Episode Transcript
Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorced mother. She is really my superhero. That's why it's important for me to support women to share their uniqueness, their personalities, perspectives, and emotions about life. Too many women in this world feel alone. They worry about the judgment of others and they struggle with their mental health. But when they listen to the Rare Girls podcast where empowered women share their voices and tell their stories, many women will feel inspired to live a life of freedom and to overcome all insecurities. They will feel it is a safe space to find their confidence, to remember their unique beauty and to feel their self-worth. And they will connect with the sisterhood of Rare Girls who encourage their success and support their dreams. That's what this podcast is all about. My guest today is Sarah Ghanim. Sarah is originally from Palestine, moved around a lot from Canada to Jordan. And now she is living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Sarah is studying fashion marketing in Harriet Watt University. She is personally in love with outdoor activities, including kayaking, swimming, hiking, and jet skiing. Sarah, how are you today? Hi, how's it going? I'm good. How are you? I feel blessed, super positive, very curious to know a lot more about you. And I'll begin with this question because you have traveled and lived in so many places. How was your adaptation to so many cultures, to so many weathers, to so many situations and people throughout your life so far? Well, when I first moved to Dubai, I got a bit of culture shock. With all honesty, I felt welcomed with open arms, but there were many differences. I moved here from Jordan, where there are a lot of people telling me that I cannot do it. I will not be able to do it. I will not succeed. But ever since moving here, I feel as though I can reach my full potential and as though I can be myself. I met so many wonderful people and have gotten so many opportunities to further myself. Like being on this podcast, it sounded like such an amazing opportunity. I instantly told my number one supporter, my mom. But I feel as if, though you can truly be yourself in a different setting, you'll be able to do whatever you want. Reach for the moon, as they say, and you will succeed. Thank you. I noticed that you said when you were in Jordan, there were so many people that told you, "Oh, you cannot do it. It's not for you. You will not succeed." And now you're proving that it's possible. What motivates you in order for you to do that, what you believe in, or to follow your dreams when there are so many girls that might feel demotivated if other people tell them exactly that? Well... Don't worry, you seem confused. Do you want me to explain anything? It's just that what is your reason why you're able to... Because most people, or many girls who will be your age, would feel that if many people told them, "No, it's not possible, it's not possible," they will give up. Honestly, I feel like it was more because I entered a different setting with different people. Because in Jordan, all of my confidence and me thinking I could do this, it all went away. Because that was being whispered in my ear all the time. But ever since moving here, I've met so many wonderful people, and those people helped me become this person. Thank you. That's very, very important, and it shows the power of people. And so, well, you are already outside your comfort zone. How do you motivate yourself in dealing with the anxiety of being outside your comfort zone? And is there any advice to other girls and women so that they can do it? And even before you met those people, maybe it was uncomfortable at first, so that they go through that process? Well, I feel like all you really have to do is push yourself into the position that you want to be. Because if you do not try new things, then what are you doing? You're just staying in your comfort zone. You won't move out of your comfort zone. You won't go further in life. You have to keep on pushing yourself into what you want to do and have new experiences. Thank you. And you who is in the fashion field, in the fashion domain, there are many girls there who may be models, or they look great, or they have an exceptional sense of fashion. We live in a time where there are many girls and women who, even if they're not involved in fashion through Instagram and other places, they're comparing themselves to other women and they feel ugly. They don't feel beautiful. So how do you find or did you work on finding your own confidence, your own unique beauty? And again, what can you share with other women related to this? Well, we all find ourselves comparing ourselves to others, but that's the blank truth. But we all are different in beautiful ways. Whenever I see a beautiful woman, yes, I may compare us in the back of my head, but in the end, I am me and she is she. I cannot change myself and neither can you. The best thing we can do is to find our inner beauty. There were so many times where I saw other women on social media and found myself comparing myself to them, thinking that I must change myself to reach those goals, that I need to change myself to look like her. I need to change my hair, my face, my body. I would look in the mirror for hours thinking of how I could look like them. But soon I realized that actively trying to change the way you look for other people's eyes is toxic. When and only when you become a confident and beautiful woman inside is when you'll become that on the outside. You must also remember that beauty is subjective. I may be beautiful to you, but I also may be ugly to somebody else. The best thing you can do is not care what someone else may think and work towards what you want as a person. Thank you. That's very, very interesting. So, Sara, I'm curious, why did you choose fashion marketing as your field compared to any other field that you could have chosen? Was that part of your desire since being a little girl? Is it something that as a teenager you watched something on TV and it motivated you and put this idea onto your mind? Why exactly fashion marketing? And what caused you to start this path that you are embarking on? Well, as a kid, I remember with my Barbies, I would get a sock or some loose fabric and I would sew clothes for them. And I would always be drawing designs, like dress designs, clothes designs. This happened ever since I was a kid. So, as growing up, I found myself to indulge more into fashion. I realized how much I love this field. And when I decided that I wanted to move to Dubai, I was looking through universities and saw that fashion marketing is a thing. And my parents always wanted me to go into business. I wanted fashion, so I just mixed them together and fashion marketing. That's a great compromise and a very interesting thing. Well, that's why I want to ask another thing. There are many, many girls who could be trapped within the expectations of their society or parents who tell them you have to go become a lawyer or a doctor or a businesswoman when in reality she wants to be an artist or a dancer or any other thing that she has as a dream. What is your advice to those women so that they don't feel they're disappointing their parents, but still they don't sacrifice their lives and live someone else's plan? Well, there are a lot of different ways you can go into that field without measuring in it. I personally know many people who have studied law or business or whatever their parents wanted. And once they started working, they work in a completely different field. For example, my brother, he studied accounting and now he works in computer science. You don't necessarily need to work in what you study. You can always have a hobby on the side or after university, after whatever you're studying, you can always work yourself towards becoming a fashion designer, interior designer, anything you want. Thank you. That's very, very interesting. And you mentioned as well something important that when you were in Jordan, you felt somewhat demotivated because there were people telling you demotivating things, things that did not encourage your success. And when you moved to Dubai, you began meeting great people and your attitude changed, the emotions that you feel changed. Well, my question is, there are some girls who might be going to new countries, new places, and they are not used to making new friends because they have friends since childhood or since whatever. Well, what is the strategy you recommend for them to make new friends? And how would they know who should be the right people to be part of their lives and who should not be in their circle? Well, I believe that we as humanity are scared to be alone. You always hear people saying that I do not want to die alone, but that thought process is what sticks people with bad friends and bad relationships. The first thing most of us might think of when entering a new sitting is, I need to find friends. So we end up with people who aren't really for us, who don't see the world the same as us. I have been in many friendships, which ended terribly due to us having different views and extremely different personalities. So I believe that we must find our people, people who would want you around, people who you want around. Choose your friends wisely, or you may be chosen as a friend to someone who may not respect you. You have to be stronger mentally and be okay with being alone, because we are born alone and we will eventually die alone. All that matters is the friends that we made on the way. If those people do not bring you joy or make you feel safe, then they are not needed in your life. Thank you very much for sharing that. That was very, very interesting. And thank you for sharing your thoughts, your perspective, opening your soul and your truth to share it with other girls and with other people. And my question for you now is, what are your thoughts about the current world's women in power and high ranks of society? How do they motivate and inspire you as a woman? And what is your read of the whole situation related to women getting to more and more success in this world? Women in power and high ranks of society serve as a powerful role model, showcasing that gender should not limit one's aspirations. Their accomplishments motivate and inspire women by challenging stereotypes and demonstrating that leadership knows no gender boundaries. Seeing successful women in various fields encourages others to pursue their goals of confidence, fostering a sense of empowerment and possibility. Also, their achievements contribute to the ongoing movement towards gender equality, paving the way for more inclusive and diverse leadership in the future. Every time I find myself not being able to do it, not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, I remember these women. And I imagine how much harder they must have worked to achieve their goals, how many times they did not want to get out of bed and do what they had to do. These women inspire me to work harder. These two quotes make me want to get up in the morning. I am woman, I am strong. And unsurprisingly, if we do want to make it in this world, we must work as hard as we can. We must strive for perfection and not miss a day. Every day we miss out of laziness is a day that is lost on our goals. And we only have so much time in this world to lose anything. I agree with you 100%. Time can be our best ally and the thing we use to build our dreams, or it can be the worst enemy slipping away like sand within our hands. And that's absolutely devastating and heartbreaking. And since you are ambitious, working towards big goals and big dreams, I'm curious to know more about that. What are your future plans? What are you working on? Where do you want to take things in the coming years? Well, my dream is to explore every corner of this amazing world. To make that happen, I'm all about laying down a solid foundation for myself. It's not just about the places. It's about evolving into the person I aspire to be along the way. Staying optimistic is key, and for me is a daily choice. I surround myself with positivity, whether it's through inspiring stories or simply appreciating the beauty in everyday moments. Every day when I get up in the morning, I go for a walk and try to get myself lost, just admiring the beauty of nature. Because I believe once you surround yourself with what you want, you will start wanting it more and therefore working harder towards that goal. There's this quote I live by. "Your vibe attracts your tribe." So I make sure that my vibe radiates optimism, resilience, and a belief that anything is possible. Because I believe that no matter how hard and how far away your goal might seem, deep down, you know anything you put your mind to is truly achievable. That's very, very inspiring. And to conclude this interview, I'm curious, is there anything additional that you want to share with the world? Any insights that you have or lessons or advice that other girls and women will benefit from remembering and thinking about? Yes. I just want to say to all the women out there that we all may have doubts in ourselves and our limits, but we as a gender, we're made to push through every difficulty, through every hardship, whether that be in our minds or in our lives. So many women are able to have it all. I have seen CEOs with no children as happy as a mother with nothing to eat. My anxiety has always been with me, but whenever it tells me that I cannot do something, I shut it out. I go for a walk, listen to music, study, workout, draw, write, anything to keep myself busy, to keep my mind busy. Don't ever think you cannot do something because you can. I love that very, very, very much. Thank you so much, Sara. It was my privilege and my honor to have you here, to share your thoughts, perspective, voice, and more about you. I encourage all of your success. I support your dreams and big goals, and I know that you will make it, and you will be one of those women who are inspiring the next generation, and they will think about you and think that you are the role model that they have been looking for. Thank you again for participating. Thank you so much. It's such a pleasure to have been invited. I really appreciate it. Thank you.
