When a woman invests in her emotional and mental wellbeing, she becomes empowered – Tooba Shoaib

woman @ work

Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Applied Psychology, Tooba is a trained NLP Master Coach. She received her NLP Master Coach certification from Arslan Larik and Company and has been practicing as an NLP Master Coach for seven years. She specialises in relationship coaching, inner child healing and helping clients overcome money blockages. “Inner child healing is particularly close to my heart, as it allows me to guide my clients towards deep emotional healing and personal transformation,” says Tooba, who also runs a catering business from home.

In a candid interview with You! Tooba describes how an NLP coach can motivate individuals to rewire their minds, build emotional resilience and lead a more confident and fulfilling life. Read on…

Tell us about your early days?

I got married at the age of 21 into a joint family system. My early days were simple and typical for a young woman my age. I began my married life as a full-time homemaker. Over the years, I was blessed with four children and my world revolved around nurturing them. When my youngest turned one, I started my home-based catering business. I still remember, it was very modest in the beginning, with most of my advertising done on social media and only a handful of client orders. After six months of perseverance and hard work, I started supplying food to offices on a regular basis, which helped establish a strong and stable foundation for my business. Today, it has been nine successful years since I started my catering business. As I look back now, I see a journey filled with hard work, resilience and rewarding achievements.

You started as a chef; what made you interested in becoming an NLP coach as well?

Even before becoming an NLP coach, I was a Reiki Master. To complement my Reiki healing practice, I pursued NLP certifications and became an NLP Master Coach. Today, I integrate NLP interventions alongside Reiki to support my clients’ healing and transformation. My interest in NLP developed when I discovered how it empowers individuals to rewire their minds, build emotional resilience and lead more confident, fulfilling lives.

How would you describe NLP to someone new to the concept?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP, is essentially about re-wiring your mind and shifting your thinking patterns. In simple terms, it provides practical tools to help you think differently - more clearly, creatively and with an empowering perspective. NLP equips you to take charge of your life and make meaningful changes for the better. For anyone looking to grow and navigate life more consciously, NLP can be an invaluable guide.

What does an NLP Coach do?

An NLP Master coach basically guides individuals to gain a deeper understanding on how to rewire and regulate their thoughts and emotions. When you understand yourself better, you naturally develop a muscle to comprehend others and the situations around you with a clearer perspective. NLP coaching process empowers you to make informed and thoughtful decisions in life. You learn to respond instead of reacting to situations and this eventually fosters healthier relationships and continuous personal growth.

What do you like most about your work?

What I love most about my work is the profound sense of satisfaction that comes from helping others navigate through their emotional and mental challenges. I feel truly blessed to guide clients through their personal transformations.

What are the common challenges clients bring to you?

Most of my clients approach me with challenges related to their marriages and relationships, financial difficulties or a lost sense of purpose and feelings of emptiness.

What are the main issues, in your eyes, are being faced by our women? Can NLP coaching helpful in addressing the issues?

In our society, many women face the challenge of losing sight of their own identity. From a young age, they are often taught that marriage is the ultimate goal and that their purpose is to take care of their husband, in-laws and children. In the process, they forget about themselves - the person they were before marriage, the dreams and aspirations they had and even who they truly are.

Many women only realise later in life that they have lost touch with themselves. They devote so much to homemaking and nurturing others that their own growth and self-development take a backseat. NLP coaching can be incredibly helpful in this context. It brings women back to themselves, helping them reconnect with their own identity.

When a woman invests in her emotional and mental wellbeing, she becomes empowered. A healed and empowered woman not only understands herself better but is also able to connect with others more meaningfully. For mothers of teenagers especially, NLP coaching can be a powerful tool as it equips them to help their children navigate through their emotions and thoughts with greater ease, clarity and resilience. NLP coaching also helps women guide their teenagers in making informed and balanced decisions about their lives.

Can you share an example of how NLP helped a client create lasting change?

Once, a congenitally blind female client came to me with deep emotional challenges and the belief that society would never accept her. She had already been through one divorce and was struggling in her second marriage. When she came for coaching, she was on the verge of separation again and felt weighed down by her self-created sense of societal rejection, low self-esteem, victimisation and lack of acceptance.

However, the good thing was that she was committed to working on herself and NLP interventions played a major role in bringing about the necessary changes in her emotional, mental and even physiological state. The coaching sessions helped her realise that she could heal, change her mindset, let go of negative emotional burdens and rebuild her life. Her transformation was phenomenal and today she is enjoying a happy marital life, living with a sense of peace and acceptance.

How has NLP changed the way you think or live personally?

Doing NLP certifications has greatly helped me in my personal development. I am now able to take accountability and responsibility with much more ease, which allows me to maintain a positive state of mind even during difficult times. My relationships have greatly improved. I am emotionally more balanced now and can connect with and understand others more effectively. NLP training has taught me how to draw healthy boundaries, both personally and professionally. Since I’ve worked on myself, the ripple effects can even be seen in my catering business, where I now approach challenges and decisions with greater clarity and professionalism.

What advice would you give to someone considering NLP training for themselves?

I believe it is a must for anyone looking for mental clarity, emotional wisdom and personal growth. I highly recommend that teenagers should take NLP training or at least know the basics of NLP tools as part of their personal and professional grooming. I am a strong advocate for having NLP trainings as a necessary part of college and university curriculum.

Any lessons learnt the hard way?

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of drawing healthy boundaries. For me, learning to say ‘no’ was incredibly difficult but it is also one of the most empowering changes I’ve made in my life.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Roller coaster. My day starts with Fajr prayer. The routine begins at 6:30 with preparing breakfast for my children and husband. Between 8:30 am and 10:00 am, I do my Reiki and meditation healings. My catering orders start around 11:00 am. By 1:00 pm., I start to dispatch my catering orders. The next batch of catering orders leaves around 4:00 pm. In between, my children are back from school and we have lunch together.

After that, I take a little rest for one hour and start sessions with my coaching client around 4:30 pm. After that, I drop my children off for tuitions and take another coaching client in between. I go to pick up my kids at 8:00 pm and this is the time by which my husband is back home as well. Around 9:00 pm, we have dinner together. Around 10:00 pm, I usually take another coaching client’s session. This is what my typical day looks like.

How do you unwind?

I love having a cup of freshly made tea while listening to my favourite songs. It’s my little indulgence at home and it helps me relax and recharge after a busy day.

How do you keep a balance between family life and work?

Since I work from home, it allows me to strike a balance between my family and work. I make sure I’m available for my children and present in their daily lives, scheduling my coaching sessions at times that don’t interfere with family needs. This way, I can give my best to both without compromising either.

What are your future plans in terms of expansion of your work?

I would like to expand both my ventures in a more structured way. As far as my catering business is concerned, my vision is to have a proper professional kitchen so I can manage things more efficiently. For my coaching practice, I envision setting up a dedicated space where I can conduct sessions in a professional environment.