Dragon Slayer – When Women Uplift Women!

I have been a stay at home mother for two decades. Out of choice, I quit my budding corporate career to raise my three daughters. Modesty aside, I did a fine job as the girls are doing exceedingly well in their chosen fields and are fine human beings.

In my mid forties, I experienced major existential crisis as all the ambitions that I had put on the back burner started gnawing at me. I had to lose a part of myself so that I could focus on the “be all and end all of my existence”, my family! But now I wanted to regain that lost self and so, set out on a journey of not only finding myself but rediscovering myself. It was time to start receiving than just endless giving!

 

It was reassuring and a sense of pride surged through my veins, when after a hiatus of two decades, I got assignments with giants like Google and Amazon! Getting into these organisations at age 45 was no mean achievement. My self worth got a boost but alas not for long! The corporate dream I nurtured from ever since had lost its sheen and it was a tad too late in life to get back to the dog eat dog world! Even the world’s best offices, my dream offices, failed to give what I was looking for: joy and contentment!

 

The reason was that all the years from 20s to 40s had changed my perspectives. I realised that I was looking to make an impact and give back to society. Having seen adversities of gigantic proportions, I often found myself counselling women in distress, both privileged and underprivileged and helping them tide over their vexed issues. This, when I was in the throes of depression myself! It turned out to be therapeutic and I healed myself in the process!

I felt a desperate need to take it forward and was looking for a platform that would enable me to do so!

 

 

And then one day the opportunity came to me on a platter! A fine example of the universe conspiring for you because you wanted it bad enough! Where else but GurgaonMoms! This phenomenal group of wondrous women came to my rescue. Vandana Suri offered an opportunity to women who knew driving and who’d like to take up something in the mobility business.

Now this piqued my interest as I am a passionate driver and a skillful one at that! Humility be damned, I am way better than most men! But didn’t know what to do with this skill set!

Further discussions convinced me that this was it! I found my calling when I was inching towards completing 50 years on this planet!

 

I greedily grabbed the opportunity I stumbled upon! It’s about women enabling women drivers! Women coaches are a rarity, nay non existent! I felt as a woman, I can bring empathy and relatability and a paradigm shift in the way women are trained in driving. Empowering and liberating them like no other! Driving as empowerment is quite underrated! While financial independence for women is not debatable but combining it with driving makes the independence wholesome and complete! The freedom is unmatched! It’s akin to smoking pot!

 

 

So here I am! The driving coach who not only trains women how to drive but helps them overcome their fear and anxiety behind the wheel. Heal them of any trauma related to driving that they’ve been carrying for years, sometimes decades! Training women from 18-70 years of age has been cathartic! My biggest victory though has been training women with disabilities. They needed freedom from dependance more than anyone else!

 

All women have stories! Some felt demotivated because of several failed attempts in the past. Some tried learning from the menfolk in the family who dented their psyche. It would end in unnecessary fights as the impatience, the yelling and snide remarks from them deflated their spirit, convincing them that they couldn’t drive ever! Some experienced trauma in childhood or loss of a dear one in an accident and were unable to deal with it! Some had patriarchy and misogyny rubbed in their faces questioning their very need to learn driving! A few had disabilities and were unable to find an inclusive coach! Some had children who felt embarrassed that their mother couldn’t drive! Some were simply terrified of traffic! Some felt that they would surely end up killing someone! Others had parking woes that deterred them to drive! The fears had been internalised and ingrained in them.

 

These women came tumbling out in hordes and I’m more than happy that I could uplift them and help them shed all their apprehensions and inhibitions.

I also plan to train underprivileged women and provide them with employment opportunities in the near future! I found purpose in life through Gurgaon Moms and majority of my clients are from this group!

 

I am the Delhi- NCR face for TaxShe- Breakfree and the only woman coach. Proud that this initiative won an award from the World Bank in 2019 and this year won another award from the United Nations Development Programme!

 

 

My name is Seema Sinha. I am 49 years old and mother to three daughters! I did my masters in Economics in the year 1997. I am a Kathak graduate and have several stage shows under my belt. I play badminton and won a silver trophy in women’s doubles last year. I also skate and look forward to participating in skating events. I write sometimes, random pieces on human behaviour, psychology and observations on myriad aspects of life.

Travelling nourishes my soul! Experiencing new cultures, reading up on history, exploring food and street culture, meeting people of different hues, striking conversations with strangers, visiting museums, monuments and art centres, music concerts and reading the newspaper (yes I’m old school. I have to hold it in my hand while reading. No digital version) satiate me at various levels! Spirituality and keenness to always learn about mythology that has immense wisdom and profundity. Music transports me to a make believe world, a parallel world I perpetually live in!

 

I reiterate that every woman can drive! Only, you need another woman who can convince you and make you do it! Woman empowering another woman has no parallel! The bonhomie and camaraderie makes it a fun learning experience!

It’s a life essential skill and who knows, you may end up saving someone’s life, or your own, one day!

 

My work as a driving coach has resurrected me as a human being!