How to Find and Live Your Purpose with Amina AlTai Aww Shift

In today’s episode, our guest is Amina Al Tai.Our guest today has overcome life challenges, including a moment where she was told she might not make it. She made crucial adjustments, moving from avoidance to a deeper sense of purpose. Her success journey is now focused on teaching others to find genuine fulfillment in life, beyond just financial success. 
[2:33] Why should I listen to you? 
One thing I thoroughly enjoy is approaching conversations with curiosity. If I were to engage with you, I'd likely pose numerous questions – after all, who doesn't appreciate being asked? Initiating a dialogue in this way feels disarming, fostering a connection by delving deeper into understanding and connecting with someone.
[3:00] Where did you get that curiosity from though? 
 The story is quite intriguing, and I'm sure many people can relate to it. I am of mixed heritage, being half Iraqi and half Welsh, born in London, and raised in New Jersey. In my family, my older sister faced significant health challenges, dealing with type one diabetes. Consequently, I had to become exceptionally self-sufficient and take care of my younger sisters. As a sort of coping mechanism, I found solace in eating my emotions. This led to me living my childhood in a larger body, and I frequently received comments about being too heavy, clinically obese, and the need to lose weight. In response, I developed an overcompensation strategy. I decided to cultivate a sparkling personality, aiming to be the most charming person in the room. I buried myself in academics, determined to excel in school so that people would notice me and acknowledge my worth. This coping mechanism, born out of my circumstances and body image, became a performance that I carried into my professional life. This approach served me well for a while until it didn't. I took my strong work ethic into the workplace, pushing myself to the point of burnout and developing two autoimmune diseases. Working 70-80 hour weeks became the norm, until one day, my doctor called and urged me not to go to work but to head to the emergency room. I was just days away from multiple organ failure. This incident was a wake-up call, highlighting how my childhood programming had set me up for dysfunction in my later years.
[5:30] What did you learn from that experience? 
 I appreciate the concept of the "stop moment" or the shift in perspective, that moment when the universe intervenes, signaling a need for change. Initially, I resisted my doctor's advice and went to work that day, dismissing the severity of the situation. It's quite surreal to reflect on that time and see it as a window into my programming and how I was navigating life. Sure thing! I really love what I call the "stop moment" or that shift when the universe says, "Hey, what you're doing needs to change." So, on that day, my doctor told me not to go to work, but I shrugged it off, thinking it couldn't be that serious. I went to work anyway. Looking back, it's wild because it offers a glimpse into how I was wired at that time. Eventually, I acknowledged that my doctor was probably right, and I needed to see someone. I found myself at a crossroads: continue down my current path, which might not lead to a longer life, or choose a different way. I chose the latter and assembled a medical team. Alongside that, I sought coaching, realizing that everything I thought I knew about life wasn't working for me. Coaching was a game-changer and, honestly, a lifesaver. That's why I became a coach – it revealed the stories I held about myself, work, success, life, and worthiness that needed a deep rewrite.
 [7:00] Before we delve deeper, what exactly do you do? 
 In simple terms, I'm a business and career coach, but I like to think of myself as a holistic leadership and mindset coach. My approach is holistic because my own pivotal moments taught me the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to our work and lives. My coaching covers min