Being Truthful to Myself with Neelam Harjani

Have you ever felt like you just didn't belong? Neelam was raised in Hong Kong but is of Indian heritage, and is a refugee of Pakistan, so growing up she often struggled to have a firm sense of identity. Additionally, she battled with wanting to hold on tightly to the identity of a high-achieving, successful derivatives trader while also feeling called to yoga. Through these experiences she's learned about human resilience: the ability to adapt to new cultures and situations while also embracing your own principles and values. She credits her yoga practice as what helped her to embrace her multi-cultural identity and become present enough to finally listen to her inner voice.19:32 “Even though I was suffering inside, I wasn’t really rising to my calling of what actually brings joy and what brings my fulfilment. But I was so connected to the sense of a role that I was playing that I entrenched myself in continuing with it. I remember waking up feeling like I had shackles on my ankles just to get there because the sense of expectation of doing the job was greater than the self-worth that I had given myself."In this episode, we discuss:-The life lessons Neelam learned from growing up with a multi-cultural background-How yoga helped her embrace her multi-cultural identity when before she was struggling to find where she belongs-The values Neelam learned from her parents-How she went from being a high-achieving derivatives trader (but hating her life and having chronic back pain) to owning her yoga company, Inspire Yoga-Chronic pain and how it links back to the stress of most jobs-The dangers of society's tendency to connect our jobs to our actual identity-Her struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome when she first stepped out of investment banking world and into yoga world-Which yoga pose has the biggest "bang for your buck" in terms of integrating your mind, body and breath-How Neelam starts her day every morning so she ensures she's refuelled, fully charged and present13:28: “Looking back at it, I don’t think I was being truthful in that position, I was listening more to the outside voices than my inner voice, and I think when there’s that disconnect, it’s almost inevitable that there’ll be some discomfort related to it.”ResourcesThe Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808Happiness Matthew Ricard: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Guide-Developing-Lifes-Important/dp/0316167258/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DYEVZK611HKH&keywords=happiness+matthieu+ricard&qid=1580401742&s=books&sprefix=happiness+matt%2Cstripbooks%2C439&sr=1-1Joe Dispenza Breaking the habit of being yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Habit-Being-Yourself-Create/dp/1401938094/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NAJBWGXLE7G2&keywords=breaking+the+habit+of+being+yourself+by+joe+dispenza&qid=1580401769&s=books&sprefix=breaking+the+ha%2Cstripbooks%2C373&sr=1-1Support/Connect with Neelam Harjani Website: https://inspire-yoga.comEmail: [email protected]/ Instagram: inspireyogaofficialSupport/Connect with Vincent Hiscox:Over Forty Wellness Podcast