Meet Shakila Majid | Certified Transitions and Life Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shakila Majid and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shakila, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“The future is not one we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination.” John Schar.

This quote fills me with hope and is an inspirational reminder that regardless of what comes our way, we are the scribe in our lives. We are always at choice. At some moments, the stories we write are uplifting and joyful and at others, a little darker and tinged with sadness. Regardless, there is always room grow within and without, paving pathways to destinations where our arrival is eagerly anticipated.

The words bring me back to my power, when I’m faced with challenges that make me question my ability to trust myself.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am the founder of Shakila Majid Coaching L.L.C. As a certified Life coach I support clients become adept change agents in their world. I work with individuals from all walks of life. My clients range from executives in leadership roles through to individuals trying to find their footing as they navigate change cycles and pivotal life decisions.

I am also incredibly proud to be partnering with several amazing women who are launching an all female coaching group. The aim is to empower top professional female coaches to step into a fully operational business where they have access to powerful infrastructure and support so they can fully focus on what they do best; coach. Things are moving fast so watch this space for more about LB Coaching Group.

I LOVE my job as a transitions and life coach but there was a time when I didn’t feel comfortable with the label of life coach. It seemed like anyone who took a weekend course could hang up a shingle and call themselves a coach. Intuitively I knew there was much more to coaching than having the ability to make someone feel comfortable enough to share their challenges with me. I have a law degree and a HR and tax consulting background and the “nerd” in me felt the need to develop a deeper foundation in the field of coaching. This is when I discovered iPec (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching ) and as they say, the rest is history.

My focus on coaching around transitions has been informed by the life I’ve lived. I’ve been an immigrant not once but twice. I call Singapore, England and the United States home. I’ve worked in both London and New York, and then became an expatriate tandem spouse and could not work due to visa regulations. I jumped into the role of a stay at home mum and now I am a single mom of a teenage a boy, who took a big step outside my comfort zone to start my own coaching business in my fifties.

You could say, I know a thing or two about playing the change game. Sometimes I’ve pursued it with gusto, and at other moments, it has been put upon me when I least expected it.

In the last couple of years each one of us has been part of the world’s largest change experiment. The pandemic has shifted the paradigm. Change is coming at us faster and in ways we could never have imagined.

This is where I step in as a coach. I provide a space for my clients to take off the armor they sport everyday, An opportunity to dismantle anything and everything that keeps them up at night. We create a little breathing room so my clients can get up close and personal with what they want to accomplish. We move beyond knee jerk reactions and short term coping mechanisms, to mastering and leading the change they want in their lives: both internal and external, professional and personal.

Living in a state flux may be disorienting, but with the right support, it need not be debilitating. Clarity and choice are two things my clients and I strive for in our work together. When you are clear about what lights your fire, what you bring to the table and why, regardless of what else is going on in the world, you will develop an unshakeable inner confidence when it comes to choosing your next move in the game of life.

I’ve seen the transformation in my clients time and time again. It is the spark that lights my fire as a coach! I consider myself privileged to get to share the magic through coaching.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have lived in the Montclair, NJ area for two decades. It is less than 15 miles west on NYC and I have seen the area evolve into an extension of the big city. I love sharing it with my friends and family that visit.

Front and centre of any visit would be answering the question “What are we eating next?”. The food scene is second to none.

Walnut Street in Montclair and it’s collection of eateries is top of the list. We will build up our appetite with a stroll through the weekend farmers market at the train station followed by scrumptious lunch or brunch at one of the many restaurants that line Walnut Street.

Nothing like being spoilt for choice when deciding between fluffy pancakes, imaginative sandwiches, gourmet coffee, organic farm to table fare, brick oven pizzas, scrumptious pub fare, seafood platters, home made empanadas and arepas, beer from a local brewery and baked from scratch cookies and desserts. It is a foodie’s paradise.

To work off all the indulgence, we can talk a hike or mountain bike ride through the Hilltop Reservation in Verona, NJ. A peaceful retreat and a great way to get the heart pumping. Alternatively, we can stroll through Brookdale Park in Montclair which was designed by the Frederick Olmstead firm who designed Central Park.

In the warm summer months, the Jersey shore will be on the itinerary with its many boardwalks and. beaches.

For those rainy days, we’ll catch an independent film at the cozy Clairidge Cinema or visit the Montclair Art Museum and check out it’s permanent collection of Native American Art.

To cap the trip off we would head up to the Eagle Rock Reservation. Here we can take in NYC skyline in all its glory and visit the 9/11 memorial there. The vista is truly breathtaking. The memorial honors those lost and provides pause to remember. and reflect.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Where do I even begin! Innumerable people, places and incidents that have shaped me in ways that I could never have imagined. Yet, cliched as it sounds, the one thing that keeps me pointing true north has been family.

I have lived oceans apart from those nearest and dearest to me for decades. The wanderlust seed was planted in me by my parents before I could walk! Till this day, they continue to encourage me to explore, experience and be inspired by what lies beyond my borders, and for that I will always be thankful. Be it through travels, food, a book, a piece of art, a newspaper article, the curiosity they nurtured in me to want to know more has kept me moving forward, secure in the faith, every time I step outside my comfort zone, growth awaits.

My family gives me roots and wings; a soft place to fall and recalibrate, so I can emerge fully primed for the next round of adventures life brings my way.

And today, I strive to do the same for my son. He is my number one supporter and my inspiration as I continue to evolve. When I was taking the initial steps to set up my coaching practice and venturing out into the social media arena, he was the first to read my posts and remind me that I had everything I needed to succeed. Always eager to let me know that he’s “got it covered” when I juggle with the proverbial work/life balance and to celebrate when I score a professional success. His unequivocal support is priceless to me and I will forever be grateful.

Website: LyndsayBray.com

Instagram: @learngrowevolverepeat

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shakila-majid-cpc▪%EF%B8%8Feli-mp▪%EF%B8%8Fcor-e-dynamics-transition-coach-23a98b4/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shakila.majid.7

Other: Calendly: https://calendly.com/shakila-6/coaching-conversation-1 Email: coaching@shakilamajid.com