Dr. Blessing Takeover: Uncovering Past Struggles, Setbacks, and Breakthroughs - E107 - Lead To Excel Podcast

Episode Transcript
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Maureen (00:00):
Welcome and thank you for tuning in into Lead to Excel
podcast, the hub where sciencemeets leadership and
transformation begins.
I'm your host, Maureen Chiana,founder of the Mindsight Academy
, a trailblazer in the world ofneuroleadership, an executive

(00:20):
neurocoach, leadershiptransformer and a neuroscience
enthusiast dedicated toempowering leaders,
entrepreneurs, changemakers andChristians just like you to
excel and thrive in every areaof your life.
This week, we're going to kickoff with another high-impact

(00:43):
episode diving into the topic.
That is powerful, intriguingand has the potential to shift
your leadership journey.
So it's time to put on yourthinking caps, grab your
favorite beverage, getcomfortable and let's dive in.

(01:04):
Hello and welcome back to Leadto Excel podcast.
I am so excited today, andtoday is a different kind of
podcast, because normally youhave me interviewing a guest or
I'm going solo, but today I'mnot solo and I'm not

(01:25):
interviewing any guests, butrather I have Dr Blessing E with
me, who is going to beinterviewing me.
So this will be interestingtoday.
So if you've ever wondered whoMaureen Tiana is, if you've ever
wanted to know more about me,well, today you're in for a

(01:46):
treat, because I have given herno script and I have given her
free reign to ask me anyquestion.
So get your drink and relax andenjoy this podcast.
Thank you so much, Dr BlessingEnakimia.
Welcome back to another episode.

(02:07):
You've been here before, but ina different capacity, so over
to you.

Dr Blessing (02:17):
Well, thank you very much.
It's a pleasure to be here andI count it as a privilege to
have the power to control yourpodcast today.
Let's get straight into it.
Who is Maureen?

Maureen (02:33):
Oh wow you have gone straight into it.

Yes, tell us.

Maureen (02:40):
Who is Maureen.
So Maureen is a limitless lady.
Maureen is a child of God,really loves God.
Maureen is a wife, a mother totwo grown adults.
Actually, that is crazy to eventhink about.

Yes, it is.

Maureen (03:04):
Maureen is curious, adventurous.
Maureen loves impactingknowledge.
She loves her rest.
Maureen loves her self-care.
Maureen doesn't have time forrubbish and time wasters.

(03:24):
So that is me in a nutshell.
Maureen is fun, maureen is funand Maureen loves dancing.

These are all good descriptions, I suppose
attributes and I suppose ofMaureen.
But at the core, if I were toMaureen you, at the core of it
all, at the heart of it all,what do you stand for?

(03:55):
What's your voice for?

Maureen (03:58):
My voice is for being able to understand who I am,
helping others understand whothey are through our biology and
physiology.
At the core, it's really beingable to live a purposeful life,

(04:23):
being able to be in control, tobe intentional about what I'm
thinking, what I'm doing, butalso helping others do the same.
So it's being able to trulylive a life that God has
ordained me and other people tolive.
So it's helping othersunderstand it, but also helping

(04:47):
myself live it every day.
Okay.

Did you always believe this?
Has this been your norm?

Maureen (04:59):
Do you know?
I've thought about thatquestion or the answer to that
question myself quite a lot,about that question or the
answer to that question myselfquite a lot, and I've not always
known what I know now,obviously.
But I've always been curiousabout people, about how people

(05:20):
behave.
I've always been a peoplewatcher, even from right, when I
was a kid.
You know that curiosity hasalways been there.
I've always fought for fairness.
I've always loved fairnessanywhere, anywhere I am.
But this concept ofunderstanding the brain and

(05:41):
being able to live that life,the brain and being able to live
that life, I would say it'squite new but it is transitioned
.
But understanding that I havethis more to me has always been
there, even as a child.
And actually, you know,depending on how this
conversation goes, I'llattribute that to my mom and we

(06:04):
see how this conversation goes,I'll attribute that to my mom.
The ability to truly understandthat I can do anything I want
has always been there and thathas guided my journey through
life.

Okay, let's dial way back to whenever you can
remember.
You know what's your earliest,fondest memory of yourself as
your true self?

Maureen (06:29):
when was the first time you met warren, you know I
would probably say that it waswhen I was in primary school.
I had gone back to Nigeria andI was in primary school and I
was being bullied quite a lotand my mom was the one that said

(06:51):
to me stand up to the bullies,you know who you are.
And she said you're a child ofGod, you've got boldness, you
know something, not this thiswas not how direct was, but it
was linked to God and boldnessand the other thing she said is
that don't let them control you.

(07:12):
It was something in that, in inthat life, and that was when
okay, she said it quite a fewtimes, but it was when I
actually took the action ofstanding up to the biggest bully
I could ever remember.
That I would say that was whenprobably got introduced to

(07:33):
myself, because from then on Ireally stood up for anyone that
I saw that was being bullied.
I did not keep quiet, I wouldstand up, I would fight, I would
talk.
I would do well, not physicallyfighting, because I always ran
away from that.
Actually, because I alwaysremember when I challenged

(07:53):
someone like she said wait forme at the end of school today,
then I would deal with you.
I said you deal with me.
I said I will still deal withyou.
And at the end of school I knewmy driver was coming to pick me
.
So I kept stalling and stallingand at the end I saw a driver
and I could see her coming.
I said honestly, you're solucky.

(08:14):
If that driver hadn't come, ifhe hadn't come on time, I would
have still dealt with you andliterally ran into the car, ran
away.
So I had mouth.
So I'm not surprised that I'mactually doing a lot of speaking
, because I could talk, I coulddefend myself, I could stand up
for myself, but I couldn't fight.

Okay, you're a lover, not a fighter, okay, okay
.
So primary school thatexperience did you have anything
else around then that kind ofhighlighted to you that I had
power to do something?

Maureen (09:10):
And that was when I mentioned it in the podcast I
did previously and when I wanted.
When I was meant to go intosecondary school, I was going to
take exams and I because I hadalready lost, I think, two years
or so because we were travelinga lot came from the UK to
Nigeria had stayed in differentstates.
I was actually quite behind.

(09:31):
So I did not want to go intoprimary six and I knew that God
was more than able to help me dothat.
But I knew that by prayer andby my hard work it was possible
and I prayed so hard and workedso tirelessly to ensure that I

(09:54):
passed the common entrance.
I literally was praying almostevery you know, 3 pm 12 noon, I
was praying.
I'll literally go into my room,lock the door and pray and then
study, and study, and study andI ended up passing all the
exams and I think that was oneof the first times I remember

(10:14):
the capability that I had withinme to achieve what I wanted.
Now also, when I was insecondary school, we went
boarding school and the food wewere being served was so bad
that I literally led a protestprotesting about the food, and

(10:38):
we marched.
I got people to walk with me,and we marched around the dining
hall protesting and refusing toeat the food, but I did pay the
consequences later though, soof course you would.

Of course you would .
And what did that do have theconsequences?
Did that change yourself-belief by any chance?

Maureen (10:59):
no, it didn't.
Actually, it didn't.
It probably even reinforced it,because I was so proud to have
served that punishment, because,at the end of the day, I really
believed in what we werestanding for, which was to be
given better quality food.
Did they give us better qualityfood after?
No, but the fact that we didwhat we did really helped me,

(11:25):
and I could see that trendthrough my career as well, in
the sense that if somethingwasn't going where I felt it
should go, I could always standup for myself or stand up for
others.

OK, but then let's go back to the example about the
match in the dining hall.
Example about the match in thedining hall when you didn't get
the outcome you wanted isn'tthat a sign of failure, or do
you have a different definitionof failure?

Maureen (11:55):
You see, then I didn't actually see it as failure.
I actually saw it as successthat we had, we raised our
voices, the fact that we didsomething about it.
So I actually did not see it asfailure, which is interesting.
You add that, because if I did,it would have, you know, kind
of halted me from probablytaking actions later.

(12:19):
But no, actually I was so proudof what we did, I was so proud
of that, so no, I was so proudof what we did, I was so proud
of that, so no, I didn't.
I think the first time that Iwould say I experienced failure
was when I set up the salon andhad to close it.

(12:39):
But that's as a matter ofchildhood.
As a child no, I never called itfailure.
You know things that I hadexperienced.
For example, when I wanted tostudy medicine so badly it was.
Well, I wanted to study law mymom talked me out of it that all

(13:02):
lawyers would go to hellbecause they lie, so exactly.
So that put me off because Ididn't want to go to hell.
So I then decided it would bemedicine.
But then I didn't get intomedicine because through my
A-levels I didn't study as muchas I should have done.
So I did not get the grades anddid not go into medicine.

(13:23):
I was disappointed.
But I went into biomedicalsciences, which at the time was
known as medical laboratorytechnology.
And when I start, okay, theplan was started and then
changed to medicine.
But when I did start tomedicine but when I did start I

(13:44):
never changed again I kind ofreally, you know, enjoyed it and
continued.
I was disappointed.
But again, in that circumstanceI knew that it was my fault
because if I had studied harder,if I had put in the effort, I
probably would have still gotteninto medicine.
I don't know.
But again you say that what?

(14:05):
That I knew that, um, I had arole to play in me not getting
into medicine at that point.
I really can't actually figureout any time in my younger years
that I attributed anything tobeing a failure, or me being a
failure no, blame myself yes,shame attached to it no, um, and

(14:48):
maybe I didn't have time tofeel the shame because I really
needed to get into uni.
So I was so focused on what Ineeded to do to get in and I
have never shied away fromasking.
So I did reach out to people.
You know I had an uncle thatwas at a university.

(15:09):
I said ask if you could help me.
You know, so I've never shiedthe one.
In fact that's how I actuallyended up studying biomedical
sciences, because I reached outto an uncle who was in Joss at
the time.
He said that yes, he could help, that that he's the one
actually introduced me to the,to the biomed, because I had I
didn't even anything about it.

(15:29):
So I I wouldn't say I felt Ididn't feel shame and I maybe
that was like I said, I didn'teven anything about it.
So I I wouldn't say I felt Ididn't feel shame and I maybe
that was like I said, I didn'thave time to feel shame, so it
was kind of okay, what's thesolution?
What do I do?
Because I I had to get into uni, because I had spent two years
doing A levels, so I really hadnothing else to do.
I had to get into university,yeah, okay what was life like as

(15:51):
a university student?

for you, it was fun .

Maureen (15:54):
It was so much fun because I was in just and then I
had friends.
You know a lot of quite a fewclose friends that I had that
were in secondary schooltogether um, so it was
absolutely fun.
I had a lovely time.
First few years I was.
I was, you know, having toomuch fun, but then did settle
down to focus on my work and no,it was really good and the

(16:19):
experience was fantastic.
You know, doing the biomedicalsciences, really learning a lot
about the human body, and itreally opened my eyes to so much
that I could do a lot with thedegree.
So now I found it really goodand it did help because I then

(16:41):
ended up specializing in medicalmicrobiology.
But so when I finished fromjust, I went to EFA to
specialize, to finish the degreethere.
So that was great as well.
So, yeah, it was a fantasticexperience.
Great memories about uni.

What would you say you've gained from your
university experience asrelevant to the work you do now?

Maureen (17:04):
I would say it's the course, because when we studied
biomedical sciences, we werevery close to those studying
medicine, so we got toexperience working with cadavers
.
These are preserved dead bodies, so it was almost like I was
doing what I wanted, but in adifferent scope.
It was really good.

(17:26):
I think the interesting thingwas just understanding how the
human body worked fascinated me,and doing this course enabled
me to still achieve that.
So that was the key thing forme In a way, really
understanding how the bodyfunctions, why it does what it

(17:48):
does, how those different thingsalways fascinated me.
I would say that was the keything.
Working with the cadavers withwas really fun for me.
While others were scared, I wasso fascinated why?
I suppose it's seeing it life,because you read it in textbooks
that the kidney is here, theblood vessels are here and all
the but seeing it in a real, ina human being, I found so

(18:12):
fascinating.
So while other people weregoing, oh oh, I was oh, wow.
So yeah, I really enjoyed that.

OK, let's fast forward to you.
Finished university.
What was your first?

Maureen (18:26):
job.
First job was working in a labin Lagos and in a microbiology
lab.
That was an experience and ahalf actually, because I was
working in the lab and we had tocall.
The lab was predominantlyalmost like a fertility lab, but

(18:49):
it wasn't meant to be, butsomehow that was the direction
it was going.
So we had to.
We analyzing sperm counts anddifferent a lot of sperm
counting, and that alsofascinated me, seeing the
sperm's life and analyzing it.
But I think what freaked me outmost more was when my boss at

(19:12):
the time then said I had to helpa patient collect the sample
and I'm going, excuse me.
And he said, yes, that you gointo the room and the things are
you'd and I'm going, okay, I'mout of here.
And that was how I resigned andwalked away because.
But the experience else going todo that, but the experience was
good so I didn't last there.

(19:34):
After that, actually, I leftNigeria and came to Nigeria,
okay.

And what was your first job here?

Maureen (19:39):
So first job here was in a lab in Kent here and that
was also working in microbiologyand that was good and I think
the experience I had picked upfrom Nigeria really helped me a
lot because it was a small labattached to a small private
hospital but also affiliatedwith an NHS hospital.

(20:01):
So I kind of got to experiencethe NHS and the private sector
in one and it was fantastic.
There was a lot of pressurebecause I was the only one in
microbiology and we had to doquality assessments monthly and
that was always intense becauseif you didn't get it right they

(20:21):
could close the department.
So that kept me on my teambecause you can't afford to give
patients wrong results.
The unfortunate thing was I wasalone.
If I had somebody else, it'seasy to then say what do you
think here, but I was literallyon my own in microbiology.
So that was intense.

(20:42):
But I would say I'm so proud ofmyself and so grateful to God
that throughout my stay there wekept passing the quality
assessment consistently.
So that was great.
And then it was when I wasthere I also did my master's in
microbiology and the reason Idid it in microbiology was I had

(21:05):
specialized in medical and Iwanted to give myself a broader
scope.
So I then did generalmicrobiology, which ended up
being a lot of botany, which isplant pathology, and all that.
So I ended up having both.
So that was interesting, yeah.

Okay, and let's just unpack for a minute.
You said you were the soloperson there doing the
microbiology, and let's talkabout that.
How did you cope with thatmentally, with knowing what you
know about the brain?
Now, how, what were yourmechanisms on a daily basis and

(21:46):
on an annual basis, consideringthe weight you were carrying?

Maureen (21:49):
yeah, interesting it interesting.
It's an interesting question.
Do you know that there are two?
You know, looking back, thereare two things there.
It is that there was thepressure of getting it right,
but actually I thrived on that,which is what about the?

fear of getting it wrong, because that coexists
With the pressure of getting itright.
Exists the fear of getting itwrong Because that coexists with
the pressure of getting itright exists the fear of getting

(22:30):
it wrong.

Maureen (22:31):
So, but what?
One thing that I made sure ofwas repeating, repeating it, you
know.
So, basically, you can do thefast route of doing a few
analysis, but what I did is Igave myself every chance to get
it right.
So I made sure that, instead ofdoing the minimum analysis, I

(22:56):
did the maximum analysis that Icould do.
So it did cost the lab a bitmore, but it actually helped me
to be able to get the bestresult, because it's almost like
you do all the analysis, thenyou can look back and then, so
that even if they came back tosay it was wrong, I could defend

(23:19):
my results.
Okay, if that makes sense.
So, do you see?
So the the fear of getting itwrong wasn't too high.
Um, because I had doneliterally every.
You know, I've done it by thebook, done everything that
needed to be done, and checkedand cross-checked to ensure that

(23:43):
I got it right.
So, yeah, and also what?
Because I said we're alsoaffiliated with the NHS hospital
.
If I was very unsure, I wouldconnect with my colleagues at
the hospital so that we could,you know, get the opinion.
So I always made sure, andthat's why I said I've never
shied away from asking.

(24:03):
I will ask and re-ask and useall the resources that I had.
And I you know, now that youknow know I actually hadn't
thought of it this way, but it'ssomething I kind of now realize
I had always done and thatreally helped.
Where do you think that camefrom?
Where do I think it came from?
The only place I can reallythink it came from was the way

(24:33):
is maybe my upbringing, in thesense that my parents allowed me
to challenge them, if thatmakes sense.
I could ask questions, I coulddisagree.
My mom didn't like itparticularly, but she would
respond to my challenging whatshe's saying.

(24:57):
So it may be that was where itcame from.
So I was able to ask and askquestions.
If I did not, even if she wastelling me off for something
that she felt I did wrong and Ifelt I didn't do wrong, I would
ask questions and keep refusing,or just I'll keep going till I
kind of got what I wanted, in away, and I probably that was why

(25:23):
I always felt I would be agreat lawyer.

Okay, do you find, did you find through your career
, in the years where you workedfor others, did you see that
same trait in play?
Can you think of any time when,maybe, that?

Maureen (25:40):
happened.
Yes, that happened quite a fewtimes, you know, I remember when
I was working in research.
So, after working in the laband I left, I ended up working
in research.
So, after working in the laband I left, I ended up working
in research, and you know it waspart of me starting my PhD as
well.
And the second place I worked Inoticed, you know, I wasn't

(26:07):
treated well.
I was literally not allowed todo any experiments and most of
the time it literally was justMaureen can you get the bin
Maureen clear, the bin Maureenbin.
It was terrible.
And I kept saying that, see, I'mnot here to be emptying the
bins, I'm here to be part of theresearch, so I need to be

(26:27):
involved in it.
Yes, later, you know, you needto stay here for a bit longer.
And I said, but let me be doingthe other things that I could
do before, because I'd worked inresearch before I had come into
this particular one.
He, he wasn't allowing me domuch, the person I was working
with, and so I went to his boss,who actually employed me, spoke

(26:50):
to that professor and keptgoing back.
You know we said, okay, trythis, try this, try.
You know I kept going back and Ithen noticed that he wasn't
doing what I wanted either, andI realized that if I continued
this way, I could be in this jobfor three years, not start the
PhD, not move any further in mycareer.

(27:10):
So I did, you know, search outother people that I could speak
to to find out, okay, what otherpeople's experiences who could
help me speak to this person.
When I knew that there was not,that I wasn't getting anywhere,
I then resigned and left.
Yeah, so I think that and it'splayed out a lot in my career,

(27:34):
where I've never shied away fromasking for help or speaking up
for myself- and you've resigned.

You said but have you ever lost a job where you
were probably fired from a job?

Maureen (27:47):
I've never been fired, no, no.
What about your role being maderedundant?
I had an experience when I was.
I was working somewhere I don'twant to mention the name of the
company because it's still hereand I was the main.
Then I was working in IT and Iwas the main IT person on one of

(28:10):
the sites.
Eventually they brought becauseI then I kept asking for help.
I said I needed help and theybrought in help and this was a
white male person who wasn'tthat experienced.
So I trained him on the roleand then, when I was on
maternity leave, theyre-advertised my role, which was

(28:35):
you know, and I found thatquite interesting.
So I had to come and interviewfor my role and it was given to
this white male colleague ofmine and before then I had
noticed what my boss was doing.
You know, most of the timehe'll be in meetings.
He won't invite me for meeting,which was weird and I did bring

(28:56):
it up.
Now I don't understand why I'mnot being invited into meetings,
but the person that reports tome is being invited into
meetings.
This was when I was pregnantand so when I went on maternity
leave, you know, now I supposethey can't do that because they
will.
But yeah, they did re-advertisemy job and he got it and I came

(29:19):
back, did my three months andleft.

OK, let's unpack that.
So in the moment, go back tothat moment.
What were your feelings at thatpoint about yourself?
Because that's what I'minterested in.

Maureen (29:33):
Okay, about me personally.

Yes, not the situation of yourself.

Maureen (29:38):
About the situation.
I was hurt.
I felt discriminated against.
You're probably going to thepoint of did it affect my
self-worth?

I didn't say that you tell me what you're thinking
.

Maureen (29:57):
I'm a mind reader.
Did it impact my self-worth?
I don't think so.
I was so confident in myselfthat it didn't impact my
self-worth.
No, I just saw myself beingdiscriminated against as a black

(30:17):
woman, pregnant, and then justpushed to the side.
That was how.

I saw it and what conclusion did you draw?
What was your narrative aroundthat time, in that season of
your life?

Maureen (30:29):
The narrative was you know it was a bias, it was
discrimination.
You know I'd seen it happen somany times.
It happened to me, which wasn'tfun, but it was more of.
I'll show you.
Okay, I'll show you.
That was it.
What did that mean?
What does that mean?
That I will go above all of youthat put me down and I will do

(30:54):
much better than I would evenhave ever done while I was there
.
Your life, where youexperienced failure of some sort
, is there been any beyond?

beyond working for yourself in as an employee.
Was there any experience?
Maybe maybe you've gone for aninterview and you you thought,
yes, I nailed this.

Maureen (31:23):
Maybe you didn't get the job and you had those
thoughts there are twosituations I remember going for
jobs I didn't get, and therewere two reasons to it.
One was the interview was goingfantastic, absolutely great,

(31:47):
and I mistakenly at the timethen mentioned because I think I
had a son then and I think theyasked the question if I was
planning to have more and I said, yes, yeah, exactly, and I
could see interview just go, andthat was it.
So I didn't get that job and Iknew why.
And I because if I came out,even beating myself up, why did
you say anything?
Why did oh, and all that anyway.

(32:07):
And that was one.
The other time that I went foran interview I didn't get that I
felt I probably felt ashamed ina way.
Well, someone had introduced meto the company, so I wanted to
do so well, so well.
So I prepared very well and Iwas so nervous, got in for that

(32:30):
interview, they were asking mequestions which I knew.
I knew, but I couldn't rememberthe answers.
I had an amygdala hijack,literally my brain was hijacked.
Now I know what happened, butthen I didn't.
But I was so nervous that allthe questions they were asking I

(32:51):
couldn't remember the answer.
And as I stepped out of thatinterview before I even got to
the elevator.
All the answers came floodingback and I kept going.
But why did I not remember itwhile I was in there?
I couldn't understand it.
Later, when I got intoneuroscience, I understood what
happened, that I felt reallyashamed because the person that

(33:14):
put me forward put me forwardbecause he knew what I could do.
He knew my capability and theyhad fed back.
Obviously they fed back to himhow bad or terrible I did.

So two questions what do you think caused the
hijack, Can you remember?
And then second question howdid you deal with the shame?
So what caused the hijack, Canyou remember?
And then second question howdid you deal?

Maureen (33:32):
with the shame.
So what caused the hijack?
I wanted to do so well becauseof the person that had
introduced me.
That was it.
Was that an expectation I wouldsay expectation and my
reputation as well, anexpectation of myself to do well
because of the person but alsomy reputation, so that I don't
look silly, you know.

(33:53):
So I look good.
That was what caused it.
How did I deal with it later?
I did avoid the person for awhile because I did feel ashamed
, really, that I didn't, becauseI think it's not so much that I
didn't get it, but there wasprobably feedback to him.

(34:16):
That simple answer she couldn'teven get.
So I think that's where theshame came.
So he then would probably belooking at me differently, that
I thought she knew much.
So, yes, so that was it, and Inever had that conversation with
him because I knew him.
But I wouldn't say we're thatclose to have that conversation.

Have you still not had the conversation since then?

Maureen (34:40):
I never did.
I never did, but we stillconnected because we still met
each other, still met upsocially, still came to each
other's house, but never broughtit up.

Oh goodness me.
If you were to bring it up now,what would you say?

Maureen (34:55):
Oh, I'll explain what happened.
Yeah, I'll definitely explainwhat happened.
I laugh oh yeah, oh yeah, I'mokay now, even now I can laugh
about it?

Is it because you know what happened?

Maureen (35:07):
Yes, yes, I think it's because I know better.
I'm older, I suppose, but now Ican laugh about it because, yes
, I definitely, because I knowbetter.
I know and I know what happenedthere.

Yeah, OK, let's fast forward back to the
exciting part ofentrepreneurship.
Tell me, you saw a problem, yousaw a gap in the market and you
decided, yes, I'm bestpositioned, I can do this, I
know myself, I'm positive aboutme.
Yay, yay, yay.
And then you went intohairdressing.

Maureen (35:42):
Tell me about that all those things you said, I don't
think maybe just one was real.
Because, because, because, okay, well, I, I won't say I was not
a hair, I wasn't a hairdresser,I don't even like doing hair.
I'm still not a hairdresser.

(36:03):
I don't like doing hair, um,but yes, I did see a gap in the
market and someone had said whynot, why don't you do it?
And I went well, initially Iwent no way, but then I think
I've told this story how someonethe same person then came the

(36:23):
next day with that book.
If you want to walk on water,you've got to step out of the
boat.
And remember, I said that Ihave never been afraid of
challenges.
I've always embraced challengesbecause I know the God I serve.
So, when you're giving me abook, if you want to work, yes,
I want to work on water, likePeter.
So, yes, I will.

(36:44):
You know what, I will do it.
And I prayed about it.
I felt, yeah, go for it.
And what I am sure God has saidgo for it.
You know what?
Nothing, nothing can hold meback, and I think that's how my
life has always been.
So I did go for it and, um, Icouldn't do hair and that wasn't

(37:07):
the.
You know, for me, it was reallya place for women to come relax
and be pampered, and that wasour slogan relax and be pampered
and that was the vision really.
So, and the interesting thingis what I found, what I really
wanted was a place where womencould come and relax, open up,

(37:28):
talk, and that was what happened.
You know, women came, theywould open up about their, their
problems, and I'll be therecounseling or encouraging, and
then they would leave feelingwonderful with their new look
and feeling great and confident,and that gave me so much joy.
So, yes, in that aspect, yeah,but and because I had been doing

(37:53):
consultancy work all that time,I thought that I knew enough,
as opposed to open a businesslike that, um, but it was a
completely different.

yeah okay, what's that?
What's the blank fill?

Maureen (38:14):
it in.
It was a completely different,unexpected experience because I
learned so much and there was somuch I.
I realized that there's so muchI did not know.
Um, I've always lovedexcellence, so when we were
setting it up, my husband and Ireally wanted to have a place of

(38:36):
excellence, so we went for thebest.
When we got the building, werenovated it.
It was a Japanese theme.
It's very relaxing.
It was lilac and it was great.
I had a telephone system,things I didn't really need.
It was great.
I had a telephone system,things I didn't really need,

(38:59):
putting so much money into it,invested so much, thinking that
everyone thought like me, youknow, because what I love is
that greatness, quality,wonderful, you know.
Oh yeah, and I.
That's what I created.

So I literally created a salon for myself yeah,
but that's the major thing inbusiness is when, as
entrepreneurs, you design foryou.
It's a good way to startbecause you're likely to attract
yourself, but you also have topay attention to the market.
You're designing for anddesigning with the user in mind,
because you're very unlikelygoing to be the user.

(39:33):
You have to consider that.
Well, that's, that's somethingwe all learn, isn't it in
business?
yeah, that was a big lesson okay, I'm interested in you and your
brain in the space ofhairdressing.
Okay, so you're going throughthe exciting part of setting up.

(39:54):
That's exciting.
Talk about the middle.
When it's not so exciting,we're not in trouble but just
coasting.
Where were you and who were youduring those times?
Stressed?

Maureen (40:08):
Very, very stressed.
Every month, I realized I had ahuge responsibility of my staff
because they had bills to pay,so I had to pay them.
It's that constant planning andokay, what can we do next?
How can we bring in moreclients?
So it was just constant go, go,go, go go.

(40:31):
I didn't stop.
I was exhausted, the adrenalinekept me going, the weight of
the responsibility on me washuge and I wasn't expecting that
.
I think that was the key thing.
So it was a case of what can Ido?
You know how do I make thiswork?
What do I have to do to ensurethat we keep going?

And I know there's so much more to talk about, so
I'm not going to dwell on thisaspect.
You went on and then you closed.
Would we attribute this tofailure?
Now, would Maureen say Maureenfailed?

Maureen (41:07):
Yes, that was my narrative at the time and that
was when I would say Iexperienced failure and probably
the first time that I hadidentified something as being a
failure.
But I didn't just feel that thebusiness failed, I felt I was a
failure.
Why?

(41:28):
The plans I had were huge, so Inever thought that, you know,
it wouldn't work.
Because that was the mindset.
I never imagined it would work.
And I remember someone cominginto the salon, maybe the day of
the official launch, so maybe amonth after we opened, and
asked me what my exit strategywas.
And I was so offended,absolutely offended.

(41:51):
How dare you ask me what myexit strategy is?
There's no exit strategy.
This is, this is going to work.
So, to do all that, putting allthat and it failed.
It was very personal to mebecause I, yeah, I think it was
just very personal.

(42:11):
So I was a failure, thebusiness failed.

How did you?

Maureen (42:15):
recover from that.

Or have you recovered from that?

Maureen (42:19):
Yeah, oh, definitely.
The recovery really came fromthe understanding that I then
had about the brain, becauseafter I closed it, a few months
later my mom also passed away.
So you know I've shared thisstory how I was at.
A few months later, my mom alsopassed away.
So I was.
You know, I've shared thisstory how I was at a very low
point.
But it was in that low pointthat I heard someone speak Dr

(42:44):
Caroline leave about whoswitched off your brain.
After I worked in Laos for a fewyears, then I went to become a
lecturer and I trained ineducation, became a lecturer,
and while I was lecturing I wasteaching in anatomy.
So I understood the brain,understood the physiology, you
know, and all that.
But what she was saying wasdifferent.

(43:05):
She was connecting brain tobehavior and that fascinated me.
It's almost like it gave me asecond, almost boost of life or
so, because I went researching,um, got into neuroscience,
discovered emotionalintelligence and also the the

(43:28):
interesting thing of how thisnew science was confirming
scripture, because it was allnew when I was, even when I was
teaching, we at the universitywe taught that the way your
brain is at the age of 25 is theway it is for the rest of your
life, because that's what weknew at the time.
So to then discover thatactually, no, there's new

(43:48):
research coming out to say thatthe brain can keep rewiring.
All our life was so new and thatactually meant a lot more.
And linking that to theemotional part, I then got to
realize that the narrative Icreate, whatever I tell myself,
becomes my reality.

(44:10):
So if I identify as a failure,that is exactly who I, who I'll
be.
So that was when I then startedchanging the narrative and
realized that no, I'm not afailure.
The business failed, but I'mnot a failure.
And I always remember saying Idon't see anything good that can

(44:31):
come out of that experience.
But it was when I then reallygot on to understand emotional
intelligence that I realizedthat actually I learned a lot
from the experience, so itwasn't a waste at all so you
said it was a book you read.

Um, if you want to walk on water, you've got to
come out of the boat that ledyou into hairdressing.
Now you've had another lady whowas talking about something to
do with the brain, and now thissparked something in you.
So, would you say, you'vealways been influenced by books,
shall we say, or readings.

(45:12):
What sort of intelligenceattracts you?

Maureen (45:15):
yeah, I think reading.
You know I've always been anavid reader and researcher.
I've always, you know, even asa young girl, I could read three
books in a day.
You know I was, I loved reading.
So researching and reading hasalways fascinated me and I
suppose that was why research, Ifound research.

(45:36):
So, if I let me go back, Isuppose that is why I did not
stay in hospital pathology,because I always felt it would
be so boring doing the samething over and over.
While research, you never knowwhat you're going to get each
day.
And that fascinated me.
And the fact that I had to keepresearching, reading, studying

(45:59):
to understand the new things,that has always been something
very fascinating to me.
So, yes, I think I've alwaysbeen curious, I've always loved
researching, I've always lovedreading.
Even the way I studied, Irealized that I wasn't the kind
of person to study one book orjust study a revision book.

(46:22):
I had to really study aboutthree books or four books and
then relate them together to getto the real meaning.
So I needed about four authorsto really get to the depth of it
, and that's how I've alwaysbeen.
Yeah.

Okay, so what would you say has been your greatest
find in relation to what you'redoing now?
What's the greatest revelationyou found in your research?

Maureen (46:47):
The greatest find, I would say, is actually
understanding how the brainworks and the fact that it's
consistently adapting, so thatthese neural pathways I would
say it's purely neuroplasticity,neuroplasticity at the core of
it, with the emotional brain,you know linked together.

(47:10):
And that finding, I think, isjust mind blowing, because it's
so enlightening, it's soempowering, it's so liberating
and it's the core of who we are.
So linking those two withscripture is just the core of
who we are and how we can live.

(47:30):
So that's it for me.

So if the brain is a core of who we are, if we can
rewire our brain, does that thenmean we can change who we are
in essence?
Does that correlate?

Maureen (47:45):
Yes, yes, yes, we can change who we are, because a lot
of how we are has come from ourexperiences.
Our lives to the point at whichwe become aware of how we are,
has come from our experiences,our lives to the point at which
we become aware of who we are.
And most times what we've takeninto our brain is actually
without our own knowledge.
So, you know, parents feed kidsinformation, teachers feed

(48:09):
children information, thesurroundings, church life,
friends you know what friendssay to you.
I remember when people used totell, surely, when I went to
primary school and my accent wasdifferent and they would be
mocking my accent at the timebecause it was very Yorkshire,
you know, had a strong Yorkshireaccent, so they would be

(48:29):
mocking the accent and I becamevery conscious of how I spoke.
All these things wire into usand they're very unconscious.
So, yes, by the time you becomeaware of who you are, then the
question then becomes who do Iwant to be, who does God say I

(48:49):
am?
And aligning those two, yes, wecan then change the way our
brain is wired to become who wewant to be.

What have you done for yourself, for your brain,
with this information?

Maureen (49:02):
I've literally rewired my brain and I keep rewiring it
anyway to keep stretching myself.
Okay, one of the things that Ieven find interesting is I've
always been, you know, likewe've.
You know we've discussed herefairness, fighting for my rights
, or more in the activist.

(49:24):
But one of the things that I'vealways shied away from doing is
public speaking, you know, kindof coming out into a public and
giving a talk.
No, because at the core of whoI am, I'm quite reserved, quiet
in a way.
So public speaking is notsomething that comes naturally.
Yeah, exactly, so being able torewire my own brain to the

(49:49):
point that, honestly, you canget me in front of any crowd
anywhere short notice, I'll talk.

We've talked about it a lot.
What does that mean?
Is it like taking a cable?
Literally what is step-by-step?
How did you do that?

Maureen (50:05):
Yes, literally sticking a cable, because we have to
keep shocking myself into who Iwant to be.
In our brain we have to keepshocking myself into who I want
to be.
In our brain we have theneurons, which are the brain
cells and how they are connectedis the neural pathway and that
is the wiring.
So to be able to change that towho I want to be, I had to

(50:30):
change those neural connections.
How?
By what I tell myself, changingthe narrative, the story I tell
myself, but also being veryaware of the thoughts I have, of
what comes up for me, of what Isay, what I speak about, also
what I listen to, what I take in, so that, for example, public

(50:52):
speaking is a typical one.
When I go to speak, in fact, Iremember someone telling me I
speak so fast and then I startedtrying to speak very slowly and
then that it doesn't flow.
Each time I'm speaking I willhear that voice you speak so
fast, people don't understandwhat you're saying.
So I had to then change thatnarrative and go.

(51:15):
You know what I'm going to tryand slow down so that I don't
really lose people, but I'mgoing to keep speaking, at least
at a pace that is okay with meand just keeps slowing down, but
not to the point that itbecomes crippling for me.
Not to the point that itbecomes crippling for me.
So I did take the feedback onboard, but not to the extent my

(51:37):
brain was taking it, almost likestopping me from speaking
completely.
Somebody has told me that Ispoke like a warrior, so it's
almost like I'm going into warand that also almost stopped me.
But I then had to change thatnarrative.
No, it's the passion.
I'm passionate about what I'msaying.
So it's not a warrior, it'spassion.

(51:58):
So I make sure I keep smilingwhen I speak.
You know all these littlethings you have to keep doing to
create the narrative you want.
If not, these subtle thingspeople throw about end up wiring
in the brain and then directingthe way I could become, and it

(52:20):
happens so often.

Yeah, what's your greatest narrative, your highest
ranking narrative, your scriptthat runs in your head at the
moment.

Maureen (52:30):
You know that scripture of I can do all things through
Christ is one that, whether youwake me up, even with my
children, I've wired it intotheir own brain as well, and
that really brings me to theplace of that I am limitless.
So anything I'm doing as thechallenge comes, as the

(52:53):
resistance comes, which thebrain will always do, it's
something that comesautomatically now to me and it's
a reminder that I can do allthings.
So then, questioning, should Ibe doing it?
Is it in line with what I wantto do?
Is it where I'm going?

(53:14):
Then you know I answer all thatand as long as it's all aligned
, then you know I keep goingBecause I can rewire and do, and
I think it's it.
I can rewire and do what I needto do.
Okay.

Your famous phrase is rewire, where your brain
become limitless.

Maureen (53:36):
The other slogan I love and this is one that I've had
for a few years, and it wasyears ago when I read I think
it's Isaiah or somewhere, Idon't go, it's, it's um, um.
To soar high like an eagle.
You know where we mount up onwings like eagle.
We say I can't remember thescripture but that actually led

(53:58):
me to holding on to that aspectof being able to soar high.
You really soar high like aneagle, and I went to research
how an ego soars.
It's.

To me it's always an encouragement, okay I was
going to ask you about your, whyyour brain to become limitless?
How do you apply that yourself?

Maureen (54:22):
basically what I've said, in the sense that anything
I'm doing, it's rememberingthat the brain will resist
anything new.
The brain will resist anythinguncertain, so it's now ensuring
that I don't allow myunconscious brain to hold me
back.
So it's now doing those thingsthat are uncomfortable.

(54:46):
Being uncomfortable itshouldn't stop me.
Being uncomfortable is actuallya sign that I'm growing.
And it's so interesting how wetalk a lot about procrastination
, we talk a lot aboutself-sabotage, but that's the
brain doing its job.
So, for me, when I find myselfprocrastinating, when I find

(55:07):
myself self-sabotaging, I stopmyself immediately.
And this is where thatemotional intelligence becomes
so key that awareness is alwayschecking in, making sure that
I'm being intentional about whatI'm doing, so that the brain
isn't the one ruling my life,basically.

(55:28):
But I am the one in control andnot the memories, the memories
that are stored in the brainbeing the one driving me,
because our subconscious is whatdrives us most of the time, 95%
of what we do.
But I need to flip that in thesense that if I'm doing
something, I need to be veryalert and aware that I'm in

(55:53):
control.

What's your greatest achievement to date?

Maureen (55:56):
You, you are one of my greatest achievements, because
when I started, that's what Iwas expecting.

That's a good one.
I was like what did I ask?
Was that my subconscious brainasking a question?
What's she saying?

Maureen (56:24):
Okay, yes, you are one of my greatest achievements and
I'll tell you why.
Because when I started thisjourney in fact, I've known you
before I started this journey ofrewiring the brain and when I
started, you were there and it'salmost like you became my yeah,
but maybe tool, because, yousee, as I was saying it, you

(56:46):
were doing it and the fact isthat at the beginning, I was
talking a lot, I was, you know,there was a lot of jumbled
things as I was learning.
I was so excited I was doing,you took it on and you use it
and you, you know, and I see,it's almost like I it's apart
from me doing it and seeing, andokay, I use it at work and all

(57:08):
that but you literally take it,use it, and then I'm seeing, I'm
seeing how there is, theresults it's achieving, and it
really you probably don't evenknow this it's encouraged me.
So so much because I'm going,god, this works, it really
really works.

(57:29):
Surely, when I see, um, thedifference it's making in your
own life, and I think one of theplaces I mentioned this once I
mentioned this at our retreatwhen we did it that there was
something you did.
I'm not going to go into detail, because this podcast is me,
yes, but you, I came forsomething.

(57:51):
You did one of the events youran and I was literally in tears
just watching you and you wereputting all the things you had
learned about the brain, theemotional brain, the rewiring
the brain, into practice and itjust, you know, I was seeing it
live.
You are one of my greatestachievements.

Do I get an award, then, for being your greatest
achievement?
Do you give me a certificate?

Maureen (58:14):
Yes, I will give you, I'll give you a certificate.

Oh, my God, that's thrown me.
Okay, my next question, Right,maureen, today go back to your
Maureen of your childhood andsay something to her.
What would that be?

Maureen (58:35):
Maureen, life can get quite tough, life can be quite
unpredictable.
But don't be rattled, you'll befine, just be you.
Do you Hold on to, to what youknow, what you believe in?

(58:56):
Hold on to the promises god hasgiven?
You are limitless okay, goodone.

Thank you, president.
Maureen now present.
Maureen, you need to speak tofuture maureen.
Before you do that, what isnext for maureen?

Maureen (59:29):
what's next for maureen now?
Maureen has set up theMindsight Women's Network for
female leaders and businessowners, and we set this up last
year.
So we are now incorporatescripture into the neuroscience

(59:49):
and emotional intelligence andwe've just celebrated one year,
which is fantastic.
So the next phase now is reallyexpanding this network so that
we can reach more women and givethem the tools that they need
to really soar high, because alot of women are struggling in.

(01:00:11):
It's almost like struggling indarkness, the unknown, not
knowing what they have or whatthey can do.
So I'm just looking forward tohelping so many women and
parents.
So when you're giving women thetools, the knowledge, so that
they can go out and doextraordinary things.

(01:00:32):
Also, one thing that I've putoff for so many years is writing
, authoring books.
That is going to be the nextstep.
So watch this space.
The first one is not far off,okay, and it will be exceptional
.

Dr Blessing (01:00:49):
I'm sure it will be .
It can't be anything less thanthat.
Okay, there's one thing I wantto really ask about your, your
mind side store.
Where did that come from?
Why I've got so many questions?
Just where did they come from?
Let's start from there, becauseI think it's the evil.
You have to trade.

(01:01:10):
You need markets, do you know?

Maureen (01:01:15):
the only way, because I am from Anambra and you are
from Abia, abia and Abia iswhere Aba is.
So, for those who are not fromNigeria, there's a huge market
in Aba.
This is close to where Blessing, who is interviewing me, is

(01:01:37):
from, so I think that that shopcame about from the influence
you had on me.
That's the only way I can putit.

I was wondering why you were going with this.
This is your trade.
You need to explain, okay okay,where did it come?

Maureen (01:01:59):
so where did it come from?
You know, I've always wornt-shirts um, actually, it was a
few years ago when I startedgoing to nigeria and I made some
t-shirts that I wore fortraining and give out some when
I was doing training and withvery inspirational things to
help people remember.
Because, you see, there'ssomething about repeating words

(01:02:21):
or seeing words consistently.
It's not so much repeating thembut seeing them, because as you
read them, they're wiring intoyour brain.
So these t-shirts I wear, likeI am limitless, I can do all
things, I am more than aconqueror.
When I wear them and people seethem, they go oh wow, that's so
good.
But you see, for me it's notthat they're saying it's so cool

(01:02:44):
, but they're reading it andit's registering in their brain
as well.
So, you know, I just felt at apoint, you know what?
Why not do some of this, createsome of these operas, so that
people can actually wear themthemselves?
And as they're wearing them,they're reading them.
People are reading them, sothey are being blessed, they are

(01:03:05):
being rewired, and people thatare reading it are also being
rewired as well.
So that was how it came about.
I actually wasn't going to makeit a shop.
But in the process of startingit, you know, creating these
t-shirts, it was the quickestway to get it out there.
Easiest actually, because whatI wanted to do before would have

(01:03:28):
been so long-winded that it wasjust easier to design some and
then just have a place wherethey can be sold.
So that was how the mind sidestore came about.

Yeah are we likely to see a store, a shop in blue
water, of the mind side store inblue water, or is it purely
good to be online?

Maureen (01:03:49):
I don't think so I don't think so, just checking.

Don't think so, just checking.
Okay, okay, good to know.
All right to my question, then,moring, now the present Moring.
You need to leave a note forthe future Moring.
It's up to you how far aheadyou want to go, but considering
what you've got ahead, whatyou've got planned, even beyond
your plans, I want you to lookback at this, however, further

(01:04:16):
on in the future and hear thismessage what would you say to
Maureen?

Maureen (01:04:22):
Maureen, keep living, live well, keep enjoying what
you're doing.
Make sure that you never, everlose your sense of adventure.
Keep having fun, yeah.
Yeah, you see I'm going to keeprewiring brains, so I think

(01:04:42):
that's a given.
Anyway, it's important that Idon't get carried away, okay,
like I did with this salon, andensure that I live, live
intentionally live the life Godhas called me to live.

And what does living intentionally look like
for Maureen?
How do I recognize that?

Maureen (01:05:03):
The fun Maureen Maureen that is traveling, working with
ladies, working withorganizations, working with
people all over the world, buteverywhere I'm working, I'm
having fun.
So even in when I'm in my 80s,90s, I want that will still be

(01:05:25):
my core.
So when I'm going, speakinganywhere, still having fun.
And one thing that I do now is,everywhere I go, I make sure
that I have extra days to eitheruse the spa, relax on the beach
, go to the sea, you know, justnice, fun things, and that I
want that to consistently bewhat I keep doing, because it's

(01:05:49):
so important.
Surely what I do, because theability to just chill and relax
and think and hear and listen tothe Holy Spirit, listen to what
God is saying, listen to me,what's in me, what's coming out,
what do I need to do that's soimportant to me.

If I had a fairy wand and I could wave it to give
you whatever it is that youwant, what would you want?

Maureen (01:06:16):
What do I want?
You know, something that wouldgive me so much joy is just
having this network grow to thepoint that it's not about me at
all.
It's not about me at all, butwomen really helping each other,

(01:06:36):
growing and impacting their owncommunities, lives, families,
children, just where there's somany women who have it, who know
it and are living it andspreading it around.
So that it's not me, but yeah,that would.

That would give me so much joy, okay thank you To
leave one word for our audiencetoday.
Maybe one sentence, maybe aparting line.
What would you want to say?

Maureen (01:07:07):
Remember that you are more than able, you've got
everything within you Truly livea limitless life and truly live
a life that you are called tolive, so that you're living for
you, not for other people.
Just being able to understandwho you are, who God has called

(01:07:27):
you to be, and owning it andliving it.
And owning it and living it sothat, just like the ego that
embraces challenges, thatembraces you, know problems,
you're able to, even in themidst of chaos, even in the
midst of challenges, when thingsgo your way or don't go your

(01:07:47):
way, you know who you are, whoseyou are and what you can do.
So become limitless, keepsoaring, keep focused, keep
focused.

Thank you very much , maureen.
Thank you for that, and on thatnote, I shall say rewire your
brain and stay limitless, andI'll hand the microphone back
over to you.
Thank you, maureen.
Thank you, thank back over toyou.

Maureen (01:08:14):
Thank you, maureen, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, dr Blessing andNakumyo.
Wow, Thank you so much.
I really enjoyed that.
That was good.
So please remember to subscribeto this podcast.
Remember to subscribe and share, share, share, share, share,

(01:08:34):
share, share, share witheveryone that you can think of.
I hope you enjoyed this podcast.
And, yeah, leave your comments.
Leave your comments below,let's, let's hear.
You know your questions, yourcomments, what your takeaway is.
I would love to hear that, andwatch out for more of this,
because Blessing has justinterviewed me and her part two

(01:09:00):
is coming up soon as well, whereI'll be interviewing her for
her part.
So watch out, watch this space.
Thank you very much again.
Dr, Blessing, thank you.
We've gotten to the end ofanother enlightening episode of
Lead to Excel podcast.
Thank you for spending yourvaluable time with us today

(01:09:23):
diving deep into the intriguingworld of neuroscience and
leadership.
Remember, the journey topersonal and professional
excellence is not a sprint, it'sa marathon, and every step, no
matter how small, brings youcloser to your goals.
If you found value in ourconversation today and it has

(01:09:47):
sparked insights or questions, Iinvite you to share your
thoughts with us.
Join our community on LinkedIn,facebook and Twitter, where we
continue the conversation andshare valuable resources to help
you lead and excel.
Please also consider leaving usa review on Apple Podcasts,
spotify or wherever you listento your podcasts.

(01:10:10):
Your feedback not only helps usimprove, but it also helps
others find our show.
Sharing is caring, after all.
Finally, don't forget to hitthat subscribe button so you
never miss an episode.
We have a treasure trove ofinsight, inspiration and expert

(01:10:30):
advice coming your way and,trust me, you won't want to miss
a single one.
Thank you once again for tuningin Until next time.
This is Maureen Chiana signingoff, reminding you to keep
exploring, keep learning andkeep leading to excel, stay safe
, stay motivated and let's keepsoaring high.

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Dr. Blessing Takeover: Uncovering Past Struggles, Setbacks, and Breakthroughs - E107

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Dr. Blessing Takeover: Uncovering Past Struggles, Setbacks, and Breakthroughs - E107