Finding Inner Peace in the Face of Adversity with Life Coach Nida Jawed
- Ayusha Mahajan
- Oct 24
- 3 min read
Nida Jawed is an ICF-certified Life Coach who believes in her client’s full potential and is ready to help them write the best story of their life.
Facing adversity can often lead to anxiety, which Nida defines as “a lack of mindfulness in the present.” This can include dwelling on the past, worrying about past events, and being overly cautious about negative outcomes, as well as constantly being on high alert. Unfortunately, most people seem to get in their own way when it comes to achieving their goals. “You create scenarios and build resolutions to scenarios based on fear and worry. By doing so, you are addressing possibilities, not real events,” Nida says. The inability to challenge subconscious fears fuels anxiety and causes misalignment in the mind, body, and soul.
I believe that people are more detrimental to themselves than others are to them.
One common misconception about anxiety is that it is an incurable sickness. In reality, nearly everyone operates with some level of anxiety. However, for some people, it may reach unmanageable levels after experiencing life-altering events such as sickness, losing someone, a shocking event, or trauma. Unfortunately, Nida states, some people train their nervous system to the point of no return. In others, it can be managed.
How does one overcome a consuming wave of anxiety? First, Nida suggests, is a tender touch on the face or shoulder to return to the present. Tap a finger anywhere on your body or hold a nearby object in your hands. She recommends engaging at least one of the five senses (touch, sight, smell, taste, sound) to remain grounded. If breathing is difficult, take a quick, deep breath and release it. Bring the body into a space of rest.
Take a few steps back from the situation and breathe.
“Remaining in the present takes training,” Nida advises. This applies to any kind of unlearning. Fortunately, Nida states, people are often eager to course correct and learn how to regulate their emotions—and that she’s glad she can be a part of their journey through her teachings. Interestingly, mental perseverance can often show as maintaining composure while experiencing strong emotions and redirecting them from one outlet—such as the workplace—to another, more acceptable one—such as a trusted friend. While this can be beneficial in the short term, and even suggests that as humans, we are capable of managing our emotions, it still requires us to be dependent on another individual. To live healthily with inner peace and prevent anxiety, Nida suggests, one has to be “mindful, operational, and functional.”
More people are reactive rather than responsive. Once the difference is known, things become easier.
Nida also emphasizes the importance of living in the present and reframing negative thoughts. Often, when faced with adverse situations, we can contribute to the majority of our problems by holding on to anxiety, worries, fears, and betrayals and nurturing them. “You’re growing negativity instead of growing you,” she states. “Feel things around you. If you’re facing something daunting, face it anyway. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Don’t react to it, respond to it. Strategize. Engage in self-care.
Indeed, the key to braving a ferocious storm of hardship, hurdles, and unforgiving challenges is calming the storm within oneself.
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Hi! I’m Ayusha. Words are my passion, storytelling is my medium, and empathy is my motive. My mission as a writer, editor, and communicator is using language and media to capture the cultural zeitgeist that roots itself within the individual experience. This has led me across the domains of mental health, social impact, entrepreneurship, and literary expression. Born in India, raised in Dubai, and now based in Vancouver, Canada, I’m continuing my storytelling journey by contributing to the empowerment, representation, and well-being of women, and giving back to the female community that has shaped my adulthood so far. In my free time, I like to read, write on my blog, and explore film and TV, all while sipping a cup of tea.
