An Interview by Dr Shalini Yadav
Where indicator in a perpetual jam to cherry-pick amongst the lived past with customary road or stepping ahead on a new trajectory keeps haunting many souls on the earth, Yasmin Sait as an Author, Counselor and Life Purpose Coach, shines high connecting with people through a transmittable smile and candid care. She has become a metaphor for life and an engineer in matters ofthe heart bringing smiles on the faces. Rather than defining herself solely by her academic achievements, she believes that life has taught her invaluable lessons, and she is a graduate from the “School of life’.
With thirty years of her professional experience in the retail and entertainment industry, she carried every professional role successfully with grace and poise. She is the mother of two popular celebrities, Kubbra Sait and Danish Sait. As a single parent, Yasmin raised her children and managed their professional careers for almost a decade, which coined the word “momager”. Yasmin has appeared in commercial advertisements, short films and web series. Yasmin has a strong, collaborative, people-focused leadership quality and, in her life’s journey, with her philanthropic efforts, she has brought a positive transformation in thousands of lives.
Yasmin believes that having a “senseof purpose” is essential to lead a meaningful and tranquil life, irrespective of age or socio-economic status. Happiness comes from within, and by touching one’s heart; love can be felt and shared with the world. Henceforth the idea was nascent in heart from a long time after reading her book ‘Manan’ hence it was an absolute feel full of glee with an additional dose of stimulus reading real life sagas of empowered women, I finally got a chance to chit-chat with Yasmin who has this motive in life- ‘EmpowHER at Different Stages of Life’. Here are some of the twitters; we shared regarding her journey as a writer and life coach:
1. After spending thirty years in the retail and entertainment industry, how and when did this idea occur to write a book?
It dawned on me that I would turn 60, and I introspected how I’d handle my future journey of life. When I initiated a conversation with older and younger women I realized the need for the topic, and that’s when the idea of this book came to me.
2. Can you elaborate on this soulful title of your book ‘Manan’?
Manan means to meditate, think, and reflect hence the title of this book, whose theme is the process of delving deeper into oneself to navigate transformation, at various stages of life, including unforeseen disruption. If one can dispassionately do self-examination, one has the choice of coming up with new and positive ideas and attitudes, while discarding those, which are negative and debilitating. It is like chewing the cud of your experiences, in solitude and silence, an enriching act similar to how a cow extracts nutrition from even inferior feed. I don’t think any other title in English would have done justice to what I want to convey through my book.
3. You have talked about the lives and experiences of nine women at the shores of 60 either crossed or crossing, how did you pick up these specific empowering women to tell the tale?
The process of finding these women wasn’t easy as I was looking for women who were living a life of purpose with emotional independence. I spoke to many women who either did not fit the category as most of those women wanted to take this opportunity to share their pain or they were not ready to share their stories for a book because they want to keep their lives private in their ways.
4. Succumbing to the frailties of aging flesh, where choices are limited, many give up. How do you keep yourself so energized and active?
I have always been very energetic and childlike from the very beginning. My biggest fear is to let my inner child die hence I nurture it from time to time and never miss out on fun bits. I think that is what keeps me going and will keep me going. Moreover I feel without transcending precincts of flesh, one cannot be propelled to new accomplishments and the show must go on, so the journey of existence with elegance.
5. What is essential to lead a meaningful and tranquil life in this world of humdrum and hustle-bustle?
Self-awareness and mindfulness are both very important. That will not only help you in taking care of your own boundaries and also of others. When you don’t step into other's boundaries you give the significant others a lesser chance to step into yours. Another big thing is being thankful and grateful will keep you contented and grounded in life.
6. What message do you want to give to the techno-savvy youth who fail in handling fiascos in life?
Technology is a boon and bane. With or without we cannot live. That’s the change, the world has brought in and with time, we have to change to move on. However, we can be responsible for the way we consume it. I think the youth is very savvy with everything at their fingertips, they cut down the process steps of standing in queues. I know a lot of them are going back to old school but there is a chase one needs to have a lot of patience comparatively to be in and out of the chase.
7. Your next project or anything special you’re doing and wish to share with us?
I am currently living a life of ‘Manan’ by delving deeper into myself. There is so much work to be done with ‘Manan’ as a project. For now, my focus is on myself and other women.
8. As a life coach and counselor what do you want to say to live life to the fullest?
We suffer because we never want to let go. If you think about it nothing can happen twice with the same intensity. Life needs to move on. The life journey is short; we need to learn to let go. If you can live a life of ‘Manan’, you will learn how to work on your Emotions. Emotions are like a muscle that you should work on every day to become stronger until you are emotionally independent. It is not easy but at the same time it is not difficult, one step at a time and you can reach there.
9. What advice would you like to give novice writers for generating ideas and improving their writing?
To begin with, everyone says read, read, and read. I would say a little differently be aware of your surroundings, observe keenly and listen more. That’s the best way you can learn to generate new and fresh ideas and improve your writing. Lastly, I would say to acquire vocabulary you should read anything and everything from different kinds of writers and to understand different styles of writing.
Ø Your language will always express, your feelings.
Ø Focus on your expression and follow whatever you are comfortable with.
Ø One needs to sharpen the writing style, voice, and idea. Your presentation should be unique.
End of all, raise your own voice through your writing with your specific style because there is no other you, create a niche for yourself.
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