In our Backbeat column, Ahmed Elafifi of TranQuini GmbH talks of ways to beat stress and says that in an actively relaxed state and positive mindset, people around the world will get more from their lives
By Ahmed Elafifi
Founder & Chief Relaxation Officer,TranQuini GmbH
The world is constantly developing. In the last few decades, the world has seen remarkable growth. Technology has taken a massive leap and now the whole world is in our hands through our smartphones. Those days of referring to books in a library to acquire knowledge on anything are long gone. Search engines help you out with everything. You take your car out to reach a departmental store, you see more advertisements than trees, that’s how the world is now. With an increasing number of cars on the road, it becomes difficult to reach your destination on time due to traffic. For one job, there are 10 applicants; if you cannot do something, others are waiting there to do it at a lower price. With increasing population, securing the job that you already have is also a big challenge which you have to face every day. Students, on the other hand, have to face intensely competitive entrance exams to get admission into any institute. Everyone in this world - right from their teens until their last breath - has to face stress.
In the last few years, there has been an increased focus on rebooting and recharging at the institutional and personal level. This has manifested itself in adopting mechanisms and activities to ensure greater relaxation and ‘space’ in one’s day to-day life. What we see now is a move to assessing where one is going in life, and what else is out there. We’re seeing the rise of boot-camps and up-skilling/up-timing, the importance of mindfulness, with mindfulness practices being adopted by corporates and individuals alike – we even see this with the introduction of the bite-sized mindfulness apps that allow individuals to integrate positivity and relaxation into their daily lives.
I personally found myself re-evaluating my priorities and seeking a change away from the hustle and bustle of a high-powered corporate job. In the midst of a successful career at many multi-national beverage corporations I started to really question my professional and personal goals. I was respected and materially fulfilled. Yet I did not feel fully satisfied because I was simply living to work. Specifically, I felt that the beverage industry needed to more accurately reflect the trend towards relaxation and my industry experience allowed me to identify an opportunity for the beverage market to mirror the changing values and approach to life that people across the globe are increasingly embracing. And so I left my corporate job and the idea of TranQuini, a positive relaxation drink, came to my mind while taking some time out and visiting the Austrian Alps to rest, reflect and consider my future. It was here, amongst the tranquillity and serenity of these beautiful mountains that I realized positivity and being in control of your own destiny is incredibly precious.
I strongly believe that we all need to relax in the right way, not by being addicted to unhealthy ways. Playing your favourite music between hectic hours will definitely help calm you down and thus increase efficiency at work. The most beautiful and relaxing thing is to get a tight hug from a child after having a hard day at work. This is priceless and has no replacement.
I don’t inhale oxygen; I inhale positivity. I strongly believe that life is beautiful and eventually everything will happen for our own good. With an actively relaxed state and positive mindset, people around the world will just get more from their lives.
Feedback: ahmed.elafifi@tranquini.com
