Out and About Magazine Issue 8 Vol. 2 by Out and About Mag

Volume 2 Issue 8 September 2020

7 STEPS TO

DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE STANDARDS OF BEAUTY AROUND THE WORLD

Creating Opportunities, Launching Visions: Lessons from Hawas Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Founder

How

Augmented Reality is

Redefining the Fashion Game

Taking Lessons from

Omar

Al Busaidy

Behind the brand with

PRESTON MCINTYRE

Co-founder of Holding Space 1

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.

African Proverb

Editorial

Editor in chief

Marsha Fry

marsha@outandaboutmag.com

Editor

Shella landayan

info@outandaboutmag.com

art

Art director

nakul thanekar

nakul.thanekar89@gmail.com

advertising

sales & marketing director

Andre Marshal

+971 50 127 8820 sales@outandaboutmag.com

general enquiries

On this month's cover Interview Ahmed Hawas

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www.outandaboutmag.com

Photographer: VKLYBE TV DUBAI.

Published by Out and About Style FZE (Registered at Fujairah Creative City)

EDITOR’S WELCOME Work, love, and play are the great balance wheels in a man’s being

~ Orison Swett Maden

Hustle, rise and shine, and repeat. This is our everyday cycle: to live the daily grind. Work is an integral part of our lifestyle, a continuous gear that moves for us to sustain our living. Most of us, however, experience a slump in our careers; or perhaps a period of burnout and exhaustion. Some, unfortunately, get the point of being finally tired of what they have been doing. We get to watch or read stories of successful people featured in televisions, interviews and magazines and wonder how they did it and got to where they are now. You then question yourself: Why can’t I do that? Why can’t I be happy while doing what I need to do? It seems that most of these highly-effective people have one thing in common: they find balance in their lives.

To work productively and lead happier lives, we need to establish balance in all aspects of our lives. This way, we will never feel permanently exhausted, allowing us to repeat the daily cycle of hustle. Enjoy moments of love with your family and friends, get that day off that you know you deserve, and enjoy even the littlest things you have in life. We at Out and About Magazine will continuously encourage you to seek knowledge and inspiration to keep you in the lane of positivity and happiness. Features and Highlights In our Fashion feature, we researched on How Augmented Reality is Redefining the Fashion Game to give you insight into how technology is creatively incorporated in the fashion industry. Want to upgrade your skincare and makeup routine? Check out What’s in my Beauty Stash?, and check if products mentioned suit you too! Learn the Standards of Beauty Around the World and discover how beauty, culture and history moulded the concept of beauty of various countries. We interviewed the founder of Hawas Group: Ahmed Hawas. He shared with us his stories and lessons about success, leadership and entrepreneurship. We are also given the opportunity to interview Preston Mcintyre, the co-founder of Holding Space AD Limited who will give you encouragement with his words focused on business and success. Read their inspiring interviews in Behind the Brand. We also listened to inspiring lessons about life, career and business from Omar Al Busaidy, an Emirati author who penned Just Read It. Find out more about him in Taking Lessons. Nadia Parekh, Melange Dubai founder and passionate pastry chef, shares her love for food, culture and entrepreneurship in our Talent Pool section. Dreams and reveries from yesteryears ought to be remembered and memorialised. Vyara Tosheva, a

outandaboumagofficial

Wellness Expert and Consultant, wrote a moving piece about life and getting to know oneself in Gift of Love for my 40th Birthday in our Voices feature. In Lifestyle, we’ll tell you more about leading your life and career with balance, productivity and happiness. Discover how to Jumpstart your Career and prepare for future work, all while learning about the 7 Steps to Discover your Purpose and find the passions that release The Flow that keeps you happy and motivated. We took a gastronomic tour in Lebanon as well to give you a taste of its exotic cuisine. See where your tastebuds will take you with 5 Must-Try Lebanese Dishes in our Food feature. If you’re experiencing or have experienced low mobility, then you need to learn more about How to Stay Fit and Healthy with Low Mobility in our Fitness section. Experience a taste of the Arabian all-year summer vibe and indulge in the Contemporary Luxury at Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas in our Travel review. Enrich your knowledge and leadership skills with our featured article in For The Culture about Charismatic Leadership and lead with the right emotions. In our Book Review by Leisa Grace Wilson, she writes about Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield to tap your inner power and create your life’s work.

Finding Balance to Lead Happier Lives Everyone deserves a life that not only revolves around productivity and career growth, but also on the greater things that matter: family, friends, as well as physical and mental health. The most productive people on earth know that they can only excel when they find that balance in other aspects of their lives to keep them going. We are able to work most effectively when we’re motivated, inspired and well-rested. Out and About Magazine, with the amazing team that made this issue possible, encourages you to keep the balance and stay on track of success and happiness.

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CONTENTS September 2020

SECTION 1

FASHION • How Augmented Reality is Redefining the Fashion Game

SECTION 2

13 BEAUTY

• What’s in my Beauty Stash? • Standards of Beauty Around the World

SECTION 3

25 BEHIND THE BRAND

• Ahmed Hawas, Founder, The Hawas Group • Preston McIntyre, Co-Founder, Holding Space AD Limited

SECTION 4

47 TAKING LESSONS

• Omar Al Busaidy, Author, Just Read It

SECTION 5

55 TALENT POOL

• Nadia Parekh, Pastry Chef and

SECTION 8

Entrepreneur, Melange Dubai

100 TRAVEL

SECTION 6

• S heer Opulence at Ottoman-in-

67 VOICE

spired Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

• Gift of Love for My 40th Birthday Lessons and Musings from Vyara Tosheva

SECTION 7

76 LIFESTYLE

THE CULTURE 111 FOR • C harismatic Leadership: Leading

• Jumpstart Your Career: Preparing for Future Work • 7 Steps to Discover Your Purpose • The Flow: The Secret to a Happier Life

93 FOOD

• 5 Must-Try Lebanese Dishes

97 FITNESS

• How to Stay Fit and Healthy with Low Mobility

SECTION 9

Out and About Magazine tasks no responsibility for unsolicited photographs or material. The photographs in this publication are for illustration purposes, unless otherwise specified.

with the Right Emotions • B ook Review: Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield

FASHION How Augmented Reality is Redefining the Fashion Game Fashion is an ever-evolving field. The 2.4 trillion dollar-worth industry has always been open to new trends, whether it is channelled via conventional fashion shows and multimedia marketing, or e-commerce and other online platforms. With such a drive for keeping up with the trends, fashion is now moving towards the latest in technology: Augmented Reality. Augmented reality, or AR, is a technology that functions to add to the reality which you would ordinarily experience, except without changing this reality for you in real life. To put it into simpler words, AR is like a Snapchat filter! Augmented reality is a tool that has revolutionised how consumers interact with different franchises and markets. Today, AR is changing the way the fashion industry creates and showcases fashion wear and accessories.

Fashion, like every business field, demands the establishment of strong and steady relations between the brand and customers. Customers need to be engaged and remain that way. To captivate the audience, innovative strategies and well-planned policies using augmented reality are developed. Brands can grant its audience with the AR experience in both their walk-in stores and online shopping websites. AR allows brands to connect with their customers seamlessly. This also shows to the customers that the brand is willing to work the extra mile to provide them with value and better service. Studies show that around 60 - 65% of customers felt more engaged with the fashion brand, which provides AR experience and that around 55% of the consumers were more likely to purchase from these brands too. Augmented reality offers consumers with not only an exciting experience but also confidence in their purchasing decisions, especially over the process of online shopping. Today, the target market of the fashion industry comprises 90% millennial individuals. Unlike the previous generations who bought clothes for either function or status portrayal, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audience also purchase clothes as a way of presentation of their style, personality, and aesthetics. Comparatively, people are more knowledgeable about and equipped with technology. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wokeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; generation of today requires businesses to use advanced online strategies to boost interaction and brand awareness. Social media is another big part of the life of an average person today. As more and more consumers expect a smooth and seamless shopping experience, more brands are finally ready to invest in AR. Augmented reality lets the brand take advantage of the many benefits the social media has to offer and helps in the production and promotion of innovative campaigns. 10

BRANDS USING AR

One of the first fashion brands to bring in AR in their online stores is GAP. They first introduced augmented reality through an app called DressingRoom. This app allows users to build an avatar based on their size and body type. The user can select the desired items of clothing and the app will automatically try it on the virtual body but also provide the user with the view of the garment from all directions in 3D. This way, the brand offers the services of the product to its consumers in their own homes. While staying in the comfort of their houses, users get to experience the in-store experience over the online platform. Wanna Kicks is another example of an AR app. This enables the customers to try on the 3D models of various sneaker designs available. The customer only needs to select the pair of shoes and direct their mobile camera to their feet through the app. Topshop and Zara also invested in AR. They have inaugurated AR screens in their stores to enhance brand awareness and marketability further. The customers shopping in the store can try on the garments available virtually by just standing in front of the camera or the AR screen. The screen allows the user to change the virtual garments either by the use of special electronic markers or just by hand gestures. The customers get a complete (i.e. front and back) view of how the garment will look on them: all of this without having to physically try the dress on! Other fashion brands using AR include Sephora, Converse, Marks & Spencer, Burberry, and Gucci.

VIRTUAL SHOPPING WITH AR DURING COVID-19

AR caters greatly to the fast-moving and onthe-go audience which demands quick solutions to their problems. It has especially become a necessity during this current pandemic. For the buyers willing to purchase fashion goods at this time, the AR services have become essential to them. People want to be able to try the item without physically having to go to the store. COVID-19 precautions and the lockdowns have added limitations to the retail process and the fashion industry is adapting to meet demands. The industry has shifted largely to e-commerce. Customers need certainty and assurance in their purchase decisions. 12

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ayesha AR is a fashion design student, working to fulfil her drive for being a part of the creative industry. What began as a hobby turned into a passion as she grew up. Preparing for medical studies her whole life, this brown girl didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to become another involuntary doctor, and so she dropped her passed medical entrance examination and pursued fashion design. She showcased her skills as a designer in the form of her up-cycled, sustainable 3-piece garment in FASTE 2019, which won her awards. She continues to learn and work hard to achieve her dreams.

Oriental vibes

Model: Victoria Noori Photo & Retouch Andrei Makeup: Liv Rideg Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary

BE AU TY 13

Beauty

What’s in my

Beauty Stash? Skincare products and makeup need to be chosen carefully. Call it ‘beauty diligence’: each of us swears by ‘wonder products’ that just give us the results we want—from face creams and serums to body lotions and scrubs that maintain our natural and glowing look. Want to take a peek in my beauty stash? These are the ‘classic’ makeup and skincare products that I always keep in my stash

Liv shares her list of ‘classic’ makeup and skincare products that are always in her beauty stash.

L’OREAL NIGHT CREAM

L’oreal Night Cream, which contains hyaluronic acid, is one of the main ‘classic’ products I use. This is my all-time favourite moisturiser and I really recommend it to people aged 35 and above. This luxuriant cream will make your skin softer and firmer. L’oreal has a variety of creams that you can choose from depending on your skin condition or issues.

NEUTROGENA FACE SCRUB

Neutrogena face scrub with grapefruit extract is a really gentle scrub that you can use every morning to prepare your skin for a busy day. It will prevent breakouts and will help remove dead skin cells.

SHISEIDO WASO FACE CLEANER

Shiseido Waso face cleaner with rose extract is a gentle face wash perfect for morning and night use. Your skin will feel refreshingly clean. Rose extract is known for reducing redness and skin irritation.

MAX FIX +

Mac Fix + is my favourite product for hydration and setting or refreshing your makeup. It will effectively prolong your makeup for 12 hours. It is also dermatologist-tested and perfect for acne-prone skin as this doesn’t have any ingredients that will trigger acne breakouts.

BECCA LIQUID FOUNDATION

Becca liquid foundation will stay all day long on your skin: it has a perfect matte coverage that won’t move an inch. It is also lightweight and will give you a natural finish.

TOO FACED MATTE BRONZER

Too Faced matte bronzer is great for contouring because of its cool tones. It is buildable and has a natural finish that blends easily.

THE DIOR BACKSTAGE HIGHLIGHTER

When it comes to highlighters, I have loads that I like, but my favourite one is The Dior Backstage highlighter. Dior’s formula is amazingly pigmented and lightweight that will give you a natural glow.

DOLCE GABBANA LIPSTICKS

Lipstick is important in a woman’s bag. My favourites are from Dolce Gabbana— they are super creamy and super long lasting. There are many shades to choose from: vibrant reds, perfect nudes and even soft and delicate pinks.

DIORSHOW MASCARA

Diorshow mascara will give you beautiful and full volume lashes. TThis will provide you with a lash extension effect and is definitely buildable.

FLASH BY JIMMY CHOO

Perfumes are women’s most effective weapon, and we like to have quite a few of them. My favourite is Flash by Jimmy Choo. It has subtle white flower notes with hints of fruits and spice.

VICTORIA’S SECRET BODY LOTIONS AND BODY SPRAYS

Body lotions and body sprays from Victoria’s Secret are mainstays in my stash. What I really like about them is the texture and the delectable, alluring fragrances. You can apply them in the morning, and you will still smell the heavenly scents on your skin until midnight.

Liv Rideg is an award-winning professional makeup artist and hairstylist with 21 years of experience in the beauty industry. She is currently based in Europe but has worked across the globe, including a spell in Dubai. Liv specialises in bridal, beauty, glamour, creative and fantasy makeup. She has also been teaching makeup techniques and different styles since 2010.

BE AU TY 18

Powerful Woman Model: Victoria Noori Hair and makeup: Kinga Domokos and Liv Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary

Standards of Beauty Around the World Different cultures have their own definition of beauty. Many cultures have become obsessed with their measure of what is physically attractive and the lengths it takes to achieve it. Sometimes, these standards of beauty are influenced by popular culture. Other cultures are influenced by traditional or ancient beliefs or norms.

KOREA

The lighter, the better? Koreans have an obsession with lighter skin. Known for having the highest percentage of plastic surgeries in the world, Koreans have turned to skin whitening products and procedures to achieve their ideal porcelain skin colour. Whitening treatments like glutathione injections are popular in Korea. Glutathione injections lighten the skin by impeding the process of pigmentation. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the only standard of beauty that keeps Koreans going back to the clinic for more. Koreans also obsess about having slim figures, small faces, v-shaped jaws, small lips, straight eyebrows, flawless skin, and larger eyes. Some would argue that this unhealthy obsession with beauty in the country is fueled by Korean TV and celebrities.

MAURITANIA

The bigger, the better! Mauritanian girls are encouraged from a young age to gain weight to fulfil their culture’s standards of beauty. Mauritanians practise the age-old tradition of leblouh or gavage which originated centuries ago. Gavage means to fatten up. It is the practice of forcing young girls to eat a diet high in fat. The process begins at five years old when Mauritanian girls are sent to fat camps in the desert to eat almost 16,000 calories a day. During their time at fat camps, these young girls drink camel’s milk and restrict their physical activity. The effects of this lifestyle can be extremely unhealthy. Heart failure, kidney failure, diabetes, women’s reproductive problems, and joint pain are just some of the health problems that come with this form of obesity.

NEW ZEALAND

In New Zealand, chin tattoos are considered a physical manifestation of a Maori woman’s true identity. A Tamoko, or a chin tattoo, is traditionally created with a chisel. Each moko contains ancestral tribal messages specific to the wearer. These messages tell the story of the women’s family and tribal affiliations as well as their place in these social structures. A moko’s message also conveys the wearer’s genealogy, knowledge, and social standing. Although this art form declined during the 20th century, it is now making a return. More Maori women are embracing the tradition as an expression of their rich culture.

ETHIOPIA AND SUDAN

The Karo tribe from Ethiopia and South Sudan’s nomadic Dinka people practise ‘scarification’. To achieve scarification, the tribes use a knife to create patterns and symbolic marks on their body. The Dinka mark the faces of teenage boys and girls in the tribe as a rite of passage. Girls are marked with symbolic patterns, while the boys are marked with three parallel lines that represent their entry into manhood. Although the procedure can be painful, Dinka teens are not allowed to cry or flinch during their scarification. Doing so would bring shame to their whole family.

KENYA

Stretched earlobes are a popular beauty trend amongst the Masai women in Kenya. The elongated earlobes are created by using heavy objects such as tusks, stones, and wood to expand their earhole and gradually increase the size. To be considered the most beautiful, Masai women must rock a bald head and elongated ears with colourful earrings, necklaces, and shoes with intricate designs. As the ears stretch, a Masai woman’s beauty is heightened by how large and elongated her earlobes have become.

MYANMAR

Earlobes aren’t the only body part being stretched around the world. The Kayan women in the mountaintops of Myanmar are known to practise the art of stretching their neck with rings. In the pursuit of beauty, girls as young as eight years old will start with five rings, and gradually increase the numbers as they grow older. Looks can be deceiving; the neck ring only creates an illusion; their necks aren’t as long as the rings. However, as more coils are added, the shoulders are pushed down, and the neck is lengthened. This tradition was originally used to attract men of the tribe, but in recent years it has drawn tourism.

IRAN

In Iran, a nose job is a status symbol. The more petite the nose is, the better! Oftentimes, women will keep the bandages on their noses even after they’ve gotten the surgery (or even after their noses have healed) to show others that they come from an affluent family. The Iranian nose job isn’t limited to the wealthy. Sales associates, office workers, university students, and even teenagers will spend their savings or go into debt to have this procedure. Some people question why the nose job is held to such a high standard in an Islamic country where women are wearing hijab. It has become an obsession for Iranian women to have classic European features, even if it means going into debt and using their savings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MONIQUE L. SPEARMAN is a freelance multi-faceted writer, curator and creator. Blending a passion for content creating, social media marketing, photography and travel, Monique created her blog website RaineyAmore.com in the spring of 2017 as a hobby. Raineyamore.com is a lifestyle, fashion, beauty and travel brand that encourages men and women from around the world to live their best lives, out-loud. Inspired by the aesthetics of different cultures, Monique wants to show the world, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it!" 22

Chosen

Alopecia Awareness Month

“Some people are bald by choice, others are bald by circumstance. I was CHOSEN” Kimberly Carey

Model:

KIMBERLY CAREY Makeup:

HEAVENLY REFLECTION MAKEUP Photo:

HEAVENLY REFLECTION MAKEUP STUDIOS

The power of femininity Model: Lili Lilla Nagy Photo: Jozsef Balogh Retouch Anna Petrova Hair and makeup: Liv Rideg Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary 24

Ahmed Hawas

Creating Opportunities, Launching Visions: Lessons from Hawas Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Founder

COMPANY: HAWAS GROUP @hawasgroup www.hawasgroup.ae 25

1. TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I have always been inspired by the vision of our leaders who converted this country from a desert to a successful, lucrative global hub that most people around the world can visit and do business in—be it an individual or a massive group of companies. Being a finance professional for over a decade, I’ve been guiding large corporations in expanding their operations to further enhance business potentials. This passion carried strong motivation to start The Hawas Group in 2014 that holds unique business modules of five subsidiaries ranging from niche consumable products to high-end technology solutions with The Oven Market (TOM) being an exciting new addition to the portfolio.

2. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN BUSINESS?

I’ve always been on the run for new initiatives and business ideas, varying from events, technologies, products and services; and have chosen the UAE as the metropolis home to our headquarters, given the diversified citizenships and business-driven economy. My experience in the region’s financial sector has granted me the market knowledge to develop new business ideas and lines. I’ve always sought to be recognisable for introducing new initiatives and expanding UAE-born businesses internationally.

3. TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST BUSINESS VENTURE, THE OVEN MARKET (TOM), AND WHAT PROBLEM IT SOLVES.

The idea has always been on the table, but I saw its development and launch during the unfortunate period the world has been going through—from job losses and salary cuts, to the crumbling economy. The current affairs led me to kickstart The Oven Market, a chef-at-home booking platform, that solves the main issues chefs-at-home face: delivery, marketing and supplies. Solving and managing those three obstacles are at the core of TOM’s business structure.

4. HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF A BUSINESS IDEA IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

It’s hard to tell if a business idea is going to be successful before launching a brand into the market and testing the operations and services with the customers, as we rely on customer feedback in most of our business expansion and amelioration strategies. Nonetheless, ensuring that the business plan is based on exclusivity and that a potential market gap is being addressed or catered to is certainly the key foundation to a business idea’s feasibility.

5. WHAT ARE YOUR SUCCESS HABITS?

These are my success habits: Prioritisation, Determination, Confidence, Persistence and Excellence.

6. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

The recognition that I receive motivates me, and success, of course. Ensuring that the products and services provided by The Hawas Group are adding value to the community stirs us as well. I aim for this brand to breakthrough and achieve a recognisable status.

7. DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS SOME SORT OF PATTERN OR FORMULA TO BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR? There is no one formula for becoming a successful entrepreneur. To me, celebrating failure is part of the journey, and breaking through isn’t hard if you know how to put yourself back on the right path.

8. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A BUSINESS OWNER?

It’s really simple. A business owner has to find a balance between leadership and being a team player. The key is to give your employees the stability they’re eager for, whether financially or mentally, and keep a tight grip over the business ideology and standards, so nothing is compromised in the process.

9. TELL US ABOUT A TIME YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH FAILURE AND HOW YOU DEALT WITH IT. I’m not very fond of the word ‘failure’, even though in business there is no other proper alternative for it. But in life, failure is better called a ‘lesson’. You always learn from failing, and I’ve done my part of learning when I opened my entertainment company that exhausted my time and energy in vain.

10. IF YOU COULD START ALL OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

I would definitely explore other business sectors and try business ideas I was eager to venture into.

11. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT ON THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY? I’ve said it previously. Celebrate failure. Fail more. Learn more. Don’t be scared of standing back up. You’ll get places.

12. IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD YOU NAME IT? The Walk Uphill.

13. HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

This is a part that’s always under development. Viewing all aspects with pure logic helps me eliminate distractions and set accurate priorities.

14. WHAT’S THAT ONE QUOTE YOU LIVE BY?

“Don’t wait for the right opportunity: create it.” — George Bernard Shaw

Boutique No.8, Aswaaq Center, Al Badaa, Al Wasl Road, Dubai. Boutique 13, Building 8, Golden Mile Galleria, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.

www.mokha1450.com

Preston McIntyre

COMPANY: HOLDING SPACE AD LIMITED Preston McIntyre www.hsadlimited.com

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I’m originally from North Carolina but have lived in Abu Dhabi for over 13 years. The biggest thing that I would say about me is that I’m always looking for the next adventure and I’m always trying to improve.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN BUSINESS?

My journey stemmed from my childhood experience working in a tobacco field. I realised that I am the one doing the labour, and someone else was making a lot of profit off of me. This realisation triggered my curiosity, and eventually, my choices in life. After having gone through the military and a few other endeavours, I realised that I have a knack for solving problems which is very useful in business.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOURSELF AS A BRAND?

My vision is to witness the growth of the brand, as well as the growth of the team around me. My main focus is investing in the people around me and getting them to understand and see their intrinsic value—to create plans and visions for themselves. This is important to me, especially because the people who come to this region to work usually don’t have this kind of opportunity back home. I want to be a personal platform that enables people to rise and expand. I think my employees are able to grow when they see that I remove titles, which is the most important thing; when I’m firm but extremely fair; I treat everyone like the adult that they are. When I do that, I see a lot of people respond to me in a respectful way. They do the right thing even when no one is looking.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?

To me, success is temporary. It looks like setting a target, reaching that target, and then planning for the next phase. I think success is also an ongoing initiative—it’s not about reaching something, like a final pinnacle. There’s always a next level.

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

I am passionate about sustainability and longevity. I’m passionate about unity and all the related buzzwords people use these days. These things have always been embedded into me, coming from my upbringing and from my mother. From the circumstances of my upbringing, I learned that when you don’t have something, you learn to ration it. When we have too much of something, we usually take it for granted. Being able to find that balance is extremely important to me. When you get older, passions change, but it’s important to me that the principles that I value stay as they are: they are the foundations of my passions.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF A BUSINESS IDEA IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

Generally, I evaluate two things initially: the founder(s) and the team as well as the productmarket fit. There’s an in-depth formula our team uses once we get past the initial pitch, but we can tell within a matter of minutes if the business has merit. For one, I think Out and About Magazine is great—it’s a platform that gives a voice in a unique way to people who want their voices to be heard but sometimes can’t because they don’t have a blue check beside their name. So there’s a massive differentiation between what exists and what you’re doing, and that’s a great opportunity to be disruptive with traction. Do you believe that successful entrepreneurs have particular traits? If yes, what are they? Absolutely: successful entrepreneurs are determined and resilient—which are probably the biggest traits—and they have a vision. They don’t accept the word ‘no’—it’s not in their vocabulary. I look up to Jay-Z because we have a very similar story in terms of our upbringing. Having someone that looks like me is a big thing, and more importantly, seeing someone progress and thrive is inspiring to me. He is someone I’ve modelled myself after. I admire his personality too—he maintained his uniqueness by being authentic and true to his

principles and beliefs, even if they were not popular opinions at the time.

TELL US ABOUT A TIME YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH FAILURE AND HOW YOU DEALT WITH IT. My biggest failure happened to me in my childhood when I was playing sports. I was cut from my baseball team, which made me never want to even try out for baseball again. It was a painful experience because I later learned that I was good at baseball; it was just that my coach did not like me for some reasons. I gave up a passion, gave up at something that I really loved at an early age because I let one person discourage me. In business, this translates into ‘taking no for an answer’ or saying you are not good enough just because of temporary circumstances.

When I started my first business—a sports investment business—here in Abu Dhabi, I did not understand the criteria required to succeed, so I quit too early. I ended up having to move my family to an awfully bad area where electricity went out every Friday, and there wasn’t any air conditioning—all during the time when my son was just born. Seeing my family struggle made me want to do more, and I allow the pain of those memories to fuel my drive and passion.

IF YOU COULD START ALL OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? Patience and preparation. I would prepare a lot better in terms of doing diligence on projects and markets, as well as doing diligence on people I want to partner with—because that was my downfall. I let one person slip into the circle, which ended up doing some bad things.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT ON THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY? I’d advise them to have a hard talk with themselves, do as much research as possible to see if they have an idea that’s worth pursuing and to see if they’re up to the challenge. Entrepreneurship is not an easy path whatsoever. It’s not for the select few—it’s for the chosen. The world needs everyone—it needs people who work, who are in academia like research and development as well as leaders who are willing to lose it all by not playing it safe. It needs a whole ecosystem. Do your research to be as prepared as possible and leverage your skills by highlighting your attributes.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?

At one point in time when I was in the military, I had a captain who unfortunately died in a helicopter accident. When we were in Iraq, every day he would come by and say, “Mac, just process it as information, man.” I was going through some personal trouble at the time. The advice meant not to take it personally. It took me ten years to realise what he was talking about, but once I did, that was it. Now, I treat every circumstance that happens to me as information to help me become a better person.

WHAT KIND OF BUSINESSES DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE GETTING INTO?

There are obvious industries like e-commerce, and anything to do with online businesses, but I think people should look into concepts that are five to ten years out. What we are talking about are ideas or concepts that complement space or low-earth orbit technology that can be commercialised. That is the immediate future, and the industry is still not overcrowded--just yet. If you have something that you’re trying to put out, you should remember that people are not spending as much as they used to before. Consumer behaviour has changed; people are not spending as recklessly as they were before, so looking into Fintech would be great. Also, I think there’s a future with technologies that aid, support or promote mental or psychological health. As you see, I’m into modern technologies because this is where we are. Anything with a holistic type of influence is what you should be getting into.

HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH? I breathe; I’m very conscious of whenever I start to get out of rhythm, out of energy. Normally, I create rituals, which is a sign of what successful people do. The first thing that I do in the morning is to consume water—it does not matter if it’s a sip or a full glass. I drink water because it reminds me to stay fluid throughout the day. There’s a symbolism to this habit, which also has health benefits. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things for me.

I spoke at a United Nations event last year regarding mental health and suicide. I’ve had family and friends that I lost to mental health issues—we all do—and I think it’s an unfortunate thing we should all be aware of. I was diagnosed as manic depressive almost fifteen years ago, and I still think I suffer from it a bit. I don’t take medication, so I always have to stay on top of it. I also try not to put myself in positions that make me extremely uneasy. I recently heard a podcast hosted by Mike Tyson. They were discussing a medication that you can inject in your parasympathetic nervous system. It blocks the inhibitors that create and cause these traumatic experiences. That’s why I think technology is very important. Science and technology can help many people that are struggling with mental health problems.

WHAT IS THAT ONE QUOTE YOU LIVE BY? Innovate or die—that’s it. You innovate or die, period. If you don’t innovate yourself as a human being—as a mother, a father, a sibling—if you are not contributing your time to get better—all you’re going to do is hold others down. In business, it’s the same thing.

OMAR AL BUSAIDY COMPANY:

MICE INTERNATIONAL

Omar Al Busaidy omaralbusaidy

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I am Omar Busaidy, and I’m 34 years old. I’m currently doing my Master’s in International Affairs and Intelligence at Florida State University. I’m here because I got the Fulbright scholarship. My story really starts right around high school. In the summer, I would work at a bank. My mom did not want to see me sitting around and playing video games or going out and playing with my friends. She said that I had to grow up to be a man by learning how to earn an income. She forced me to get a job. The reason was that she always thought it was hard even for Emiratis to get a job in the UAE, which is absolutely true. When I graduated from high school, I joined the American University in Dubai. Everyone there was very wealthy. So, to hang out with my friends, I needed to get a job again. I had to go to work from 8 in the morning to 4, and then I used to go to school from 5 to 10. I did this for the next six and a half years. By the time I graduated, I was like 22. I had my degree; I had six years of experience, so I stood out like a thorn. My mom was right, and I’m really grateful to her for that. My uncle always told me to never depend on one source of income. I did not do what kids my age would do. I didn’t go to parties and stuff; I do those things now, which is a good thing because now I do it in a more responsible way. My uncle convinced me to start a business. I started my first business which shut down in six months. I had three other businesses that were also shut down. When my last business shut down, things were rough. My business partner ran away with the money, I got divorced, and nothing really worked out. I was unemployed for the next eight

months. I was depressed for the first two months, but after that, I started writing. Next thing you know, it turned into a book. The book then skyrocketed.

YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A “FUTURIST”, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? If you remember, there was big PR by the government for entrepreneurship. There was a large PR about the future. After the last crash, it was like the renaissance of the gig economy. You had a lot of companies popping up.

People started asking, what is the future of work? If you had a house, you could rent a room. People started realising that they did not have to go to work. You can make money from so many different sources. Throw away the fact that you must go to the office from 9 to 5. The thing is, I despise going to work. I did it for so long. There was a time I was a radio host. I was doing a tech show and I was getting paid good money for talking exactly 20 minutes. I was in heaven. I was like, this is the future of work. Now I’m writing my second book, Why Jobs are for Robots and Life is for People.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET SAUCE?

My faith. I am not religious, but I love God. Throughout my entire journey, God has always been with me. He is with everybody. For me, He is the only guild. All the content of my books is about selfhelp, and it’s the stuff I read in the Holy Quran. I learn a lot about faith from people who converted to Islam. Mohammad Ali, for example; when I watch his video where he talks to his audience about Islam, I would be amazed by his words.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TWO STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS?

First thing I do is smile. When you smile, your body makes the difficult situation less difficult. My mom always told me whenever I was facing difficulties that God never closes one door without opening another one. When I’m in a difficult situation, I always think to myself, “Where are those other doors?” Sometimes, you may need to take a step back and take a deep breath. Then ask yourself what, when, where, how and then you tackle the issue. There is no problem that’s unsolvable. If people can go up to space, then you can solve any problem down here. You may have a feeling of urgency when you’re faced with a problem, but you need to remember to take a step back. God will show you the doors that are open.

TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND “JUST READ IT”.

The book is a self-help book. It was a message for my young self. Had I known the things I just read, I probably would not have made the mistakes that I did. Although I got a lot of advice, I never received the information I needed for social and emotional growth. You have to give someone those human skills. All those things that I wrote in the book, I wish someone had told me that. My mom and uncle never told me how to behave in the workplace. Almost everything you read in the book is already something you know. You either learned at home or school or from life. I just Omar-ised it. When I was unemployed, one thing that I did was volunteer a lot to lecture at schools and universities. On one occasion, I spoke at Zayed University, I saw that none of the students were taking notes. I asked, and they said that they like listening to me speak, but they don’t like taking notes. They suggested that I write a book, and then I was like, “Alright, I’ll write a book.” I had given my unpublished book to my colleague. She came the next day and told me that I had to publish this book, but I ignored it. On my birthday, she had five printed versions of the book. I could not stop crying. I didn’t know what to call the book because anyone could read it. I just wanted people to just read it. She said, call it exactly that, Just Read it.

WHAT ARE THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS OF EMIRATIS DOING DIFFERENTLY, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE IMPACT? I think they would improve the image of Emiratis who are considered spoiled. A lot of people are now into business and making entrepreneurial moves. They now know it’s not going to be easy. Even Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed said, “Don’t be surprised when you see Emirati taxi drivers.” There is no job beneath anyone, regardless of your nationality. I love it when leaders put out messages like this.

Now people are actually working in their family businesses, and before they’d hire someone else to do it. This makes them more competitive, not only here but around the world. I actually know a lot of Emiratis who are working in the U.S. This helps them become better ambassadors for the UAE.

AS HUMANS, WE ARE SAID TO BE “CREATURES OF HABIT”. HOW DO WE USE THIS TO OUR ADVANTAGE, ESPECIALLY IN BUSINESS AND/OR CAREER DEVELOPMENT? There is one quote that always keeps me in check. “Motivation is what gets you started; habit is what keeps you moving.” I always try to find these different ounces of motivation in different things, and then I develop the habit for it. I try to find these habits which will improve my physical and mental wellness. This is how I look at every day of my life. 52

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO JUMP INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP?

This is where I tell them, you must read my book. The three rules of business are research, research, research and if all fails, just do it. There’s only so much research you can do, and there’s only so much advice you can get. At the end of the day, the most powerful thing in the world is your gut feeling. Your gut is God’s voice. If your gut feeling is telling you to do it, that means it’s going to work. For me, it has always worked. I never do anything unless my gut tells me to go for it. Sometimes, it may not be clear, but that’s part of the process.

WHO INSPIRES YOU WITH AWE, AND WHY?

Mohammad Ali. He can not only talk the talk, he can also walk the talk, which is something not everyone can do.

HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

When I was 21 years old, I had tuberculosis which left me bedridden for six months. You can imagine how mentally it was driving me nuts. I was half-paralysed from the waist down. I kept my sanity because of my circle of friends. The circle of people around you are crucial. The laughter that you have with them keeps you happy. Try to spend time with people who have great energy. My second advice is to have faith. Either in God or a source of energy or a power that will really take you away from the hardships.

TALENT POOL

Nadia Parekh

Company: Melange

www.melangeme.com

melangedubai

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I am a Dubai-baby who is also an avid foodie. Being born and brought up in Dubai, I have seen this city transform. I have grown in this beautiful, multi-cultural space with exotic tastes and traditions. I am a sucker for good coffee and an absolute animallover. I love reading and falling in love with sunsets. And of course, my passion and hobby both lie in the kitchen. I love travelling to different places around the globe and exploring different cuisines and cultures through food.

HOW DID YOU DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN FOOD?

Honestly, I’m not so sure because my mom doesn’t enjoy cooking at all, and neither does my dad. In my house, cooking was always a chore done plainly out of need and not passion or love. On the other hand, baking has always been a really big passion of mine. Even when I was young, I would love being in the kitchen. My love for food is very evident. While travelling, the foremost thing I delve into is the variety of food of a particular country. I believe that a country’s cuisine can tell a lot about its culture. As with baking, I always took my skills at it as a mere hobby and never thought about this passion of mine as a long-term career option. That was, of course, until after I decided on joining a culinary school after completing my postgraduate degree in Clinical Psychology.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHANGE OF CAREER FROM CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY TO CULINARY.

It was never the ‘intent’ to join the food industry. After graduating from Dubai, I left to pursue my undergrad in Canada. I studied Clinical Psychology at McGill University for 4 years. I did enjoy studying Clinical Psychology and was always studious. However, coming from a Southeast Asian culture (Pakistan), being a chef was not a professional preference. We were pushed to do something more academic as a career rather than something creative, and automatically, I thought of baking as only a hobby. In my final year at McGill, I did a bit of research and work experience. It was during this time that I understood the real difference between studying something and practically working in that field. This was one of the biggest lessons I learnt as I realised that though I loved studying Clinical Psychology, I didn’t enjoy working in this field. I then decided to take a gap year before my masters and go to the culinary school to explore my passion a little further. So, I enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu London for a year and attained my grand diploma. After that, there was no looking back. During my time at the culinary school, I realised that there was nothing I loved more than being in the kitchen, and so I took my ‘hobby’ more seriously this time. I did a few temporary placements in different kitchens in London. I managed to work at the Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and even at William Curley. But something was missing, and I decided to do something about that. This led to me moving back to Dubai and working at Fairmont The Palm. It was after this that I decided to start Mélange.

TELL US ABOUT THE MELANGE BRAND AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT? I knew I wanted to continue practising my profession back home. Working at Fairmont The Palm in Dubai immensely helped develop my creative process as I was a part of the pre-opening team. It was a great

learning curve. After two years of working in that kitchen, I started my brand, Mélange. Even while doing Mélange initially, I was working placements in different places to keep my creativity and innovation alive. Now, Mélange is four years old, and the reason I founded it was that along my journey, I had started to feel like a machine in the professional kitchen. I wasn’t able to utilise my creativity to its true potential and felt my passion dwindling. Starting my brand was something I wanted to do. I first came across the word ‘mélange’ back in high school, studying French, and the word just stuck with me. The name means ‘the perfect blend’ or ‘a balanced blend’. And my Mélange is just that! Mélange started as an Instagram blog offering table set-up and catering. I did some branding, got some boxed made, and set it all up. My training was in mini and plated desserts, more so than cakes. At this point, I was working from home. Since I was limited in terms of space and manpower, I decided to focus on the product that made me the highest margin, and that was cake. I made bespoke cakes as they had an even higher margin. I also saw that at that point, the cakes in the UAE were all very mainstream. Everyone was using fondant. There weren’t very modern and abstract takes to the cakes. But that isn’t my style, and I didn’t want that to define my brand. Not many people understood my style then, but I stuck to my guns and used my training to bake creative cakes. My stubbornness helped me stand my ground and eventually, people not only began to accept my style but also appreciate it. I feel like it’s a matter of trying to position yourself properly in the market and find that crowd of people that also didn’t want the typical fondant cake. Being so ‘gram-able’, the cakes caught a lot of attention, and the brand took off. It’s been such an evolution. Today, Mélange has so many things; we have a retail line, we make bespoke cakes, we are a blog, and we used to cater too. So to me, it is just one big ‘mélange’.

WHAT IS YOUR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS?

I don’t know if there is necessarily a recipe or formula for success, but I think that there are certain key points that are very important. However, I feel like there are certain principles or truths that pave the way to success. Many people have told me a lot of advice along the way, and I feel that I want to get them out because some things really stuck with me and some things really helped me. The first thing is that you can’t do everything on your own. This is one lesson that really took me some time to understand, but it is key to progress because you’re only as good as your team. This advice helped me—being a one-woman show for the longest time—because you can only get so far with doing things alone. It was the best decision that I ever made when I decided to get a partner on board for my company. Moreover, it is also important to balance your weaknesses and ask for help because, as I said, you’re only as strong as your team. You need a certain ‘yin-yang’ to cover all bases of a business. You also need someone to focus on the product, and another to focus on growth, as well as aspects like attention to detail and the ‘bigger picture’. And another thing that I think is really important in attaining success as an entrepreneur is selfmotivation: you have to find a way to motivate yourself. In a team, the boss or the leader is the one the employees or members constantly look up to for motivation, but you see, no one ever really motivates the boss. As an entrepreneur, motivating yourself is important; passion, drive and ambition need to be present at all times. Your passion can’t ever dwindle because there should be no one else to keep it alive for you. This is an interesting thing that I’ve learned back then. Once I got employees on board, I thought that I have to motivate everyone, but I also have to motivate myself. I realised that I can’t motivate

anyone else unless I, too, am motivated. Innovation and product development is also indispensable. I truly enjoy this aspect, as I am excited about coming up with new recipes. It’s always challenging as there are constraints along the way, especially in the retail aspect, like for one, the product must be easy to transport. Then, there is also this issue about the size: the cake must fit inside our current retail boxes. We also have to think about shelf life—the cake should not be too temperature-sensitive. We have to account for all those factors while ensuring that the cakes are incredibly delicious and cheat-worthy. I like to think that to whip up a good recipe, you have to be like a magician, and this is something that I really enjoy doing. Another aspect that comes to mind on paving your way to success as an entrepreneur is having an excellent knack for organisation and management. This is extremely important, especially in startup businesses. There is almost no wiggle room or budget for errors in this aspect. It’s pivotal to have eyes on all business aspects as this factor almost always dictates the growth of the business. Setting up systems and procedures from scratch and implementing them efficiently and effectively requires strong organisational and problem-solving skills. A company leader must be quick on his or her feet as well: able to decide what’s best at the shortest time possible. I also did struggle and learn about the importance of quality control. This is a constant struggle on my part—coming up with a procedure that can be standardised and measured for consistency in your product and making sure this procedure is implemented every time any product leaves the kitchen. I have to admit that this is something that was really difficult to put in place and ensure that it is implemented daily. I’m quite a stickler for quality. For me, if there’s no consistency, then there’s no success, especially in the Food and Beverage Industry.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTED A CHANGE IN CAREER?

Hard work and passion will always pay off. You have to persevere through the rough days because hardships will always be there. You have to look at roadblocks or struggles in a positive light and take them as lessons learned. Pursuing or building a good career is a lot of work requiring a lot of patience. Entrepreneurship, or starting a business as a career, is not for everyone. I think that there are certain qualities that you need to have before you push on this field. There are people who wouldn’t enjoy being an entrepreneur. I think that you only should pursue entrepreneurship if you are really passionate about your product and you have a really solid business idea. You have to have thick skin in weathering through the ups and downs of running a business, persevering through the hard days and never letting the risks and failures de-motivate you or bring you down.

SOME SAY FAILURE IS THE BEST TEACHER. TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE/DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT? I agree 100%. I think there’s a bit of a balance as well. You obviously don’t want to make mistakes that are enormous and hard to come back from, but making mistakes is the only way to become aware of what’s not working. I definitely made a lot of mistakes along the way, for sure. In a way, my stubbornness is great when I truly want to work something out, but it may not be great when learning from failure because I’m constantly going after the same thing. It also takes me a while to realise that I have to think about solving a problem from a different perspective when my current way of solving things is not working. For me, there has to be a balance of risks and considerations between trying harder and walking away to try something different. In startups, especially in endeavours where creation, exploration and experimentation are important, you will never do everything right the first time around. Entrepreneurs are very used to making mistakes. Every error or mistake found improves your way of doing things, making it better or 64

right the next time around.

THE HOSPITALITY (F&B) INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN A HIT DUE TO COVID-19, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS FIELD?

We all had to think fast and make fast decisions. Like when COVID hit the business, our entire B2B line of revenue and all our bespoke cake orders got cancelled, obviously because there are no occasions and cafes are closed; no one was buying our products. Our only active revenue channel at this time is our eCommerce website, through our B to C customers. And we’re like, look, let’s think: what can we do? We started to market and push our online sales. On top of that, we decided to release these mini ‘quarantine cakes’ and put those online because there are no occasions, but do you really need an occasion to eat cake? So we try to position the ‘quarantine cake’ in a way that customers realise that they don’t need an occasion to order a cake, and perhaps, that quarantine is a sort of occasion itself. We created modernlooking concrete cakes with gold splatter, and we had humorous or funny things written on top, like ‘Happy Quarantine Birthday’, or ‘Habibi, wash your hands’, or, ‘Don’t touch your face’. During this time, we did think on our feet, and it really sustained us through. So my advice to other business owners in the field is to try to focus on direct B to C deliveries and online shopping, as opposed to sustaining yourself through expecting people to come to your shop. This pandemic may show business owners the true test of how innovative they are in terms of how they can sell their products. And one thing is never to lose all hope. Recently, many people are trying their very best to support local. People are really starting to see that there are many local people here with so much talent, ambition and great ideas. With such support, don’t lose hope that your business will survive.

WHAT DO MELANGE?

YOU

OUTSIDE

You could say that I made my hobby into my career, so practically speaking, I lost my hobby. This also means that on my time off, I’m like— well, what do I do now? My business has taken over my life, to be honest! It’s hard. Sometimes, it’s even hard to get days off when you have your own business. But outside of the business, I do love exploring the food scene, and I really enjoy going to coffee shops and just reading a book to enjoy the coffee. I love the whole speciality coffee scene which has exploded recently in Dubai— having a nice cup of coffee while reading really calms me. When I explore the food scene, I meet up with other chefs in the industry and in the city and just try new places. I also enjoy travelling, and miss it, because obviously travelling right now is tricky. I always try to fit travel into my life, even if it’s just short trips here and there. I always make sure that I take these trips because I feel like the creative process also needs a break and needs inspiration. I also enjoy photography, including styling and composition. Recently, I’ve been looking to do more of this as well.

HOW DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?

I zone out and turn my phone off, and just take a

break. I think that really helps me. Many people say that social media can really affect your mental health, and I think it’s very true. However, I can’t ever fully disconnect from social media because my entire business is on it; we are a purely social media-made business. If I were to totally disconnect from social media, it would mean disconnecting from sales and customers. So, unfortunately, breaking free from social media is not an option for me.

WHAT’S THAT ONE DESSERT THAT EVERYONE SHOULD LEARN TO MAKE AND WHY? Wow—that’s a tough one. But I think everyone should know how to make a basic cake. And it’s really interesting that you should ask this question because I recently started doing workshops. Many people are saying that they should learn how to make a celebration cake for occasions. We don’t want to have to always order a cake every time there’s some sort of occasion. Baking a basic standard layered celebration cake comes in handy for these special events.

WHAT’S THAT ONE QUOTE YOU LIVE BY?

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein This quote reminds me to find the silver lining in difficult situations.

VOICES

GIFT LOVE

My 40th Birthday

â&#x20AC;¦and giving myself permission to receive it gracefully

I closed my eyes and saw my 3-year old self—a happy, contented and spoiled child with two red ribbons in the hair. I felt like I’m the only one to be taken care of by the whole world. I’m in the centre of the ultimate adoration and attention from my Mom and my Dad. I lived in a sweet divine, and beautiful world and everyone who enters this world of mine is filled with a sparkling delight radiated towards me. I innocently managed to ignore the unfriendly people around me through my confidence that I am protected by Mum, Dad and God, and nothing—absolutely nothing—can happen to me. After 37 years, I found myself celebrating my 40th year on this earth. I removed all worries that were hustling and bustling in the world, and instead shed positivity towards myself. Questions were dashing through my mind: what has happened to me for the past forty years of my life? What did not happen and what is going to happen in the next forty years ahead? What is my intimate desire to live life fully wrapped up upon? What is my next drive destination for the stretches ahead? Am I not already the person of my aspirations? All those questions are winding up into a magical concoction in my mind—crafting a wishful version of myself. I closed my eyes again and saw myself in my first thirty years that spanned studies, living in rented houses, sharing roofs and hopes with other classmates, exploring life in communal rooms of university camps and craving food from glass jars cooked by caring mothers when money is only enough to pay the rent. These pictures are from memories of long-awaited food stocks from my home town with handwritten notes on it, long walks to the train station, uni-campus or the student home. Despite the gloom and doom during those years, my best years, dreams and visions were born from there and remained with me for years ahead—some of it remaining until today. Sitting by the light of the shimmering sunset, I am inspired to write a few of my learnings in life that I gained, along with some opportunities missed.

FIGHT YOUR DIGNITY.

‘EGO

BATTLES’

WITH

I fought battles with big titles, having to compromise on what I felt was right with my gut and follow the opinion of the crowd. I learned that whatever I felt was right—intuitively—was always justified with time. I learned to never compromise on what I felt is just that resides deep within my

core. I have to voice it out. I learned not to belittle myself, but instead amplify my existence.

LIVE THE CORPORATE CULTURE AND LEAVE IT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.

Our Mum and Dad taught us to go study, get a degree, and earn a decent job with pride. Corporate life is a really great place to start. Working in a formal setting within the confines of an office will enable one to learn more about professionalism and taking pride in being a productive team player. That’s not at all bad; however, just for the few ten or so years, in my opinion. I challenge everyone to dare to be different and question their own values and mission in life. By staying agile in a corporate structure, I experienced managing to stay attuned in conformity with my own set of rules and work toward my vision. What keeps me on a good track is asking myself this question from time to time: am I aligning the corporate dreams to mine and finding a common surface? It is fine to leave as soon as you feel that there is no longer synergy between you and the company.

TALK TO YOUR SOUL DAILY.

I have recently established a connection with my soul. As unreal as it may sound, I have bridged the deep layers of my subconscious with my conscious mind after having numerous sessions with energy workers and healers. This is when I learned that all the answers to our questions are ultimately embedded into our beings. You can find your unique and purposeful existential path inside your very own mind. Find a quiet time to intimately hold your hands and whisper loving words to your soul like, “I want to make the best for you on this journey, so please guide us towards physical and spiritual happiness and fulfilment.”

DON’T SETTLE UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR MISSION.

I am lucky to have found my mission. I know that I am meant to spend my life helping people around the world develop their human potentials and excel in their life by hosting a bunch of holistic wellness retreats on a sunny, summer island between the mountain and the sea. Today, I would say a man needs his mission as a pilot needs his route to the final destination. Without it, it’s a life lived without a goal similar to a bird that tries to find the south to escape the winter spirits, but instead gets lost, defeated by the cold winds before it has even flown a distance. 69

HAVE PATIENCE: DIAMONDS ARE BORN OVER BILLIONS OF YEARS. A diamond is formed under immense temperature and pressure over billions of years; life, similarly, becomes more valuable with years. Patience and endurance must persist when pursuing a goal. I failed to achieve many of my own goals, but my shortcomings showed me a way to another secret treasure, or often taught me another hidden quality I had in me while laying down, defeated and broken. I was born extremely impatient, and having such loving and caring parents contributed to the privilege to have everything that I wanted here and now. Later in life, I had to learn that not everything comes on a silver platter, and it is patience that actually brings you the fruits of your prayers.

DAYDREAM YOUR LEARN TO LET GO.

DESIRES

BUT

I was and still am a student practising vivid visualisation, manifestation and setting a positive mindset. I do this as my ritual. I was mistaken with the thought that if I imagined something for a hundred-day period, I would definitely achieve it. If that didn’t happen, I was soundly disappointed for perhaps a hundred more days and rejected in anger all similar ideas. The truth is you only get your desires when you learn to let go and live with what the divine spirit gives you. By learning to trust your path, you allow the universe to open the spiritual way for you while you sit and work over your desires on both physical and mental levels. Don’t mistake yourself for God; trust in the higher spirits and let them see a hundred miles ahead of you from here where you don’t have a clear vision for.

REFLECT ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS AT ANY AGE.

I was standing with a shaking body in front of my grandfather’s grave. It was a sunny but chilled midday in November. My mom and grandmother were beside me whining. Perhaps they were weeping and singing at the same time, as it all sounded as an unreal melody while tears dropped from their sad eyes. I wanted to move but I suddenly found myself frozen. I simply stood there, reminded of life while the mountain breeze touches my face. My head was bustling with questions: what are the things that really matter in life? What is the most significant experience one must have while living? What is something one should do before the body lies deep in the ground, and your soul waves goodbye? What is the meaning of life? None of the answers satisfied my quest for meaning, and I kept still standing there. A deep, warm voice beside me got me awakened out of my trance, “Daughter, let’s go.” My mother shook me by my hand and we strayed away. A sudden thought hit me: revisiting the dead keeps man even more alive by realising how short life is and what truly matters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VYARA TOSHEVA

Wellness, Spa and Retreats Business Consultant In over 19 years, Vyara Tosheva has gained professional experience in hospitality, leisure and wellbeing. Vyara graduated in Tourism Management and holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism, as well as internationallyaccredited certification courses in Hospitality and Spa Management. She travels the world to enhance her expertise through further certifications in Ayurveda, Wellness and Fitness Consultancy, Coaching and Psychology. She is a certified NLP and EFT master coach and Reiki practitioner. She also led the opening of The Retreat Palm Dubai, the first wellness retreat resort in the UAE and GCC, as well as the Rayya Wellness and Poli-clinic Centre. She created and managed the first holistic

retreats in a hotel environment where in-house and visiting master practitioners, energy workers and doctors combine their knowledge with fitness, spa and beauty professionals to deliver transformational retreats. As a consultant, she advises and consults hospitality and spa executives on the creation of wellness projects and their execution. Vyara’s mission is to empower busy executives to create or enhance their business models geared toward a wellness lifestyle on both professional and personal levels. Her vision, on the other hand, is to create worldwide wellness and health retreat centres that provide premium services for its employees, guests and visitors. 73

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LIFESTYLE

JUMPSTART YOUR CAREER: Preparing for Future Work 76

• According to the World Economic Forum, 35% of the skills that are essential today will change in five years. • A McKinsey quarterly report released in August 2020 states that we need to invest in learning and development more than ever before as a result of COVID-19. • Many industries, which include hospitality and aviation, will take years to recover post-pandemic. • Around 32% of companies are replacing full-time employees with freelance or remote workers to cut costs, and this trend will likely grow. • A recent Gartner survey showed that 48% of employees will likely be working from home and we have already seen a few companies announcing their work from home policy for the long term. Looking at this information, as well as observing the accelerated rate at which the world of work is changing as a result of this global pandemic, we need to be more proactive than ever before when it comes to our careers and businesses. Many companies have a hard time keeping up with changing technologies, and thus

they go bankrupt and shut down altogether, and we have seen this happen again these days. Those who didn’t adapt quickly were left in Q1 of 2020. This is due to various factors, of course, but a big part of it is due to lack of digital adaptation, lack to ability of creating strong teams to move things forward when markets get challenging, and changes in economies. On the other hand, there are also individuals who are simply becoming irrelevant in their jobs because they did not manage to upgrade their skills and keep up with the growth of their roles, among other factors. As we get older, we tend to be set in our ways and refuse to accept that there are many things that we don’t know. To be relevant and continue adding value, the older generation should keep up with the technological advances to continue in our roles in the corporate sector or business fields. When it comes to your career growth, you need to take responsibility for your own development, even if your company is not investing in you. Formal learning is no longer enough: you need to learn every day and look for opportunities to learn from others. Leaving your personal and professional development to an external party is a sure way to be left behind in the world of work. Your career and

life are 100% your responsibility. Your current situation is a result of the choices you made. To ensure you are making mindful choices and remaining a strong player in the world of work, consider the following two tips.

skills. These are the top skills needed for many jobs today, and as you climb up the career ladder, effective business communication skills are vital to your success.

STAY CURIOUS Stay up to date with market trends, especially in your area of work. That does not necessarily mean only focusing on your industry but perhaps your area of work that is likely to fit into many industries. Be willing to change, transform, or evolve as many times as needed. If your industry was strongly affected by the recent events, perhaps it is time to explore new territories of work or regions.

• Enrol in a programme to get further education, like executive courses, certifications and skill-building courses. Money is no longer an obstacle to learn with platforms like Coursera and Udemy that are available and cover many areas of knowledge.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Read, read, read—your brain is a muscle, you need to exercise it. Read on topics that are different, expand your view and perspective. •

• Learn a new skill or two. Judging by the future of work reports, anything digital or remote is likely to be useful in the future. Get up to date on the latest tech, future skills sets, including soft power skills like emotional intelligence, creative skills, entrepreneurial mindset, lean methodology, and others. • Improve your public speaking or online presentation 78

aintain a healthy lifestyle. In order to make sure M we are curious about the outside world, we need to maintain curiosity in our own minds and bodies. Are you your best self physically and mentally? Have you discovered what else you can do when it comes to maintaining a healthy, vibrant, and energised body? Stay with a regular exercise programme, eat healthily, explore your body, protect your energy, take time to meditate, take vacations, do things you enjoy, and write a journal even.

Two bonus things to add to your growth list: • You always need to MAKE time to maintain or expand existing networks and to create new ones. Being too busy in your current job is no longer an excuse. You simply must make time for building and nurturing relationships. It can be in group gatherings, even virtual meetings, a phone call, an email, or a holiday greeting. • Don’t get too comfortable. You have to keep learning, keep an eye out for opportunities, stay active in your industry and externally as well. This can be done by attending various events, participating in discussions, panel presentations, talks, etc.

CONNECT As life gets busy and we get caught up in our work, with our phones, we forget how to connect with others. We neglect relationships around us; we tend to only focus on business outcomes and often forget how to connect as humans. Why is this essential in your work, you might wonder? Because even with technological advances taking over all aspects of our lives, soft skills such as emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and empathy are still one of the most valuable traits one can have, especially in senior roles, where your main job is to manage, motivate, inspire, and lead. You need to grow and practise these skills. This is something technology cannot replace—at least not any time soon. The only way to do it is to spend time with others, connect in a quality way, and listen.

Here are some ways to maintain a human touch and also improve the quality of relationships in your life: â&#x20AC;˘ Start at home. Make time for quality family time; put your phone away at dinner. Visit your family members, make time to know what is happening in their lives. Give them attention. They need you the most. This is your base; this is your home; this is your support network. â&#x20AC;˘ Check-in with friends. Put effort into getting to know how things are going for them. Listen. Listen to things that are unsaid. Listen to just listen. With no expectations. The most valuable thing you can give someone is your time. â&#x20AC;˘ Do the same with your co-workers. Be present. Be curious. Put away your phone! Talk. Share. Connect. Help each other grow. Lead by example.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELENA AGARAGIMOVA Managing Partner at Bessern and Talent Development Specialist

Elena is an entrepreneur, talent development specialist, and education advocate with a deep interest in neuro and behavioural sciences. She is known for her ability to drive change within individuals and organisations that are looking to reach their potential and maintain their competitive edge in the business world. She has started her career in higher education, having worked across various institutions, departments and regions. In her recent years, she dove into business and joined Bessern, as well as founded a learning and developing consultancy, as well as several other projects within the talent development arena. She is an engaging skilled trainer and talent development specialist, credited with combining operations, education, and international expertise to design and deliver programs for diverse audiences. Elena has a strong passion for L&D, promoting creative and engaging workplaces and all about optimising performance through the development of others. As a career coach, Elena has over ten years of experience working individuals across different generations, supporting them in achieving their professional and personal goals.

7 Steps to Discover Your Purpose Are you feeling lost, or do you feel like your life lacks purpose? Not sure what your mission on earth is? Confused about your calling? Want to contribute and help others but don’t know how? Or maybe you’re just looking to make a transition in your career or even open up your own business but don’t know what direction to take?

in your current career? See the greater meaning in the experiences in your life? Live in alignment with your true self? Replace limiting beliefs with empowering beliefs? Create the life of your dreams?

Do you want to have a greater understanding of your life’s greater purpose? Find a career that fulfils your greater purpose? Find greater meaning and purpose

More than a decade of experience trying to find my own purpose and helping others find theirs has helped me identify the 7 steps to the discovery process.

If that’s how you feel, then I suggest you pull out your journal and pen, and continue reading this article.

INSIGHTS FROM CHILDHOOD The first step to discovering your purpose is to take a trip down memory lane into your childhood. Why? It is because you were born with a purpose. You are here for a reason. Your presence matters. Nothing is a coincidence. When you were born, your purpose was stored safely into your heart, and it was shining bright, but over the years, as a result of social conditioning and circumstances, that light has dimmed. We want it to shine bright again, so we have to shed layers and unlearn. Journal prompts to reflect on: • As a kid, what was my favourite memory? • What game did I love to play? • What was my favourite toy? • What was my favourite compliment that I ever received? Then, take it one step further and ask yourself why. This process requires you to question everything and to then allow the answers to flow through you.

PASSION The second step to discovering your purpose is to look at your passions. What is it that you love to do? There are many ways to help you gain insights into your passion, however, one of the most effective ways is the following. Journal prompts to reflect on: • How do you love spending your free time? • What activities bring you joy? • What topics and events bring you excitement? • And lastly, if you had unlimited time and resources, so you did not have to worry about money, how would you be spending your free time? What would you be googling? What would you be looking in to? Once you’ve written them down, ask yourself, how does this list make me feel? Go through every single one of your answers and observe the feeling that is created in your body. Remember, it is all about feeling high vibrational feelings throughout the journey, such as joy and excitement.

TALENTS The third step to discovering your purpose is to look at your talents. What are you good at? One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that they think their passion alone leads them to their purpose. However, your purpose is where your talents AND passions meet. You not only have to love what you are doing, but you also have to be good at it. Talents can be natural talents or experience talents; talents that you’re naturally gifted with or talents that you’ve learned and acquired over the years through your experiences. Journal prompts to reflect on for your natural talents: • What do you consider easy? • What are you naturally good at? • What do people come to you for advice or help with? • And lastly, what could you never imagine charging people for because you feel like it’s too easy for you and it’s too natural for you? Once you’ve written them down, ask yourself, how does this list make me feel? This whole process requires you to be in touch with your feelings and the sensations each idea creates within your body.

COMMUNITY The fourth step to discovering your purpose is to look at your community. Jim Rohn has a famous quote which states that we are the average of the five people we spend the most of our time with, so it’s absolutely vital that we become intentional with our community and with whom we spend our time with. Journal prompts to reflect on: • Who is it that you’re surrounding yourself with? • When you’re in their presence, how do you feel? • When you leave them, how do you feel? • What topics of discussion do you engage in? • Are they limiting or empowering? • Do they inspire you? • Do you have shared goals and dreams? In this step, it is important for you to take a moment and to ask yourself if you are willing to get intentional with your community, to ensure that the community that you choose will inspire you to walk confidently in the direction of your highest self.

DESERVE, DREAMS & DESIRES The fifth step to discovering your purpose is to look at your three Ds, deserving, dreams and desires. Deserve is to take a look at what it is that you deserve or believe that you deserve in life. Dreams are taking a look at what it is that your soul is trying to tell you and desires are about what you truly want in life. The reason being that most of the time, we push back our true desires is because we believe that we are not worthy of them. Therefore, we want to get to the root cause of the block, and once we’ve discovered that, we then want to look at our dreams; what are some recurring dreams that I’m having? What is it that my soul and my subconscious mind is trying to tell me? Lastly, we want to look at our desires. A great way to discover that is to ask yourself the following two questions: • If you’re put in a library, what type of books are you going to pull out? • If you’re in a supermarket, what type of magazines are you most attracted to? Once you have your answers written down, ask yourself the magic word, why.

VALUES & BELIEFS The sixth step to discovering your purpose is to look at your core values and your beliefs. Why are core values important? It is because these are the values that you stand for. They are powerful guides to your actions, behaviours, decisions and attitudes. Your beliefs that you have about yourself, others, the world that you live in and your career, play a major role in your experience of reality. For example, if you believe that you live in a world where you are not able to practise your purpose and be successful, then your reality is going to reflect that. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve written down your list, go through them and ask yourself if each belief is limiting or empowering. If it is a limiting belief, then set an intention to let it go.

VISION & PURPOSE The final step to discovering your purpose is to look at your vision. Vision is the modality you use to serve your purpose, and you can have numerous visions. Knowing your persona is one of the ways to gain clarity into your vision. There are five types of personas: • Connector: All about bringing people together and creating a community. • Builder: The doers, the swiller workers. They are all about structure. • Teacher: Loves to share knowledge and wisdom. • Creators: The visionaries and innovators. • Thinkers: The challenger seekers. They love to solve problems. Once we know the personas that reason most with us, we have much more clarity when we’re thinking about our visions. These seven steps will provide you with the insights you need to discover your purpose on your journey of self-discovery. Do not be who your parents, partner, friends want you to be. Take this opportunity to peel the layers of labels and social conditioning to get to your core essence, to who you were created to be. Do not for one second think that you must be imprisoned by who you were twenty years ago. Every moment is an opportunity for change and growth.

If you would like to dive deeper into each step and learn more about how each step correlates with one another, check out the 7-week self-paced online course at https:// minutesongrowth. teachable.com

About the author Tannaz Hosseinpour, founder of Minutes on Growth Coaching, is a Dubai-based certified life coach specialising in mindset and relationships. She helps millennials manifest and cultivate empowered lives through one-on-one coaching, online programs, podcast episodes and social media content. She is the host of her self-improvement podcast, Minutes on Growth, available on Spotify, Apple and Google Podcast. She holds a Masters of Law degree in alternative dispute resolution, specialising in family mediation. Since 2017, she is also the CEO and founder of TP Education Consultants, an educational consultancy firm based in Toronto, Tehran and Dubai.

Website: www.minutesongrowth.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/minutesongrowth

The Flow:

The Secret to a Happier Life Have you ever been doing something you love when you felt completely immersed, that it was almost like everything around you ceased to exist at that moment? Time seems to just fly by, and voices in the background fade into a blur, as you pour your attention into that moment. Calm and focus seem to intertwine, and you feel most productive and at peace. If your answer is yes, then you have experienced flow. Doing things in a state of flow will bring you an influx of positive emotions, including confidence, joy, mindfulness, and motivation. What does it actually mean, and how can you do more of it?

Flow – A Definition Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is the positive psychologist who is most widely associated with the concept of flow. He described it as “…being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away—time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.” It’s what you might call being in the zone. I’m totally familiar with the feeling, but I must say it has been a little while since I’ve been completely in the zone, without a nagging at the back of my mind about “the something else” that needs to be done. If you want to reach that space of flow, you’ve got to make sure that your environment is set up for it. You want it to be as easy as possible to start the task, and carry it on without being distracted by external things, or by your own inner thoughts. It’s about taking a look at activities that you actually enjoy doing, and elements in the environment (internal and external) that will help you to ease your way through. For example, my highest states of flow are usually when I’m reading, watching a movie (rom-com, of course), or creating and designing coaching content for my clients. Before, you couldn’t stop me when I was at the keyboard. Once my fingers started tapping away, the content would flow straight from the heart on to the screen–sometimes so quickly that my fingers couldn’t keep up with my thoughts and I’d have to dictate before writing. Then, the world turned upside down, and I found myself–like so many of you–reassessing my priorities, my routines, and everything in between. Something about that 90

process interfered with my writing experience, so that for a couple of months I would sit at the laptop for twice the amount of time that I used to in order to produce a great piece of writing. I made the decision to make it easier. For me, it was as simple as creating an environment that actually felt easy– setting the kids up with an activity, switching on my fairy lights, adding some rugs to my office, and putting on a good soundtrack in the background– and boom, I was back in the zone. Now, some of you may be reading this and adulting as you read. Maybe you’re asking yourself how on earth you are supposed to find time to totally submit to one specific experience when you have a mountain load of other ‘more important’ things to be getting along with. Here is where you could probably benefit from remembering that doing things that bring you positive emotions is important. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is one of the most important factors in maintaining mental wellbeing. We all have it within us to allow for these flowing experiences to happen. Can you remember when you were a child and you could get so engrossed in what you were playing with that the rest of the world just melted away? I know my kids do it–that creativity and flow–doesn’t just disappear as we get older. We make a choice based on what we think an adult is “supposed” to do or feel. Creatives are looked at as crazies with no organisational skills. Thinking outside the box is seen as rebellious. But you know what? If that’s how people want to react to your awesome and authentic self, let them. That’s their choice, and their baggage. Remember childhood’s pure joy: don’t you want that for yourself?

Perfect Your Flow If you’ve read everything so far, and it has sparked a desire in you to flow more, here are two important factors that will get you on your way. KEY #1: If you want to get in the zone, the things you are doing need to be slightly challenging. It shouldn’t be so hard that you want to give up right away, but something that just stretches you. For me, that translates to learning something new. When I enrol in a new course or training or pick up a new book, as long as it’s on a topic that I am passionate about, that slight stretchy challenge comes from absorbing and applying new information. If you want to experience ‘the flow’, make sure you’re going beyond your standard state of being. Pick something that challenges you. If you want to choose an experience that you are already familiar with, see if you can change it up somehow so that you’re stretching yourself. KEY #2: You should have really clear short-term goals for doing the thing you’ve chosen, and you should be able to get feedback as soon as you’ve finished doing it. If I am doing something and my heart is totally not in it – like washing the dishes while staring out of the window - I’m definitely not in the zone! However, if I went into washing the dishes with the goal of being able to go and meet up with a beloved friend afterwards and I’m getting the instant feedback of watching the dishes begin to sparkle, it would be much easier for me to be in the flow.

Planning for flow As part of the research into flow, Csikszentmihalyi observed creatives, such as artists, as they worked. He saw how totally focused artists were on what they were painting. They persevered with their art, even when they had physical feelings of discomfort. I’m not going to be selling my artwork in galleries in this lifetime, but I do get totally immersed when I’m colouring in mandalas. It’s important to give yourself a bit of time and space to plan for the activity you are going to melt into. If you don’t fancy painting, it won’t do you any good to buy that canvas and sit at an easel for hours simply because it seems like the ‘right’ way to flow. I asked the question on my Facebook group to find out what activities people could get into a flow doing–you’d be surprised how many said ironing. So, go with what feels good to you, and own it without comparing to anybody else. Prime your environment so that feels good too. Remember, it’s not a waste of time. It is an investment in your wellbeing.

About the Author Sarah Babiker is a positive psychology coach, absolutely passionate about helping people realise all the goodness that they have within. It is her mission in life to guide people to uncover their potential, clear their fears, and get them on the way to living their best life in a way that feels good and right to them. She is the founder of Flourish by Sarah, and one of three co-founders of Soul Space. She works with children and adults, both individually through Soul Space, and in programmes through Flourish by Sarah. She is a children’s book author, focused on introducing children to concepts in positive psychology in an age-appropriate and fun way. Sarah is also certified as a children’s yoga teacher. Sarah grew up in England, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan, and currently lives in Dubai with my husband and two children. Having this experience of a mix of cultures growing up has helped her to be able to relate to people from varying walks of life. She believes everybody has the answers to their best life within and guides them to make it happen. You can also follow Sarah on Instagram Learn more about Sarah Babiker’s work at www.flourishbysarah.com and www.soulspace.ae/life-coach. If you are interested in practical ways to incorporate positive psychology into your life, join Sarah’s Facebook group: The Good Life – Positive Psychology for Every Day. 92

flourishbysarah sarahbabiker_lifecoach thrivingchildbooks

Food

5 Must - Try Lebanese Dishes

With French, Arab, and Turkish influences, Lebanese cuisine is one of the healthiest and most flavourful in the world. The geographic location of Lebanon allows this exotic country to utilise only the freshest catch from the Mediterranean and the finest produce from one of the Arab worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most fertile lands in the Beqaa Valley. Lebanese cuisine centres mostly on lamb, vegetables, and nuts, among others. Whether you are enjoying a warm afternoon in a cosy restaurant in downtown Beirut or basking in the hospitality of a rural Lebanese home, make sure to check out these 5 Lebanese dishes that will have you yearning for more.

1. Kibbeh Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better way to appreciate a country than through its national dish. When it comes to Lebanon, there can only be one king of the national kitchen: Kibbeh. This is a dish that has bulgur wheat as its base. Choice meats, spices, and nuts are added into the wheat to create a very fine paste. Once the mixture turns into a thick and stretchy lump, the cook then shapes them into balls. There are many ways of enjoying Kibbeh. You can have them raw, stuffed and fried, baked, or fried as is. Some people call raw Kibbeh as Kibbeh Nayyeh. You can consider it as the Lebanese version of your steak tartare. If you stuff the ball and then fry them, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re called Kibbeh Nabilseeyah. You can also enjoy a vegetarian version of Kibbeh by ditching the lamb for tomatoes, pumpkin, and potatoes. Most restaurants serve Kibbeh with mint leaves before getting a hint of olive oil.

2. Baba ghanoush First-time tourists to Lebanon are often asked a very peculiar question: hummus or Baba ghanoush? It is easy to mistake Baba ghanoush and hummus as being one and the same. This is because the two dishes look very similar. The difference is in the taste. Once you have taken a mouthful of Baba ghanoush, you will know the distinct difference between it and hummus. The secret to the Lebanese Baba ghanoush is the use of eggplants instead of chickpeas. You will get that rich flavour and creamy texture of eggplants. Eggplants get char-grilled, then mashed before getting mixed with garlic puree, olive oil, tahina, and lemon juice. If you happen to get the Baba ghanoush with pomegranate toppings, you’ll know you’re already in heaven. Baba ghanoush is often served with classic pita bread. However, you can also enjoy it with your crisp, raw vegetables. It is perfect either as a spread or as a dip.

3. Shawarma Shawarma is not a Lebanese original. This marinated, mouth-watering, spit-roasted meat has its origins in Turkey. However, being once a part of the Ottoman Empire, Lebanon has embraced the dish as its own, as did other Levant countries and Greece. Shawarma is perfect with pita bread or even a lavash. You can eat it by itself, too. The dish calls for the marinating of choice meat in a mixture of cinnamon, spicy paprika, lemon, black pepper, cardamom, ginger, garlic, nutmeg, bay leaf, allspice, cloves, and dried lime. The base is either vinegar or yoghurt. Some Shawarma makers also use orange slices to give the marinade a sweet and tangy taste. The secret to a great Lebanese Shawarma is to marinate the slices of meat – lamb, beef, turkey, or chicken, or any combination – overnight. You must give it ample time for the different flavours of the spices to get into each fibre of the meats. And when you slow-cook the meat, you will have the most succulent pieces of meat you will ever have. 95

4. Manakish Are you tired of the usual pizza? How about you try Lebanon’s version of the classic Italian dish. They call this Manakish. However, this is not really a Lebanese pizza. It is more a go-to breakfast food that is like an egg and cheese sandwich that Westerners have for breakfast. Manakish is a very popular dish intended primarily for starting the day right. What you get is a flatbread that’s topped with cheese and za’atar. You also get a hearty serving of fresh tomatoes, mint leaves, olives, and fresh cucumbers. It goes without saying that the key ingredient here is za’atar. This is a spice blend that the Lebanese have learned to make to perfection. It consists of toasted sesame seeds, Lebanese oregano, sumac, thyme and a few other spices. The mixture gets mixed with the finest olive oil you can get. Cooks spread the za’atar blend on a flatbread before placing it into a brick oven to bake.

5. Sfiha If you’re yearning for a meatier version of Manakish, then you’ve got to check Sfiha. This is a staple in many Arab countries, although the Lebanese make this pizza-like dish like no other. The edges of the crust have that nice crisp to them that sounds so wonderful to the ears at first bite. As you get nearer the centre, you’ll get a soft texture that blends so well with the sumptuous meat toppings. Sfiha is a favourite snack of many Lebanese, often served with yoghurt or tahini sauce. The toppings are often made of minced lamb, although you can always substitute it with ground beef. Some cooks prefer using veal because it is a lot more tender and has that succulence that is sometimes missing in beef. The addition of a unique 7-spice blend gives the ground meat a punchy flavour. Pomegranate molasses give the meat mixture a hint of sweetness, tanginess, and an overall pleasant flavour profile.

If you think these dishes sound so tasty, delicious, and heart-filling, wait until you get a good taste of them. We’re confident that the experience will open your eyes to the exciting world of Lebanese cuisine. 96

FITNESS How to Stay Fit and Healthy with Low Mobility Whether you have low mobility to begin with, or you’re recovering from an injury, taking on advanced workout might not be the best thing to do. However, not being able to run due to a knee injury or lift heavy weights because of a shoulder injury doesn’t mean you can’t stay fit and healthy. If you choose the right workout and prepare yourself well, you can minimise the risk of injury, and you can become an even better you. When exercising with low mobility, you have to remember that taking it slow is incredibly important. This will allow you to be active in the long term. It will also help you increase your mobility over time. You may feel like doing things quickly would get you faster results. Although that’s true in theory, practically slower progress is much more sustainable and realistic. If you’re a complete newbie, or you just want to create a good foundation for your body, you may need to do

exercises at the beginning that will strengthen muscle groups, which will, in turn, give you better posture and better movement. That means you have to start improving your core strength: work those abs. If it is possible for you to do it, you should do the McGill Big Three. Developed by Dr Stuart McGill, these three exercises are aimed at giving you a stronger core. a. b. c.

Modified Curl-Up Side Bridge Bird Dog

If you have no foundation for working out, try to do these three until you feel ready for a more advanced workout. And when you are ready, these three exercises will be your warm-up session. From this point, depending on your goal, you want to move towards different avenues. 97

Walking Let’s just start by saying this, walking a great exercise! It is incredibly underrated. If you can walk without pain, it’s something you should really consider. Walking for 15 to 20 minutes a day can do wonders for your overall health. It’s a great low-intensity workout that can burn a lot of calories. If you hate doing workouts like HIIT, walking will change your life. True, it doesn’t burn as many calories as something more intense, but higher-intensity does not equal better quality. So go out for a walk, get some fresh air and explore your city. Swimming Swimming is the king of low mobility exercises. It not only has a lot of benefits that other exercises have, but it’s also a lot of fun. The buoyancy of the water helps you move in the water without assistance. It improves mobility in the joints, and it stimulates circulation and breathing. It is excellent for cardiovascular fitness, and injuries from swimming are incredibly rare, and it improves flexibility. There are also tons of exercises you can do in the water. In fact, if it’s too difficult for you to walk on solid ground, walking in a pool is a great alternative. Weight Training The beauty of lifting weights is that you start from any level and easily record yourself getting stronger. There are a lot of exercises you could do, and if there are certain ones you can’t do, there would be another one for the same body part. Weightlifting has also shown to improve posture, get rid of back pain and get rid of knee pain. If you haven’t lifted weights before due to the many misconceptions that exist about it, you should reconsider. Gyms usually have several machines to help you get started especially for people with low mobility. 98

Yoga Yoga is beneficial for everyone! It can be a life-changer. There are so many types of stretches that yoga offers that no matter what issue you have, you can get a good workout. Yoga specifically helps you improve your flexibility. It also helps you lower the risk of getting injured, and helps with mental health. It can decrease stress and can relieve anxiety. The best advice is to do a combination of all these exercises. However, when it comes to exercise, you should try to do something that you like. So, if you only like one of these, do that one. Exercise should be fun, only then can you do it in the long term. So take your pick and start your journey to improving the rest of your life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hani P Jamal currently studies Journalism at the Amity University Dubai, having travelled all the way from Oman where he was born and raised to pursue his dreams. He explored numerous creative outlets and realised that exploring the potential of his voice was his calling. He grew up with a family that had a very successful business, which made the path he took a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one less travelledâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. On many occasions, he flew around the world, displaying the effort he is willing to put into achieving his goals. On one such occasion, he travelled to Kuwait for an open quiz competition, where he took the gold medal home. Hani sings at live events, acts in theatres, and participates in exciting quiz shows. 99

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CONTEMPORARY LUXURY AT SAADIYAT ROTANA RESORT AND VILLAS 101

Pristine white sands and turquoise waters await paradise seekers in pursuit of a modern Arabian ambience, only in the idyllic island of Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi. Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas invites locals and tourists alike to enjoy a cultural and leisure experience like no other, being surrounded with iconic destinations and attractions in the island, such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat and Yas Island, to name a few.

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A FIVE-STAR WELCOME

A generous display of striking spaces which pride of uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf meets the eye upon entering Saadiyat Rotana. The homely warmth of hospitality radiates with the smiles of the resort staff ushering guests through the check-in process. Enjoy light meals, delectable desserts and mouthwatering refreshments at the Sama Lobby Lounge when you find yourself in the lobby of Saadiyat Rotana.

A FLAIR OF MIDDLE EAST ROOMS, LUXURIOUS VILLAS Utmost comfort can be found while relishing in the unhindered views of the sea, impeccable grounds and well spaced pool area in Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas—designed with the casual elegance of contemporary Arabian architecture with the touch of an all-year summer vibe. The resort offers wide range accommodation options to suit the visitors’ tastes. Beach house-inspired rooms have ultracomfy beds, open-plan bathrooms, walk-in

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showers and balconies inviting guests to relax in the view of the sea. The expansive suites, ideal for large groups and families, are wonderfully bright and airy and have separate homely living rooms. The villas, which are the most luxurious accommodation options available, are even a lavish league of their own: guests experience a vacation like no other with the large private plunge pools and fully furnished terrace with direct access to the beach.

A LUSH BEACH HEAVEN TO EXPLORE

Saadiyat Island is home to one of the UAE’s exclusive and stunning beaches, with its 9-km beach abundant with fine white sands. Saadiyat Rotana, with an impeccable beachfront, offers an immaculate haven to explore and find relaxation. The lush greenery that blends with the view of the beachfront calms even the weariest minds. The lavish pool area surrounded with modish cabanas and a Pool Bar invites you to a serene day of soaking under the Arabian sun. Step into the invigorating, clear turquoise waters for a swim or float-away your stresses.

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A GASTRONOMIC FEAST AT THE MARKET BRUNCH

Feast away at the best of what the most delicious of brunches has to offer at The Market Brunch at Sim Sim, the international restaurant of Saadiyat Rotana. The Market Brunch features a market-theme setup, complete with a display of fresh fruits and vegetables along the entrance and an eclectic showcase of live cooking stations. The well-loved crowd favourite offers a wide

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range of sumptuous food along with your favourite adult beverages, nicely laid out on barrels and carts in a garden area.

A SUMPTUOUS REMEMBER AT RESTAURANTS

DINNER TO TOP RATED

Savour the fresh food “from the sea” or prime cuts “from the land”, done to perfection, and just the way you like it in a top-rated venue at the Turtle Bay Bar

and Grill. Choose from an outside terrace area overlooking the pool or the indoor area to match your mood. If you want to catch up with friends and colleagues, head for an enjoyable social night at Hamiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gastropub, which offers innovative beverages and craft brews. Find the authentic Italian culinary craftsmanship at the Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar. And finally, if you are looking for the best island-style eating and entertainment, the Nasma Beachfront Bar is the place to be.

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SAADIYAT ROTANA RESORT & VILLAS SAADIYAT ISLAND, ABU DHABI UNITED ARAB EMIRATES T: +971 2 697 0000 | F: +971 2 697 0123 110

For the Culture

Charismatic Leadership: Leading with the Right Emotions The greatest leaders, or at least those with the best leadership potentials, do not always become presidents of nations, prime ministers, nor religious leaders and the like. Some of the greatest leaders are unsung heroes that most media outlets will ever have breaking news to report on. People cling to and love leaders who are passionate, charismatic, persuasive and represent a strong ideal. This type of leadership is called charismatic authority or charismatic leadership. Coined by the German sociologist Max Weber, and it involves a type of leadership in which authority emanates from the charisma of the leader. Charismatic leaders radiate strong auras or magnetic presences. When they speak, they usually channel positive messaging through optimistic words, open gestures and bright, strong emotions. They can usually inspire others to lead, as well. Often, they channel so much positive energy that they can readily influence and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;infectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; others with their ideals and principles. If an organisation needs a catalyst to speed things up and create a movement, the best type of leader to take the reins is a charismatic one.

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BECOMING AN EMOTIONAL, CHARISMATIC LEADER

To become a charismatic leader, one must improve their emotional quotient (EQ) to be able to channel the most positive emotions, empathy and passion. Emotionally mature individuals who are a cut above the rest, likely develop or become natural leaders. One must also hold on to a passion and a strong reason to lead to become a charismatic leader. In the best and worst of times, make it a priority to be optimistic, enthusiastic, and positive in gesture, tone, and mood. A person’s charisma, which could spring from

BE TRANSPARENT

Great leaders know that they must ‘sell’ a culture of transparency within the group or organisation for the purpose of accountability, trust and cohesion. This foundation will set the premise for leadership qualities to shine through because the leader will be able to motivate and develop confidence through a culture of openness and responsibility.

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a great well of empathy, should not have to be the most likeable, but only enough to win trust and confidence from people.

CULTIVATE A STRONG IDENTITY

Great organisations are reflective of the charismatic leaders that lead them: transformational and progressive. Strong leaders have strong identities that set them apart from the crowd, and these unique identities can lend or perhaps forge strong identities too to the groups or organisations they lead and guide. Thus, charismatic leaders know that self-image is critically important.

UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS OF OTHERS

To motivate others, you must be motivated by the same purpose or methods. The social skill of selfregulation is of paramount importance. People are more receptive to a form of leadership that invokes modesty, understanding, confidence, and empathy, and those traits can only come from a person who is also self-motivated by the right reasons. People also need to feel that they have an important role to play. In times of frustration and chaos, the leader must be calm, intuitive, and logical as he or she can set the tone of the group’s reaction or emotion as a whole. We do know that rash decisions are made mostly when our emotions are unstable and unbalanced, so leaders should focus on finding solutions to problems with calmness and a positive mindset.

RESOLVE CONFLICTS WITH EMPATHY

Leadership that seeks to improve on conflict resolution is making way for conflicts to occur, as this assumes that conflicts are always there. Instead, the charismatic leader builds a model of improved communication and a praise system within the organisation. If a team member fails at a task, he or she must not be condemned for his inabilities, but rather be praised for aspects of work done

correctly, as well as encouraged to improve through transparent communication and training. Being positive is key in firing up transformational and charismatic leadership within a group.

There is a popular adage that says, “Show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” This quote rings true for leaders in any organisation or community since the individuals or groups that they lead are a reflection of the type of leadership that they stand for. Leaders must use a positive tone to build a culture to suit the needs of their followers. The culture must then hold strong and positive emotional ethos. According to LumenLearning.com, groups with leaders in a positive mood have a more positive affective tone than groups with leaders in a negative mood. Hence, your public expressions of emotions and mood will influence how group members reflect and perform. Individuals respond to positive signals more strongly. Be the leader who builds leaders: be the charismatic leader who fires up the organisation through a culture of positivity, transparency, and purpose.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JEROME DOUGLAS Jerome Douglas is a 27-year old trained teacher, poet and writer from the beautiful island of Jamaica. His personal philosophy is “If it is for me to be, then it is up to me.” He attended the Catholic College of Mandeville in Jamaica. Additionally, he is a community builder and humanitarian who volunteers his time to help with the academic and social well-being of people in his Central Jamaica community and surrounding areas. 113

BOOK REVIEW A REVIEW OF TURNING PRO: TAP YOUR INNER POWER AND CREATE YOUR LIFEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WORK

I have read over a hundred self-help books. I do not know what this says about me. Maybe it says that I am searching for that one magic bullet to help me become more productive, get rid of my severe procrastination habit, or find the ultimate key to success in life. Having read so many books, the one thing that rings true is that there is no magic bullet, and of all the books I have read, Turning Pro confirms this fact. Turning Pro is one of the best books I have read. It is a short read. I am a fan of Steven Pressfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to get to the point without wasting time or padding the book with unnecessary words. The book is about ditching the path of an amateur and choosing to live your life as a professional. It confronts you with the naked truth of why you have not been living the life that you should be living. This is a book that you cannot just read once and forget it. In order to get the true value that this book holds, you have to read it several times.

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In the book, Steven outlines the fact that when we hate our lives and ourselves, normally two modes present themselves as modes of salvation. The first is the therapeutic model. In this model, we are told that we are sick, and after treatment, we will be well. The second model is the moralistic model which is all about good and evil. We think that the reason that we are not happy is that we have done something wrong. We have committed a crime or a sin. Actually, we are often told that we are born wrong as human beings. The answer to this condition is punishment and penance. Only when we have atoned for our sins will we be pardoned and released. Then we will be happy. Steven presents a third way. He proposes that what ails you and I is not that we are sick or have sinned, but that we are living our lives as amateurs. The suggestion the book gives is that we ‘turn pro’. He warns that running pro is free, but it is not easy. He makes the option very clear. We can either continue to live a life less than what we are supposed to in which we are driven by fear, addiction and distractions, or we can ‘turn pro’ and live the life that we are supposed to live. THE AMATEUR LIFE The ‘amateur life’ is described in the book as a life in which you take no risks, you play it safe, and you are unfulfilled. He proposes that we all have a higher vision for our lives, but once we start moving towards that life, we are met with an apparition of resistance. Resistance stops you in your tracks and causes you not to take the risk or any action at all. Are you living the drugs and booze part of your musician’s life without writing any music? Steven suggests that many people fool themselves into thinking that they are actually doing something meaningful by doing some of what needs to be done but not the important parts. He likens this to someone who wants to be a musician, but they never write or perform any music; instead, they get drunk and plan to always start but never do. The amateur has a million plans but they all start tomorrow. SHADOW CAREERS According to Steven, sometimes when we are terrified of embracing our true calling, we pursue a ‘shadow calling’ instead. That shadow career is a metaphor for our real career. It has a similar shape, its contours feel amazingly the same, but a shadow career entails no real risk. If we fail a shadow career, the consequences are meaningless to us. This section of the book got me thinking about my own career and all that I have done in the past, and it resonated with me, as I believe that I am still pursuing a shadow career today. He says that if we are dissatisfied with our current life, we should ask ourselves what our current life is a metaphor for. The metaphor will point you to your true calling.

ADDICTIONS When we are dissatisfied with our lives and are not finding fulfilment from our shadow careers, we turn to addictions. Steven says we are all prone to addictions and they are not always that obvious. In the book, he outlines the story of his friend who was very smart but was addicted to love and went from one lover and bad relationship to another. He proposes that we often use addiction as a surrogate for our calling. We enact the addiction instead of embracing our calling. Why? He states that we do this because to follow a calling requires work. It is hard; it hurts. It demands entering the pain-zone of effort, risk and exposure. So we take the amateur route instead. When we do this our life becomes a “shadow symphony”, of which we ourselves are the orchestra, the conductor, the composer and the audience. Our life becomes a shadow drama, a shadow start-up company, a shadow philanthropic venture. DISTRACTIONS Concentration and depth are enemies of resistance. According to Pressfield, when we work with focus and we work deep, we succeed. Many of us are addicted to distraction. I put my hand up on this one. Have you checked your email in the last halfhour, he asks? When you sit down to work, do you have your web connection on? The one line that has stuck with me since reading this book is that the amateur tweets and the pro works. TURNING PRO Steven states that life becomes very simple when we ‘turn pro’. We finally listen to that still small voice inside our heads. We get the courage to identify our secret dream, our passion, our calling, our destiny. We acknowledge at last what we are most afraid of. This is what we know in our hearts that we have to do. He goes on to list some of the qualities of a pro; the major ones I will mention here, but I encourage you to read the book and the full list of qualities. • • • • • • •

The pro shows up every day. The pro stays on the job all day. The pro is committed over the long haul. The pro is patient. The pro acts in the face of fear. The pro accepts no excuses. The pro is prepared.

In the end, Steven says that all the work and sacrifice is for the audience. It is about the readers, moviegoers, the gamers; in other words, it is all for the people who will benefit from our work. Do not let fear and resistance allow you to deprive the world of your talent. Read the book and do what it takes to turn pro.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR LEISA GRACE WILSON is an educator, entrepreneur and

blogger. She currently lives in Abu Dhabi with her seven-yearold twin boys and husband. Leisa is passionate about personal development, entrepreneurship, finances and the world of education. You can connect with Leisa by visiting her blog www. leisagrace.com or connect with her on Linkedin https://www. linkedin.com/in/leisagrace/

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For more information and reservations, visit Jumeirah Zabeel Saray or call +971 4 453 0000.

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SHINE BRIGHT

Model: Lili Lilla Nagy Makeup: Liv Rideg Hair: Izabella Koszeri Location: Prime Studio, Budapest

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