Dear community.

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Time for me to be vulnerable.

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Take a deep breath.

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Who am I? What's my mission?

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My name is Mohammed Ali and making a difference is in my blood.

For too long I've ignored my power, even the power of my own name.

If you put any single cell of my body under a microscope, it would have the words "make a difference" inside them.

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I come from a family of refugees.

Generation upon generation who have been forced to move.

Generation upon generation of Traumas that I’ll never fully know.

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Yet every generation did the same thing - serve their community and support their family.

My parents arrived in the UK with almost nothing.

My dad’s story by itself is incredible. Not because he was famous or rich or ‘successful’ as we define it.

Because he was incredibly kind.

I wish he was alive now.

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My mum doesn't talk much about her past, even when I ask questions.

She had a bubble of working as a factory seamstress with people from Punjab.

She sacrificed dreaming to support the family.

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They both started from nothing.

They had dreams for me, putting their own aside,

Dreams for me becoming a doctor, and being safe and being secure.

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But I had different dreams.

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My dreams were about helping other people feel safe and secure.

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I went to Cambridge University to study engineering.

That was a big goal from our small beginnings.

That was a safe and secure path.

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Except it wasn't safe or secure, because I didn't fit in.

I did what I had to do. I clung on every day.

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Even then, I rebelled against the mainstream...

Supporting projects in Global South

Facilitating research into some of the world's biggest problems

Bringing truths about the world to Cambridge

And I was known for the flip side, partying 😊

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Only those close to me know, that I dropped out of university as I didn't feel safe, I didn't belong and I wasn't ready.

I took the brave decision to go back and face daily comments of 'How long will you last this time?'.

These comments fuelled me to complete, and be in places where others thought I should not be.

My 'failure' was also my success.

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When I left, I was ready to make the difference I was born to make.

You know, as a little kid, I used to help the other kids learn to ride bikes.

Service has been a golden thread through my entire life.

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When I left University, I spent years in some of the poorest countries on the planet (in Western terms of money).

These were some of the most conflict-affected countries at that time.

Where people like you and me, were in the most challenging circumstances imaginable – yet carried so much more inner wisdom that we can imagine.

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I learnt to be a high level consultant and a high level negotiator - not to make money but to make social impact.

At times it meant I sat in meetings with Government officials.

At times it meant I sat in mud huts, with locals, with no 'resources' as we see resources.

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Facilitating, supporting, serving, listening, creating and shaking things up.

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Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of turbulence and broken eggs.

Some people, some organisations won't talk to me again.

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I realised I wasn't in jobs and projects to be liked or disliked, I was there to cultivate a path for others.

To serve.

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I was trained as an engineer, but really I've been honing my skills as a rebel.

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I've always been that rebel. and I used my 'engineering' in a very unique way.

I didn't solve problems where they showed up.

I supported others to find their own solutions where they arose.

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Upstream thinking.

It's the most powerful level of coaching and consulting that you can imagine.

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I've been involved in projects involving hundreds of millions of pounds of resources.

I've been involved in tiny projects.

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At the heart of everything, is to make a difference.

To be in service.

Particularly around areas of social impact and social justice.

Most of my life I didn't even realise this is what I was doing! I just did it.

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There was always a niggle with all the achievements, a yearning to belong.

I thought that would be solved by 'fitting in' taking the guises of others.

Being like ‘experts’ or those who we see as ‘experienced’ in their career.

I’ve talked about fitting-in before in our community.

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The truth is - I belong to myself. I own my story and my ancestry.

Without which I was always be in turmoil.

My internal suffering has been based on trying to be someone I am not.

I’ve finally accepted the big T Traumas.

Accepting myself and cultivating belonging.

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I'm a person who has tons of ideas.

I'm energetic.

I'm intuitive.

I feel emotions deeply.

I act with the heart.

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I come from challenging circumstances, feeling underprivileged and disempowered for much of my childhood.

At times hating the colour of my own skin.

Stay out of the sun, stay in the shadows.

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I have learnt to stop pushing away my strengths and to own my ancestral story, which brings more power than I will ever realise.

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I have found ways to thrive at the very highest levels, and walk into a rooms with all sorts of extraordinary people, whether or not I feel like I fit in.

It doesn’t matter if others think I fit in.

In fact, my goal is to be thrown out of rooms, not to be invited into them.

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I'm connected spiritually.

I'm playful.

I'm loving - everything comes from my heart centre.

I love dancing (those who’ve worked with me know)

And.. I've become a f****** awesome parent.

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I set massive goals. And I get there.

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If we ever talk, I'll talk with you about things others won't - not the rubbish most people post on Linkedin.

We will talk in circle, in conversation, in safety.

That's where the true rebellious action happens.

In a place where we can cry and then laugh.

A place where we are seen.

Definitely a place with music.

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I don't stop. I won't stop.

I want more from life than ever before.

I channel the power and the freedom that my ancestors have given me.

And I wink back at life – as we are not in control.

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Frankly, even though it's excruciatingly hard for me to say..

I'm incredibly intelligent.

('Don't say it, don't stand out' says my drunken monkey brain).

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My very gifts are my shadow.

I hold myself back, because I rarely let myself slow down.

I take on too much responsibility at times.

I'm too accommodating and try and fit in, despite these high levels of success. Despite being a rebel.

I forget sometimes to serve and try to please.

Sometimes I hold back on taking risks.

I'll wait, until it's perfect.

I'll try and appease others - I wonder how deep that really goes?

Working too hard. Getting too controlling.

I have ridden the wave of what's next and what's next and what's next.. Instead of being.

I have deep regrets of spending so much time away from my son.

I’ve had a victim mindset to my ancestry.

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Too often I forget how powerful I am.

Too often I don't speak my truths.

Too often my voice is alone.

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This article is part of my continued journey of belonging.

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Take another deep breath.

Go on.

Take a deep breath.

Connect with your breath for one moment.

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This article is a call to action.

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What's your story?

What's your mission?

What is the next thing you are going to do?

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If you are on a mission to make a difference…

To change the world and be true to you.

To truly work on social impact and social justice,

To do things others fear to even talk about,

To be in service to others, your ancestry, your family and yourself.

To be…

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Let's talk.

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As I realise that I have been on this mission to make a difference my whole f****** life!

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And I know.. I truly know.. you cannot do it alone.

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If you want someone to stand by your side supporting your mission, let's talk.

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In fact, here's my Whatsapp +44 7968 560 740

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We literally only have this moment, this chance, now. And then this moment has gone

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And something to move with whilst you contact me 🌸

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​Nina Simone - Sinnerman​

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