Latest news with #TheHundredWellnessCentre
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Boundaries, Baggage & Bliss: A Modern Guide to Navigating Summer Family Reunions
Heading home for the holidays? Here's how to survive the inevitable family flare-ups… As summer sets in and the world stretches out again, many expats return to their home countries – to the familiar warmth of extended families, home-cooked meals, and stories retold over and over again. But let's be honest: the anticipation of reunions often comes laced with a mix of nostalgia, tension, and emotional minefields. Whether it's a passive-aggressive comment over dinner, a resurfaced sibling rivalry, or the suffocating weight of being seen as your 16-year-old self, going home can bring up as much discomfort as it does joy. Roh Hafez, Life Coach at The Hundred Wellness Centre in Dubai, understands this rocky emotional terrain well. As she puts it, 'Many of us have done the work – emotionally, mentally, spiritually. But the moment we step back into the space we grew up in, old triggers can resurface like clockwork. The key is learning how to show up as our evolved selves, while still honouring where we came from.' So how do we survive (and even thrive) during these emotionally layered homecomings? Here's your elegant survival guide – think of it as emotional SPF for the soul. Pack Your Boundaries Alongside Your Bikini Before you even board the flight home, Roh recommends checking in with your emotional suitcase. 'Setting clear, compassionate boundaries is not about creating distance – it's about protecting your peace,' she explains. That might mean politely exiting triggering conversations, excusing yourself when you need space, or even deciding ahead of time which hot-button topics (politics, parenting, past relationships) are off the table. Boundaries don't have to be dramatic. Sometimes it's as simple as choosing presence over performance. 'Pause, breathe, observe. Acknowledge what's coming up for you before reacting,' says Roh. 'Give your inner child a bit of kindness before diving into your adult role again.' Let Go of the Old Script Just because your aunt still comments on your weight or your cousin treats you like the black sheep doesn't mean you have to keep playing your old role. 'People change – or at least, we hope they do. But even if they don't, you have,' Roh says. 'Approach your family with fresh eyes. Maybe your once-stern father has softened. Maybe your sister is more open than you remember. Release the old narrative and be open to new dynamics.' It's a gentle reminder that family roles aren't fixed. You're not obligated to shrink yourself just to fit back into an outdated storyline. Don't Underestimate the Power of Ritual Amid the emotional nuances of reconnection, shared activities can create new neural pathways for love and joy. 'Family traditions, even the smallest ones, can shift energy from tension to togetherness,' says Roh. Whether it's cooking your grandmother's lentil soup, playing a board game from your childhood, or watching old home videos, anchoring time together in ritual can provide both comfort and levity. This is also a powerful way to include the younger generation – connecting them to heritage, food, and collective memory in an easy, embodied way. Create a Soft Exit Strategy It's okay to leave the party early. In fact, it's okay to leave the whole reunion early if your emotional well-being is being compromised. 'You don't need to explain or justify your need for rest, space, or solitude,' Roh says. 'Self-trust means knowing when to lean in and when to lovingly step away.' If you know a certain lunch or dinner may be triggering, build in a follow-up plan – a walk with a friend, a solo coffee break, or a moment to journal and decompress. Be the Calm, Not the Chaos Clear, grounded communication can prevent misunderstandings and soften conflict. But don't go in trying to fix everything or everyone. 'You're not there to solve generational trauma in one weekend,' Roh laughs. 'You're there to witness, connect, and contribute where you can.' Sometimes, the most revolutionary thing you can do is hold space – for yourself and for others – with grace, empathy, and calm. Because Family Isn't Perfect. And That's Okay. Summer reunions can be beautiful, messy, and deeply transformative. But only if we allow ourselves to approach them with emotional flexibility and self-compassion. As Roh reminds us, 'You don't need the perfect family moment – just the real one. Stay soft. Stay sovereign. And if nothing else, stay hydrated.' .
Emirates Woman
11-04-2025
- Business
- Emirates Woman
How I got my job: Founder of The Hundred Wellness Centre
This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Asma Hilal Lootah, Emirati wellness entrepreneur and founder of The Hundred Wellness Centre. Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series 'How I got my job as…' where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they'd give to those starting out; and the hurdles they've had to overcome. Nestled in the heart of Jumeirah, The Hundred Wellness Centre was inspired and built upon Asma's love of Pilates. As the first Emirati-owned and longest-standing Pilates studio in Dubai, the centre offers a range of therapies and treatments from Reformer Pilates, yoga, to counselling, coaching and more. Here, Asma shares her personal path that led her to launching The Hundred Wellness Centre and what's next on the horizon. Asma Hilal Lootah, founder of The Hundred Wellness Centre What was your favourite subject at school? Religion because my teacher believed in me so much. She was Palestinian, from Gaza in fact. What was your first job? I worked in the computer lab while I was studying at George Washington University. I remember they paid me 11 dollars per hour! Prior to establishing the centre, what was your career experience? I worked at Etisalat first. Next, I was in the engineering department of Emirates communication corporation for four years where I became a Certified Network Administrator. I remember installing the first broadband servers and after that I began what I called my 'self-discovery phase'. I remember I bought a book called 'Do what you are' and it featured a lot of personality tests. I discovered that I would be suited in the creative field or as a human rights activist or a lawyer! With this in mind, I decided to move to the marketing department where I worked for one year. I knew, however, that I wanted to open my own business and to be my own boss. At that time, I was practicing Pilates, and it literally changed my life. It made me happier because my teacher was amazing and the group of women with whom I practiced were really great. When the studio I practiced at shut down, I had the idea to open my own Pilates studio. In 2008, I resigned from the marketing department and began planning to open my business, initially in Dubai Healthcare City. It was the second Pilates studio in the UAE but the first owned by an Emirati. It is now the longest standing one, so looking back and connecting the dots I guess I created history. What inspired you to enter the wellness space and launch the centre? Ever since I was young, I have loved movement and I recall from my childhood I always played outside. I taught myself how to ride a bike, I swam a lot in the swimming pool we had in our garden and I always went biking when I was studying in Washington DC . When I was in my self-discovery phase and trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I identified three elements that have since become my guiding compass. I wanted to open a business that I loved, something that was going to give back to my country and something that was going to help people. I had experienced first-hand the positive impact of Pilates – it made me feel happier and enabled me to manage my mental wellness so once the studio in which I had practiced shut, I knew deep down what I wanted to do: open a wellness centre and I knew it would succeed. What began as a modest studio in Dubai's Healthcare City in 2008 has grown and evolved over time into a beautiful, state-of-the-art, a custom-designed Wellness Centre in Jumeirah, which opened to the public in 2014. What are the key elements of your role? At the moment, I am the founder, owner and manager of The Hundred Wellness Centre so I make all the key decisions for the business. I also work with the café team to create new dishes for the café. Talk us through your daily routine. I wake up every morning at 7am or 7:30am. The first thing I will do is I will drink Japanese Seneca green tea that I order from Kyoto. I really look forward to the start of my day as when I have time I sit on my balcony and watch the sun. Next, I will say good morning to my four cats and bunny. After this, I normally open my diary and go through my to-do list, identifying the top three priority projects that I need to work on that day. I will also plan my meals. It's very important for me to eat healthy food and have meals on time as I am training for a marathon. I will also check my running plan for the week before I get ready for work. After that I would have breakfast. I religiously take all my supplements after breakfast. I train six times a week at 9am, except Mondays when I train at 3pm. I do strength training and running as part of the training for the London marathon. After 9am I will have a post workout drink then check my work emails and my messages. On Tuesday I run outside the centre so I will go to the cafe after that for a coffee and chat with the staff. I live very close to the centre which makes it easier After a busy morning, I walk back home, have lunch and continue working till 6pm at the latest. Then I will have dinner before 7pm and watch TV till around 10pm when I shall go to bed. What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps? Listen to your inner voice and listen to your inner compass as this is your guiding light. If you have an idea, you might initially feel scared, but you need to take the risk. Remember, failure is part of the process. You can fail and start all over again and that's okay. Eliminate the noise around you and just focus on your main goal. What is the best piece of advice you ever received? It was from my parents. It was always to do good, forgive and always pay people on time. I actually can never sleep if I owe someone money! And what is the worst? That I should not open a cafe because I will not succeed since there is a lot of competition in the area. Tell us more about the services offered. The Hundred Wellness Centre aims to offer you everything you need to empower you to live a healthy, happy life. It is a holistic healthy lifestyle destination that brings together a wide range of health and wellbeing experts under one roof. We offer everything from classes, therapies and life coaching, to events, organic markets and even an incredible café. Some of what's on offer includes chiropractic, Pilates, infrared sauna, body composition analysis, classical homeopathy, psychology, life coaching and occupational therapy. I take great pride to be the first centre to introduce GYROTONIC, a 3D, movement-based discipline, into the region and we are the only studio to offer training courses to become a certified GYROTONIC instructor. What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome? To trust again when you have faced setbacks and disappointments in your relationships with people. To regulate my emotions and pause before responding. What are your goals for the future? By the end of this year and before I turn 50 in February 2026, I want to have finished two Abbott world marathon majors. I am running the London marathon for the Rainforest Foundation as I am a staunch environmentalist. I also will run the New York marathon. I am hoping to run the 6 Abbott world majors. Career-wise, I plan to focus on my business and expand on the services offered at the centre. On a personal level, I have a dream to own a cottage in the Cotswolds in England. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied
