Muscat: October is the month of Omani Women's Day and World Mental Health Day. A celebration marking the days kicked off with an event titled "Circle of Hope and Love" organised by Whispers of Serenity at Al Bustan Palace Hotel's a Ritz Carlton Hotel.
HH Sayyidah Basma al Said, Founder of Whispers of Serenity, facilitated The event. She presented the storytellers of the evening with HH Sayyidah Dr Taghreed al Said speaking on the importance of emotional intelligence; Sayyidah Dr Zakiya al Busaidy on mindfulness for well-being, Lawyer Reem al Zadjali on navigating the legal world, HH Sayyidah Alya bint Bargash al Said on etiquette and grace.
Vanessa Loy-Mehri looked at nourishing the body and soul with food; psychologist Nora al Akhzami spoke on parenting with purpose, and clinical counsellor Sahar Salmanian gave perspective on building solid relationships.
Sayyidah Basma said as we prepare to celebrate Omani Women's Day on October 17. "It is important to know the pioneers who achieved success stories. Let's find out who was the first Omani woman graduate, the first woman Omani lawyer, the first ambassador, etc." She noted, "We have the power to convince, but we do not use it positively. We can progress by supporting other women and making a difference." Sayyidah Dr Taghreed expanded on the importance of connecting and knowing one's emotions.
She said, "Ask yourself - What specific emotion am I feeling now? Practice self-registration- how can we be in control? Motivation is a key element. How do I perceive this particular task? What emotion is the other person feeling? How can I be genuine to the other person?" Developing interpersonal skills and being aware of your feelings can all make the difference in moving forward, handling stress and achieving what one needs in life." Dr Zakiya said it is okay to ask for help if need be.
"One can achieve wellness by practising mindfulness. But to be in the present moment, it has to be simple. Practising mindfulness is not easy, and it is not enough to read about it. You have to bring your mind back to the moment intentionally. It has been said that we think one thought each second, so in other words, 60 thoughts per minute," she noted.
She added that practising mindfulness makes our mind calm and even our health improves. To achieve that is to think of something other than the past and of the future, pointing out that one of the best ways to practice mindfulness is meditation, and there is no one set recipe for everyone.
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