My name is Juliet Awang, I am the founder of Woowi.
I would like to take the time to tell you a small part of my own journey; how and why I discovered mindfulness and meditation, and why it has always been so important for me to share its benefits.
My journey is no different to so many other peoples. I was born into a troubled family. I left home young and never returned. I met my children’s father when I was young and was blessed with three children.
Life was not simple, and it took me and my new family down a path I felt I had no control over. I was in a state of the unknown for years. Eventually my relationship completely broke down and my journey as a single parent began. Due to circumstance we financially deteriorated. Things got into such a mess. At that time I was working in the health and social care sector, my experience in work has always been supporting children and young people, the post I had was low-wage, and with three children to take care of, we struggled endlessly. I thought I had no hope.
My children were having challenges, and I was depressed and suffering from insomnia. Night after night I would lay awake, sad and alone. Stressed and angry. My mind was full and confused. I felt crushed. My mental-well-being was concerning. The only thing I became aware of during those times was that it was imperative I alleviate the stress from my mind.
I looked and read and searched. Mindfulness and meditation kept coming up, I was taught a mantra meditation and I taught myself mindfulness, I then took qualifications in it. Things changed. I addressed, took ownership and responsibility for my negative thinking. I learnt what mindfulness is, and I brought it into mine and my children's lives.
I got a lot more than the peace I was looking for. My emotional and mental capacity, as well as my focus and concentration excelled. The perilous stress that had been weighing heavily upon my shoulders walked out the door.
I don't and won't paint some perfect picture of who I am thanks to mindfulness and meditation. I still shout at my children; they are messy, and it still annoys me. I still get crappy days, but I know that they will pass, and those difficult days are few and far between. And they come because I am human.
What I don't live with is stress. Insomnia. Anger. Depression. Pain.
What I DO live with is COMPASSION. PEACE. LOVE.
All brought on from mindfulness and meditation.
I knew I had to share what I had learnt, so I started my own company called New Beginnings. I developed and delivered mindfulness programmes in schools and community hubs in the Merseyside area.
The positive outcomes within all schools have been outstanding.
“Staff reported increased concentration in class for those pupils and reduced anxieties due to pupils utilising the different strategies they had been taught." Ann-Marie Moore
Headteacher @ Broadgreen Primary School
"The impact of this programme in our school has been enlightening.” Michelle Beard (Head-Teacher @ Millstead Primary School)
I love working with children, their spirits lift me. It was during one of my sessions at Millstead School that a spiritly young man gave me the inspiration for Woowi.
From having that inspiration to how I managed to get to where we are today with Woowi has been a lot of hard work. With the world in its current state, I have never been more passionate about bringing this much-needed and exciting product to market and continue the journey I have started by supporting as many children as possible to discover the invaluable benefits of Mindfulness.
I aim to do this by merging mindfulness with technology, in the form of...
Woowi!!
Peace, love and light.
Juliet Awang