Anyone can be a conscious leader — isn’t that beautiful? Their background, their business, and experiences don’t need to be the same. Being a conscious leader means that stars align to form the same mission – to consider the interconnectedness of people, organisations, and the world with a strong focus on values and ethics.
Anjani Amriit is the immigrant daughter of a shepherd. From humble beginnings, her childhood growing up in the UK was scarred by bullying, abuse and adversity that would break some of the strongest characters. Anjani, moulded by a challenging upbringing and adverse experiences, was compelled to search for answers at a deeper level. This journey led her to cultivate qualities like resilience, courage, adaptability, determination, and innovative thinking. These qualities have, in turn, propelled her to become a multi-award-winning conscious thought leader.
Over nearly two decades, she has played a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of global conscious leaders. As a powerhouse of inspiration, transformation, and empowerment. Corporate lawyer turned TEDx speaker, international best-selling author and seven-time award-winning entrepreneur, thought leader and mentor, Anjani’s work bridges spirituality and science.
A sought-after authority, Anjani helps women CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs and leaders level the playing field in business using the power of ‘inner development’ for greater self-advocacy, authority, resilience and recognition. Her realisation, born from her own experiences, is that what’s often lacking in people’s lives is inner growth.
Anjani firmly believes that by prioritising inner development, individuals can enhance their ability to navigate life’s challenges. As they develop personally, they naturally evolve into more effective and conscious leaders, inspiring positive change in the world.
Be resilient – there is no end to growth
Adversity has no bounds. It can take the form of personal challenges, health issues, financial difficulties (something this writer – and so many others resonate with at the moment), loss of loved ones, relationship problems, and much more. It’s a natural part of life. What often defines an individual’s resilience and personal growth is how they navigate, and overcome it.
Resilience is the masterpiece of a determined soul. A tapestry of strength, woven thread by thread.
“I have grown up being constantly conditioned by my adverse experiences”, said Anjani. “I was racially profiled and teased at school by other students. I became socially awkward because I hid a lot of shame inside of me from the violence that was happening at home all through my childhood. Even as an adult, I was called ‘Gringo’ at work. Each time I was ignored in team meetings or hallways, laughed at in a dominant industry, it taught me to be resilient”.
As a conscious leader, the realisation and acceptance that we are all constantly learning — particularly from mistakes — is a necessary skill to develop. The innate ability to genuinely support others, have compassion, and put their well-being above that of your business or company defines your leadership. “I can genuinely empathise with the fact that people experience their own unique struggles. Their stature and circumstance – who has the right to compare or judge others? We are all doing our best to overcome our own obstacles,” said Anjani. “Through my own hardships, I’ve developed a deeper sense of compassion, allowing me to connect with others from a more authentic heartfelt place because I can empathise with their struggles. Conscious leaders realise and appreciate that there is no end result to growth, only more exploration and profound realisations to be had.”
Fight or flight
We, as humans, are often conditioned with a fight-or-flight mentality. It is a mirror reflecting the human spirit’s capacity to endure and evolve. In the face of adversity, ‘fight’ was an instinctual decision for Anjani. She was courageous, determined and committed to turn her pain into empowerment. “What I witnessed and experienced as a child grew an inner lioness in my heart called ‘courage’. I’ve been able to face fear, take risks, and step into the unknown with confidence and determination in ways that I keep surprising myself,” said Anjani. But at her very core, she remained vulnerable. She wanted to be accepted. Anjani was committed to fighting the assumed identity thrust upon her by her bullies and abusers, so at just 18 years old, she decided to pursue law. “If I became a lawyer, people would then accept and respect me; that status would somehow make everything better and heal the shame. How wrong I was.”
The value of perseverance: embrace the setbacks
After 16 years as a high-status lawyer, and working for some of the most prestigious global law firms, Anjani felt isolated, alone and lost. She was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Despite the setback, courage and perseverance naturally conditioned Anjani’s personal traits. “My life experience taught me the power of commitment and never giving up in the face of adversity,” said Anjani. “It also taught me to accept myself, even the parts I was ashamed of. I shouldn’t give my power away by relying on any external help to feel good about myself”.
Anjani has experienced the transformative power of life’s challenges. Her journey has instilled a passion for empowering others to overcome their obstacles and find their own paths to success through asking questions. “My life experiences have grown me from the inside out. They have led to me seeking answers to questions I would never have asked had it not been for the difficulties I have faced. As a result, I gained more wisdom, allowing me to make more informed decisions, offer valuable insights, and guide others with a deeper understanding of the world and its complexities,” reflects Anjani.
Anjani found her true purpose, to help others confidently envision, create and step into theirs. “Inspiring others to foster a sense of hope and optimism, and having the courage to create and step into their true passion and purpose in life is empowering. Part of being a conscious leader is getting a kick out of helping others not just succeed but surpass what I’ve achieved. That’s when I know I’ve done a good job!”
