I’m no stranger to holistic wellbeing. My first coach was a Holistic Healing Coach and since then I’ve taken a holistic approach when navigating my own healing journey. Everything is connected. We can’t just focus on one area of our lives and expect to feel better if others are out of balance. I sat down for a coffee with Anmol, a holistic wellbeing coach and mentor, to talk about what holistic wellbeing means to her and how she helps her clients feel more balanced and fulfilled.
Emma: Hey Anmol, so lovely to see you again. Do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself and why you got into coaching?
Anmol: Hey Emma, yes of course! I’m originally Indian but I grew up in Fiji and have now been living in London for the past 7 years. Before my calling into this meaningful and fulfilling career as a holistic wellbeing coach I worked in the dynamic and fast-paced world of Tech. But as a self-confessed full time hustler I know exactly how it feels to relentlessly push for success time and time again and (unintentionally) lose yourself in the process… I’ve been there, done that and got the damn t-shirt and now it’s my mission to support highly driven, hyper-ambitious and high-achieving women not make the same mistakes and live a more balanced and fulfilled life by putting themselves first and priortising themselves through a healthy focus on holistic well-being.
Emma: It sounds like you fell victim to the classic burn out that high achieving women seem to be experiencing more and more in todays hustle culture…
Anmol: Yes. However, I want to caveat that as often we’re quick to call it burnout. I think we need to pause and ask ourselves the question - ‘Am I burnt out or am I unfulfilled?’ It’s not always as simple as “I’m working too many hours“. It could potentially be that you’re just not spending enough time doing things that fill you up, things that matter to you and REALLY energise you. Are you giving more than you’re taking (time) for yourself? Working hard isn’t a bad thing, but the work you’re doing also needs to be fulfilling. And if it isn’t, for whatever reason, are you spending enough time doing the things that are fulfilling?
Emma: That’s interesting as I’ve never thought about it like that. So it’s really a question of fulfilment and living a life with purpose. How do you help women that are on the verge of burnout?
Anmol: It’s most definitely important, fulfiment and leading a life with purpose. However, it’s also about intentionality. With all my clients, we start with inner work through reflective practices. I challenge them to be really honest with themselves, evaluate and assess how things are for them (in the present moment) and ask them to consider how much time, attention and effort they consciously put on taking care of themselves, prioritising themselves, putting themselves first. A lot of times highly driven women don’t realise how drained, physically, mental and otherwise, they are… I encourage my clients to take a step back, have a check-in with themselves and be true to themselves about what’s really going on in their lives and then go from there, that’s when we start the real work. That’s when they start their journey of growth and transformation…
Emma: So where does a holistic approach come into it?
Anmol: It’s unrealistic to look at specific areas of our lives in isolation. Everything is interrelated. Everything is linked. For example, someone could be hyper-focused on their physical wellbeing and therefore, be eating and sleeping well and exercising every day, however, if they don’t have meaningful relationships in their lives then they most likely will not report a good sense of wellbeing. Similarly, if someone is doing a job that they really enjoy and that fulfils them to their core, however, they
are not making time to take care of themselves in terms of their physical health and well-being, their overall well-being will inevitably be impacted.
Emma: Yes, I totally agree with all of this. I loved looking at my wellbeing holistically and working on all areas. Would you like to share the different areas you look at when working with clients?
Anmol: Yes absolutely. The journey that I have witnessed my clients embark on through my signature 1:1 coaching method is beautiful and truly transformational. As we have established, everything is interrelated so a holistic approach is crucial. I will wizz through the different areas I touch on with my clients in my signature 1:1 coaching method. The process within my signature 1:1 coaching method involves a deep dive into the different areas of holistic wellbeing, which constitute the following:
Physical wellbeing
Physical wellbeing, which is probably the one people are most aware of - so thinking about how you are feeling in terms of your health? Are you feeling fit, strong and healthy enough? It’s important to look at whether you’re eating well, sleeping well, regularly exercising, avoiding illnesses, and maintaining medical conditions.
Mental and Emotional wellbeing
Mental and emotional wellbeing relate to our thoughts and feelings. Therefore, considering things such as your mindset and outlook towards life, your way of self-talk and so much more can indicate how you are doing in terms of your mental well-being. Your emotional and mental well-being most of the time impact one another as your feelings and emotions may impact the way you think and vice-versa. A lot of the work that I do with my clients within this area also delves into coaching around inner child work, which includes coaching around existing stories and beliefs you (may) hold from your past that may or may not be serving you.
Intellectual wellbeing
Intellectual wellbeing also shouldn’t be ignored, which considers whether or not we are exploring and learning new things, expanding our current knowledge and existing skills. As humans we have a thirst for knowledge and it is important to check-in with ourselves and assess if this is being satisfied or not.
Occupational wellbeing
Occupational wellbeing looks at what you do for work and your feelings around it, whether you enjoy it or not, and if you feel satisfied and fulfilled in your job.
Environmental wellbeing
Environmental wellbeing not only considers where you live, but also who you surround yourselves with, and considers whether or not you feel safe, secure, supported and comforted in your environment (the place and/or the people in it).
Financial wellbeing
Financial wellbeing looks at your current state of being in relation to money, your relationship with money, and your aspirations. Are you satisfied with your current financial status? What are your aspirations for the future?
Spiritual wellbeing
Some people scoff at spirituality because of a lack of understanding on the subject. Spiritual wellbeing comes down to a connection to something other than ourselves, it relates to a sense of meaning and purpose.
Social wellbeing
Social wellbeing looks at your relationships (all sorts of them - romantic relationships, friendships and family relationships), and the depth and quality of these relationships. It’s important to note here that even within this one area, you may have some thriving relationships and others that are not as thriving…
Emma: I love all of that! There is literally so much to think about and so many areas of our lives we can continue to improve. Do you think this could feel overwhelming for some?
Anmol: Perhaps, but you don’t have to tackle everything at once. Slow and steady is the way to go. Start where you want to start, start where you need to start. The essence of my work with coaching is to help and support everyone put themseves first, and prioritise themselves, through a healthy focus on holistic wellbeing.
Emma: Absolutely. Life is a journey and no matter what stage we’re at nobody is ever “done”. Thank you so much for chatting with me today Anmol, we could have spoken for hours but I’m sure there is more to come in the future :)
You can find Anmol on Instagram @pricelesslyfree and learn more about her work through her website at www.pricelesslyfree.com. She’s such an open, bubbly person and I encourage anyone who’s interested to just reach out.
Comments