Nini has been overseeing a consulting business for three years and works as a freelance consultant specializing in employee, organizational development, and business processes.
Prior to this, she successfully managed large and critical projects and reforms in both the public and private sectors. Her journey of self-awareness began in 2016 and intensified during the pandemic. She joined the Leo Institute for the first time two years ago and has been on this journey with us ever since.
Currently, she is the participant of the one-year “Leo Academy” program. As she furthers her expertise in this direction, Nini aims to contribute to the resurgence of liberating joy in people. Below, Nini shares her experience with us.
What does self-mastery mean to you and why did you decide to begin this process?
Sculpting yourself, or rather finding yourself, is releasing the real you hidden inside many carnival costumes. As a child I loved to write in my diary, and when I stumbled upon it years ago, I noticed recurring themes across different times and places, sparking a desire to liberate the true self I had trapped inside.
My friend would frequently ask, ‘You had such a wonderful, happy childhood. Why do you feel the need to keep searching?’ While my childhood might have appeared idyllic on the surface, and I genuinely cherish those times, it doesn’t negate the fact that we can still suppress our true authentic selves beneath fears, beliefs, blockages, and limiting thoughts.
In short, Self-mastery is about becoming your best self, where you are super joyful and authentic.
What prompted you to attend the seminar? Was it driven by a particular need, concern, or goal, or did someone recommend it to you?
I distinctly recall it was November 2020. At that time, I had recently decided to leave my high-paying job and start free-diving into freelancing. I sensed I was in a transitional phase and yearned for a transformation that would restore my inner peace, happiness, and joy. I was ready for changes and needed a new breath, that is, to get out of the swamp of my comfort zone, to be shaken.
I had first heard about the seminar from my friends two years prior. Honestly, at that time, I remember being taken aback by the price, wondering about its justification. But when I finally reached a point where I was ready, mobilizing the funds no longer was a challenge.
At that time, I had received an honorarium from a consulting job, and without hesitation, I used it to pay for the March 2021 InsideMyself course. I think I was one of the first to register so far in advance. It turned out to be the right decision at the perfect time.
What was your primary discovery/revelation during the seminar?
There were several, but perhaps the most significant realization during the first seminar was that no matter how much I try to avoid it, whatever I need to address will inevitably catch up to me. It’s better to take responsibility and confront it, or else each subsequent relationship will become an increasingly painful wake-up call.
I came to understand that the people with whom we interact serve as mirrors to us. If they irritate or upset us, it often reflects something within ourselves, and in the end, it’s not really about the other person. This doesn’t excuse or validate any behavior as acceptable or unacceptable. It doesn’t justify individuals, but the degree to which we are affected or hurt is largely determined by our own internal perceptions.
What made you decide to continue your self-discovery process with Leo Institute? Which seminars did you attend after InsideMyself?
You know what? Five days aren’t sufficient to unlearn what we’ve learnt for years. These 5 days are a window to look into the Garden of Eden, a chance to rejuvenate. Yet, after the seminar, those emotions will dissipate, and if you don’t implement the newfound behaviors, those realizations will dim. That’s why, post-seminar, I actively pursued the self-discovery process and attended various other seminars.
I made it my goal to follow the entire journey of the Leo Institute. Accordingly, I took additional seminars and joined the one-year Leo Academy.
The seminar is a personal experience within a group setting. In your opinion, what role does the group context of these seminars play?
I truly love group seminars. They offer an enhanced opportunity and benefit as the contributions of group members accumulate, allowing you to grasp more than you could have individually. By the end of the seminar, you understand why you were brought together with these individuals.
A seemingly simple sharing by a group member can be an eye-opener, bringing up a topic that you hadn’t even remembered or thought about since childhood. For me, sharing in a group is an act of bravery and a profound declaration to the world that I am ready and open to change. By the end of Leo’s group workshop, one experiences a profound sense of unity, trust, and authenticity. Moreover, it fosters a strong support system among peers.
At which level of self-discovery are you currently?
Now, I apply and practice the knowledge I’ve gained and Leo’s methodology daily. I observe my reactions, fears, beliefs, and blockages.
I am changing and creating the reality I’ve always dreamed of deep in my heart. With joy and courage, I take steps, sometimes small, sometimes large, towards my goals. At times it may hurt, and at others, I may feel joy, but I allow myself to feel it all without judgement.
I also familiarize myself with other practices that arise in my life, drawing parallels with Leo’s methodology. This phase of my self-awareness is called ‘writing down a new operating system through consistent and systematic work, creating and daring the reality I crave.’
