I was born right before the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s, as a much loved first grandchild within a large family, who lived an idyllic life. Until it was all turned on its head, when I was shot at the tender age of four. From then on, this incident ensured that neither mine nor my family’s lives, would ever be the same again. It would, quite literally, become an ache in my side for the rest of my life.

Running from the violence, my parents urgently needed safety for our family, and so we move to California USA, where, as a little girl, I struggled to fit in and stay optimistic; the huge scar across my torso, as a result of the gunshot wound, was a constant reminder that I was different to the other children at school.

After a difficult childhood, I was stuck at yet another life-altering tragedy at the age of fourteen. My biological father, who I was extremely close to, the man I looked up to for carrying my family to safety, and the man who had nurtured me throughout my life, left one day and disappeared – never to be seen again.

In an attempt to shield me and my siblings from further suffering and heartbreak, my mother moved us once again. This time to Austria, where my family and I were abruptly faced with a new place, a new culture, a new language, and new people. After having gone from living in our home in Iran, to a difficult decade in California, and four years of moving around in different countries in Asia and Europe, we now once again, found ourselves in an entirely alien, cold Austria; a place where I at first struggled to adapt, and feel at home.

But I stepped up when the time came; I excelled in my studies and began to slowly educate myself in everything from hospitality to personal development to business management. I used my experiences, knowledge of cultures, and sheer stubbornness to make something of the life I had been given, and to achieve things that were hard to accomplish under similar circumstances at that age. Eventually, after a few years, Austria became the place where I felt the most safe and comfortable; Vienna, no longer just my favourite city, but my home.

But at thirty-three, my life was thrown off balance yet again. One night after work, I walked into my apartment to find that it was completely empty; there had been a break-in. Every possession I had ever collected, earned, and cherished was taken from me. Irreplaceable and invaluable things were now forever lost, like the necklace that my late grandfather gave to me, and various other items of great sentimental value that I had collected over the years; I was devastated. I still had a roof over my head, but my tangible life had been stolen from me. The next six months were filled with insecurity, anxiety, and a deep sense of loss.

Just as things began to normalize for me, a process that took a couple of years, I was forced to undergo a long, complicated surgery due to the issues that arose from my bullet wound that had followed me throughout my life. The operation left me bedridden for four months. The little, insecure, timid girl that I used to be, the girl that I fought so hard to grow to be a strong, empowered and ferociously independent women, now needed help to perform even the most basic movements. Near broken, I was on the verge of giving up. But there is a flame inside all of us, and mine is not easily snuffed out. I began to use the time I was in bed to read and educate myself on wellness, health and happiness, and I used my new-found knowledge to motivate and heal myself. In a few weeks, I was back on my feet, feeing as strong and as independent as ever and once again, I found myself trailblazing through life. This tragic life experience made a difference, everything changed, the mind-set shift, my why and my new life purpose, made me set new goals and see life in a completely different way.

Today I live on the Gold Coast of Australia, where I came to study, and enjoy the beautiful country. Little did I know, after living a single life for 9 years, I met the man of my dreams and two years turned into almost four and I’m here to stay.

Thus, the distance to Austria, my family and my friends is very difficult. I have been struggling to be ok with all these new challenges and changes. I found myself in front of a crossroad mentally fighting, this time to make the right decision. I was searching for a way to not just accept the fact that I will be living here for a very long time, also reassuring that it is what I want and need to be happy.

Currently, I am the happiest and most thankful woman on Earth; something I had not expect after experiencing two near death incidents, years of suffering, the loss of a close family member and living with the kind of uncertainty I have endured from a very young age. However, these are exactly the experiences that I am thankful for. I am grateful for the trials and tribulations that have given me the strength to be the best I can be. I am grateful for the constant moving around, which exposed me to a myriad of cultures and languages. I am grateful to have gained willpower and strength to be the master of my choices and the driver of my own life.

Now, I am where I was meant to be and have created a life that I have always wanted, it is finally time to embrace my transformation, follow my dream and do what I am most passionate about. I have put my heart & soul, my life experiences, my education into my new career as a Wellbeing Specialist. And I made it my mission “to guide and help others to develop an optimistic and confident approach toward their day-to-day life and create a healthy lifestyle that becomes second nature.”

My career has spanned over two decades, and it is diverse. Over the years, my desire to expand my horizons, broaden my world view, and adopt each opportunity like it was made for me exclusively, has led me to work in areas such as; hospitality, human resources, workplace health promotion, corporate well-being, and business development. I have made my mark in every industry, accumulating a multitude of awards and commendations to support my achievements.

I am a keen surveyor of the human condition, and I use my knowledge and experiences of over seventy countries, diverse workplaces, and cultures, to learn more about what makes people tick, what makes them happy and what drives & inspires them.

As a business manager and a thought leader, I am adept at understanding and simplifying complex concepts and identifying, isolating, and solving the problems faced by both individuals and organisations, through the implementation of practical and logical strategies.

My primary goal and driving force, however, is to exceed expectations – my own and everyone else’s. But now, having made my mark as a professional, I want to help others achieve the same success.