Mentor.Me.Maria

Mentor.Me.Maria This page is for appointments from Maria for a 1:1 coaching session and my video blogs. Please Feel

I have lost my way many times but nature has always guided me home. All thanks to HIM - the creator who built this stron...
23/12/2025

I have lost my way many times but nature has always guided me home. All thanks to HIM - the creator who built this strong support system around us.

Spending time in a green space definitely gives me a sense of calmness. This serene spot in the tropics overlooking the rice fields tempted me to thouroughly indulge myself in nature, so I ended up in this dress they were renting on site 😅. For a few minutes, I allowed myself to experience the feeling of being transported into an unreal world of complete serenity, awe & peace. This picture was in a moment of magnificence where I felt small yet connected. The scenery around me was powerful and I took some time to expand my perspective here, beyond my usual self.

I don’t recall appreciating nature back in my teen days. I hardly noticed my daada jan who was obsessed with gardening or the Clifton sea in Karachi where the waves had their own music. This healthy change gives me a reason to believe that I’m definitely discovering a better part of me. Life experiences, social interactions, embracing uncertainties & normalising imperfections has definitely fed my resilience.

Resilience, to me, feels liberating and gives me much more inner strength to manage the roller coaster of life. Pain, hardship & discomfort are now familiar emotions and I no longer fight them. The more space I make for unwanted emotions, the more authentic I feel within myself and the more fearless I become connecting with myself even in silence. Silence where there is no dire urge for screen time either. Daily chores look much less overwhelming & expectations much realistic. Actions have replaced over thinking and responsibility has become a personal commitment. Downloading stories to others for gossip & validation is now dismissed. Boundaries & introspection are the new rules of the game.

Resilience is liberating. You don’t perform anymore. You become real.

Much love,
Maria 💞

It was an absolute pleasure to be invited to a dinner with Dr Akbar Zaidi, the executive director of IBA - one of Pakist...
13/10/2025

It was an absolute pleasure to be invited to a dinner with Dr Akbar Zaidi, the executive director of IBA - one of Pakistan’s most prestigious institutions.

For me, such evenings & enriched conversations are great learning opportunities & extremely valuable.

Today marks 1 week since my cousin, only 21 years old, passed away.He was the only child of my youngest khala. 21 years ...
18/09/2025

Today marks 1 week since my cousin, only 21 years old, passed away.

He was the only child of my youngest khala.

21 years - just like every parent, she was a super busy mom too. Navigating his needs, evolving and adapting to his stages of development, loving him, cooking for him, kissing him, guiding him, praying for him, picking and dropping him and many a times … prioritising his care over her own needs etc was normal routine up until….last Monday, Sep 8th, when he just never woke up.

Rushed to the hospital he was put on the ventilator. We all flew down from every corner of the world within 24 hours. Tragically, the brain stroke during his sleep turned fatal and he breathed his last, 3 days later, at 7:35 pm on Thursday, Sep 11th with all of us by his side.

Next day, Friday, my khala lived a parent’s worst nightmare as she kissed his forehead to bid him farewell. Our baby cousin began his last journey 💔

Today, I woke up thinking how my cousin was living life to the fullest, how beautiful his smile was and like any other Karachiite - how he absolutely loved good food.

In his loving memory, and for my own healing, I decided to create something special. Roasted beetroot with extra virgin olive oil paired with blue cheese & walnuts is what ended up being created for our afternoon snack.

“My dearest choti khala … even though your world is so dark right now but I pray you’re able to see some light in the memories you have made with your child. The pain of not seeing him or hearing him is here to stay so let’s make friends with this pain. My heart is broken for you but I’m also praying for you.
Love you loads.”

I saw Aish sitting with a graceful smile next to her husband. Their son was up on the stage with his beautiful bride MA....
13/08/2025

I saw Aish sitting with a graceful smile next to her husband. Their son was up on the stage with his beautiful bride MA. A quick exchange of smile with his parents where he signaled his gratitude and joy.

They were no-fuss groom’s parents. Refusing to accept any extra ordinary gifts or attention even on the wedding day, they expressed gratitude to the bride’s parents for raising such a fine daughter who was now their son’s soulmate.

Excited about their son’s future, they assured the bride’s parents how they would do everything possible to make sure their daughter felt valued, respected and loved.

Seeing your son happy on his wedding day is a deeply emotional and joyous experience for most parents. It’s a priceless moment witnessing him find his life partner and embark on a new chapter.

Aish kept letting her emotions out…
You are the child of my earliest years of this incredible journey. My challenges helped me discover myself. With the precious little moments I spend with your father and through you, I expanded my capacity for love & responsibility. Spread your wings and fly high, my son. Embrace and enjoy your independence, carve your own path with your wife, live life the way you want & nurture your dreams. I will keep loving and praying for you.

“Ofcourse I love my child” !Does this make your child feel your love?Negative. A child’s need for FEELING your love is b...
22/06/2025

“Ofcourse I love my child” !
Does this make your child feel your love?
Negative.

A child’s need for FEELING your love is built in his/her system by default. If your child doesn’t FEEL your love physically or verbally for who he/she is, they will end up doing some very hard work to feel accepted by the society. This hard work is called people pleasing.

People with people pleasing traits have low self esteem. Unfortunately, as per Psychology, people pleasing is a selfish act to satisfy one ownself.

Remember people pleasing is NOT kindness. It’s survival.

Lots of us can also flip to the other side thinking we’re overcoming people pleasing. We become rude, impolite and arrogant. Sadly, this is also a trauma response.

You need to heal before your journey becomes exhausting and sad. Please make sure your unhealed traumas aren’t being passed onto your children.

Much love,
Maria 💞

“Will it go right??”, she clearly looked anxious. A worried, first time, heavily pregnant young girl expressed her nervo...
08/05/2025

“Will it go right??”, she clearly looked anxious.

A worried, first time, heavily pregnant young girl expressed her nervousness on the video call with me. She was struggling with the thought of postpartum phase management . Will she be dismissed, judged or actually comforted? The fear of the unknown was real.

“These thoughts are not what you deserve at this stage” I said. “Why don’t you just address it by taking a joint session with your husband? We will have a mature conversation around making him and you, both, aware of what postpartum feels like and how best can you help each other.” I offered.

Excitedly she booked the joint session for Monday morning. As I introduced myself to her husband, I sensed his nervousness yet curiosity. “A Pakistani man agreeing to come for this conversation is commendable. I must say I’m impressed” is how I opened the subject. Acknowledgement definitely made him comfortable and validated his decision. The hour went great with lots of questions from his side. He looked much calmer by the end of the session giving his wife a promising look.

They giggled as I reassured them what a great job they’ll do as parents InshaAllah and how eager the little one must be to be in the arms of his/her mommy and daddy. Their eyes were sparkling; they were a cute couple in love. MashaAllah.

Without guidance, I feel, it’s unfair to have postpartum management expectations from men. There is a lot of science behind what goes on in a woman’s body during and after pregnancy but is never formally addressed. Lacking the art of effective communication is probably one of the reasons. I feel many men are willing to get educated on this as long as it comes without judgment, shame or emotional threat.

This is world maternal mental health week which is dedicated to talking about mental health problems before, during and after pregnancy.

Remember, knowledge increases the human power of managing situations. Information is liberating.
The more we master the art of effective communication, the more we are able to educate the society.

Much love to all the to-be and new-moms
Maria 💞

Life-changing one-day workshop to stop being the people-pleaser you were never meant to be.Here’s what we’ll cover— real...
07/05/2025

Life-changing one-day workshop to stop being the people-pleaser you were never meant to be.

Here’s what we’ll cover— real talk only:

✅What people-pleasing really is (it’s not just being nice)
✅ Why do we fall into this trap (from childhood patterns to Desi expectations
✅ How it shows up in relationships, work, and affects your mental health & identity.
✅ Are you just adjusting or being authentic?
✅ Why being authentic feels uncomfortable.
✅ How to set boundaries - with your ownself.
✅ Authentic responses with the choice of right words and tone.
✅ Self growth without guilt.
✅ How to connect with your authentic self.

📅 Date: 24th May 2025
⏰ Time: 5 PM PK | 1 PM UK | 8 AM NY
💻 Mode: Online via Zoom live from Doha | Qatar

DM us to reserve your spot now!
Limited seats. Big shifts.

Wow Farah aunty, you’re nailing it!” I laughed and she laughed harder. “My children are now grown ups. I can focus on my...
17/04/2025

Wow Farah aunty, you’re nailing it!” I laughed and she laughed harder.

“My children are now grown ups. I can focus on my passion”, said .

“Woah! You’re starting your conversation instantly from your children. Your parenting journey makes me curious now”, partly in humour I replied.

“The one area non negotiable for me has been parenting. My children needed my attention and I found peace and joy giving them. It is after when my children grew up, I realised I had a bit of extra time in hand to pursue my passion. Believe me Maria, I didn’t know I was building a big brand. All I knew was I had some spare time in hand and I wanted to do what I enjoyed the most.
Combining passion with a healthy working relationship with my team became the recipe of success. How we manage our people is a key ingredient of success.
I’m also glad my husband and I were able to create a healthy marital space in all these years and, hence, he stood by my side with his unwavering support. That meant a lot. My children are also very proud of me and they are an integral part of my journey.

Wow…I thought. Such a dedicated mother and housewife. Such a positive mindset. Taking so much pride and deriving so much satisfaction from all that she has fulfilled in life surely sounds empowering. Ofcourse, how could she have gone wrong with her brand. Her success is defined by how she made sense of her ownself, her own space and her own priorities first.

Your journey is in your own hands. You will have to own the choices you make for yourself and manage your emotions around them. A successful life is not about a perfect life. It’s about resilience, growth, reflection and adaptability. Sort yourself, set your priorities right, do some consistent hard work, avoid blaming people around you, OWN your journey and watch yourself soar beyond self doubt.

More power to you all✌🏻
Maria

Happy women’s day!A day when the world wants to acknowledge YOU.However, YOU should acknowledge your own self everyday. ...
08/03/2025

Happy women’s day!

A day when the world wants to acknowledge YOU.
However, YOU should acknowledge your own self everyday. Let your journey of empowerment be your own validation.

My own journey towards empowerment has been very rewarding. Yes, there was hard work and tears along the way but no pain ➡️ no gain.

Almost 12 years ago, it all began from unknotting my own emotional ties. Self reflection helped me sort my struggles in areas where I was blaming the environment & people around me. I realised not everyone was obliged to match my frequency and vice versa. No more self sympathy, no more expectations, no more day dreaming of an ideal life, ideal marriage, ideal children or even ideal me. It all had to be created from consistent hard work, right knowledge & wisdom.

Growth mindset was a gift from my father’s genes. I started becoming more mindful of myself, my environment and my life journey. I started focusing more on how I could help MY OWNSELF instead of how others could help me. It’s unfair to continuously download your negative energy on others no matter how much they love you.
I am and will always be.. a learner.

My domestic helper, Rehema, was the first one today I wished Happy Women’s Day.
Her children are in Kenya. Her husband abused her and was a drug addict She divorced him and now works hard for her children. Haven’t seen them in a while but everyday she video calls them, motivates them, tells them to study hard and reminds them how their mother is always there for them ❤️
She wasn’t unequipped & barefoot to figure out life otherwise her tears would have gone unseen and screams unheard. She had the mental strength, courage & wisdom and hence she is where she is today.

Dear Rehema & many others like her - thank you for reminding me how there is no limit to what a woman can accomplish.
You’re a scarred soul and a warrior and you’re still standing.
You are a woman.

Much love,
Maria 💞

Ramadan groceries done! ✔️ What does your Ramadan shopping look like?
01/03/2025

Ramadan groceries done! ✔️ What does your Ramadan shopping look like?

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