Meet Ardavan Javid

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ardavan Javid. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Ardavan, thank you so much for joining us and opening up about the very personal topic of divorce. So many in the community are going through or have gone through divorce and we think hearing about how others dealt with the aftermath and managed to build a vibrant, successful life and career despite the trauma of divorce can be helpful to many who might be feeling a degree of hopelessness. So, maybe you can talk to us about how you overcame divorce?

We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it.

I remember the gut-wrenching feeling reverberating through my body as my ex-wife of ten years asked for a divorce back in late 2021. As she was telling me about her decision, dozens of emotions, thoughts, and possible knee-jerk reactions flooded my mind.

I could have chosen to go on the offensive and spent the rest of my life being bitter, angry, and vindictive towards my once-best friend. I could have chosen to put my disappointment, shock, and grief ahead of my kids’ happiness, peace, and sense of normalcy. I could have chosen to carry over the generational trauma that my parents handed me when they divorced, and passed it along to my kids. Or I could have chosen to take on the identity of the “discarded” and played the bitter victim role in all my future relationships.

But instead of choosing to sink or swim, I chose to SOAR.

I soared into a new heightened state of awareness, and decided to step up my life in every way imaginable. I sought therapy and relationship advice. I dove into self growth podcasts, books, and seminars. I started listening to Tony Robbins, Matthew Hussey, Mel Robbins, Jay Shetty, David Goggins, and dozens of others. I created a new mindset, a new identity, and a new perspective towards life. A life with the premiss that everything happens FOR you, not TO you.

I mustered up the courage to look at myself in the mirror and understand where my anxious attachment and abandonment issues came from. I squashed the temptation to numb myself with old toxic friends, meaningless relationships, video games, or bar-hopping. I muted the noise of well-intentioned (but fear-based) family members who thought they’re giving me the right kind of advice.

Instead, I chose to be the best co-parent and ex-husband. I chose to be the best dad on the planet. I chose to mute the occasional negative thoughts, and replace them with positive ones. I chose to go left, when everyone else wanted me to go right. I chose to go high, when everyone else wanted me to go low.

I chose. I chose. I chose. I didn’t react, despite how I had been programmed. Because divorce isn’t an end. For me it was the beginning of a new life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My twin brother Kevin and I have been running our small creative agency in Orange County called Graphicwise for the past 20 years.

We’ve helped hundreds of businesses, non-profits, and celebrities establish their brands, websites, consumer packaging, and digital marketing roadmaps. We were even featured on CNBC’s “The Profit” with Marcus Lemonis – as experts in marketing and design!

While the design and marketing journey has been exceptional, I believe a lot of us are here to serve multiple life purposes. With the amazing personal growth journey I embarked on since my divorce, I felt it’s time to start a new chapter and help others live a more fulfilled life.

So recently I co-created WHTAUL (White Owl) to provide therapy, coaching, and guidance for individuals and couples looking to shed limiting beliefs, traumas, toxic patterns, and up the quality of their lives and relationships. Look for my new website at www.whtaul.com – launching sometime in June 2024.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First, you have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror every few months and ask yourself if you are on the right path. If you are making decisions out of abundance, or out of fear. You have to be vulnerable and 100% honest with yourself, and listen to your soul’s voice.

Next, you have to know that in order to leapfrog and get to your goals faster, you have to hire a coach or a mentor. Someone who’s been there, done that,… and can hold you accountable. Otherwise you’ll spend years learning hard lessons that you could have potentially avoided.

Finally, you have to be open to change and pivot. The landscape of every industry changes, new products and services flood the market every couple of years, trends change, and your ideal customer evolves. You have to roll with the punches, otherwise you’ll break under the weight of your own stubbornness.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

There are so many books, podcasts, and speakers that have made an impact on my life, especially in the past couple of years. I couldn’t name just one… but here are a couple of nuggets that have helped me through challenges both personally and professionally.

“Every rejection is a redirection”. When something doesn’t work out, it’s God’s (or the universe’s) way of protecting you from a situation or path that isn’t aligned with your destiny, greater good, or your purpose. Once I understood this concept, I no longer thought of rejection as a self-worth issue or an opportunity lost.

“The longer you entertain what’s not for you, the longer you’ll postpone what is.” Whether it’s a project, a client, a career, or a relationship… if there is no reciprocity of love, interest, value, energy, or excitement then let it go. Once I was aware of this simple concept and walked away from situations and people that didn’t appreciate me, I began to attract situations and people that did.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whtaul.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhtaul
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whtaul