We were lucky to catch up with Manna Dabholkar recently and have shared our conversation below.

Manna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Sometimes, the biggest risks aren’t the ones that seem reckless, but the ones that force you to step into the unknown with nothing but conviction. Leaving my job at the American Red Cross was one of those risks. On paper, it was an incredible job—stable, reputable, and filled with purpose. But over time, I started to feel a disconnect between the work I was doing and the person I was becoming. I wanted to be in the trenches, directly empowering people, standing beside families in need rather than operating within structured systems. The job was meaningful, but it wasn’t aligned with the way I envisioned making a difference.

One day, I made the decision that kept me up the night before: I quit cold turkey, with no blueprint, no safety net—just a deep belief that something better suited for me was waiting out there. It wasn’t a reckless leap, but a necessary one. The uncertainty was terrifying but also exhilarating.

The days that followed were filled with moments of doubt, but also moments of clarity. I had to trust myself in ways I hadn’t before, to build opportunities from scratch and redefine my purpose on my own terms. And eventually, doors started opening—ones that truly allowed me to step into the kind of work I had always envisioned.

Taking that risk didn’t just change my career—it reshaped my understanding of what it means to pursue a life that feels authentic. It taught me that sometimes, alignment is worth more than security, and that trusting your intuition can lead to the most rewarding journeys.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have always believed and experienced that Service to others aligns with higher states like love, joy, and peace, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and spiritual growth. By focusing on the well-being of others, individuals can shift their energy away from lower states like fear or anger and move toward more harmonious and enlightened states.
Though they follow different paths, Conscious Leadership Institute and Gift Global Initiative were both established with the same purpose at heart – to create opportunities that elevate the collective consciousness of our planet.
 
As the Founder of Conscious Leadership Institute our mission is to Advance Conscious Leadership, Spiritualism & Psychic Sciences and guide aspiring leaders and change makers on the Art of Consciousness. As the CEO of Gift Global Initiative, a humanitarian organization operating in 17 countries, our mission is to create pathways that empower individuals and provide them with opportunities to serve a greater purpose.

Since 2010 Conscious Leadership Institute has guided over 200 multi-day certifications in over 10 countries, reached thousands of participants through personal sessions and online courses, and mentored over 350 practitioners to facilitate energy healing. Our values at CLI empower you to explore your higher spiritual self, encouraging you to seek the answers that lay within you and to build the life of your choosing.

As a psychic medium, former therapist and death educator for over 17 years, I guide Mediumship, Intuitive Consciousness Studies, Ancestral Lineage Healing, Neurolinguistic Programming, Neurobiology of Compassion and Acceptance in the US as well as overseas.

Building and Running Humanitarian Organizations for more than a decade, I acknowledged that my path in life is of empowering people, of helping, guiding them to self-discovery, helping them take their power back, define their own boundaries, and live a life of fulfillment and spiritual contentment. In my view, spirituality, and science, the sacred and the material live hand in hand. I see people as spiritual beings meant to experience the material world. For me, Freedom, Liberation of the Body, Mind and Soul is fundamental to a healthy life. Our True Self, the Unfiltered, Unprogrammed Self is available to all if we make a conscious effort to strike a balance between our material world and the invincible spiritual world.

As humans we are programmed to look for validation outside of ourselves, look for happiness, joy outside of ourselves. We are told that attaining a joyful state of mind is dependent on some outside source, whether it is a relationship, spouse, partner, children, pets, jobs, money, cars, and so on and so forth. Attaining that absolute state of joy comes from within ourselves. My focus is helping people establish the distinction between the physical and the spirit, while appreciating both yet understanding that our Spirit, Our Soul should always be in the Driver’s Seat.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One resource that has profoundly influenced my management and entrepreneurial thinking is Power vs. Force by Dr. David R. Hawkins. This book delves deeply into the dynamics of human consciousness, exploring the difference between the constructive power of integrity and the destructive force of ego-driven ambition. It offers insights into how our level of consciousness can shape our leadership style, decision-making, and interactions with others.

For me, the central takeaway is the importance of operating from a place of authenticity and ethical power, rather than relying on coercion or force. This perspective has reshaped the way I approach challenges, emphasizing the value of inner strength, resilience, and alignment with higher principles. Power vs. Force is not just a philosophical guide but also a practical tool for leading with clarity and purpose in both personal and professional realms.

The book demonstrates how force is reactive and driven by fear, anger, or pride, while power is proactive and rooted in love, courage, and reason. This distinction can be applied to leadership and decision-making.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

Yes, I would absolutely choose the same profession and specialty again. Service has always been at the core of who I am, a value deeply instilled in me by my father, who was a dedicated public servant. Despite witnessing the challenges and sacrifices he faced in his role, I remained unwavering in my decision to follow in his footsteps, driven by the same commitment to serving others. His example inspired me, and it continues to shape my journey in this profession.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.clius.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannadabholkar/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066826778006
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/manna-dabholkar-bba7591b3
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mannamedium