Originally from France, I moved to the Middle East alone 11 years ago as a 20 year old fresh graduate. I was due to join the HR team of a big hotel chain in Dubai as an intern. This is where it all started for me. I was the tall, blonde, young, French girl with very poor English and zero work experience who landed in a competitive, fast-paced, multi-cultural and male dominated city.
If only I knew that a decade later, I would become the founder of MomentuM Coaching & Consulting, and that my ability to visualize and create my future would lead me to meet my wonderful husband; it would have been a much less terrifying journey!
I wanted an adventure, and one thing is for sure, life didn’t disappoint…
As you can imagine, to get where I am today, I overcame many challenges:
· Mastering the English language
· Discovering who I am while trying to fit into the biggest cultural melting pot
· Building healthy long-lasting relationships in one of the most transient cities in the world
· Earning respect as a young Western woman in a male dominated Middle Eastern environment
· Staying strong and focused without any real support system
· Managing the financial difficulties of paying a student loan while living in one of the most luxurious places on earth
· Surviving through sickness and nasty cancerous cells without my family around
There were big challenges, yes! But quitting and going back home was never an option! In the end, those challenges shaped the woman I am today. After all, when you live in such an ambitious place, where nothing is ever impossible and where you are constantly required to do better, bigger, faster…this inevitably influences the way you build your life and tackle challenges!
I worked hard, learned everything there is to know about Human Resources, Talent Management and Learning & Development; I crossed paths with wonderful mentors who believed in me and I got the opportunity to work with talented teams from start-ups to multi-nationals. I opened my heart and mind to different cultures, religions and nationalities and met incredible people. I had fun! I became passionate about human behaviors, happiness and healthy living; furthered my education as a professional coach and applied focus, discipline, visualization, balance and positivity to my own life.
This world would be such a better place if more people were to pursue their dreams regardless of how hard it may be… This is why I became a coach. I want to support talented and ambitious individuals discover the answers within, clarify values, create action plans, brainstorm new ideas and challenge their views beyond their perceived limitations. I want to offer them encouragement, acknowledgement and guidance so they can make the right decisions towards their own idea of success and happiness.
If I knew then how having a good coach can support you get the life you truly want, this is the first thing I would have done upon arriving in Dubai.
3 Tips for Success:
1. Be unapologetically yourself, but don’t forget that there will always be a better version of yourself you can work towards. Make self-improvement your most important and most enjoyable journey.
2. No matter how big and overwhelming your dreams / projects may be, all you need to do is break them down into small manageable tasks and set a clear reasonable timeline.
3. Surround yourself with people who support you, inspire you, challenge you and energize you. If you want someone who can do all of that professionally, get a coach! And make sure to let go of those who bring your spirit down.
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From those in Heels
