Written by: Dr. Christine Manukyan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women (and girls) around the world. Today, on March 8th, we celebrate all women and their achievements throughout history and across nations. This globally recognized holiday is also a day to raise awareness of issues affecting women around the world and increase equality between men and women.
As an international woman myself, I was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia. Inspired by the American dream of more opportunities and a better life, my family immigrated to America when I was 16 years old. In the 1980s, life was quite different back home. Women were seen as someone without a voice who became stay-at-home moms. Women were not seen as role models, and those who pursued careers were being judged for prioritizing themselves instead of choosing family first.
Growing up, I was stuck in the mindset that “I am not ENOUGH.” I was subconsciously conditioned to put everyone else’s needs before mine. I was raised to remain voiceless as if my dreams don’t matter. I didn’t understand how important it is to have a Wonder Woman Mindset and get really good at making life-changing decisions. This is why I am so passionate about teaching my 8-year-old daughter to learn how to make decisions on her own and fail forward, so she will grow up understanding what life looks like when you have the Wonder Woman Mindset.
Our mindset determines everything. In order to achieve success and live your ideal life, you have to have Wonder Woman Mindset so you can create the world you want to live in.
My superpower is making life-changing decisions without overthinking. Having Wonder Woman Mindset changed my life. These are my 3 steps on how you can become unstoppable, learn how to make decisions, and rewrite your STORRIE.
My personal motto is, “Everyone deserves a second chance to rewrite their STORRIE and become the best version of themselves.” I have gone through many transformations and pivots in my life and I hope I inspire you to make a decision to transform your life and rewrite your STORRIE.
Step 1: Make a decision based on your WHY.
So many of us struggle with making decisions because we are overthinking it and we are making decisions NOT TO MAKE A DECISION by living comfortably uncomfortable. We focus on the HOW instead of focusing on our WHY.
When your WHY is strong, you will figure out the HOW. Ask yourself WHY you want to change your life, keep asking WHY 5 more times, because the 5th one is your TRUE WHY that will keep you going.
My WHY is my family, and when I heard my doctor telling me I won’t be around to see my kids grow up, I knew I had to make a decision. Since making that decision to become healthy, I not only lost 100 lbs but also became a bodybuilding athlete stepping on stage as Wonder Woman and became a marathon runner, successfully finishing the LA Marathon on March 8, 2020 (celebrating International Women’s Day).
If you are struggling to make a decision then your why is not strong enough, or maybe you are not experiencing enough pain to make that decision. So, be honest with yourself, dig deep, and find your “true why” that will make you unstoppable.
Step 2. Write a letter to yourself describing your ideal life a year from now.
I want you all to believe in the power of vision casting. As you are writing your letter, please write this down, I AM…. And fill in the blank. I AM is one of the most powerful words you will use and what you put after that will shape your reality.
I would love to share my story regarding this letter I wrote to myself on 8/13/19. That day I was attending a networking event and I heard one of the speakers talk about her success story and how she walked away from corporate America to entrepreneurship so she can be a full-time mom. I honestly don’t remember what else she said after that, all I remember was that she spoke to me and to my pain point at that moment. I was crying, I was shaking, I just felt this energy and strength inside me to take out my notebook and write this letter about what my life will look like a year from now.
I titled it “The power of your vision” and wrote the following. I retired at 40.
I am a full-time mom, wife, daughter and friend. I am blessing so many people with the Isagenix opportunity. I am helping others reach their dreams like I reached mine.
XoXo Dr. Christine
When I wrote this letter, I was making great money working in one of the top hospitals in the USA. However, I was a part-time mom working full-time hours. I was tired having 2 to 3 hour commute each day, getting home so late and barely seeing the kids. I was tired of missing out on many events because I was working. It broke my heart having the kids be in school and after-school programs for 11 hours a day. I remember coming home from this event and sharing this letter with my family. I made a promise to the kids that the following school year in 2020, mommy will figure out a way to leave her job so they no longer have to stay in school so late. I wanted to be a full-time mom and corporate dropout for my 40th birthday in 2020.
When you have a strong WHY and a vision, people will come into your life that will help you get there. My business coach helped me launch my own virtual Functional Medicine Practice during the Global Pandemic. On the exact same date a year later on 8/13/2020 I turned in my 2-week notice and left my job at the hospital after 13 years of practicing as a hospital pharmacist, so I can pursue entrepreneurship and build my own legacy in Functional Medicine. My last day at work was 3 days prior to my 40th birthday. I hope I inspire you today to find some time and write your vision casting letter that will help you to make a decision. Remember, what you focus on, you will find.
Step 3: Turn your limiting beliefs to empowering beliefs.
Oftentimes we are unconscious about what we believe in and how those beliefs affect our actions. Our LIMITING beliefs can cause us to miss out on the things that we want most and our EMPOWERING beliefs can drive us toward the life we want to live. Beliefs carry emotion, and emotion turns to action. Those beliefs then influence the way we live.
Take a moment and write down 3 of your limiting beliefs that are stopping you to make a decision to change your life. Look at those limiting beliefs and ask yourself how these can become empowering beliefs. This step is very important as you are letting go of negative self-talk and embracing the badass Wonder Woman you are. Don’t settle, go out there and believe in yourself and surround yourself with those who will believe in you before you believe in yourself.
Having Wonder Woman Mindset taught me how to turn these limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs. One of my most recent limiting beliefs was “I can’t have my own podcast because I have an accent and it will be hard to understand me.” Once I turned it into empowering belief, I successfully launched STORRIE podcast in 5 days. STORRIE podcast became top-rated in the USA, Canada, Sweden and Philippines. I created this podcast for all the women who are going through life transformation. I believe it’s time to give yourself permission to be vulnerable by sharing your STORRIE to EMPOWER, INSPIRE and SUPPORT other women going through life transformation. I am on a mission to show 1 million women around the world how to let go of the stigma of being ashamed to share our stories because you never know whose life you will change once you open up your soul.
Wonder Woman is not a fictional character. Wonder Woman is a MINDSET. Subscribe to STORRIE Podcast and share with me when you DECIDE to REWRITE your STORRIE. To learn more about the Wonder Woman Mindset, listen to Episode 1 and follow me on social media.
Until then, live with passion and unleash your inner Wonder Woman. Don’t stop believing that you can be a superhero and become your own Wonder Woman. You can do anything you put your mind to once you have Wonder Woman Mindset.
Sis, it’s time to rewrite your STORRIE.
XoXo,
Dr. Christine Manukyan
“Your real life Wonder Woman bestie”
Dr. Christine Manukyan, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Dr. Christine Manukyan is a residency-trained Clinical Pharmacist, Functional Medicine Practitioner, Business Coach, Author, Speaker, Top-Rated STORRIE™ Podcast host, and mother of two. Before becoming an entrepreneur, she spent 13 years in Corporate America as a Clinical Pharmacist with various leadership roles. After experiencing her own health transformation with Functional Medicine, losing 100+ lbs, and becoming a natural bodybuilding athlete and marathon runner, she found her true calling empowering others to reach their health goals without pharmaceuticals. Dr. Christine has helped more than 250 clients transform their health.
She is a frequent speaker on holistic lifestyle choices, creating a virtual business, founder and entrepreneur mindset, and creating multiple income streams. She's spoken in front of audiences numbering 15,000+ and has been recognized globally for her entrepreneurial achievement and dedication. Her magazine features include PharmaSis Magazine for female pharmacist entrepreneurs, health and wellness publications, and she is a BRAINZ Magazine Executive Contributor, including BRAINZ 500 Global recognition. In 2021, she's bringing a revolutionary product to market as a startup partnered with the UC Berkeley SkyDeck accelerator and incubator.
Dr. Christine is passionate about helping burnout medical professionals build and scale a profitable virtual practice to have more quality time with their loved ones doing what fulfills their life. She believes everyone deserves a second chance to rewrite their story and become the best version of themselves.
