Today, I interview Mitra Manesh, the youngest of three children who grew up in Iran. Mitra learned to fend for herself and figure out her own way. She was intelligent and well-behaved, never getting into trouble and becoming a source of comfort and stability in the room. These things earned her the nickname, "the wise child" from a very young age. But was this a good thing or not?

Mitra took this as part of her identity the more and more adults would say it to her. She became strong and serious and didn't spend much time playing and being silly - very important things for children. 

Mitra was in the U.S. for school in the seventies. Then she returned home, but because of the conflict, the borders were closed and she was unable to come back. Then she went to Turkey and France, and now lives in California. Through all of the unrest, Mitra had an epiphany. She had been looking for stability in the world, and as she so perfectly puts it, as her "inner world was forming, the outer world was in complete chaos." She was just beginning to discover herself and come alive, and all of her surroundings were falling apart. 

She experienced so much loss. The "anchor" she sought in family, friends, academia, and home could really only be found within herself. So she accepted what she calls an "invitation" to dig deep within herself to find clarity and meaning. She realized that she had to find and create her own voice, because if she was "given" her voice from someone, that could just be taken away. She learned to only rely on herself. 

Her journey into Turkey was quite a turning point in her life. She left everyone and everything behind and crossed the border with little more than the clothes on her back. But without all the other voices in her ear, she slowly began to work forward, starting over and waiting for no one. She realized that only she could give herself the power she'd been looking for. These days, Mitra flows through life in a state of mindfulness. She accepts the reality of situations, does her best to be truly present, and enjoys the spontaneity of not taking anything for granted. 

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Mitra Manesh is the creator of the Mindful Attentionist Coaching (M.A.C.) program, an inside-out program for deep training of global mindful coaches. She is also the founder of “innermap”, an innovative new mindfulness App, and the host of “Lights on”, a podcast offering support for a mindful life. She is a mindfulness thought leader, storyteller, and educator with almost 4 decades of experience helping people of all ages and many different cultures to live, love, and lead more consciously at home and at work. 

Find Mitra here: 
https://www.mitramanesh.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/mitramanesh_/?hl=en 
https://www.clubhouse.com/@mitramanesh?utm_medium=ch_profile&utm_campaign=PG4DiiEsePKU2l1IRDbm4Q-218317 

Join her free 1 Hour Class to learn "What’s your most valuable asset in life & how can you benefit from it?": https://www.mitramanesh.com/ 

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I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. 

Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com. 

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I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.