Are you a fan of the personal development industry? Some people can’t understand its popularity and regard personal development techniques as faddish. Those who build their businesses around it are seen as self-serving chancers, in it for money.
Then there are those who swear by it. Their lives have been transformed by the likes of Tony Robbins, Bob Procter, Rhonda Byrne et al. And ‘The Law of Attraction’, positive thinking, affirmations, gratitude rituals, and changing mindsets, have brought them self-empowerment and new found freedom from self-limiting beliefs and poor self-esteem. Many of these people have overcome stubborn challenges. They’ve gone on to achieve beyond what they ever imagined and sometimes to make a bigger difference in the world.
My Page 1 Woman is one of them. Meet Meenal Savani, dietician and holistic health coach with a twist, and a big fan of personal development.
Having overcome chronic ill health using personal development techniques, Meenal’s applied the teachings of Rhonda Byrne and Bob Procter to her life and transformed it. She’s now a business owner with a big purpose – not what she set out to do.
She’s walking proof of the power of personal development training and techniques and what can be achieved when you invest in yourself, take risks, commit and persist. “It changed my mindset. I couldn’t see myself as a business woman before. And suddenly, I wanted my own business to make a difference in the world."
Highly skilled and experienced in her field, Meenal’s enthusiasm for enabling women to develop self-love, acceptance and greater happiness shines through.
Read Meenal’s story in her own words.
Describe what you do
Meenal: I've been a NHS registered dietician for 18 years and I'm also a holistic health coach running my business, Now Health Coaching. I help women release their weight by tapping into their body's wisdom, and working from the inside out, increase their self-care and happiness. I like to coach women who’re sick and tired of dieting. Having tried many different diets, they’ve seen their weight yo-yoing. They know what to do, but can't do it. I help them to succeed.
Releasing weight involves working with the subconscious mind which is programmed to find what it’s lost. The more you try to lose weight, the more you resist. You lack self-acceptance, and you're thinking, “I want to get rid of this weight. I don't like what’s in the mirror." And the more you focus on it, the harder it is to lose. When you release rather than lose weight, there's less resistance as you're letting go of something that your body no longer needs.
Although I’ve been using coaching methods within my NHS consultations for a while, I realised I could offer a lot more by setting up my own business and having the freedom to be effective in the way that I want to be.
In the NHS, I specialize in tube feeding for patients with neurological disorders and can't swallow. And I do a general weekly clinic for people with diabetes, high cholesterol, or who need to lose weight. This, alongside my own personal development, made me realize that weight loss is more about mindset, emotional and personal well-being than knowing what to eat and exercising. I’ve never had a weight problem, but as I became more interested in weight loss, I recognized that I could help people on a deeper level.
Before 2012, I was angry and frustrated continually, which caused lots of stress in my body and multiple health problems. But lacking self-awareness, I wasn't looking after myself. Despite two operations, it reached the point where I couldn’t work. Then by accident I found Rhonda Byrne’s ‘The Power’, about gratitude and love. I realized that I’d been creating my poor health through years of stress, anger and frustration and I had to take action.
I remember lying on the bathroom floor experiencing spasms of shooting pain. When I arose, from nowhere, I put my hand on my heart, and said, ‘I'm thankful for having this pain for only seven days each month’. I thought I was lucky to not have the pain all the time. My feeling of gratitude was so intense and wonderful that I cried.
From then on, I was grateful for everything, even someone opening the door for me. I felt like a weight had been lifted and my feet weren't touching the ground. The negative feelings were replaced by love and gratitude. And I visualized myself in the gym, well and pain free, which came true. My life changed completely.
What essential step got you to where you are now?
Meenal: The essential step was that huge mindset shift in ‘The Magical 2012’. From that point onwards I immersed myself in audios and books of inspirational speakers such as Bob Proctor, Tony Robbins, Eric Thomas, Abraham Hicks and Lisa Nichols. I started to get new realizations. Four years later, here I am, knowing that my purpose is to help others on a deeper level than what I do in the NHS. And my wanting more in life grew from personal development.
What was the most significant thing that got you into your current position?
Meenal: The most significant thing was expressing gratitude each day for everything in my life. Without it, I wouldn’t be here now. Sometimes it's easy to forget that we have so much. Gratitude can make you joyful, and gives you strength to do anything.
And amazing things have happened to me. In 2012 when the intensity of gratitude was greatest, not only did my health problems melt away, but I manifested little things, that made me think, "How did I get that?"
I still express gratitude, alongside visualizing my intentions for the day and seeing it going really well. I often end up having the most amazing day.
What was the greatest challenge that you faced on your journey?
Meenal: The greatest challenge was feeling that I'm not good enough. When I started my business I thought, "Am I good enough to get clients? Will people pay for my coaching?" But I overcame self-doubt by doing a Bob Proctor course. I learned that the only thing holding me back was my limiting beliefs. And I’ve learned strategies that have helped me increase my self-worth. For example, writing down affirmations and saying them repeatedly and listening to a 25 minutes recording of affirmations two or three times a day. In one month I felt a shift.
What was your greatest lightbulb moment?
Meenal: A few weeks ago, I experienced someone saying horrid things about me that in the past would have knocked my self-confidence. For a few moments, I felt upset, but I overcame it quickly because I've armed myself. The lightbulb moment came when I realized that by focusing on the negatives he’d said, I would be denying myself abundance, and available possibilities. So, I was able to quickly shift my focus from negative to positive. This means I can go after my dreams without being stopped despite any knock backs.
What’s the one resource that's been really crucial to your success?
Meenal: The ‘Space Repetition’ method, which involves regularly and repeatedly reciting the same messages, or information. I've used ‘Space Repetition’ by reading, listening to audios, and going to personal development. It’s like focusing intensely on one thing through different study techniques. It re-wires the brain to think positively and replace limiting beliefs with empowering ones. Without this resource, I wouldn’t have even contemplated starting my own business.
What do you understand by leadership?
Meenal: Amongst other things, it means being able to lead yourself before you can lead others. For example, it's about giving yourself a command and being able to execute it. Also a leader can see and help develop other people’s potential to excel and lead too.
How much do you see yourself as a leader?
Meenal: I don't feel like a full-blown leader. But I'm on a journey, developing as a self-leader. Although I've worked on my self-worth, I sometimes still doubt myself. That's why I feel that I'm not quite there. I’m thinking that leaders never doubt themselves, but that’s not true. They aren’t perfect.
What difference has it made being a woman leader?
Meenal: Being in the process of becoming a leader has increased my sense of self-worth. I'm becoming more authentic, accepting that it's okay to be me.
As a woman, my approach is softer, but I can be firm too. I have a team that I manage and lead at work. My role title is ‘Home Enteral Tube Feeding Lead’. So I guess I’m a leader, although I didn’t see it immediately.
I'm really good at establishing rapport with people quickly, even the difficult cases at work. And I listen and empathise. I don't know whether that’s about being a female, but also, I use my intuition to sense if patients or others are feeling uncomfortable, or unhappy. And I get on well with everyone in my team.
Your top three tips for women who want to be leaders in their field.
Meenal: First, work on yourself, from the inside out, and be a self- leader. If you work on the belief that you’re not good enough and replace it with something more empowering, everything else falls into place.
Second, never get complacent. When things are going well, continue to work on yourself every day as you’re always a work in progress. You'll grow into that leader that's already inside you.
When I’m feeling great, I sometimes get complacent and stop reading, listening to audios and filling my mind with positives. Then my confidence, mood and happiness levels drop quickly. Or somebody will say something negative, and it sets me back. So, continue to work on yourself. Make yourself stronger so that when stuff happens, you can cope with it. Remember success is a journey, not a destination. So, enjoy it.
Finally, surround yourself with leaders, and like-minded people, even through books and audios, and you’ll become like them. When you’re in psychical presence with people like that, their vibration can lift you.
Find out more about Now Health Coaching click here.