A dedicated advocate for women’s empowerment, Gabriela Barclay is guiding women on a journey of self-discovery and reclaiming their inner strength. With a background in psychology and extensive experience in operations and management, Gabriela brings a unique perspective to her holistic coaching approach. From her early days in Romania to her current home in Ireland, she has cultivated a deep appreciation for life’s connections and the power of authenticity.
As a mother and a manager in the casino industry, Gabriela’s passion for flawless operations and empowering teams shines through. Her leadership style is rooted in integrity, kindness, and empathy, fostering a workplace environment where individuals can thrive. Drawing inspiration from her son’s boundless enthusiasm for football and their shared love for board games, Gabriela embodies courage, kindness, and resilience in both her personal and professional life.
Gabriela’s journey of self-exploration is fueled by her belief in the transformative power of love, gratitude, and positive affirmations. Through coaching, she helps women tap into their inner strength, guiding them towards healing and embracing their true potential. Whether finding solace in silence and spirituality or indulging in life’s simple pleasures, Gabriela’s journey is a testament to the beauty of embracing one’s unique nature and finding joy in every moment.
Journey to Self-Discovery and Empowerment
Gabriela’s journey from the bustling world of the gambling industry to becoming a holistic coach is truly inspiring. Her experience navigating different cultures and overcoming personal challenges has shaped her into a resilient and compassionate individual.
Starting her career in one of the largest casinos in Bucharest, Gabriela discovered a passion for understanding human behavior and connecting with people on a deeper level. Her adventurous spirit led her to Egypt, where she achieved a management position in a major casino, breaking barriers as one of the first women to do so. Despite facing personal struggles and an unhealthy relationship, Gabriela summoned the courage to leave Egypt and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
Through introspection and personal growth, Gabriela found her true calling as a holistic coach. She embraced her own transformation, seeing setbacks as opportunities for growth and reclaiming her power and potential. Now, as a dedicated holistic coach, Gabriela is committed to guiding and supporting other women on their transformative journeys. Her coaching business serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment, helping individuals unlock their full potential and embrace the magic within themselves.
Even as she continues her work in the gambling industry as a casino manager in Ireland, Gabriela remains deeply committed to empowering others and making a positive difference in their lives. Her success is measured not by accolades or achievements, but by the significant impact she has on the lives of those she serves. Gabriela’s story exemplifies resilience, courage, and the transformative power of personal growth.
Living Authentically
Gabriela’s vision for her holistic coaching practice is deeply rooted in empowering women to discover their true selves, grow, and heal on all levels – emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. She creates a nurturing and supportive environment where women can explore their innermost selves, break free from limiting beliefs, and cultivate self-awareness and self-love. Her holistic approach considers the interconnectedness of all aspects of well-being, aiming to help clients achieve balance and fulfillment in every area of their lives. Through personalized coaching sessions, workshops, and ongoing support, Gabriela encourages lasting transformation and guides her clients toward living a harmonious and meaningful life.
With a focus on celebrating authenticity, strength, and courage, Gabriela’s coaching empowers women to embrace their uniqueness and unleash their full potential. Her ultimate vision is to create a world where every woman recognizes her inherent magnificence, taps into her inner strength, embraces authenticity, and lives in alignment with her values and true self. Through her work, Gabriela is dedicated to helping women become the unstoppable, empowered versions of themselves that they were always meant to be.
Blueprint for Emerging Leaders
Gabriela highlights several qualities that she believes are lacking among today’s emerging leaders. Firstly, she emphasizes the importance of embracing humanness in leadership. This involves recognizing and valuing the individuality and emotions of team members, fostering empathy, and building meaningful connections.
As well, Gabriela stresses the need for leaders to enhance their leadership presence. This entails developing a strong sense of self-awareness, authenticity, and confidence, as well as effectively communicating their vision and values to inspire others.
Besides, she encourages leaders to be mindful of their language and communication style. Using words that uplift and empower others, as well as practicing active listening and asking open-ended questions, can foster a culture of trust, collaboration, and growth within teams.
Gabriela suggests that leaders should adopt a coaching mindset, focusing on guiding and supporting their team members to reach their full potential. This involves asking constructive questions that encourage reflection and problem-solving, rather than solely providing answers or directives.
By incorporating these qualities into their leadership approach, emerging leaders can better navigate the complexities of leading people and create environments where individuals thrive and contribute their best.
Impactful Leadership Legacy
Gabriela’s success is a testament to her core values and unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth. Her courage, determination, and resilience have enabled her to overcome challenges and achieve excellence in her career. Moreover, her openness and dedication to making a positive difference in people’s lives have fueled her success and earned her the admiration of her peers and clients alike. Her diverse experiences in the casino industry have not only provided her with valuable skills and expertise but also a deep appreciation for diversity and cultural understanding. These qualities have shaped her leadership style, emphasizing adaptability, communication, authenticity, empathy, and understanding.
Beyond her professional achievements, Gabriela’s personal journey has been instrumental in shaping her character and guiding her path. Her core values of kindness, integrity, love, trust, and spirituality serve as guiding principles in both her personal and professional life, fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for others to thrive.
Gabriela’s emphasis on soul-nourishing relationships, authenticity, honesty, friendship, spiritual connections, and family underscores her holistic approach to life and leadership. She recognizes the importance of surrounding herself with mentors and a support network that uplift and inspire her, contributing to her ongoing growth and success.
Gabriela’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of courage, resilience, and authenticity in achieving personal and professional fulfillment. Through her dedication to empowering others and living her values, she continues to make a positive impact on the lives of those around her.
Guiding Light in Holistic Coaching
Gabriela’s approach to coaching is deeply rooted in creating a safe and sacred space for her clients, where they can explore their innermost selves and embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery. She recognizes and honors each client’s unique journey and multifaceted nature, ensuring that they feel seen, heard, and supported throughout the process.
In this heart-centered space, Gabriela provides unconditional love, support, and gentle guidance, free from judgment. Her goal is to help her clients access their true selves by fostering trust, building connections, and creating a nurturing environment where they can explore their inner truths.
Through active listening, asking powerful questions, and remaining curious, Gabriela guides her clients towards greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-care. She empowers them to shift perspectives, take actionable steps towards their goals, and align their actions with their inner truths.
Evolve Holistic Coaching is a beacon of hope and empowerment for women, inspiring them to rediscover themselves, reclaim their power, find their voice, define their purpose, and recognize their magnificence. With Gabriela’s guidance, clients embark on a transformative journey towards greater fulfillment and alignment with their true selves.
Mindful Moments
Gabriela’s daily routine reflects her commitment to self-care, productivity, and mindfulness. She starts her day with a short walk to invigorate her body and mind, followed by tackling tasks on her to-do list and responding to emails. Throughout the day, she takes breaks to stretch, meditate, and recharge, ensuring she maintains a balanced and grounded state.
In the evenings, Gabriela prioritizes time for hobbies, personal projects, relaxation, gratitude, and rest. Sharing dinner with her son is a cherished part of her day, providing an opportunity to connect and share stories.
To stay present, balanced, and grounded, Gabriela incorporates “Physical Intelligence” tools into her routine. She performs a quick MOT (Map of Tension) to identify and release any tension hotspots in her body. Additionally, she practices the Centering Technique, which involves balancing her weight, breathing into the center of her body, and focusing her mind to maintain presence throughout the day.
The Power of Collaboration
Gabriela emphasizes the importance of a holistic, person-centered approach to success within organizations, highlighting the value of teamwork over individual efforts. She believes that sustainable success is achieved through fostering professional bonds and distributing responsibility and recognition across the entire team.
By promoting collaboration, coordination, and decision-making within a structured framework, teamwork facilitates efficient task completion and clear communication. This approach encourages collective responsibility, reduces dependence on individual efforts, and ensures that the team as a whole is recognized for its contributions.
Gabriela’s experience suggests that while individual efforts may result in sporadic bursts of exceptional performance, effective team processes are essential for achieving consistent results and attaining long-term success. These processes facilitate knowledge sharing, resource utilization, and constructive feedback, ultimately leading to increased productivity and innovation.
Finding the Perfect Fit
Gabriela emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people for organizational success, highlighting the significance of both hard and soft skills in candidates. She believes that employees not only drive innovation but also represent the company’s culture and values.
During the interview process, Gabriela looks for several essential qualities in candidates to determine their suitability for the team. These include:
- Cultural fit: Candidates should align with the company’s values, mission, and culture.
- Courage: The ability to take risks, confront challenges, and overcome obstacles.
- Compassion: Showing empathy, understanding, and consideration for others.
- Passion: Having enthusiasm, dedication, and a strong commitment to the role.
- Emotional intelligence: The capacity to recognize and manage one’s own emotions and those of others.
- Energy: Demonstrating vitality, motivation, and a positive attitude.
- Communication skills: Effective verbal and written communication abilities.
- Accountability and responsibility: Taking ownership of tasks, decisions, and outcomes.
- Integrity: Acting with honesty, ethics, and moral principles.
- Positivity: Maintaining an optimistic outlook and attitude.
- Openness to feedback: Being receptive to constructive criticism and willing to learn and grow.
- Growth mindset: Having a willingness to embrace challenges and learn from failures.
- Autonomy: The ability to work independently and take initiative.
- Originality: Demonstrating creativity, uniqueness, and innovative thinking.
- Self-awareness: Understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses, and impact on others.
- Thinking outside the box: Approaching problems with creativity and unconventional solutions.
- Curiosity: Being eager to learn, explore, and seek new knowledge.
- Ambition: Having goals, aspirations, and a drive to succeed.
- Team player: Collaborating effectively with others and contributing to team success.
- Adaptability: Being flexible and able to adjust to changing circumstances and environments.
By considering these traits, Gabriela ensures that she hires candidates who not only possess the necessary skills but also embody the values and qualities that contribute to a positive and successful work environment.
Path to Leadership in Egypt
Gabriela reflects on the greatest risk she took in her professional career, which was deciding to work at one of Cairo’s largest casinos in Egypt at the age of 22. This decision was significant as it allowed her to fully immerse herself in a new culture and environment, despite the predominantly male-dominated industry.
Facing skepticism and resistance, Gabriela persisted in proving her worth and making a meaningful difference. She saw this opportunity as a chance to leverage her exceptional communication skills, compassion, and empathy to build positive relationships, empower others, and overcome challenges.
Embracing her authentic self and tapping into her unique strengths, Gabriela defied expectations and became one of the first women to hold a management position in the casino industry in Egypt. This experience not only shaped her professional trajectory but also taught her valuable lessons about resilience, determination, and self-discovery.
Looking back, Gabriela cherishes the risk she took, as it allowed her to tap into her true potential, discover her capabilities, and become her best self. It taught her that achieving greatness often requires stepping outside one’s comfort zone, embracing the unknown, and rising above challenges with courage and perseverance.
Inspiring Change Through Writing
Gabriela envisions a beautiful journey of growth and evolution in the next five years, both personally and professionally. She is filled with joy at the prospect of expanding her holistic coaching business, Evolve Holistic Coaching, and helping more women achieve their goals and dreams.
With deep gratitude and excitement, Gabriela looks forward to making significant progress in her holistic coaching business over the next five years, positively impacting the lives of many individuals. She is committed to creating a harmonious, empowering, and supportive work culture within her career, prioritizing the well-being and growth of her team.
Through her writing and blogging efforts, Gabriela aims to share inspiration and knowledge, fostering positive change in the lives of others. Additionally, her spiritual journey will expand her consciousness, allowing her to guide with profound wisdom and love. Training in transference healing will further enhance her holistic coaching practice.
Embracing this journey with an open heart, Gabriela knows it holds endless opportunities for growth, joy, and transformation. She is excited to see where this journey takes her and looks forward to the meaningful impact she will continue to make in the lives of others.
Leading with Heart
Gabriela advises someone going into a leadership position for the first time to lead with compassion, kindness, and empathy. It’s crucial to balance humility with confidence, deeply listen to others, maintain a growth mindset, empower team members, build trust through authenticity and integrity, and demonstrate vulnerability to connect on a deeper level. Using inclusive language like “we” instead of “I” or “you” fosters a sense of unity and collaboration within the team.
Creating an environment that supports growth, success, and well-being for all team members is essential. Each individual should feel valued, respected, and motivated to contribute their best in a positive and productive workspace. A great leader inspires others to reach their full potential, shares a common vision, and collaborates towards achieving collective goals. Leading with the heart ensures that decisions are made with empathy and consideration for the team’s overall welfare and success.
