As the proud media partner of The Precious Journey 2020 that happened last month, we have been bringing you this series of interviews with presenters so that you get to know them better.
Today, we speak to Entrepreneur, Trainer and Proud Mommy of two, Sofie Hon. After many years in the corporate world, Sofie realised that it lacked heart and soul. So, armed with a personal mission to help other career women, many of them have found clarity in life and fulfillment in the heart.
All of which has allowed them to transform their family’s mental and emotional health. And after that, go on to unleash their potential and pursue their passions without any limits and excuses. Now, Sofie is a certified MAP Mind Wellness Practitioner who teaches therapists, coaches and professionals to apply mindfulness and neuroplasticity-based methods in their work.
Sofie’s Personal Journey
Q: What does it mean to be a fulfillment coach? (How do you help your clients?)
A fulfilled individual is satisfied with life because they are doing interesting, meaningful and important things. It goes beyond what society defines as success and focuses on what brings true lasting joy for the individual.
I work with both male and female executives to help them identify their life purpose and then clear all those obstacles in their paths. Sometimes resistances may be due to past experiences, so I use the latest in neuroscience to empower them to rewire their minds and self-sabotaging patterns. It’s a gentle transformational approach where the brain heals the brain. It’s not just for people with problems. Rather, it is for anyone who pursues better. It’s a spa for the mind, where you massage the pain points and smooth out the creases so you can be in the flow. That makes doing anything in life so much easier.
Q: How did you become a fulfillment coach?
During my corporate stint, I attended a business mastermind and was blown away by how the peak performance coach they engaged shifted my perspective. The Coach was the founder of the MAP Method™. When there was an opportunity to be certified in this work, I jumped at it and the rest is history. Now I not only coach Mums and professionals but I also train other coaches and therapists internationally.
The Precious Journey 2020
Q: What was the response like from The Precious Journey?
The Precious Journey is a sequel to The Precious Plan that was run the previous year. In this year’s summit, we had 12 experts sharing on topics related to pre and post-natal matters. The response has been warm with almost 200 registrants.
This summit has been quintessential in presenting important information in a structured easily digestible manner. The audience is going through a new experience so it’s not about helping to find the information you need. The problem is you don’t know what you don’t know. So the objective of The Precious Journey was really to educate and bring attention to matters commonly overlooked without overwhelming the participants.
One of the most well-received aspects of our conference is the mindfulness workshops. The interaction with Mums and Mums-to-be has been precious.
Q: What were some common questions from mothers-to-be?
Most Mums-to-be get a lot of information and advice through their gynaecologists. These are mostly clinical advice. The most popular questions are related to birthing – how would I know when to go to the hospital? What do I need to bring to the hospital? How long will I be in labour? Will it be painful? What should I expect at delivery?
Can I be a mother and excel in my work?
Q: Many think that it is not possible for women executives to balance motherhood and work. Why might this be untrue?
When it comes to balancing motherhood, there is a perception of different roles as a person, some being traditional, and an imbalance happens when one cannot give equal attention to those roles. This creates a dilemma and it can overwhelm and even guilt a woman.
I prefer to use the term “integration” as opposed to “balance”.
Tammie Umbel, founder of Shea Terra Organics, homeschooled 14 children while running a $500K business. She is able to love what she is doing while managing her children’s learning because she was able to integrate all her priorities into one amusement fun instead of “balancing” them. In this way, there is no need to switch gears and feel inadequate in any part.
Jane Fraser, the next CEO of Citigroup, prioritised what was important for her at different stages of motherhood. She slowed down when her children were younger, then picked up her career again when they got older. At one stage, her husband managed the household while she worked.
So I think it’s not that it is impossible for women to balance motherhood and career. I think it is a matter of prioritising what’s important and then integrating everything seamlessly so that it’s no longer a balancing act.
Q: How does finding a sense of fulfillment help a woman unleash her potential at work?
Your potential is hidden when you are protective of it. People mute their abilities when they don’t believe in themselves or do not have a life purpose.
Fulfillment happens when a woman does things aligned with her joy, purpose and needs.
When this happens, there is a motivation to build mastery in the area of interest and commit to taking action. This is where the potential is unleashed and can create a snowball effect.
The joys of fulfillment
Q: How does finding a sense of fulfillment help to transform a woman’s mental and emotional health?
Mental emotional wellbeing is a basic aspect of health. Taking care of that is non-negotiable. When someone is overwhelmed or dissatisfied, it is often because they are unable to define what is important in their life.
In my coaching work, I bring clients through a 4-point discovery of their present and future situation. That is the first and easiest step.
The second step is taking action to get there. This is where most people stumble and therefore never arrive at fulfillment. To achieve fulfillment, one needs to have clarity of mind. The most effective way is to start with your inner work.
The more fulfilled a woman is, the more confident and satisfied she’ll be, and the more positive impact this will make on her mental-emotional health.
Q: Do you have any other advice for women executives who are struggling to balance family and work life?
Here is my advice:
- Everyone has different priorities and purpose. Find happiness in whatever path you choose.
- Self-care is non-negotiable – remember the aeroplane advice – put on your own oxygen mask before someone else’s. Also, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
- Ask for help or delegate. Don’t do everything on your own because we have limited time and skills. Learn to leverage your network of support.
- Train your children to be independent of young. When they have life skills, they will be able to manage their own learning.
- Be present. No matter you are at home or at work “be where you are!” My mantra has always been “when you work, work hard! When you play, play hard!”
- Strengthen your mental-emotional well-being – this is often overlooked. Caring for your mind is not something you do only when you are desperate. The inner work is something that helps you to walk the mile and bring out your best.
Just as you exercise your physical body, do the same for your mental wellbeing. It will thank you for the mind spa.
Images: Sofie Hon
Melissa Fann
