But what even is a life coach?
A life coach is a professional who helps individuals identify and achieve personal goals, overcome obstacles, and improve their quality of life through guidance, support, and accountability.
Afshaan’s Personal Journey
Afshaan’s mindfulness journey started way back in 2008: she had lost her father, she was in an abusive marriage. On top of everything, Afshaan had a very stressful job in the financial sector in what turned out to be a terrible year for finances. That was when she first started practising meditation and mindfulness. “Every year, I would leave the city for a silent six day retreat and come back utterly rejuvenated.” Afshaan had never thought about leaving the corporate sector until a series of fortunate events: she got married again and gave birth to the love of her life.
After Afshaan had her daughter, she took a two year sabbatical from work. It was during this time that she was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. After running from doctor to doctor, only to be told she would be on medication for the rest of her life, Afshaan realised she’d have to dig deeper. “There weren’t many health coaches or functional medicine doctors in Pakistan who could help me. So I decided to take my healing into my own hands.” Afshaan sought out the services of a holistic wellness coach. After 6 months of coaching, she felt the light return to her. Everytime the question of career would arise, all Afshaan could think of was ‘healing’. “I wanted to heal other people in their lives the way I had been healed by my coach.”
A sign from God
After her own incredible and life-changing experience with holistic healing, Afshaan contemplated pursuing holistic wellness as a profession. One day, out of the blue, Afshaan received an automated email from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition advertising their upcoming diploma start-date and inviting her to an informational session. “I took it as a sign from God.” Two introductory sessions and a year-long diploma later, Afshaan is now doing exactly what she always knew her heart wanted: to help people heal and prosper.
Afshaan began coaching clients in November 2021, as part of the diploma program. After obtaining her certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in February 2022, she formally set up her practice in May the same year. Since then, Afshaan has helped both individual and corporate clients reconnect with their happiest selves through their own mind-gut connection. Her services entail a 360 degree well-being strategy. Wellness goal setting, financial counselling, gut health mapping, meditation, stress management, and supplement & herbal recommendations are just a few areas Afshaan can help you in.
Financial Counselling
After losing her father very early in life, Afshaan struggled a lot with finances. Having two school-going siblings and a mother who had never worked, Afshaan was left with the responsibility of having to look after and pay for everything. She never had any savings, because everything she earned would go to bills and fees. This time in her life taught Afshaan valuable, hard-earned lessons: name effective, healthy financial planning.
“That’s how I survived 12 years of having to look after the rest of my family. I want everyone who seeks coaching from me to be financially healthy too: to seek that financial independence and to not be stressed about finances.”
Considering what a huge impact this had on her life, financial counselling is an emphasised aspect of Afshaan’s practice. Empowering her clients to be mentally, physically, and economically healthy.