Nina D: I'm out of my comfort zone and here's what happened
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
It is an honour to present this interview with Nina D.
What's your short story, Nina?
It always felt like I’m the one who needed to change, to be a better me.
It never crossed my mind that I could also help someone else on their journey.
I appreciate anyone who has helped me be where I am, and to think that someone else may one day thank me in helping them be a better person is beyond anything I could have imagined!
I am so very grateful in where I am today with the help of Wendy from The Calm Monkey.
Being a mindfulness facilitator has helped me come out of my comfort zone and I’m more able to speak in front of a crowd! This is a big milestone in my life. I'm definitely more confident than before! I guess it’s helped me be “less shy”!
What first led you to mindfulness?
I wanted to bring some calm and quiet into my life.
Why did you want to become a mindfulness facilitator?
It just fell into my lap! A colleague suggested it - they said they can see me facilitating and helping others, even though it sounded like such a foreign thought to me. I got really curious and after having a discovery call with Wendy at The Calm Monkey, I felt like this could be a real possibility for me, even though I was still rather nervous!
What has been unexpected in your facilitation journey?
I'm also really enjoying all the continuous learning! One example is that when I am teaching a mindfulness concept, to now include mindful pauses which allows people to take in the words I just said, rather than talking non-stop. My presentation skills have improved!
When others come to me with questions or comments such as:
“Is there still a Mindfulness Meditation Session today, cause I really need it!”,
Or when they make comments like “Wow, I actually got out of my head there for a bit which is rare!”.
What mindfulness facilitation do you provide?
At my workplace, I provide short 10 to 15 minute guided sessions at lunchtime. I book a small room.
I'm very casual and honest about how the day is going for me. I think it's important to model my awareness of how I'm doing, instead of trying to convey an artificial sense that mindfulness makes one happy all the time.
There are usually 3-6 attendees, and we gather every two weeks.
How does mindfulness help people?
Mindfulness helps to get to know yourself better. What you are thinking about and how you're feeling throughout the day.
It's a joy having Nina in our facilitator community! She brings a cheerful presence to our discussions and it's so fun to see Nina's excitement about her facilitation! She did well in introducing it to her workplace and now is in the flow of holding regular sessions.
Warmly,
~Wendy Quan, Founder of The Calm Monkey.
If you are an experienced mindfulness practitioner who is interested in bringing mindfulness to others, you are invited to have a look at The Calm Monkey's Mindfulness Meditation Facilitator Training and Certification program.
