unconditional positive regard.
My mindset is never to give up. I have a fixed vision that I have to achieve, no matter what. That’s the attitude that will shape my future and turn obstacles into opportunities.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
I am deeply grateful for being a psychologist; these are not just words of gratitude, but a profound sentiment. I didn’t actively choose this field; rather, I believe that psychology chose me.
The impact of this work on my personal growth has been immense, transforming me from within. Contributing to the well-being of society, fostering community connections, and positively influencing others brings me great fulfilment.
Receiving messages from my clients, expressing gratitude and referring to me as an angel sent from above, fills me with immense joy. These messages hold significant meaning for me, indicating that my purpose is being fulfilled. Building connections with people has become easier for me now.
Previously hesitant to initiate conversations, I now not only engage but also assist others in identifying their difficulties. My aim is for people to remember me as someone who provided significant help when needed.
This particular line of work has moulded and refined me into a humble and compassionate individual, leaving a lasting impact on my character.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
In my view, success is defined by fulfilling one’s purpose and finding happiness in what you do. It’s not solely about earning a six-figure salary; rather, it’s about contentment in one’s work. For me, finding joy in my pursuits makes me successful. I also follow certain benchmarks I’ve set for myself, as the journey unfolds and encounters various people and experiences.
Starting from my humble beginnings as an intern at Rashtrapati Bhavan, to now founding Blooming Souls Pvt Ltd and being invited to share my expertise on national television and radio channels, it’s been a gradual progression. I never aimed for a sudden leap; instead, I took each step with care and diligence. I’ve had the privilege of learning from remarkable individuals along the way, including a Padma Shree awardee and a Presidential Gold Medalist clinical psychologist.
My journey has included diverse experiences, from freelancing during the COVID-19 pandemic to working in hospitals, accumulating invaluable expertise. Today, having gathered these experiences, I’ve ventured to establish my own organization. Each benchmark was achieved through patience and perseverance, one step at a time.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
If I reflect on my journey, it’s been filled with unexpected twists and turns before I entered this field. I successfully cleared the PMT (Pre-Medical Test) and qualified for MBBS college.
However, a tragic event turned my life upside down. There was a period where I secluded myself from the world, spending four years confined to my room due to acute depression resulting from the tragedy. I lost all connections during that time, and reclaiming my former self seemed like an impossible task.
The journey began from seeking help from a psychologist to eventually becoming one. It’s a beautiful journey because, at this point, I understand that every obstacle and setback serves a purpose. The hurdles I faced in pursuing PMT led me towards psychology, a field that was manifesting me. Initially, I had no intention of becoming a psychologist.
However, a nervous breakdown led me to seek medical help, but conventional doctors couldn’t diagnose my condition. It was a local BUMS doctor, in my locality, who played a pivotal role in my life. He candidly told me that “while I aspired to be like Amitabh Bachchan, I was merely selling potatoes”. This candid truth led me to seek guidance from a psychologist, who suggested that if I desired to pursue a career in medicine, I should consider psychology and aim for an M.Phil.
As for awards and recognition, I believe every individual who is a contender for this award deserves acknowledgement., I feel that my journey from seeking help from a psychologist to becoming one and receiving the Mental Health Leadership Award in 2024, speaks volumes about my journey and capabilities.
What advice would you give to our readers?
Just one thing, be delusional…… start imagining the life that you want is already yours. Manifest your happiness and peace. Because it is your life and to make yourself happy is your responsibility. Change the narrative if you don’t like. But please live in the present!!!
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.
