Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Montreal, Canada. My parents are first-generation immigrants that moved from Pakistan. Growing up, I had a very conditional relationship with my family. As I grew older, I always felt different and started to distance myself from my family in many aspects of my life. Being first-generation immigrants in Canada, it caused a lot of confusion because I was trying to balance two cultures at home and outside (school). I struggled and repressed my emotions because I did not fit the mould or definition of the child my parents wanted me to be. I went to school for my undergrad to become an engineer, which allowed me to move to Western Canada. I have been working as an Oil and Gas Engineer for 16 years. I am working as a therapist on the side and building my counselling/coaching business in parallel. My dream job is to have my business fully functional so I can support others on their journey and serve.
Where does your story begin?
My story began ten years ago when my son was born, and I started questioning my life purpose. I started having what I can only describe as an existential predicament. I was going through a separation and divorce at the age of 34. The hardest challenge was to take responsibility for myself and heal my childhood trauma.
How did your experience change you?
Back then I was somewhat arrogant and entitled, now I have more compassion and empathy but a constant reminder of my mortality and humility. It allowed me to gain humility, build a stronger connection with myself and practice self-love daily.
What does mental health mean to you?
It is something focus on every day, and have non-negotiable practices that support my mental health.
What were your coping mechanisms during the hardest times?
What do you do now to take care of your mental health? I had very poor coping mechanisms during my hardest times which often deteriorated my mental health further. I practice many things i.e. breathing, meditation, yoga and journaling daily to ensure I manage my mental health.
Tell us about the book you’ve written and your podcast.
I have a podcast: EZ Conversations, which was inspired by having deep and meaningful conversations with other men in my life that were struggling. That podcast has evolved to share the adversity of others and discuss societal issues to help the listeners relate and learn from the stories of others. As part of my solitude journey and to find myself again, I also released a book encapsulating my journey, which I hope to share with others. My book is titled: The Pursuit of Self-Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections.
What message/ take away would you like to spread to our audience?
That we all have more influence in our lives than we think. Life is happening for us and not to us, and we can all be the creators of our lives through healing and taking responsibility for ourselves.
How can our listeners find and support your work?
I can be found as follows: Instagram: @eunoiazen, TikTok: @eunoia_zen, Facebook: EunoiaZen, YouTube: @eunoiazen and LinkedIn: Furkhan Dandia