Episode 13 of wellness podcast with Anjali Shrivastava. #lifejourney #podcast #lifejourney

Hello everyone and welcome to a new episode of Veerai's Wellness Podcast. Today we have Anjali Srivastava with us. She is an NLP practitioner, transformational coach. She is a corporate trainer and facilitator. She is also an author of two best-selling books, and Anjali is also the founder of Me Power Consulting. Welcome, Anjali, and thank you so much for coming today to the episode.

Thank you, Neetu. It's an honor to be here.

And I think I have not done justice to your introduction, so I would really love you to introduce yourself for our viewers.

Okay, thank you, thank you for this, Neetu. I take pride being a single mom to my two parents, uh, to my two sons. Uh, both my boys are doing so great in life. I started my journey as a research person, and I was working for one of the premier research institutes in India. Something happened, my, my PhD guide, he, he met with an accident, he died. And so I just switched over. I said, let me plan for something else. So a small town girl from Nagpur finally comes to Bombay and, you know, seeks her career here. That is, you know, where I landed up in Mayanagari. Started my job again as a technical executive, took it further, and I was doing well. Got married, got married to the love of my life, and in between I gave up, took a sabbatical because I wanted to raise a family. Yeah, I did full justice to my ailing father-in-law and my mother-in-law, raised and gave birth to two boys, and then life started, you know, kicking me again. There was a little issue in the marriage. I took a turn. I kicked up on my career again, and this time I was on the other side of polarity. I resumed with doing my Executive MBA from XLRI. I did my, you know, I did my NLP, I did my Transactional Analysis certifications, I did so many things, Reiki healing, and finally I understood that there is a deeper meaning to life.

I get it.

Yes, recently I got the ICF credentials. I am an ICF ACC coach, author of two books.

Congratulations!

Thank you. Both my books are there listed on the Amazon Kindle. And I believe that life is what you really want to make out of. It's you who create your life. You are the author, not just of the book, of your life.

Absolutely.

And this is a little about me, and it's an honor and a privilege to be here with you. You inspire me all the time.

Superb, Anjali, and thank you so much for the kind words, Anjali. Uh, thank you for sharing your life journey. Uh, I understand that you are a transformational coach, so what transformation have you yourself gone through before becoming a coach? Because, you know, pele, uh, niche pe shashan, phir ano shashan, right? So what has been your transformational story, uh, Anjali? Please share with us if you can.

So, you know, we all are basically— we are hooked up in our own identity. I come from a typical UPite family, you know, the patriarchal society where the male of the family, they take the decisions. And I have seen my benevolent mother, you know, just being a partner to my father. I saw the same with my sisters. We are a very educated family, but it's still the male-dominated family. Coming from that kind of a family and then seeking a life for myself, being the breadwinner, taking the decision of raising two boys— I call— people call it single parenting, I say it's double parenting because here you are a father as well as a mother to your children.

Absolutely, absolutely.

So what I have felt is it has been an absolute makeover, an absolute transformation for me in terms of my beliefs, in terms of my value systems, in terms of my identity. Whatever I created for myself, you know, it has been a breakthrough in every angle. I am not what I used to be 10 years back.

Yeah, we all need to improve, and if we don't, I think we are doing injustice to ourselves and to this whole abundant life that we have been bestowed with by God, right? Uh, I mean, I see people, you know, going through life just like that all through. I mean, living the same life every year, and they don't even know what they are missing. So when you start living fully, I think that's when you realize that how abundant and how blessed we are. I think you have discovered that.

And even in my pain, I discovered one thing. It was something that triggered me to get into my better version. I never believed in complaining. I always— yes, I always believe that there is, you know, end of the tunnel. There's, there's a lot of Hello, am I audible, Anjali? Yes.

Okay, sorry about that. So, uh, tell us something about Me Power. When and how did you start this, and what is the vision for Me Power?

I established Me Power Consulting about 5 years back. And this particular word, Nipao, I coined it myself. You know, we are all born unique, we have our unique DNA strains, and we are all raised unique. And that is how we have a self-concept about ourselves, we have an identity, we have our own ego. And all this is very important, but we are not tree, you know, we cannot be fixed to one place. We are people, we We are people.

We learn that in NLP.

Yes, we learn that in NLP. And there's so much more you can do beyond your ego, beyond your identity, and beyond the self-concept that you created while you have been growing up, you know. That is where I come up with my 4E and the 4H formula.

Yeah, please tell us about the 4E and the 4H formula, Anjali. Please, we'd love to hear that.

Yes, so I believe that every individual, you know, They are formed and they are reformed in a particular environment. So when I'm talking of the 4 E's, it's environment, education, experience, and the energy.

Wow.

So these 4 E's, they shape you, they shape all of us.

Agree.

We are human beings, we are the highest form of creation, and we are also somebody with a conscious awareness of everything. Every experience of life, we have a conscious awareness.

Yes.

And while I say education, I'm not talking of the formal education. I'm talking of every education, you know, right?

I totally get you.

Yes, right from where the fetus is inside the mother's womb, the education starts from there till the time we are in the dust. So that kind of education, everything shapes us. Absolutely.

All experiences, especially, you know, when I take my stress elimination workshops, I always talk about anchoring. You know, every anchoring that has happened since childhood. And that is what is shaping our beliefs, you know, ever since. And unless we bring awareness to those anchoring events and those beliefs inside us, it's very hard to change. And that is why I keep telling people that, you know, go back to your belief system, understand what do you deep down believe about yourself and start working on it, make it empowering to, you know, change your life. So I totally get what you are trying to say, Anjali. Please, please carry on with the 4H also.

So when I'm talking of 4H, this is something you have for yourself. You know, human mind is not meant to keep you happy. Human mind is there for your survival. So out of the 4— out of the 6 basic emotions, that is joy, surprise, anger, sadness, disgust, and fear, we have only one emotion, that is joy. Okay, rest of the 5 emotions minus, you know, surprise, which can be sometimes a happy emotion— all the 5 emotions, they are negative emotions. Yeah, and they are the default system of our mind, and that is how we are created. So if you think that you're going to be happy, you are living in a facade.

Yeah, you have to make an effort for that. It's all a choice.

The choice that you have to create your own happiness. So when I'm talking of the 4H, it has got a lot to do with healing, happiness, harmony, and holistic living.

Wow, superb! I'm getting goosebumps. Yeah, I totally get you, Anjali. And this is something— these are the kind of conversations that I don't generally get to have, and that is why doing this podcast has, you know, completely changed my mindset, because I talk and connect with such, you know, people that, you know, are talking on a different level altogether. I think, uh, this is, this is the connect that I can feel, and I can feel the energy.

Thank you so much. And this is the energy and the vibe that we created over here for each other, right? I can feel the same. Thank you. Thank you for this.

Tell us about your corporate training journey, Anjali. What is that like?

You know, it's an amazing journey, especially before the pandemic and after the pandemic. Senior year is totally different. We saw the online and then we saw the hybrid, but nothing like giving a training in person.

Absolutely.

No, it's a different ball game altogether. When you see your participants all high, then you see the outcome derived, and by the end of the session when they just come near you and they just want to have selfies with you and they don't mind giving, you know, their testimonials and they're like you know, you've been amazing, and can we be in touch? Can we have your card? And can we have your contact number, your WhatsApp number? This is my takeaway from my corporate training.

I know the feeling. It's just amazing because you can feel the energy in that room when you are talking and interacting in physical.

It's an absolute shift in energy that you feel. The other thing is, um, I do a lot of pre-work. I do a very boutique training, a very customized training. So it's not that you come and tell me that you want a leadership program or a team working or a team building program and I just have my, you know, module ready and I go and do it. No, I don't do that. I will sit with your HR and with your management. I will try to understand what exactly, you know, is the gap, the delta, and what are the desired outcomes, what are the challenges in the day-to-day life, in the day-to-day working of the organization, how all your systems and processes, they can be aligned to your mission and vision. So like this, I have around 7 to 8 parameters and I build up my entire program around that.

Wow, superb! So I mean, you must be doing a lot with, you know, your clients. I think that is a lot of value addition and corporates do need, you know, these kind of trainers and coaches because, you know, when they're caught up in their business, I think they lose out sometimes on the exact vision and the direction of the business. So if there is someone from the outside who can come and show you that direction again I think that brings you back to your track and things get better. So I think corporates do realize the power of training for themselves, and you are being a facilitator of that.

And when— while I'm facilitating in the training program, it's a lot of energy, it's a lot of exchange of information, lots of interaction, and that gives another level, you know, to your training programs. That is where— and I also believe in one thing, it's not just about B2B, it's about H2H for me. It's about human-to-human interaction. That is where I play because human mind is very dynamic, me too. You got to entice them, you got to hook them, you got them— you should have something like a surprise element around it, you know. Then they want to really listen to you. That is where they want to vibe and gel with you.

Yeah, and if you're doing it on, you know, online on a Zoom call, then it's like everybody is shutting off their videos. You don't even get to see their body language, that you don't understand the energy. So I totally get, you know, the feeling of working in person. I think that's completely a different ball game.

Exactly. And it's just a wonderful feeling.

I can imagine. So that brings me to your higher calling, Anjali. What do you think is your higher calling? Why are you doing what you are doing?

So being, uh, one of those persons, you know, we've gone through a lot in life, and yet I did not give up on my me power, the unique power which I call. I believe that there's, there's a lot going on in this world, you know. There are a lot of people who are stuck, but, you know, they are not ready to be vulnerable, they are not ready to share their life. Especially I feel a lot for women. And for people who have gone through a trauma. It's difficult, you know. We talk big words, we talk of resilience. It doesn't come easy, Neetu. Nothing comes easy. You need to have a support system, a nurturing environment around you, and not everybody is blessed to have one. I want to give that nurturing environment. I want to give that, that blessing.

I have felt that blessing, Anjali, when I have, you know, I was diagnosed with PTSD myself, so The kind of support I received from my family, my parents, my husband, and a lot of coaches and mentors that I, you know, got in touch with at that time. I think they have brought me back to life, and I understand the value of coaching and mentorship totally. So if you have that, your higher calling, I think you are making a great impact because I felt that impact myself.

Yes. So you know what I'm talking about.

Absolutely. I absolutely understand what I'm talking about. So, uh, tell us about, you know, being a single parent. Uh, how is that like? Because, uh, we don't get too many single parents. I think you call it double parenting. So, uh, you know, what are your views on that? And if anybody is doing single parenting, what, you know, thoughts you would want to leave them with, um, from your experience?

So there is a great quote from Khalil Gibran about parenting. Our children are born through us, but they are not for us. Whether single or whether in double parenting, we have to understand one thing: we are here to provide them wings so that they can fly, they can live their life. Being a single parenting, uh, being a single parent with double parenting, what I feel is it's difficult at times, especially to the opposite gender, because I've got two boys and they are tall, they are handsome. Sometimes their size intimidates me. They don't even have to talk.

I know, my son is 6 feet, so he would take me on my head every time, you know, he's walking by. I get it.

Yeah, but the best part is, as you are raising them and you are raising them with all the freedom to be, just to be, where they can be what they want, they can, they can decide for themselves. Where they can, you know, just come out, reach for help. I think that is what parenting is all about. It's not about telling them what to do. It's not about yelling at them. It's not about shouting at them or making your own dreams run through them.

Totally get it. Absolutely, absolutely amazing. So Anjali, tell me, uh, you know, if you have to leave us with one, you know, piece of advice from your experiences, from your, you know, trainings and your learnings, what would that be and what should the audience take away from this podcast?

So whether a coach or whether a corporate trainer, I believe in only one thing, leave people and organization better than when you found them. And when it comes to your own feelings and when it comes to your own assessment about a situation, nothing is beyond you. You can create everything, you can destroy everything. Human mind has that kind of power. We can all hack our own self-mastery. We can choose and be the life that we want to be. And in any case, we are creating a life, right? A good one or a bad one. So with little awareness, with little mindfulness, getting the best of the mind in a moment, why not create a good life just for yourself and for the world? And leave them better, right?

Absolutely. Two things that I completely agree on is, uh, and I always keep telling, you know, my mentees: one, work on your belief system. Two, get the right vision for yourself. If you have these two fixed for yourself, nothing and nobody can stop you from achieving what you want to achieve.

And that's a lot of inner work also. It's a lot of inner work.

It's a lot of inner work, and sometimes you need help. Actually, a lot of times you need help. It's not, I mean, most of the time, you know, it takes a village to, you know, raise a child. And it similarly, you know, you need the right kind of circle of influence around you. So if I have to, you know, be healthy, I keep a health coach. If I have to be mentally happy, I keep a, you know, a mental coach. And if, so I have one coach who also helps me with my focus and clarity. I completely understand, you know, how much support is required from people. Who have been there, done that, and, you know, who have had that experience that you are also looking for. So it's always better to reach out and ask for help, is what I understand, because it really helped me a lot transform myself and come out of that very, very bad, uh, zone and a dark zone that I was earlier. And I think that gives me a, you know, bigger purpose now to help others with stress elimination because I have been there, done that. So But always ask for help from people who can actually share their own experiences, who have been through that, and guide you through the process.

100%. And also leave you with a thought that mind, body, soul, they are like 3 different things, but all together. All together in integration.

Yes, I purify my mind, body, soul every day, and I thank God for giving me these 3. You know, soul is something that I cannot see. Mind and body is there still with me, but I always thank God every single day for giving me that great soul, you know, who is actually, you know, inside me, but I can't see. And but I know it's somewhere there. It's like, you know, a higher self. So not every people get it and they think it's something bizarre, but it is there.

It is a part of you. I can't explain.

It is a part of me.

Yes.

Yes, thank you so much, Anjali, for coming and this great conversation. I'm sure the audience would walk out with a lot of insights from you, and if they need any help from you, I'm sure they would be able to reach out to you through your social media handles. Um, and with that, we'll come to a close. Thank you again, Anjali, um, and I look forward to working with you in future.

Same here, you're leaving with a lot of value myself. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.