The DDW family is full of creative, aspirational and interesting people from a wide range of industries – and it’s time we introduced you to them!
Each month, we sit down to get to know a member of our DDW family – as selected by the DDW committee – and learn about their lives, careers and upcoming projects.
This month, it’s the turn of wellness and spirituality guru Salam Grayeb. Having spent years as a successful entrepreneur within the world of real estate, Salam decided to follow a new path after learning how to love herself and her life during the COVID-19 lockdown. Now she wants to use social media to help others do the same.
Here, she tells us all about how her growing wellness community got started – and where she’d like to see it go.
Hey, Salam! Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Salam Grayeb, I’m 36 years old and I’m a property investor with a masters in psychology. I love traveling, meeting new people and learning about new cultures.
I travel a lot for music festivals – I’m a trance music addict! I think that both travelling and trance music have opened me to the paths I take in my life today.
I’m a very energetic person and I love to learn everyday. I love to give and help others – I have amazing plans, ideas that I would love to share and build with people who are willing to do good and be good.
So, you run a motivational wellness and spirituality community on Instagram…
Yes! I started my Instagram page for modelling. I had the opportunity to build a simple portfolio and have some professional photographs taken at a modelling studio in London. I enjoyed the experience, but with lockdown the industry really slowed down.
It was a bit disappointing, but having that page and that opportunity to build a following made me wonder what I really wanted from it – I wondered if modelling was my only enthusiasm and if it was what I really wanted. I just knew there was more I wanted to give and a message I wanted to share – and it was all about health and love.
I had eating disorder issues years ago and that affected both my body and my soul very badly. Today, I’m very healthy and strong and I want to use my page for a better cause. I want to help people as much as I can and keep reminding them that we’re all beautiful, life is a gift, we should love our bodies and we should take care of our health.
Our health is everything. Having a healthy body means having a healthy mind – how to stay active, how to eat healthy, how to direct our thoughts into a better life. Our bodies are temples and are a way to connect to nature – nature is giving this gift to us, so we should enjoy it and love it. Nature is my therapy, I think.
How did you get started with your page? Have you always been interested in health and wellness?
When I had an eating disorder, it caused some health issues and, of course, my self-confidence diminished – I was so insecure. It wasn’t easy, but my family stood by me and pushed me up again and, after a while, I became better.
I think that all this happened because we allow our ego to control us. I was feeding my ego the whole time, worrying about how society might think of me and about the way I looked – ‘Am I too skinny?’, ‘Am I fat?’, ‘Am I good enough?’. I forgot all about my soul because I was anxious about my outward appearance.
I learnt a lot from that experience and, with time, I worked harder on myself and my awareness. I met new people, I started reading and learning a lot about ego, I started travelling more and I grew up every single day. I started looking at things from a different perspective and I became a very different person. I grew from a very shallow person controlled by ego to a spiritual person who still fights those feelings and believes only in self-love.
Because, to me, it felt so good to change and because of the powerful impact that I know our egos have on us, I knew that my Instagram page should be about love, health, working out, staying active and how to be appreciative and grateful – most importantly, to be more aware and awakened.
The goal of my page is to inspire more and more people to love themselves no matter what – love, give and never forget to live.
What have been the highlights of running your wellness community so far?
I’ve helped a lot of people – a lot. I’ve been there for a lot of my friends and helped them to stand strong again and to heal their wounds. I like to think that I’ve inspired strangers to love themselves and love life. I’ve helped my family to see from a new perspective.
A lot of my followers will send me videos of their walks and their wellness practices like I did a lot – I’m willing to do more and more. As long as I have good health and energy, I won’t stop.
You’ve mentioned that you’d like to open up some wellness and spirituality clinics. How do you imagine them? What services would you offer?
Opening these clinics is my dream and I know I’ll make it come true. I see my clinic being full of positive energies, where I’ll guide people on how to let go of their ego. There’ll be classes, training, exercises, books available and a yoga and meditation centre. I’d love my clients to feel free and comfortable and safe in my space – it’ll be a place where you’ll go to become happier and healthier.
I’m also interested in offering healthy food, natural remedies and organic supplements, which will allow people to heal themselves naturally.
What are some of your interests outside of your businesses?
My other interests include travelling, which allows me to make new friends and to learn about other cultures. It will also give me the chance to learn more about wellness, yoga and meditation.
I’d also like to return to modelling so that I can finally live that experience. I’m interested in music, too – I’d love to learn how to DJ and how to mix and produce trance music.
How did you first hear about Don’t Die Wondering?
Someone sent me a message on Instagram recommending I follow DDW’s founder Antoin Commane, as they thought I’d enjoy his page and his content. I did, which is when I noticed DDW magazine and became a member of the DDW community – I’m so grateful for that.
What’s been your highlight of being with Don’t Die Wondering so far?
I was so excited to join the DDW family and attend exciting events where I could get to know more about fashion, art and London. Unfortunately, when lockdown hit, everything got postponed – however, I’m still always super happy to have had the opportunity to work with DDW.
Not to mention the biggest opportunity so far, working with DDW as an investor on their new project. It’s a great opportunity for myself, my business and my family.
What’s your mantra in life/your life motto?
My mantra is love, love and love! Love is everything. If you love more, you’ll be a happier soul. Love is easy and it always wins.
You can follow Salam on Instagram here. Interview edited for brevity.