Meet Anisa Zafar, a mental health coach and founder of Tree of Life. Anisa's journey from a 17-year-old student leaving her home country to becoming a certified meditation teacher and resilience mentor is a testament to the power of determination, faith, and inner strength. In this blog, Anisa shares her experiences, challenges, and the profound lessons she's learned along the way, offering valuable insights for women striving to enhance their well-being and career satisfaction.

What you’ll learn:

1. The transformative power of meditation and resilience: Anisa explains how meditation helped her overcome grief and find inner peace. You'll learn how cultivating mindfulness can enhance your emotional resilience and lead to personal growth.

2. Practical tips for career women: Discover Anisa's strategies for maintaining energy levels and resilience amidst hectic schedules. Learn about the importance of setting boundaries, practicing gratitude, and engaging in creative activities to boost well-being.

3. Integrating intuition and empathy in leadership: Anisa shares how mindfulness practices can foster empathy in leadership roles. Find out how being present and attuned to your emotions can make you a more effective and compassionate leader.

When you were only 17 years old you left your country, how come? 

I was eager to study and learn. My role model at that time was Mary Curie. My desire to attend university, coupled with the inability to do so in my country, compelled me to explore other avenues. Eventually, I was able to apply and get accepted to an Italian university near Milan.

What challenges did you encounter when you moved to Italy, and how did you navigate them while maintaining focus on your career goals?

Coming from a supportive and kind family and suddenly finding myself alone in a foreign country at a young age was not easy. My faith and spirituality were instrumental in helping me trust and ease my pain of being far from my beloved family and friends. I prayed to the universe for help and support, seeking guidance on my path. I encountered people who greatly assisted me, and I believe it was not by mere chance. Painting and meditation became crucial aspects of my life in processing my pain and transforming it into action. Engaging in volunteering activities also warmed my heart. Believing that the universe sent beautiful souls into my life path led me to create my reality that we are all human beings, and kindness is a gift that surrounds us like the air we breathe; we just need to believe in it.

Can you share specific moments from your career journey that led you to become a certified meditation teacher and resilience mentor?

In the moment of grieving and searching for happiness, I came across meditation. I heard and read that we could define our happiness and build inner serenity through meditation. In 2013, my heart was filled with sorrow, and I was tired of seeking happiness externally. I decided to start meditating and try it for myself. Once I saw the transformative results within me and met the newly empowered, present Anisa who was no longer a victim of circumstances, I felt the desire to share this miracle with other women. I began pursuing various learning opportunities and certifications to understand how to teach meditation and resilience.

How has your Middle Eastern cultural background influenced your approach to meditation and resilience mentoring?

Growing up in a Middle Eastern cultural background, my approach to meditation and resilience mentoring has been deeply influenced by my personal experiences. I was born during a time of war, and witnessing how my family navigated through adversity with kindness, togetherness, and resilience left a lasting impact on me. Their ability to face each day with faith, patience, and unwavering strength became the foundation of my own beliefs in the power of resilience.

How can women cultivate and trust their intuition in making career decisions?

Seeing firsthand how resilience can not only keep you alive but also propel you forward in life has been a profound lesson for me. It taught me that no matter the circumstances, there is always a way to persevere and thrive. This understanding has become integrated into my teaching approach, as I strive to impart the importance of resilience as a tool for personal growth and transformation.

Drawing on the values of spirituality, community support, and perseverance that are inherent in Middle Eastern culture, I aim to guide others in cultivating their inner strength and fortitude through meditation practices. By sharing my own journey of resilience and emphasizing the role of faith and patience in overcoming challenges, I hope to inspire others to embrace their own capacity for resilience and lead fulfilling lives despite adversities.

What practical advice do you have for career women looking to improve their energy levels and resilience amid hectic schedules?

I always say intuition is like a muscle; by training it, it becomes stronger. By being present and connecting to our heart, we can develop our intuitive voice. Our heart has thousands of nerves that are connected to our body and brain. Being intuitive means being present and listening to our heart and body. Many times, our body gets sick as a sign or alarm that something in the emotional level or surroundings is not well. A job that causes us sleepless nights or a boss that makes our body sick and our heart heavy is a red flag. Ignoring these signs and trying to fit in can lead a person to the brink of burnout. Therefore, by practicing presence and listening, we can understand what is good for us and make the best choices.

What strategies or exercises do you recommend for women to build emotional resilience in the workplace?

The most energy waste happens when we are emotionally drained. When we construct our reality by protecting our thoughts and taking care of our emotions, our hormones such as dopamine are balanced, helping us maintain high energy levels. By practicing and integrating mindfulness, perhaps starting with just 10 minutes of meditation per day, one can begin the journey towards mindfulness and carry that energy throughout the day. Meditation and resilience practices cultivate a positive mindset, which forms the foundation for maintaining healthy energy levels and making the right choices in how we spend our free time.

Here are some tips and tricks: 

• Mindfulness meditation

• Positive self talk

• Seeking support

• Setting bourdais and saying no

• Regulating emotions with creativity and a healthy lifestyle

• Journaling

• Practicing forgiveness

• Developing self care routing and self compassion

• Listing to their body

• Create energy giving routine

How can meditation help in addressing and overcoming self-limiting beliefs for career growth?

Through meditation, we can also work towards removing self-limiting beliefs that may be holding us back in our careers. By quieting the mind and observing our thoughts without judgment, we can identify and challenge negative beliefs that hinder our professional growth. Meditation helps us develop a greater sense of self-awareness and self-compassion, allowing us to replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones. This shift in mindset can boost our confidence, resilience, and creativity, enabling us to take bold steps towards advancing in our careers with clarity and purpose. By regularly practicing meditation, we can break free from self-imposed limitations and unlock our full potential in the workplace.

How can mindfulness practices foster empathy in leadership, particularly for women in managerial roles?

Yes, practicing mindfulness and meditation can indeed help develop empathy in women leaders. By cultivating a present-moment awareness and a non-judgmental attitude through these practices, women leaders can become more attuned to the emotions and experiences of others. This heightened sense of awareness can lead to increased empathy, as they are better able to understand and connect with the perspectives and feelings of those around them.

And by incorporating meditation and self-compassion practices, women leaders become kinder to themselves and transform their self-talk. They come to understand that they are human, here to learn, develop, and grow, and that mistakes can happen. When women practice mindfulness, they bring this inner practice outside and build a positive, supportive environment that allows for opportunities to make mistakes and grow. Working in such teams empowers people and keeps their emotional energy high. I can confidently say that this leads to increased productivity as individuals feel supported, valued, and motivated to contribute their best work.

Could you share three practical tips or exercises that career women can easily incorporate into their daily routines to enhance their well-being and career satisfaction?

1. Practice gratitude: This involves not only saying thank you with words, but truly feeling it in your heart. Practicing gratitude regularly helps balance dopamine levels and regulate melatonin, which is responsible for our sleep.

2. Setting boundaries: This is a deeply personal practice that is rooted in our beliefs. Understanding where we can say no and why we struggle to do so can lead to deep healing and, at the same time, free up space for self-care.

3. Find a creative activity: Engaging in creative activities helps our nervous system relax and regulate itself. It can be something as simple as gardening or intuitive painting.

Where can everyone connect with you?

• On my website: www.treeoflifeguru.com

• On Instagram: @anisa_treeoflife