Lessons Learned with Komal

Here are the time-codes for this week’s episode: 

[7:45] Introduction - I introduce this week’s topic for the show, the Danish concept of “Hygge” from Meik Weiking who looks at the art of being ‘consciously cozy’ and the pursuit of everyday happiness. 

[15:28] Lesson One - Finding Appropriate Winter Clothing 

[20:31] Lesson Two - Organizing and Purging in Preparation for Winter

[24:53] Lesson Three - Assessing what you need and desire in your physical space and make it cozy and warm 

[28:27] Lesson Four - Indulging but being mindful of spiraling 

[31:22] Lesson Five - Choosing and planning to make movement easy for you. 

[35:25] Lesson Six -  Focusing on love, fun, joy and connection.

[36:36] Lesson Seven - Scheduling Your Mental Health Support 

[38:52] Lesson Eight - Making a media list of your favourite things to enjoy this winter

[40:55] Lesson Nine - Picking goals that make you come alive. 

Go to www.komal.com/48 to read about Komal’s 9 lessons from Hygge alongside this episode. You can also read this week’s blog, receive a printable Hygge worksheet and downloadable art!

That’s it! Thank you so much for tuning in,  I can’t wait to plan with you at “Your Best Year”!  - Komal Minhas

To read more about Meik Weiking and the Danish concept of “Hygge” check out this article. 

If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

Here are the time-codes for this week’s episode: 

[ 5:29 ] - Komal shares why it’s important in this time as some of us are heading back into a second lockdown down to find sources of sources of inspiration online for yourself 

[ 13:48 ] - Komal tells us what life has been like since the wrap of ‘The Next Right Step’ Program back in August, and shares her next project with us: a weekend digital retreat called “Your Best Year” where you can participate in yearly planning and goal-setting 

[21:30 ] - Komal tells us the 5 reasons why planning is good for our mental health… 

1. Achievement [22:17]
2. Motivation [24:51]
3. Recovering from burnout [26:30]
4. Prioritizing Self Care [28:15]
5. Task-Based Planning Builds Self-Efficacy [32:40]

“I know it can feel overwhelming to think about 2021, and that it can be really overwhelming to think about planning getting organized because it feels like everything is just chaos. That is why we plan when things are chaotic. If anything, this is the most critical time where we should be planning and can plan, because when we are in chaos. It gives us an opportunity to get really clear on what we actually can control in our lives and what actually matters most to us in our lives.”  

Thank you, everyone, for tuning in this week. It feels so good to be back on the mic and on the show. I’m so excited for us to keep diving into planning over the next few weeks, And I can't wait to see you in class for “Your Best Year.”

- Komal Minhas

Click here to read an article about how planning can support us in burnout prevention and burnout recovery. 

If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

How our inner critic can get in our way when it comes to work or priorities [9:09] 

Step 1:  Look back and celebrate your accomplishments [13:59] 

Step 2 - Braindump  - [22:04] 

Step 3 - Narrow Down Your Goals [24:20] 

Step 4 - Name Your Goals and Your Action Plan For Each [26:23]

Step 5 - Schedule in Time At The End of The Quarter To See How You Did [28:54]  

“I hope that sharing this process that I have worked out for myself can be helpful to you and allow you to gain some clarity on how you can begin to map out your next steps as we come close to the end of the year. Stay tuned on my social media in the coming weeks, as I will be sharing more details about my yearly planning process and tools for you to begin to map out your next steps.” - Komal Minhas 

To get to know Komal’s Stephanie Karlovitz  who she mentions in this episode and has helped her with her planning process, go to https://www.instagram.com/stephaniekarlovits/?hl=en 

Check out the Passion Planner here: https://passionplanner.com/ 

Check out Kat Gaskin’s Content Planner here: https://www.thecontentplanner.com/ 

Check Out Karlyn Percil’s Success Planner here: https://successplanner.myshopify.com/ 

Here’s the Matt D’Avelia Komal mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HF2AjcXurA 

If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

[0:00 - 8:40] - Komal talks about why I chose the topic of ‘Resilience and Rising When We Are Triggered’ for this week. After having committed to 100 days of my ‘MMRT’ morning routine and falling off it one morning after a long night, this caused her to go into a spiral of negative self-talk and of breaking down her own confidence. This response was triggered by the feeling of having “failed at something”, and it became a time for her to flex her resilience muscle and recognize the strength within herself.

[11:29] - Komal explores how the holidays can be triggering for many, and how triggers can cause us to fall back on old and unhealthy coping mechanisms. She examines what it can look like to pick ourselves back up and dust ourselves off and try again after having faced a hard thing, and what can contribute to humans building resilience. She cover the C’s of “Competence and Confidence”.

[20:47] - Komal explores how building connection, character, and participating in contribution to others and the communities around us can build resilience. 

[32:32] - Komal talks about the final two ‘action’ oriented C’s: Coping and Control. I share with you how she has been able to build healthy coping mechanisms that aren’t self-destructive to myself when things get hard, and why it’s important to understand that life events can be random and unexpected, but we always have control over our responses. 

We hope that hearing and reading about Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg’s C’s that build resilience was helpful, and that it inspired you to look at your own resilience and just how much you have come back from. Click the link below to read about them in detail.

https://optionb.org/advice/the-7-cs-of-resilience-in-kids

If you want to find out more about the coaching program that Komal  mentioned I was doing in this episode, head to Leah Brathwaite’s website to find out more about the ‘Live Free Lifestyle’ Program: https://www.thelivefreelifestyle.ca/ 

“Remember how you rise and what you have come through.” - Komal Minhas

Until next time!

Love, Komal

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

[9:50] Leah tells us that often, much of the self-doubt that we experience comes from the stories of worthiness that we carry with us from childhood.

[11:52] Komal and Leah talk about why It’s important for you to get grounded at the beginning of your day, and prevent the habit of the ‘roll and scroll’.

“You start making decisions that are better for you instead of out of expectation for others.” 

[19:34] It’s easy for driven people to lose the balance between the work hard and play hard lifestyle. Komal and Leah talk about ways that you can bring ‘play’ and pleasure back into your life. 

[22:31] Komal and Leah discuss how prioritizing feeling good in the process of doing something big or hard in your life can allow you to enjoy the journey instead of just waiting for the outcome. 

“It’s you in your essence, and not you in your performance that you have to offer the world.”

[26:00]  Komal and Leah discuss how we are seeing an ‘uprising of truth’ in 2020, and how sometimes in the wellness space, we can get so embedded in the individual's responsibility to heal and grow, and there's a huge aspect of that in how we move in the world.

[30: 27] Leah’s Story and How She Stepped Into Her True Self and Aligned Her Life 

[36:00] Leah shares advice with us on what the first step is that you can take to begin aligning your life with what you truly want. 

[39:00]  Leah tells us more about the “Live Free Lifestyle” and how you can support her work. 

“There is a new way of looking at the world, from a perspective of energetic alignment and frequency and a universe that is full of possibility. With each step that you take that is most in alignment with what feels good to you, another door will open and will lead you to more things. It does not mean it's going to be easy. It’s okay to allow yourself to make mistakes and trust yourself to come through the other side. Oftentimes, we look to external people to tell us what to do, but at the end of the day, we have all the answers within ourselves.” - Leah Brathwaite, Episode 44 

To purchase Leah’s book visit: https://www.amazon.ca/New-Way-Life-Transformation-Freeing-ebook/dp/B07L51VMHN#:~:text=A%20New%20Way%20of%20Life,%3A%20Amazon.ca%3A%20Kindle%20Store 

To find out more about Leah’s story and the Live Free Lifestyle visit: www.leahbrathwaite.com

4:00 - How to find something you are passionate about: Hitha shares how she came to the decision to start a blog when she started her work in the pharmaceutical industry, and how she was able to find inspiration for the content for her blog by applying the knowledge and every-day life experience that she was gaining as a traveling executive. She shares her experience creating her first brand ‘Packing Girl’ and writing her first book, and her motivation to help women find more time to do the things they are passionate about.

6:30 - Knowing when to take a step back: Hitha shares her experience during a time when she took on more responsibility at work by stepping into the role of CEO, and how her increased workload forced her to reflect on her priorities at the time. Hitha shares with Komal how she came to the decision to step back from her blog which was her passion, in order to remain in integrity and prevent compromising the quality of her content and passion. 

9:42 - Can our passions be incongruent with one another? Komal asks Hitha: Did it ever feel like your passions were incongruent with each other? Komal asks Hitha to share how she  ‘married’ the blogging part of her life with the pharma executive part of her brain. Hitha shares advice on how she reconciled her two passions, and gives words of encouragement to those who are ‘multipassionate’

15:00 - Productivity Hacks and Intuitive Scheduling: Komal asks Hitha to share what her ‘productivity hacks’ are, and how she stayed on top of her schedule and optimized her time in order to continue performing at work as well as her blog, on top of everything else in her life. 

• How she made the decision to take a break from creating content for #HithaOnTheGo during her pregnancy, and how she was able to find a balance between her day job and her content creation passion after taking some needed time off to rest and find clarity. Hitha also shares with us a helpful practice she employs in her every day workday called ‘intuitive scheduling’. 

19:00 - Prioritizing Self-Care and Non-negotiable Wellness Practices: Hitha shares how she learned to prioritize self-care and non-negotiable wellness practices after having a mental health reckoning throughout both of her pregnancies, facing postpartum depression with the birth of her first child, and prenatal depression during her pregnancy with her second child. She shares what she has prioritized in her life since as non-negotiables: meditation, working out, reading, cooking or meal-planning, putting her phone away, and creation over consumption. 

23:55 - How Quarantine Has Helped Us Identify ‘Gaps’ In Our Life: Komal asks Hitha what everyday life has been like since quarantine and the silver linings that have come from the situation for her and her family. Hitha shares how spending four months with her family and parents has been a gift and something that feeds her soul and also shares how she has learned the value of creating time to play. 

28:45 - Navigating Working From Home and Parenting: Komal asks Hitha how she does it all, navigating working from home, having children, and having a side ‘passion’. Hitha shares her advice as a mother for folks who feel that they are at the edge of burnout, and how they can create time and space in their everyday lives to balance work, parenting, and self-care. 

34:15 - Prioritizing Creation Over Consumption - Komal and Hitha discuss the effect that consuming more than creating can have on us as individuals, and Hitha shares how she made time in her days to ‘create’.

35:30 - Planning For The Next Venture and Passion - Hitha shares what is coming up for her in the future and how we can support her work. Hitha shares how she will be having new developments and content on SubStack. You can check it out here. She shares articles, newsletters, and plenty of content that is important to her and bridges the gap between important pharmaceutical and healthcare information and every-day speak. Check out her content if this interests you and you want to hear more about developments with COVID and pharmaceutics.

Click here to read Hitha’s travel blog “Hitha On The Go”.

Follow Hitha on Instagram by clicking here. 

Hitha is the author of #5SmartReads, a weekly digest of the news that you should know, the books to read, and the things that will make your life better. Check it out here.

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Maddie Foran.

2:25  -  Komal asks Katie what her lessons learned were from talking to 84 people on IG Live at the beginning of quarantine. Komal and Katie discuss how powerful it can be to interview others and listen to their stories in order to learn from their lived experiences. 

5:30 -  Katie shares with us what changes she has noticed in herself as a result of receiving people’s stories during interviews, and how the power of shared experience and exchanging knowledge with others became an anchor in her days after she faced unexpected changes in her work days due to the pandemic. 

7:43 - Katie and I discuss what burnout is like for people who often like to keep busy. Katie explains how she has always been someone that likes to keep busy with projects, and how she has learned to prioritize celebration after the completion of a big project in order to allow herself to rest, feel gratitude, and gear up for the next project. 

10:00 -  Katie shares her lived experience during a time where she was facing burnout and struggling with depression in 2017. 

• Katie explains what it’s like to be in a state where you cannot see hope, and how taking small steps towards progress every day such as opening up to family and friends, her boyfriend, or just getting out of bed, taught her the value of taking a small step every day towards your own well-being. 

15:04 - Komal asks Katie what has been grounding her in her days. Katie shares that she is a person who likes to constantly work on projects and express herself creatively, and how she has allowed herself the grace and permission to say she doesn’t need to have a perfect self-care routine during busy work times, but still make time to prioritize her non-negotiable self-care practices at least several times a week. 

17:33 - Katie and Komal discuss how we both have learned to extract ourselves from our beliefs around work and we came to realize that we had a different work style of working in sprints and taking downtime rather than the traditional 9-5.  

22:55 - Katie shares how nature and the outdoors have been grounding her and allowing her to cultivate gratitude in her everyday life: “When I have moments like that (sitting by a fire, spending time outdoors), they connect me back to what is real, tangible and present with nature, it feels cleansing and reminds me of my purpose.”

28:08 - Katie shares what is coming up for her such as her Together We Rise Podcast, another upcoming batch of interviews, and new developments in GirlTalk. 

30:00 - Finally, Komal asks Katie if she has any words of wisdom from her lived experience for folks at home that are really going through a tough time right now. Katie shares some incredibly impactful words: 

“I know what it’s like to be in a dark place, and if you are finding yourself there right now, even if you can't’ see the other side and how things will happen for you, just know that there is another side. There is a continuation of this story that you just cannot see yet. I want to ask you to lean into hope. Hope is believing and having a vision when you cannot see. Take it one day at a time, and focus on today. Ask: what can I do today to take the smallest step forward? It could be just getting out of bed, talking to a friend, taking any productive action that feels right for today”

If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

To check out Katie Zeppieri’s work visit: https://www.instagram.com/katiezeppieri/ and https://linktr.ee/katiezeppieri 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

2:11 - Monique shares with us how her cancer diagnosis was the best and worst thing that could have happened to her, as the experience allowed her to gain clarity in multiple areas of her life, such as making her realize how many little things she had taken for granted before, and how she was able to find a new appreciation for everything and inspire others to have the same. 

• Monique also shares with us how she found her footing after her cancer treatment and survival and the fire that was lit in her
• Monique explains how she learned to prioritize her message and what she wanted to say instead of overthinking about how to send out the message 
• Monique shares how she has learned to “live in the doing”, and chase what she wants fearlessly 

7:36 - Monique shares what wellness looks like for her now, and the wellness practices that she established following her cancer-diagnosis in order to work well and feel well 

• Monique and Komal talk about how wellness is a never-ending cycle of ‘figuring it out’, and how we continually learn throughout our lives the importance of prioritizing both our mental and physical well-being 
• Monique shares her experience establishing non-negotiable wellness practices such as prioritizing nutrition, movement, and reflection.

• Monique shares with us what fulfills her outside of work, and how she has learned the lesson to create experiences in her life that fulfill her outside of her own work:  “I love my work, but it is not going to be the only thing that fulfills me. I’ve realized that over time.  So experiences keep me fired up.”

12:00 - Komal asks Monique to share her advice for people trying to build a business and find their footing right now. Monique shares: 

• Why you need to be online right now and prioritize bringing your business online in order to continue growing.

• The risks that are associated with entrepreneurship, and how you can best equip yourself to face them when they show up. 
• Monique also shares with us how she remained committed to keep going every day during one of the hardest times in her life by prioritizing mind and body connection.  
• Monique tells us how her cancer diagnosis taught her to become an advocate for her own health, do her own research, and feed her mind and body.

20:00 - Monique and Komal discuss the importance of boundaries and the role that they play in how we decide who we allow into our lives and into our world. 

• Monique shares her experience becoming vocal about her boundaries and how they became a non-negotiable aspect of her life.
• Monique also shares how she has learned to face self-doubt over the past few years and how she has learned to hold onto her bigger purpose

26:00 - Monique and Komal talk about what it means to “live what we are teaching”, and how Monique has learned to align her business with her values and make it more efficient by being conscious about who she works with. Monique also shares: 

• How being a business owner can help you build your self-efficacy and become more confident in yourself and your ability to face adversity as time goes by
• How doing energy check-ins with people she wants to work with has allowed her to become energetically aligned with her business. 
• Finally, Monique shares what is coming up for her and her business in the near future, and how we can all best support her 

If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

To check out Monique Bryan's company and work visit: https://www.moniquebryan.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/moniquebryan_co/ 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.

Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 

Content by Daniela Ochoa.

Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.

4:00 - Taran and Bunny share the origin of their company Blume, and how Bunny’s experience being diagnosed with PCOS influenced what the company eventually became rooted in: self-care and prioritizing our health and well-being

• Taran and Bunny also share how their self-care practices have evolved as they have built a company that is rooted around self-care and the role that they have taken on to educate their community about where the language of self-care comes from 

11:10 - Taran and Bunny share with us how they have built a community around themselves as Women of Colour business owners, and the role that community has played in building Blume 

• “It takes a village.” Tharan and bunny explain how the community is everything to building a business, and how connecting with other business owners as you build your business can be incredibly helpful for you 

• Taran and Bunny share their advice for those looking to build a business and a community, such as asking for help when you need it and having a clear ask, as well as looking at every business relationship you have as something to be maintained over the long-term

16:08 - Komal asks Taran and Bunny to share about their experience raising 3.3 million dollars for Blume which is an incredibly novel achievement for WOC led businesses, and she also asks their advice for those facing hard times starting their businesses or looking for funding during this pandemic:

• Taran and Bunny share how at a time like this, it’s important to remember that there are still amazing companies that were built during recessions and that it is possible for you.  

• Taran and Bunny also share how when it comes to fundraising for your business, it all goes back to relationships, and that we can lean on community and connection with others in order to continue to build what we want to see in the world

• Taran and Bunny share what their experience has been like facing this hard pandemic season, and how they have stayed grounded and come through the ups and downs. They also share about the impact that being a mission-oriented company has had in helping them to stay motivated so that they know that what they are doing is because of their ‘WHY’, and not about speed.

21:44 - Taran and Bunny share what Blume’s WHY is: supporting a girl through the changes of puberty and allowing her to grow into herself instead of being told by society or the media that she should be somebody else. 

• Komal also asks Taran and Bunny to share their advice for people that feel uninspired right now or as if they are in a rut: “Imagine 10 years from now where you don’t want to be, what are the things that you didn’t do that you would regret?” 

• They also share their favourite parts about running Blume as sisters and executives of the company together, and how they have been able to create impact throughout the years by owning their creativity and rooting into their purpose

30:00 - Finally, Taran and Bunny share what is up next for Blume and what they are excited to be bringing into the world. 

• If you aren’t already, be sure to give our podcast a follow on Instagram @lessonslearned.co account where we will be sharing weekly resources and advice for you to chew on life’s lessons. 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/komalminhas 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lessonslearned.co 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thenextrightstep.co

To submit a lesson to be discussed on the show, or to submit a potential guest, visit: www.komal.com. 

To check out Taran and Bunny’s company and work visit: www.blume.com and https://www.instagram.com/blume/ 

Lessons Learned is produced and hosted by Komal Minhas.
Artwork, Brand & Social by Renira Naidu. 
Content by Daniela Ochoa.
Video Production and Audio Editing by Madison Foran.
 

In this episode, Komal talks to Salima Visram, founder of the 100% cruelty-free fashion brand Samara. Salima shares her experience and lessons learned building her business as a vehicle for her to create change in the world, the challenges that she and her team have faced in this season of COVID, and how she has supported herself in these times.

You can also look forward to:

2:35  - Komal asks Salima what inspired her to create Samara, and what meaning it has taken on. Salima shares with us: 

• The original inspiration for the name ‘Samara’, and how it became a meaningful way for her a business that aligned with her values 

• Where the inspiration for the Solar backpack came from being someone who grew up in Kenya, and how she realized that she could create impact through her brand 

• How she took one of the hardest experiences in her life such as losing her mom and channeled her energy and feelings into creating a brand that embodied her mom and what she believed in 

7:55 - Salima and Komal talk about what it means to channel pain into impact, and how we can gain a sense of purpose through our work

• Salima shares her advice for those facing a hard season in these times and explains how you can make a choice to channel the negative energy that you are feeling right now into creating something impactful that will contribute to your mission 

• Salima shares her lessons learned over the past few years building her Samara community, and what her favourite parts of it all have been such as: connecting with those that share her values, and achieving philanthropic goals with the help of her community

• Salima shares how she has faced self-doubt as a business owner when she has encountered it, and Komal and her discuss how being a business owner is a continuous process of building resilience and self-efficacy

16:32  - Salima tells us about the incredible impact that she and her community were able to have during this COVID season in Kenya by creating a meal program to provide meals for families in her hometown for every dollar spent in her business 

• Salima shares what her inspiration was to create the meal program, and what it has meant to her to work alongside her community to create change in the world 
• Salima and Komal discuss the power of human connection, and how running our businesses in a way that is aligned with our values can help us find like-minded people 

22:12 - Finally, Salima and Komal discuss what it is like to face burnout as a business owner.  Salima shares about her own experience with burnout, and how she has been able to set boundaries with her business and work in order to build what she wants over the long-term. They also talk about: 

• Why it’s important to know when to step back and allow your team to “step in” 
• How connecting with our family and friends and setting time aside for ourselves can actually help our business 
• What is bringing Salima light during this season, and what is coming up for her and Samara over the next few months. 

“At some point, you realize that you have a choice. You can either sit in what you’re feeling and let it dictate what every day is going to be like, or you can take what you are feeling and turn it into something. Doing that will pull you through so much.” - Salima Visram, Episode 39 of the Lessons Learned Podcast.