Perspectives: Manjeet Russell
Manjeet Russell, Certified Intuitive Life Coach and one of our RevelEleven speakers, tells us how she’s been handling quarantine and managing self-care, family time and work. As a life coach, Manjeet’s mission is to help busy women embrace a life of clarity, balance, and purpose to move out of survival-mode and powerfully into “THRIVAL-mode.” She helps lead her clients on a path to an intentional life, focused not on “doing” but on “being”. Keep reading for Manjeet’s perspectives…
What are you looking forward to in 2021?
2020 was NUTS! I may be in the minority here, but I found 2020 to be a mixed bag of epiphanies and great sorrow, in equal amounts. 2020 forced my in-person life coaching workshops to be held remotely, which opened folks to attend from all over the world. That was super cool, but I really miss the energy and connection created by gathering with like-minded women. I miss that—a lot. I'd have to say that I am definitely looking forward to more in-person life coaching, vision board workshops, and Intuitive Women's Circles in 2021! Even if they are smaller, I'll take it!
PS: Did I tell you I am a hopeless optimist?
What comforts have you found help make you feel grounded in quarantine?
Ah. My biggest comfort is food, in particular, my mother's Indian food. Not seeing my parents who reside in Canada has been a saddening consequence of the 2020 pandemic. My heart aches for some butter chicken, daal, and samosas—all cooking while some random Bollywood movie blares in the background.
During quarantine, I asked my mom to make videos of her cooking some of my favorite dishes for me. My daughters and I would follow them diligently—with tears and lots of giggles. My mom and her food have been an anchor for me my whole life and continue to anchor my family and me during this crazy pandemic. I even learned to make some of the more complicated Indian dishes that I was too afraid to try alone. I'm calling that a win!
What have you learned about yourself in the past year?
I've learned that I actually really enjoy solitude! I'm quite extroverted, but man, do I love me some quiet time! Quarantine has forced us all to stay home and find creative ways to connect with our families—and ourselves!
I have found a love of podcasts! They actually inspired me to start my own podcast, Lightworkers Unite! with my bestie Mayume. This is something I would NEVER have imagined I would ever do.
Do you have a mantra you are living with?
I have about a thousand mantras! I don't know a life coach that doesn't have a dozen they can pull out at a moments notice ;)
I have a few mantras that have resonated with me lately. One being, "I've GOT this," as it reminds me to grab my power and get Sh&t done! I also really resonate with "This too shall pass," as it helps me feel hopeful. Feeling hopeful raises my vibration up a level from despair and fear—and that really helps shift my perspective from a victim mentality to a more empowered one.
Mantras are a great way to shake you out of a funk and get into some deliberate, powerful action, which has been very helpful this past dumpster-fire of a year!
How are you juggling business, family, and personal time from home?
Ah yes. I love this question!
Balance is a very dynamic, fluid, and infinite process for me, hence the name of my company, Infinite Balance. My balance changes all the time with the circumstances around me, so the strategy I adhere to is this: With every decision, we are saying YES and NO at the same time.
For example, when I say YES to a few extra hours at work, I am inherently saying NO to dinner with my family or some time with myself. Creating awareness around what I am consciously saying YES to and what I am saying NO to at the same time is what helps me navigate the many roles in my life as a business owner, mother of two teenage daughters, wife, life coach, nuclear medicine technologist, etc. And YES! Self-care is always at the top of my YES list.
I can not give intentionally to others when I am empty—so bring on some Star Trek movies, popcorn, and maybe a few White Claws :)