Patricia Omoqui is a life transformation coach, internationally recognised speaker and writer. She is the Author “Clarify Your Purpose and Live It”. She is also a former professional basketball player and a Princeton graduate. She supports and inspires both individuals and corporate organisations to reach their potentials. She is a mentor and role model to many. The Thought Dr is married to a Nigerian with kids.
Lilian Imoni had an interview with her conducted as part of the HIGH HEELS WITH LILIAN series, a column dedicated to profiling women in business and careers and sharing their inspiring stories, their trials and triumphs. Women who are game changers in their various field of endeavours across different sectors of the economy are featured. If you will like to be featured on this column, please call 07013105041 or contact @lilianimoni on Instagram
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
I immediately focus on gratitude. I take time to search my life and world for what is good and I give thanks! Then, my morning ritual is to get a cup of coffee and spend time in silence. Meditation opens me up to the flow of inspiration. I journal, relax, and center myself before my kids or husband wake up. It is a fantastic way to begin my day!
What has contributed most to your success?
The biggest factor in my success is the inner work I’ve done. Fifteen years ago, I was climbing the corporate ladder quickly and experiencing great success. When my first child was born with a rare genetic condition, I broke down personally and was experiencing great suffering. Falling apart was the best thing that could have happened to me.
I began a process of cleaning out my mind one thought at a time. I literally studied each of my thoughts and discovered there was fear, self-judgment and pain from my past riddling my mind. I realised that it was my thinking that was the cause of my distress. So, day-by-day, I began the process of transforming my mind. I see now that cleaning up and keeping our minds clean is a daily and a life-long process. Because I did this inner work and continue to do so, I have tremendous peace. I was able to heal my past. I was able to connect to my heart and find my purpose. As I’ve continued with this process over the years, my vision has grown bigger than I could have ever imagined! I am bold in taking daily steps to grow and be my best in the world.
The key to success in three words.
Be love now.
What is the greatest piece of wisdom you have heard?
In any moment you can either choose a thought that is based in love or a thought that is based in fear. Depending on the thoughts you think, you will either create a life of joy and peace or a life of great suffering. Choose wisely.
What motivates you to carry on?
I have learned that every experience I encounter in life is part of my Divine Learning Curriculum. I no longer worry or struggle with life. I simply open up to the learning that the day offers me. I see now that everything truly does happen for my highest good – even things that are deemed “awful or difficult.” I have learned to be fully present to the day I am in. I have learned to embrace each moment to its fullest. My heart is full of love and I enjoy sharing my wisdom and gifts with as many as people a day as I possibly can. I LOVE my work as a life transformation coach, speaker and writer. Working with others to achieve their highest potential exhilarates me!
If you were to start all over again what would you do differently?
I wish that I had been taught either at school or at church the importance of my thinking. I wish I had known that my thinking mind is only one tool by which I can access wisdom. I wish I had been taught as a child to be able to sit peacefully and breathe in the silence. I wish that I would have known to relax more and trust the process of life’s ever unfolding adventure.
What has been your greatest challenge as a woman in business?
My biggest challenge has been learning to ask for help when I need it. I am an over-achiever and I am over-responsible. So, I tend to be too much of a super-woman. I constantly work to help others. In the past few years, I have been learning to give myself and others the gift of asking for and receiving their help. Learning to ask for and receive help has made a tremendous difference in my well-being and in my ability to achieve greater success.
What keeps you awake at night?
I like to sleep. My sleep is sacred to me. The only thing that wakes me up at night is my 3 year old if she calls my name. Sometimes, I seem to be “woke up” with a deep sense of needing to spend time in meditation to receive inspired information. I’ve learned to follow those prompts and it is incredible the delightful wisdom that emerges when I trust the Divine nudges.
What is your biggest fear?
I have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours facing my fears, living through them and moving beyond them. I rarely spend time in fear. If a fear arises, I notice it but I don’t believe it. I watch it and explore it. I realise that fear need not have power over me. If I find myself getting worried, I’ve learned to just learn from the fear and realise that it is just another opportunity emerging to heal my mind!
Fears are thoughts of the future – worries that something will happen that we don’t want or can’t handle. Because I’ve been training my mind for years, I can now simply shift into the present moment and assure myself that I will be able to navigate any situation that emerges in the future. I coach people to learn how to do this. It is very powerful, interesting work!
A seasoned professional, an adorable mother, a loving wife, a mentor to many. How do you strike a balance?
By learning to live fully in the present moment, I go with the flow of life. My life is an integrated movement with kids, purpose, work, family, spirituality, well-being all integrated. I have a clear set of priorities and I do my best to plan my time according to them. I have learned to ask for support from my husband, my children, my friends and those in my inner circle. In doing so, I have found ways to carve out more time for myself. (I am working to do more of that!)
Advice to women in business
Love and embrace yourself for who you are, where you are right now. Self-acceptance allows us to open to our vision. It also enables us to focus our energy on learning and growing our skills every day rather than worrying about what others think of us or comparing ourselves to how others are doing. With small baby steps each day taken on your goals, you set yourself up for big breakthroughs.
Rather than getting caught up in drama, negativity or the comparison game, focus your mind on your journey. If you see others make progress, get excited. Know that if they can achieve results, so can you – in your own time and your own way. There is room for success for all of us. And, as we lift others to their highest success, we rise too. We, as women especially, need to use this mentality so that we ALL rise higher together.
How do you relax/unwind?
I was a professional athlete. Working out (walking in nature, doing yoga, strength training or taking an exercise class) is the best way for me to unwind and feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. I also love to play with my kids. Their joyful energy inspires me and shows me the way I want to be in the world (more child-like). I love reading, journaling and spending time with close friends.
