Unfurl your wings, soar high!

“What you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating” – Robin Sharma

I am Ranjitha Raj, an Entrepreneur, Speaker, Holistic Life Skills Trainer, Mental Health Coach, and Counsellor.

Some things we plan, some things we learn as we grow but some things come to us very naturally (almost as if they are core values of our soul). Helping people and sharing values are some of those core attributes that have been a part of me since childhood. It wasn’t a surprise that I would be found helping those in pain (even without formal training) or teaching others the things I learned, whether at school or at home. My parents were very encouraging and supportive as I continued exploring the world with curiosity. I must mention at this point that I was born in a place very close to the breathtaking Western Ghats- waking up to serene sceneries and feeling a close connection to nature.

I was put in a hostel at an early age. You think my parents didn’t love me? Haha well, they loved me too much to gift me an opportunity to receive good education. And so, the doors to exploring the world opened up for me. I received great exposure meeting various people, visiting places, travelling alone, helping friends, making decisions, solving my own problems, adjusting in a new place, stepping outside of my comfort zone, understanding others’ problems, emotions, and doing whatever I could to support them to the best of my ability very early in life. That’s one hell of a ride, wouldn’t you agree?

While I have received professional training in mental health and life skills in the later years, and many of my clients commend me for being an effective trainer and counsellor, much of the credit goes to my valuable life experiences.

My father and mother were a great role model for me. I acquired most of my skills, positivity, smile, confidence and the ability to believe in myself from my father (even he was put in hostel at a very young age and he experienced the advantages of such an opportunity first hand). I learned the qualities of simplicity, benefits of connecting to nature, patience, and joy in giving from my mother.

My values and beliefs systems have provided the framework that enabled me to make more effective decisions on my own. I was taught discipline from a young age, whether at home or in the hostel, and this prepared me to achieve my goals. I firmly believe that discipline and hard work are indispensable. These empowered me to take on challenges, overcome obstacles, break barriers, push through comfort zones, and live the life of my dreams.

Are you starting to wonder if everything was a cake walk for me? I did experience several failures and setbacks. However, I was able to manage each situation thanks to my life skills, and of course, with the help of my family and my perseverance. I took my time to assess, reassess, understand how I felt and eventually recover but made sure that somehow, I overcame it. When I was 18, I had a back injury that left me broken both physically and mentally. This was the first of the two significant setbacks that drastically changed my life. The second was witnessing the effects of a terrorist attack (Easter bombing) while on holiday in Sri Lanka.

Both of them shook me at root level but provided a clear life purpose that set me on the path of self-discovery. As a result, I became even more driven to help others, inspire them, and make a difference in their lives for the better. Helping others helped me grow even more. These instances challenged me but ultimately helped shape my path that I’m threading and continue doing what I’m doing. Guess these setbacks were blessings in disguise after-all.

Was it simple though? No, I simply never gave up. And I’m appreciative of my understanding and supportive husband Rohan who stood by me. This strengthened me to try things out, fail, and then get back up and create my own path. I used to volunteer a lot and was actively involved outside of my college during my college years. I had real life experiences that strengthened me and helped me face the outside world and my own thoughts and emotions.

This inspired me to investigate and begin my adventure as a serial entrepreneur. My first business venture, (ah, the one I failed) involved selling apparel and terrariums using an online platform. I failed because I wasn’t prepared. And I learned those precious lessons that I wouldn’t have learned from a success. This prompted me to do my homework and improve my skills before launching my second business with my sister in my hometown. We established a retail super store that has been operating successfully for the past five years. A project created by 2 women, teamed up with women from rural areas. I do my part by sharing what I know and keep trying to improve their quality of life. The endeavor is definitely very satisfying to the soul.

My third business, which I’m really passionate about, is the Mental Health Academy India (MHAI), which I founded in 2020 and has now been operating for three years. Through my trainings, counselling, and awareness programs on the importance of life skills and mental health, I’m thankful to be able to work and live my passion. In addition to this, I launched series of events at MHAI. Human Books is one of that, where books come to life or simply people come forward to share their real-life experiences with a bunch of avid listeners. The other is a Support Group, where people with similar interests gather to express their feelings, vulnerabilities, and emotions in a safe environment and also learn tips and techniques to deal with their issues.

In addition, I have begun a training programme for holistic health in rural areas, in collaboration with Mental Strides, Australia where our goal is to empower as many people as we can in terms of their holistic health. I believe that this would improve the quality of life for everyone and allow for a peaceful coexistence in the world.

Every morning brings with it an opportunity to do what I really enjoy and the rich learnings that come with each day. The thought of helping others via my work and impacting people’s lives in a positive way is so empowering.

To me success isn’t a measure of my financial situation or material possessions. My true success is the person I am becoming via this journey of inspiring people, changing their lives, and advancing society. And I’m very grateful about this.

I believe that investing in relationships, being in sync with nature, being genuine, being disciplined, working hard, being consistent, being grateful, living in the moment, being open to learning from my mistakes, and simplifying my life in every way have all contributed to my success. It’s the simple things that takes us to great heights. This is my success mantra.

My message to everyone is that developing life skills and spending time in nature enable us to overcome adversity and engage in holistic healing. I believe life skills can also be a preventive measure for mental illness.

You can reach out to me at ranjitha.raj@mhai.in | http://www.mhai.in