At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Yasmin Sait for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Author, Life Coach, Counsellor and Founder of Senior Sunset Finishing School. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Yasmin:
Could you please take us through your background and your journey?
When I look back, my life seems way simpler than I felt while carrying it over my shoulders. I relate all the struggles to the labour pain, and in the end, I am holding a new life in my hands with a smile, my pain gone and forgotten, with no regrets.
My life has been kind enough to provide solutions to every challenge that has come my way. But while I was in the midst of struggles, I didn’t realise my strength or ability to overcome the situation. I guess it happens to every one of us when we take our lives too seriously.
Only with time can one understand, and when we learn the art of self-reflection through introspection, that leads to self-discovery. We are so engrossed with life that we are blinded from experiencing our blessings, and we miss seeing the good in the bad and the best in the worst.
I feel like when we are struggling, we are standing in a dense jungle, arguing with ourselves about the distance between each tree. Only when we step back and look at it from a distance can we truly understand its density, and that is our strength and growth.
I consider myself a graduate of the “School of Life.” Traditional academic systems never quite fit my nature or aspirations. Instead, I found that life itself became my greatest teacher. Life provided me with practical wisdom that no textbooks often can convey and gave me the sweet-bitter taste of real-world experiences and challenges. The interactions gave me a deep understanding of resilience, kindness, and empathy. And that is how my personal growth shaped my life and made me who I am.
I spent 30 years of my professional career working in the retail and entertainment industries. Carried out every professional role with grace and poise. I am the mother of two popular celebrities, Kubbra Sait and Danish Sait. As a single parent, I nurtured my children and managed their professional careers for almost a decade, which coined the term “momager.” for me.
I also appeared in several commercial advertisements, short films, and web series (Pushpavalli). With my strong, collaborative, people-focused leadership qualities throughout my life’s journey, I was able to bring a positive transformation to many lives. I believe that having a “sense of purpose” is essential to leading a meaningful and tranquil life, irrespective of age or socioeconomic status.
How did you discover your passion?
My biggest discovered passion was that I was highly inspired by fairy tales, and I wanted to be a princess and nothing else. Growing up life took up to teaching me that there was no such discovered passion of being a princess. Honestly, I did not plan my life or a career; it all happened organically when life started to throw challenges at me.
My first job was at a computer firm when I was 28; I started a supermarket business in the name of Value Mart when I was 30; and my corporate job as a process analyst happened in my late 40s. I stepped into the entertainment industry in my 50s, and my acting career started when I was 54.
From the age of 56 to 58, I was struggling with the information of knowing what I didn’t want to do in my life, but little did I know what I wanted to do, and that was the worst period of my life, struggling to find a path even after being successful, satisfied, and accomplished in my careers. I had no idea what I wanted to do.
At 58 when I could introspect and self-reflect, I discovered that I could overcome the challenges that life has thrown at me, and I have always been very people supportive. That’s how I found a purpose and a new meaning in my life. I decided to learn the tools to systematically help people.
For the first time I could plan to pursue the career of my choice as a life coach, and counsellor, I worked up my way to being the author of “Manan, “Delving Deeper Into Oneself,” at the age of 60. After which there has been no looking back. I am also the founder of “Sunset Finishing School,” which empowers seniors for active ageing by redefining age. I love working for the seniors, as I am a budding senior myself.
What is the book Manan “Delving Deeper Into Oneself” about? Tell us about Manan;
“Manan: Delving Deeper Into Oneself” is not yet another self-help book. As the title suggests, this book aims to encourage introspection and self-discovery. It is a collection of nine inspiring real-life stories that motivate and encourage readers to reflect on their own lives and aspirations.
It serves as a reminder that fulfilment and purpose can be sought at any stage of life, making it a valuable read for anyone looking to find motivation and encouragement in their journey.
Each story serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of women who redefine their lives after sixty. Encouraging readers to seek their sense of purpose, illustrating that it is never too late to pursue one’s dreams.
The narratives are presented in a conversational style, making them relatable and accessible. Readers often feel as though they are receiving wisdom from elder family members, which enhances the book’s emotional impact.
The women featured come from various backgrounds and fields, showcasing a wide range of experiences. Their stories include starting new ventures, engaging in community service, and breaking free from societal constraints.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
One needs to constantly work on themselves to keep going when things get tough. Most of us are busy correcting and interfering with other people’s lives. If we can change our focus on ourselves and be more aware of our situation and circumstances, we can manage it at our best.
As the saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Life feels tough until we learn the art of managing ourselves in the right way. The only example I can think of is that the river doesn’t flow twice in the same direction, and so will your challenges, as the outcomes are different every time you strive for a solution.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
> You are your own best friend.
> Don’t regret life; what happened to you was meant to happen only to you.
> Don’t ask yourself, Why me? You were the strongest, and that’s why you were given what you could handle at your best.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
The key to success is a combination of self-awareness, perseverance, and adaptability. Hence, knowing your strengths and weaknesses becomes very important.
However, success can’t be achieved overnight. but could be lost. It’s a slow process that progresses as a journey; focussing on the journey is important, for you will learn valuable lessons and experiences as you move ahead towards your success.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
As the saying goes, “Rome was never built in a day.” Great achievements do not take shape overnight. Patience, perseverance, and adaptability are the keys to your success. Do what you love, or love what you do.
If you don’t try, how will you know what the what do the fruits of labour taste or look like? Be ready to take a plunge into the work task to gain experience, and you will have a story to share.
Last but not least, what about your journey that makes it satisfying/exciting?
To me, my journey feels very satisfying and exciting. Being able to empower seniors to focus on active ageing, helping them redefine age. My plus point is that, being my age, I can speak for ageism.
In many ways, I am blessed with opportunities to give back to society in my very own little ways, bring smiles to faces that have wringles of wisdom, and to be spreading happiness around me. I feel I can satisfyingly smile at the end of the day to feel loved and peaceful while I go to bed with a dream to wake up the next morning and repeat the drill.
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.
