Mindset

My 10K Run at The Wipro Bengaluru Marathon

Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life forever. – Amy Poehler My 10k charity run at the Wipro Bengaluru Marathon was exactly that. I’ve been part of Runnershigh, an incredibly supportive running club – for over a year now. My fitness journey has been filled with fun, crazy family vibes, and the guidance of coaches who bring discipline, heart and focus. I was thrilled to get a late entry into the 10k charity run. I had been preparing with my RH coaches for months. I had taken a short break from training to recover from a fever. On race morning, I questioned my fitness and wondered if I’d be able to run & achieve my goal. Here’s what helped me: How I began: I reminded myself that one tough week of being unwell didn’t erase months of preparation. My training was already in me. What I was telling myself: Throughout the run I kept repeating: I can do it. I am unstoppable. I am boringly consistent. I believe that my language shaped the run. How I decided to enjoy it: I put away my phone. No photos on the route. I wanted to savour the moments, be inspired by others along the way, and to support others. What I realised: While it looked like a solo effort, every step was fuelled by the community, the support crew, my coaches, my running buddy, words of encouragement from my family, and the shared wisdom of my tribe. The truth this run reinforced for me, we’re more capable than we think. We are not meant to do this thing called life alone. Farah IsmailI am a courage catalyst, executive coach, facilitator, speaker and founder of Interact Consulting.  www.coachfarah.com

My 10K Run at The Wipro Bengaluru Marathon Read More »

There’s Only 100 Days Left in 2025

Have you ever walked past a construction site day after day and it feels like nothing is happening? And then suddenly, voilà, a building seems to rise out of nowhere. What we don’t see is the consistent work: the foundation being laid, the structures tested, the unseen effort that makes the invisible visible. Growth often looks the same. It may feel slow on the outside, but beneath the surface, something powerful is taking shape. Time and again, I hear leaders say, “I know what I need to do, I just don’t seem to get down to it.” The real challenge is commitment – simply deciding to do something and prioritizing it. Clarity, readiness, and confidence are secondary. They don’t come first, they emerge because of commitment. When you commit, everything shifts. It is the quiet, repeated actions, the foundations laid brick by brick, that make the breakthroughs possible. With 100 days left in 2025, what’s the one commitment that could unlock extraordinary results – for yourself, your team, or your organization? Farah IsmailI am a courage catalyst, executive coach, facilitator, speaker and founder of Interact Consulting.  www.coachfarah.com

There’s Only 100 Days Left in 2025 Read More »

Resilient Leaders Think Differently

Resilience is a word we hear often in leadership and HR circles but what does it really mean? Recently, I attended a powerful session by Dr. Valorie Burton at the Coaching.com Summit on The Rules of Resilience, and it brought this question full circle for me. She shared that resilience isn’t just about grit or strength. It’s about creating a personal system – a way of thinking, relating, and choosing that helps us stay grounded when life shakes things up. She described three pillars that truly resonated with me. Adaptive Skills ~ how we think and respond in response to challenges & opportunities. Protective Resources ~ tangible resources that enable you to navigate through these challenging moments -people, time, and support systems. Preventive Choices ~ proactive choices we make to reduce future stress We often define resilience as bouncing back. But what if true resilience is about growing forward? Resilient leaders think differently. They have a level of mental toughness and psychological capital that enables better performance and leadership under stress. They ask: What’s within my control? How do I want to grow through this? What’s the opportunity hidden in this challenge? That shift changes everything. As I listened, I found myself thinking of all the moments I’ve been stretched – personally and professionally and how much of my own resilience has been built through practice. Curious, I took Valorie’s Resilience Assessment. I intuitively knew what the results would show. My strongest pillar is Protective Resources – a reflection of the people, practices, and communities I’ve intentionally nurtured over time. My growth edge is Preventive Choices Pillar – an invitation to prepare for adversity by slowing down, setting boundaries, and choosing rest as a form of strength. It reminded me that resilience is a muscle we build through daily choices – helping us navigate uncertainty with clarity, calm, and courage. What about you? Which pillar of your resilience feels strongest right now and why? Farah IsmailI am a courage catalyst, executive coach, facilitator, speaker and founder of Interact Consulting.  www.coachfarah.com

Resilient Leaders Think Differently Read More »

One Powerful Conversation Can Change Your Life

Yesterday, I brought a deeply personal question I wanted to be coached on – as I stepped into a new coaching container. What unfolded reminded me, yet again, of the quiet magic of coaching. It wasn’t about strategy, advice, or fixing anything. It was about being witnessed – fully, compassionately. Something in me shifted. A quiet clarity arose. A deeper truth revealed itself – one that reconnected me to who I am and why I do this work in the first place. The word that kept returning to me was “sacred.” It has become clearer and clearer to me that the work I do is sacred. Sacred in the way that a single conversation can shift the course of a life. Sacred because the ripples go far beyond anything we will ever see. Coaching isn’t about fixing, teaching, or advising. It’s about holding a mirror with love until someone begins to see their own brilliance again. Because in a coaching conversation, you meet parts of yourself you didn’t even know were waiting to be seen. And in that meeting, you begin to see life differently and live life differently. Like it shifted for me in that conversation – quietly, profoundly. Talk to me if you’d like to experience this. Sometimes, one powerful conversation can change your life. {Symbol: Infinity is a reminder that our growth, potential, and possibilities are limitless. This stunning visual by my dear friend, Terri Broughton, encapsulates my vision for 2025: a year of infinite possibilities, courage and creation that honors the sacredness of the journey I am on.} Farah IsmailI am a courage catalyst, executive coach, facilitator, speaker and founder of Interact Consulting.  www.coachfarah.com

One Powerful Conversation Can Change Your Life Read More »

The Scary Jar: A Tool for Courage

MB Ford, a master coach and mentor, whose work has deeply impacted me, once shared a tool she used during her most fearful times. Every time she invited someone into a conversation (despite her fear), she wrote their name and the date on a slip of paper and dropped it into a jar. Her reminder was simple: “Am I still alive? Still breathing? Then I’m winning.” Over time, it rewired her nervous system to stop associating bold invitations and outreach with danger—and start associating it with courage. Yesterday, I had my own “Scary Jar” moment. I chose to be of service and stepped in for a client who was forgetting to show up as the leader he had already declared himself to be. It was scary. It was uncomfortable. But it was aligned. At the end of the day, the question is always – How will I show up and serve others? Coaching isn’t about comfort – it’s about alignment with your boldest self. Farah IsmailI am a courage catalyst, executive coach, facilitator, speaker and founder of Interact Consulting.  www.coachfarah.com

The Scary Jar: A Tool for Courage Read More »