Naheed Inspires is a series of inspiring articles by NLP coach - Naheed Khan, as an endeavour to motivate you, and guide you on your journey of life goals and positive living.

You can know more about her and her work in this feature.

Rise Again.

The Map is not the territory.

A statement that was repeated to us again and again when I went for my NLP training. Dr. Bandler, (the co-founder of NeuroLinguistic Programming) made sure that our subconscious was programmed with this message.

Although a term used to understand the mind and human behavior at the time. I find it holds true for almost everything in life. Especially in the current situation.

I have been working with several business leaders and professionals in the last couple of months, particularly suffering from various mental health issues that were impacting their relationships, their work, their business, their productivity, and their peace.

And in most of the cases, the reason was the “unprecedented changes” due to Covid-19.

The suddenness of this change and its magnanimity has impacted humanity like never before. 

However, in spite of all this, I ask -

“Could these issues with mental health have been avoided?”

A question that has so much potential for humanity as it leads us to explore the power that the human mind is blessed with.

But know this, you are not alone. We are all in this together.

Everyone has gone through the upheaval. Everyone has had to do damage control.

But what made some success in these times?

The flexibility of their mindset to accept and adapt. Which is the first sign of a successful person.

When we understand that the external environment is the triggers to our condition and not “solely” responsible for them and that we can control our thoughts and feelings, we are in a much better position to turn obstacles into opportunities.

History has lessons for us if we are willing to look for those lessons. 

Disaster has struck humanity, failures have never eluded humans.

So, what is that quality that makes some a success and leaves the rest desiring for it?

It’s that attitude of a winner that comes with a positive mindset.

Positive doesn’t mean being illogical. It just means, 

• I refuse to see this as a failure. 
• I refuse to see this as an end. 
• I refuse to give up.

This year has been tough for a lot of us. But this year has been full of learning for all of us.

The biggest lesson being “life never stops”.

So if you have fallen, remember the fall has more lessons for you than ever before.

Take those lessons and now prepare for 2021. Prepare with the wisdom of the failures. Prepare with the pains of the losses.

Prepare with the strength of the fight for survival that humanity collectively embarked on this year.

Accept the change. Accept the failures. Accept the losses. 

Adapt to the change. Adapt to the loss. Adapt to the new opportunities.

Change your perspective of “how life should be?” to “what more can we make of life?”

Nothing is lost forever, till we don’t accept and give up and perish and stop breathing.

Let’s explore the territory. The map may have changed but the territory is still the same.

Breathe again.

Rise again.