Safeera, 44
Life Coach

When are you at your happiest?

I’m at my happiest when I’m spending time with family, with children, people around, laughing, joking, that’s when I’m at my happiest.

What’s something that you are passionate about?

Really passionate about a lot of things. The one that It is for me at the moment is self love. It’s something that I’ve come to later in my life. I’ve realised that it is the thing that makes everything worthwhile. And when we have that self love and we are doing things with that self love, everything else falls into place.

What is a significant achievement of yours?

I would have to say it’s my children. You give so much of yourself when you have children, you give everything of yourself to them. And it’s probably the thing that I’ve put the most time and energy on so I would have to say they are my most significant achievement.

What do you hope to achieve in 2016?

I’m embarking on something that I’m finding quite exciting. I’m a life coach. And I’ve just recently seriously decided to pursue it as a business. So wanting to get that up and running as well.

Was there a moment that helped you decide to become a life coach?

There was actually. I read a book by Debbie Ford, I had never heard of her before, and I was just so… I needed more of her. She does work with the shadow and did a shadow retreat in San Diego. I decided I had to go, it was that weekend! I booked my tickets and I went, and I was a very sheltered very quiet person. For me to do something like that was huge. It happened and it just organically grew from there. I didn’t decide that yes this is what I want to do and then pursued it. It just kind of fell into place. It’s one of those things where you know there is something else guiding you, and trusting that.

What do you hope to achieve as a life coach?

I will help women discover their voice and find greater levels of self love, acceptance and strength within themselves so that they can live a life that is deeply connected not only to their own values but also to the Creator.

I believe that it is our responsibility to bring Love to the world and we all have a part to play, some will impact their families and those around them and others will impact greater circles. All are equally important and equally valuable.

We can change the world by changing the world of one person at a time 🙂

[You can find out more about Safeera’s life coaching on the SOS Life Coaching Facebook Page.]

Who is your role model?

I have so many because I like to take the best aspects of everybody and model myself on that. And I believe being a role model is something that is really important as well. Debbie Ford is one. Brendan Burchard, he’s an entrepreneur, and he’s just an amazing person. There are a lot of spiritual role models I have as well. There is Bibi Fatima, who is the daughter of Prophet Muhammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (peace be upon him). She’s one of my big models. The thing that’s interesting is that in Islam we are kind of taught that women should be quiet, sit aside and not say anything. Be seen and not heard, that kind of thing. But when you look at the women that were in Islam, the first, those leaders of Islam, they were not quiet. So that’s why I’ve found that having them as a role model has given me strength to pursue the things that I want to pursue.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

That I love crocodiles! That I am going swimming with crocodiles this year.

I just love that they don’t care what anyone thinks, they are ugly creatures but they are just brilliant at what they do. They are like dinosaurs that haven’t needed to evolve cause they are so good at what they do and I just love that strength.

Was there a moment or realisation where the crocodile became a symbol to you?

I have always admired their tenacity since visiting a crocodile farm while on holiday in Zimbabwe in 1995. About 8 years ago I had an experience where I decided I would do something that scares me every year. One year I went to the Grand Canyon and did the Skywalk (it is 1.2 km off the bottom of the canyon) because I was afraid of heights. The next year I did a public speaking course because I was terrified of speaking in public. I was running out of ideas and I saw an article about swimming with crocodiles and what drew me to them was they were so ugly but absolutely unapologetic about it! Since I was struggling with “other peoples opinions” at the time I found this fact intriguing and it is a reminder to me that strength comes from within! This aspect of “living their own lives their own way” makes them perfectly beautiful.

What was the biggest risk you’ve taken?

Stopping caring what other people think. That’s been the rule of my life for so long, what are other people going to say, what are other people going to think. Stopping and saying this is what I want to do and it doesn’t really matter what other people think. That’s why the crocodile is a good symbol for me because they just don’t care!

What’s something that has changed your life?

Having children, in every single possible way it changes your life. It changed my life.

What role do your beliefs play in your life?

My beliefs are everything, I think they guide me in every aspects of my life. I think it guides me in every interaction I have with people. I think that’s the most important thing, when you’re on your own it doesn’t really matter who you are in a sense. But when you are with other people there is a certain way you need to be with them and it has to come from a sincere place within. And I think your beliefs guide you to that. I feel that we can change the world one person at a time one interaction at a time, if we’re sincere and genuine in our love and care for people. That’s going to show up, and you can change the world in that way.

What’s your best advice for others?

Live your own life, it’s yours and you only get one. Don’t worry about what other people think.