LADY OF THE MONTH – FERINA AZIZ – Ladies Who Online

I was going through a hard time when I came across Ferina’s Instagram page called House of Pause. She offered a 30-minute guided meditation session for free every Friday for those who were financially affected by Covid-19. I attended two Zoom-facilitated sessions until I joined her community online. Finding her when things felt uncertain was a welcome respite, and connecting with her was a gift that I will forever be grateful for.

A CURSE AND A GIFT | Ferina is a Meditation Guide. She’s also the Founder of House of Pause. She sees herself as a full introvert and an Empath in nature – a natural ability which she believes is both a curse and a gift. “But I am grateful that this is my unique make-up. I seek and try to be in a slow, mindful living path – not only for myself but my environment and interaction with people around me,” she shared.

Ferina, who was born and raised in Singapore, moved to Dubai after she got married (a trailing wife, as she calls herself). Her husband has been living and working in the UAE for the last 7 years. They met in Indonesia when she was living there during the early part of her career as a journalist. 

WORK-LIFE BALANCE | In finding a balance between life and work, Ferina carves out non-distraction times when she does her jobs. She shared, “I will switch off my phone’s notification (unless emergency) so I can fully immerse and give full focus and productivity. I also set out a clear task-list of my day and set non-negotiable alone time where I can relax and enjoy my time. Be it reading a book with no interruptions or take a long walk with music. I think this is so important in today’s world. We are all so bombarded with things and we get angry, frustrated and depleted because we are running on empty. Hence the daily me-time even if it’s just 5 minutes is something I make sure to have.”

OF LETTING GO | One of the hardest things that she’s ever had to make for her career was letting go of things that weren’t meant for her. She used to run an online wellness magazine in Singapore with an offline offering, which is meditation. “But as I grow and dig deeper into what makes my heart sing and happy, it was holding meditation classes and less of the writing, editing and creating. Some days you just have to accept that what you were in the past remains in the past. And allow the ‘you’ today to create what the heart desires. We are all evolving and finding our true path. But that took awhile for me to make peace, stop the magazine and let go of what was no longer meant for me,” she shared. 

SUCCESS HABITS | Ferina thinks her finances and the initial start up were her most significant barriers. It was something that made her shift her own limiting beliefs, her value and understanding that everything is an investment. She used to not want to part with her money when it comes to her business because she was operating from a place of lack. “I was scared I wouldn’t have enough. And I was also giving free sessions because I want to help others. Now I see how my time has to be valued. It starts from me to be able to want to give when I can and receive when I deserve,” she shared.

WORDS OF WISDOM | Ferina wants the next generation of young women to succeed in the workplace or business, and she imparts some brilliant advice for all the ladies who are dreamers and achievers like her. “Dedicate a daily practice to learn and unlearn about yourself. Use tools like meditation, journaling and other forms of self-development work to harness your uniqueness, define your meaning of success and enjoy your own presence,” she shared.

You can learn more about Ferina and her journey to meditation HERE.

Love and Light, Mai