Season 3 BONUS-Nolan Pillay-Human Connection and Gratitude Documented in Faith

Nolan Pillay is a Human Mindset Specialist who Inspires companies, teams and individuals realise their Purpose, Authentic self, turning Pain into Success stories, clarifying Values and Goals, eventually becoming the BEST version of themselves. He is also a Global Speaker, Coach, Author, Podcast Host, Trainer, Philanthropist and Mental Health Advocate.

Nolan can be remembered for taking five Deaf climbers up the highest mountain in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro, raising funds with his NPO to give the gift of hearing to children born Deaf. They were able to help two children to start to live a normal life. He also climbed the mountain in 2019 with his wife, raising funds for girls in rural Africa to have access to sanitary pads. Nolan's super power is serving humanity!

Have you ever wondered how a near-death experience can lead to a purpose-driven life? From his COVID experience to climbing the highest mountains in the world for charity, Nolan's story is one of gratitude, inclusivity, and the power of human connection.

Nolan also emphasized the importance of journaling as a tool for growth and overcoming life's obstacles. He explained how writing about negative experiences can provide clarity and understanding, leading to personal development. By diving deep into his own experiences, Nolan was able to identify positive outcomes and create tangible action steps to continue his growth journey.

As we wrapped up our heartwarming conversation, we were inspired by his resilience and determination to make a difference in the world around him. His father's wisdom, the gift of hearing he provided for children, and his commitment to living a purpose-driven, inspiring youth and adults all across the globe, are all reminders of the power we hold within ourselves. Don't miss this unforgettable episode and the valuable lessons Nolan has to share with us all, many captured in the book we wrote together, Ignite Your Faith-releasing today!

Contact Nolan Pillay for a FREE copy of his My Covid Journey: Techniques and Mind Hacks that Got Me Through IT-just mention this podcast episode!
Here is a link to his website:
https://nolanpillay360.com/?fbclid=IwAR2FbQ6TG5aWLWz7sfkKj7sp_LCUD3jfgv35_AHVlov83sfcx4InvzWA3wU

Come celebrate with me and my co-authors as we launch our book, Ignite Your Faith, into the world! This book will change the way you see faith. Discover how faith can be a healing medicine, a tool for empowerment, a brave, powerful choice, and even a path to emotional freedom! Get your FREE Kindle download on Amazon from June 16th-18th, 2023. Leave a review to help us become International bestselling authors who are building a Classroom of Hope with the momentum and profits this book welcomes!
https://mybook.to/igniteyourfaithbook

Join us for the book launch celebration, Ignitearama, happening on June 17th, 2023! Head over to Ignite’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/igniteyou.life) to watch the livestream and hear from myself and the other authors in Ignite Your Faith about our amazing journey to publication!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:53

Back to the joyful journaling podcast. I'm your host, bekah Ray. Today I have an incredible guest who I met along my If Not Your Faith author's journey. I would like to introduce you to Nolan Pley. Thank you so much for being with us.

Speaker 2: 1:13

It's a pleasure. Thank you so much for having me on your show.

Speaker 1: 1:18

Nolan is a human mindset specialist who inspires companies, teams and individuals to realize their purpose, their authentic self, turning pain into success stories, clarifying values and goals and eventually becoming the best version of themselves. He's a global speaker, coach author, podcast host, trainer, philanthropist and mental health advocate. Take my side, nolan. where are you joining us from today?

Speaker 2: 1:50

So I'm calling you all the way from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Speaker 1: 1:55

So it's my mid-afternoon and it's your early evening. Thank you again.

Speaker 2: 2:02

It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure, i love working during this hour anyway. It's much more quieter.

Speaker 1: 2:10

So Nolan and I met through writing, which shouldn't surprise my listeners, because everything that serves my purpose in life stems from the pages of my journal and documenting my life And the doors that the book Ignite Your Faith opened for me were two incredible folks like Nolan. Nolan, what led you to want to document some of your stories?

Speaker 2: 2:46

Well, that's really a good question, Becca. You know, I've never been an author. I've never thought in my wildest dreams that I will write even a book. But you know, in 2021, I went through an experience with COVID. that was a near-death experience. I was admitted with 58% oxygen levels, spent 13 days in the intensive care unit And while I was there, you know, you faced a lot of trauma and somebody saw one of my social posting and they said to me but you know, the world needs to read your story.

Speaker 2: 3:22

And I was very reluctant and I said, no, I don't have time to write a book or anything. And you know, the more they prompted me, the more I realized that. you know, it's such a painful journey that I went through. Why not put it into words and allow people to see that, no matter what situation or obstacle or challenge we face, we can see the good in it and write it into something successful? And that's what made me a first-time author. And after that book, I was so grateful, like yourself as well, to get the opportunity to write as part of the Ignite Your Faith series as well, And the opportunity came. this time was a totally different ball game. It wasn't like the reluctancy like before. This time it was yes, I want in.

Speaker 1: 4:10

And Ablai, i, when I heard a little bit about your story, i can honestly say it took my breath away, because I lost my father to COVID and I went through being in the hospital room and saw him fight and I know all about those oxygen levels from being there with someone who didn't win that battle. So to hear that you came out in the other side of it and how you did that, and knowing a little bit about your book although I haven't read it, you know my COVID journey It really gave me hope. For those of us who were on the other side, who didn't win that battle, and to know that there are many still out there pursuing their dreams, living their lives, fighting the fight continually Because of people like you who didn't give up, and that courage just speaks volumes. Thank you.

Speaker 2: 5:14

It's a pleasure Just to add a bit more on the book as well. When I did eventually decide to write that book, i said I'm not writing the book for myself. I was writing the book for two specific reasons And one of it was to help those that have lost loved ones. Like you said, bekha, you lost your dad. So sorry to hear that. To help those that have lost loved ones, to see firsthand what a COVID patient goes through. Because the more you see it from a person that's lived that COVID experience for 13 days in ICU is like a lifetime The more you get to experience it and realize what your loved one actually went through and how they were also fighting. I knew they were also fighting, but it just became to the point where God had different plans. So that was the first one. And then the second part of writing that book was to share some of the mind, acts and techniques that I learned over the years and I started to practice on myself. That not only will help you with your COVID experience, but it will help you with any other obstacle that you face in life.

Speaker 2: 6:20

Let's be honest we all are facing obstacles on a daily basis. Some of us approach it differently, but a lot of people don't know how to approach obstacles, so that's just to give them a better understanding that you know it's not the end of the world. For me personally, on day six of that 13 days, i almost gave up as well, because every time you see a bed, we'll pass you with the with the covers on. You know we've lost another patient. So you got to face all of this trauma. But on the day six when I gave up, i did phone my family and I said to them I can't do this anymore. I was totally broken because there was a doctor that was opposite me that passed on And there were so many thoughts going through my mind Hey, this doctor is there to save lives, but he's calling out every day to die. And it really affected me.

Speaker 2: 7:09

And then something magical happened, and I speak about this in my book. My daughter sent me something I carry with me every day. It's called a gold card. It has a list of things that I still want to accomplish in life And she said one sentence don't forget what your purpose is. And immediately I have to snap out of this self-pity or victim mindset and say okay, up your game, nolan, you got to get out of this. So it's just the power of words that are so powerful And, you know, if this book can help people out there, why not? you know that's the key message from the book is to help others.

Speaker 1: 7:46

I'm thankful that you documented that. And before you had COVID, you had some purpose in life. You were doing good things in the world. What were you doing before COVID? that, when your daughter said those words and you thought about that gold card kind of sprung you into action?

Speaker 2: 8:07

So this was 2021, january 2021, and I had COVID. So in 2019, so I'll go back as 2019, i connected with a community, the deaf community. So I at this time I was working in corporate in 2019, and I decided to leave the corporate world because it had become too toxic. And I wouldn't say the corporate company was toxic, but the people that were there had become toxic. And I couldn't believe that we are in 2019, and one can still enjoy or have to go through inhumane behavior. And when I went through that, i asked myself what can I learn from this? What is this message that this universe is bringing to me? Is there something that is telling me get out from here and do something more purposeful? And that's exactly what I did. So when I withdrew from the corporate world, i had a company running from 2015,. But I was not doing anything with it because obviously I was too comfortable in corporate, traveling every month, enjoying a good salary, until that inhumane behavior got me. But when I got out, i decided to relaunch my company And this is when I had three deaf people come and speak at the launch of my company.

Speaker 2: 9:25

It was amazing because I had no idea what sign language was about. I had no idea what the deaf community actually go through. I didn't understand their culture, and one of them she's actually late now Ketiwe Mardi. She was Mrs Deaf, south Africa 2019. She asked a question to my audience and myself And she said what if all of you year, cannot year and she's the only one that can year, who's the one with the disability? And that sent off a wave of thoughts and ideas in my mind And I didn't realize at the point that this was a turning point for me and it will change my life forever and many other lives as well. It got me getting more touched to the deaf community And I said what can I do more to help them? What can I do more to create awareness that there is a community out there? Yes, they have a disability, but let's not shun them, because I want people to see human first before disability, before your race, your sex, your culture, anything like that. See the human for who they are. And that's what started off the journey of being more connected.

Speaker 2: 10:33

Prior to that, i was involved in a lot of charity work, like feeding people. We do this on a monthly basis as part of our family, but the more we were doing it, the more we were being awakened as well, to the point that we said, okay, yes, it's good to feed people, but why not change it around and teach them how to fish? Because then they can sustain themselves, they can sustain their families, and it makes it just an open door for them to create this ripple effect to other people and teach them the same as well. So I think throughout my journey, my personal journey, we've been doing this and it stems from where I come from.

Speaker 2: 11:13

As an individual, i grew up in poverty. I grew up being very, very poor, not having electricity, not having food, not having a jersey, on a cold end, going to school with pon shoes or short pants, and I've been through all of these extremes. But if you look at the context of South Africa, the country that I live in now, 90% of the people are living in poverty. So that's why I don't like to talk about poverty from this feel sorry point of view. I want to talk about it from what can we do to alleviate poverty? What can we do to teach people how to go out there and do something differently, so that they can now live and sustain themselves as well? So that's, in a nutshell is, like you know my background, where I've come from and what led me to who I am now and what I'm actually doing.

Speaker 1: 12:09

And to think that into an end, but it didn't. What has been going on, besides, of course, the book that brought us together what has been going on since you recovered from COVID, that you are set on and even what I would consider a higher trajectory in fulfilling your purpose?

Speaker 2: 12:35

So COVID was just the one part of that 2021 journey. You know I laugh about it now because when I look back it's just taught me so much. So in that January when I had COVID, when I came out of it, i had to learn how to walk again. Being an active person, a sporty person. I could barely take 10 steps without having to sit down. So it taught me about people that are in much worse situations, like a person with no legs, for example. They still go about the day, they still grateful for their life. So really reinforced gratitude to me in a big way because a couple months down the line, in that same 2021, in December, i go to hospital thinking that my lungs are giving up, only to be told that I had a mild heart attack and I needed to go in immediately and they put three steps in me. So all of this is happening in the 2021 year and I still got nine months from December to go and climb this mountain. So it was more the drive that My job was not done When I had started off that journey to say we want to go and climb the highest mountain in Africa.

Speaker 2: 13:53

There was such a profound why behind it And that why was to raise as much funds as possible and give the gift of year into children that are born deaf, allowing them to live a normal life. So there were two children that we were able to help. One was a seven-year-old and the other was a 15-year-old Becca. Can you imagine, after 15 years of your life you now have a hearing aid and you can hear what you and I are talking about? For 15 years, a child cannot hear. How inhumane is that for the child? Yes, we do understand. You know they're born with being deaf or circumstances bring you to that. But surely, surely, there should be other ways where we can just hand out these hearing aids to children or people that are born deaf and say here's a gift to you, go out and hear what other people are saying. So you know, doing something like this has really made me realize that there are people out there that do need our help. There are people out there that need us to be the voice for them, because often they may go out and ask somebody else to give them a hearing aid or give them, and that person will turn them down because immediately they see a disability and they shun the person. And I saw this firsthand when we were raising funds. We also have and I'm sure you guys have in the States a competition like Miss USA. So in South Africa we have Miss South Africa, who gets all of these sponsorships, all of this attention, but we have the very same competition for Miss Deaf South Africa that gets zero attention. So this is where we come in to try and be the voice to make sure they can run a pageant like this and we can recognize a person with a disability.

Speaker 2: 15:40

So where I'm going with this is today, when I look at life, it's all about inclusivity. Irrespective of who you are, i keep professing that see the human first, don't see anything else beyond that. Anything else does not matter because we are one when you look at us. At the end of the day, we need to be a united world, not with all the issues that we're having. So that's why I still profess humanity in such a big way. I even go as far as telling people that when you meet somebody who's a different race or a different religion, make a point of asking him. So you know, becca, tell me a bit about your culture and you may ask the same of me, because when you and I can engage in conversation and understand our cultures and our races better. Would we not get along better? Surely we will.

Speaker 1: 16:38

Yes, i was thrust into living many places all over the world when I was a little girl, from the age of six, because my father worked for a very large international company And I remember him always telling me to embrace it and not be scared of it. And thank goodness I had those experiences from the time that I was barely able to express myself, because that has been my biggest gift Being able to have conversations with situations that I knew nothing about And I just love that you brought that up because that is seriously one of the most valuable lessons that my father taught me since I was a little girl, so you reminded me of his wisdom. This is my adoptive father. The father that I lost is my birth father, and it's amazing what life can do to bring everything full circle and people together.

Speaker 2: 17:41

Absolutely, it's the connection.

Speaker 1: 17:44

It is, it is the connection. Oh, my goodness, i'm so impressed by everything that you are doing. So you are helping people. They're, truest expression, the gifts that we're supposed to be able to use, and speechless, because it's a gift that everybody deserves. And whether that be a hearing aid to help you hear and express yourself, or it be a mindset or a tool to help you have the skills you need to be successful in your community and rise to a different level of existence, you're on top of all of those things.

Speaker 2: 18:38

And still it's not enough, because we need more people to live purpose driven lives. There's just so much of work to be done in the world. For some reason, i don't know, i think the world took a knock when it came to humanity and we have seen to have taken a step back, and it's almost like now. We need to rebuild and make people realize that this situation that we have, where we're fighting against each other And, at the end of the day, you don't know why it started in the first place We need to educate people on how to think better. We need to educate people how to start questioning things, and I'd like to give you an example on this.

Speaker 2: 19:24

If you look at the youth that we have in South Africa, we have situations where, if the politicians say jump, they ask how high. They don't ask the question as to why do you want me to jump? So where we all come into place is to teach these youngsters, because we need them for the future of our countries, of the world. Right, we really do need them. So we need to teach them to ask the right questions, and when they start asking the right questions, we won't find them going and vandalizing. Example a library that they will need. In two weeks time They will know better that, hey, i'm not gonna burn on something or vandalize something that I'm gonna be needing. So it's all about changing that state of mind. And I find it a lot with the youngsters, and that's why I bring it up, because if we can mold and help this generation, based on all the experiences that we've had, surely we're on our way to build a better world.

Speaker 1: 20:26

I do hope the stories that you're sharing and the books that you're writing, and the books that I'm writing and the faith books that we're a part of will be read by youngsters in libraries and in family circles and in places where they can have conversations about what is on the page, to spur some of those questions and those thinking, some of those things that we need to be thinking about. There's so many conversations that still need to be had in the world and that people are not having the courage to even open up.

Speaker 2: 21:12

That's just it, though right. People are not feeling safe enough to share, because how many safe spaces are there for people just to be vulnerable? Not many. So what we're facing now is a lot of people that are going through a lot of mental wellness issues because they're scared that the moment they open them out and say something, somebody is going to judge them, and that's the problem.

Speaker 2: 21:43

People are too quick to step up and judge people rather than look within themselves and see why am I judging that person in the first place?

Speaker 2: 21:53

Maybe there's something I need to work on, maybe there's some inner work, i need to do some shadow work or something like that. So people judge because they are not educated enough to understand themselves in the first place. So they're kind of like I don't want to use the word bullying, i think it's a bit harsh but when they judge people, they're kind of just showing us a different side of them, or their true side, and that's what we need to work on. If we can work on things like this and help people to realize, you should learn to be kind or say the right things and not just be too quick to say things to hurt other people, because when you do that, you are actually showing us who you are. So that's where we need to start. People need to become more like awoke beings or consciously aware of what their speech is, about what they say, and I think that's the problem. People are too quick to jump up and judge.

Speaker 1: 22:49

Oh themselves, and that's kind of the work that I'm promoting is doing that micro work in a journal, with your own voice and kind of understanding who you're about before you open your mouth, so that we can have more purposeful and more empathic and empathetic conversations. Have you ever used documenting on a private level, even before writing books, like, did you use it for goal setting or any thought processing over the course of your life?

Speaker 2: 23:30

I have, but I use it more in my personal journal. but it was all about generally my gratitude. So what I do is this is my gratitude journal. I mean there's some highlights that you can see. You won't be able to see the writing, but what I tend to do is when I say my gratitude. I don't do it all the time, but I do journal the five things that I'm grateful for at the end of the day or the start of the morning. But what I've also picked up along the way and it's something I've learned very recently as well is that writing does something magical. It's really difficult.

Speaker 2: 24:08

You will understand this, because you journal, but writing does something when you write down something and you look at this for a few times. You know I've been coached by Bob Proctor. I've done a few of his programs and he always said when you're journaling, write it in a way as if it's done or accomplished already. So, for example, if I'm journaling something that I really wish for, i want, i will always say I am thankful and grateful that I am now part of Ignite, your Faith. I am thankful and grateful that now I am part of Bob Proctor coaching, for example. So you're always writing in that way. So I've been doing that since about 2013, when I started understanding what it means, and now, whenever I have and I think maybe this is a tip for the listeners I don't know whether it's too early to mention it or should I share it now Just my journal experience.

Speaker 1: 25:02

Sure no, you can definitely mention this, where we're eager to hear.

Speaker 2: 25:08

So what I've found and this is really based on all these obstacles that I had to go through in life The one thing I learned is to write it down.

Speaker 2: 25:17

So what I do is I write the obstacle down, whatever it is.

Speaker 2: 25:20

So, for example, in 1989, when I went through my failed suicide, i didn't do the journaling back then because I was still young and immature. But now, in my later years, i was able to write that down and understand what can I learn from it, what was the lesson that I can take out from it? And there's so many different lessons that come to it. One of the things was I was afraid that people will judge me and my family and call us failures, so I'll write that down. And then, when I go on a little further, i wonder whether that is still applicable. And then I realize no, it's not applicable anymore, because after a week people have forgotten that, they have forgotten about my situation and life goes on. The next step I did was to write down a positive, because in this 1989, when I did fail my metric year And I did attempt suicide, there were so many things that are going on. But when I think about it now, one of the positives. I tried to pull out the positive summit. One of the positives from that was if I had passed my metric, would my parents afford to send me to university, or was I going to put more pressure on them from a financial point of view? and I know it's the latter. So already I've settled in my mind that it's okay. You you did fail your metric, but you are who you are now because there were lessons that you learned along the way, and one of the things The other positives was that very same year, i started a job as a pack-in sweeper. I was earning like it must have. If I call convert this to dollars must be about $15 a week, but still, $15 back then meant that you could have food and you could pay for things. So that was a positive.

Speaker 2: 27:05

So what I do is I write down the obstacle or the challenge and I write on all the negatives to it as To why it happened, but then I also go and write the positives. What can I learn from it? What is this teaching me? Maybe there's something I need to pick up from this, like when I left the toxic world in 2019. It allowed me to go on this purposeful journey and start working with the deaf people and that you know, like I said, that changed my whole life, because the deaf community was just one project that we worked on. Now we're working on a project for mental wellness and cancer, so that's why we're gonna climb the mountain again.

Speaker 2: 27:41

So the more obstacles you write down, the more it allows you to see what more you can do to help humanity. So journaling really works and I actually made a note down here. I wrote How did that challenge impact my personal growth? And I know when I went through the challenge it really stops you, but it's good to stop as well, right, because you get the opportunity to pause, to breathe and to say what next, and then you write down your action steps. So I think it's important and it's very Profound in a way not well, not profound It's a must that we write it down, because when you write it down, it triggers something, or let's call it because we're talking ignite it. Ignite something in your mind to actually want to do better. So that's my journey experience and that's my tip to anyone whatever obstacle you're going through, write it down. And When you write it down, write down the negatives to it, but write the positives as well, because there has to be some positive that comes out from it.

Speaker 1: 28:49

Wow, that is just Some food for thought that I can't wait for our listeners to apply to their own lives. I See what comes from that. I am so grateful that you shared that process with us. Thank you, and I'm gonna be very vulnerable here and share that. In 1989 I also had a failed suicide attempt and obviously here I am After many years of journaling and looking at a lot of different failures, looking at the positives and seeing how different things have obviously propelled my own growth. So what a what a thing that we we didn't know about one another before sitting down today.

Speaker 2: 29:37

So so, becca, when we call this a small world, it is a small.

Speaker 1: 29:42

It is incredibly small and that's serendipity right there, just because Anything can happen in your mental or your personal health, and use that as a stepping stone to the better so, and I think of the listeners, you know, when they listen to this, i mean, look at both of us in 1989.

Speaker 2: 30:03

That's like what? 20? Well, that's over 30 years ago. But look at how we've grown into who we are today. I mean, if we rewind 30 years, do you ever think that we would have had a podcast together? or Is a show you would? you have your show? You know, look at how life has evolved, just with the power of putting down what your experience is and What can you do to get through that experience. You know always say a lot of people just want to Experience something and just go through it, be content with it. But what if you could turn it around and say what is this experience time to teach me, what can I learn from it and how can I grow into becoming a better human? It's simple techniques that we, once we apply, it, really helps a lot.

Speaker 1: 30:50

Keep youth and even adults who are at rock bottom from making Poor choices Yeah, this is that have negative effects on themselves or other people, and I'm so glad that we have that food for thought today.

Speaker 2: 31:08

Beautiful I'm black here.

Speaker 1: 31:10

Oh my gosh, i'm just, i'm just so amazed right now. Thank you, it's a pleasure, thank you.

Speaker 2: 31:16

Thank you for having me, and you know, being able to share this. You know we all resonate with, with our stories, and who knew that our story will resonate and be like Met so well? There's so many other stories as well, and this is where people need to share their stories, because when you share, you realize you're not alone.

Speaker 1: 31:34

There's a lot of people going to the same thing, so Nolan and I are In a compilation of in a compilation book that Includes faith stories and courage stories from all over the world, from all different Points of view of faith, and I can't wait for you to read them all, because our stories are very different and our experiences are very different, but ensuring them, we On the fear and we evolve the conversation level of the planet and I'm just so thrilled that we've had this time together today.

Speaker 2: 32:12

Thank you so much for having me Really honored and privileged that I could share with your audience as well.

Speaker 1: 32:19

There a special place. We would like to look for you in The internet space where we could continue to follow your story and everything that you're offering to the world.

Speaker 2: 32:34

Yeah, i think the easiest is. If anyone looks for Nolan play, so NOL an play, pi double L a y 360 comm. I think that's the easiest. Nolan play 360 comm. It has a link to all my, my socials and Everything that I'm actually doing, even the nonprofit organization. It has all of those links in there as well. So anyone is welcome to follow me and you know, if you want to be part of the journey as well, why not? Hey, why not?

Speaker 1: 33:08

World, a smaller place. Yes, we'll also be sharing some links in my show notes. For all that, nolan, is up to you. Thank you again for our conversation. I hope that you have a beautiful rest of your evening.

Speaker 2: 33:23

Thank you so much and I wish you an awesome afternoon. I'm sure it's for you, right, it must be 2 pm. We'll close the 2 pm. Oh well, have an awesome afternoon, beca. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.