While many of us could describe 2020 as one of its worst years, for some people it has been the best year so far.
For Soumaya Ettouji the 2020 has meant a before and after, and has changed by completed her life in the last 12 months.
Previously located in Kenya, she worked as a regional sales manager and marketing for a luxury architecture and decoration company, but his country’s market ended in a financial crisis, leading Soumaya to lose his job in December 2019.
Soumaya, a single mother of a child, found herself unable to pay the rent and, without family in the country, I was completely stuck, not knowing what to do or what to do next.
Finally, Soumaya arrived in England and, with nowhere to live, had to find a home to through social networks . Before going to the UK, she had lived with her family in Morocco.
“I didn’t know what to do professionally, I didn’t have good relations with my family… it was a disaster! Then all of the pandemic happened, the first lockdown. In the past I went out a lot to forget my problems. Socializing and traveling had become a distraction from my sad reality, besides drinking and smoking.
At first it was terribly uncomfortable to be home and alone with my thoughts. I had to face everything that was holding me back : past traumas, injuries from abandonment, anger and resentment for the men in my life “, he tells Unilad.
At the time of losing her job, Soumaya, who currently lives in Coventry, was going through a divorce with her now ex-husband.
Finally, Soumaya, 27, discovered that he could not even look in the mirror and got tired of drinking and being drunk frequently, to ludgo “waking up regretful.” With this in mind, he decided to turn his life around and make some personal improvements , starting with his diet and your health in general.
Actually, COVID – 19 turned out to be the reason Soumaya quit smoking. After hearing that the virus was linked to respiratory problems, the 27 year old decided to quit smoking.
“The panic caused by the virus also gave me that” end of the world “feeling that made me question everything about my lifestyle. I knew this was not the real me. I had also completely neglected my spirituality and the pandemic brought me back to it and pushed me to better treat my body, soul and mind. I started praying and meditating again, which I had constantly struggled to do for years, ”she reflects on her change.
After successfully working on herself for months, Soumaya also began counseling her friends about her problems, and found that they started recommending her to others.
As her services increased in popularity, she decided to become certified as an official life coach and created her own online business, called Soulty Sister.
“I didn’t have any source of income so I looked for a course I took four years ago on how to start a profitable online business . The first module was about finding what I was good at, was passionate about and what I could earn money from. It was then that I realized what I did for myself these last few months, I could help others to do it too! I had always been a great listener, people came to me for advice and an unbiased opinion ”, he explained to Unilad.
Looking at the last eight months in particular, Soumaya claims that he cannot believe how far has arrived and describes herself as a completely different person now , better.
“Today I feel that I am not only the person I was Before my depression, I’m also a better version of myself because of those struggles. I have learned to always have a positive view of things.
I no longer have anger or resentment towards everyone for misunderstanding me or not help me in the way that I needed. I take responsibility for what happens to me. I am grateful for what I have. Even if it is not perfection, it is perfect for now ”, he concludes.
Regarding Soulty Sister , Soumaya wants to continue helping and empowering people , as well as training people to train others, hoping to create a “new generation of proactive self-healers” .
Soumaya dreams of opening a day also a spiritual retreat center in Morocco.