Lubna Samara
Lubna says that, “I’ve been a practicing healer and therapist for close to 30 years, and have helped hundreds of clients to heal and move beyond their limitations to becoming calmer, more focussed, more confident, and empowered to fulfil their potential and their purpose. I started as a mathematician in the Petroleum Industry and later moved to Investment Banking where I spontaneously started seeing energy fields and chakras, and receiving guidance on how to use energy to accelerate I own process of healing past trauma and find a doorway to the light. Since the beginning of lockdown, I’ve given over 30 talks and workshops both online and in person speaking about Servant Leadership, Spiritual Intelligence, Purpose and promoting Spirituality in Business and the workplace.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
Born in Baghdad, we moved to the UK when I was very young due to political pressures. I always wanted to help people and wanted to be a doctor or a human rights lawyer but I was good at math so ended up doing that and working petroleum and later in banking. During my time in banking, I spontaneously started seeing energy fields and receiving guidance on how to heal myself. This marked the beginning of a spiritual awakening during which time I started working as a healer/therapist as well as working on my own healing.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
There have been many like when I started seeing energy fields, but the latest one is writing my book Beyond Potential which is aimed at professionals and takes them on a journey to move beyond struggling with pressures and obstacles at work to breaking through to their true potential and moving into a life of meaning, purpose and joy – body, heart, mind and spirit. I’m really loving writing this book and hope it will reach and help a lot of people to regain that sense of hope and excitement about their future.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”
Mine was a calling but beyond that many businesses now work with spiritual elements like purpose, vision and values but there are not many programmes that bring these to the workforce. I think every person has a right to explore more of their potential and to be more actualised as an awakened human.
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
If you’re not dealing with challenges, you’re not achieving enough! My coping mechanism is to be measured – I give myself time to walk in nature, do things I love, work on clearing my energy, and meditate. In dealing with people, I try to connect to their Higher Self and I find most times that works!
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
I was called the Urban Hermit by my friends for many years during the 90’s so the solitude of lockdown didn’t affect me too much but I know it did for many others. I gave over 20 talks and workshops during lockdown over zoom, and it was a wonderful experience of growth for me and where I had great feedback from people who felt a lot of benefit from the workshops and sense of community they created.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
HigherWill was awarded Best International UK Leadership & Spiritual Coaching Company 2021, Greater London Enterprise Awards 2021, and have been offered other awards more recently, but my biggest achievement is the amazing feedback and testimonials I received for my talks and workshops, and for my course The 4 Quadrants of Growth Method, which my book is based on.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
From defensive to caring; from losing hope to finding joy; from fumbling in darkness to finding light. And if enough of us manage to focus on higher values, this is contagious and we can together raise the thought-vibration of the planet. All possible and not too difficult to achieve.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
Equality – whether sex, race, religion, nationality – is a right not something “bestowed“, and as we evolve we’ll see more of this equality come into practice.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
I say focus on what you’d love to achieve – your dream – and work in that general direction. Make it big enough so that even if you only get half way there, you’re still in a place of joy and fulfilment.