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 Ola Abbas. Ola is a real estate agent in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Originally from Syria, she is a mechanical engineer, and her hobbies include cycling, jogging, and enjoying Dubai. Ola, how are you today? Hi, everyone. Hi, Aziz. I'm good. How are you? I feel positive, blessed, very, very happy, and looking forward to know much more about you. I think it's going to be great because you are the first Syrian woman in this podcast, so it's a great thing. And I will begin with the first question, which is if your friends could describe your personality, what would they say about you? Yeah, thank you very much. That's a great question. You know, I think if my friends were to describe my personality, they'd probably say I'm a bit mixed up. I've got the adventurous side, and that's always up for trying new things and exploring new places. I love the joy of discovering the unknown. But at the same time, I think they also said I'm responsible and caring friends. I follow the connections and make an effort to be there for the people I care about. You know, the kind of friend who's always with the other singer and comforting cube of tea, I'd like to think they say I'm pretty positive too, always looking for the silver lining in any solution. Life too short, when I'm negative, right? I try to bring a bit of sunshine whenever I go. Thank you so much, Ola. And to know a bit more, because you spoke about being friendly, being adventurous, and I can understand that is your personality, often with family and with friends. When you are a hardworking woman in the real estate field, is your personality different that you need to be successful? Or are you using the same traits of personality that make you a good friend so that you become a successful real estate agent? No, actually, I should be more professional in my work. But with my colleagues and friends in the company, I'm same funny person all the time, actually. And we have a very good moment, funny moment. It makes us love the work more. Thank you so much for sharing that. And I know that you're originally from Syria and you live in Dubai. How was your experience of adapting to a new place, new culture, new weather, new people? How was that? Because did you have a little bit of culture shock? Did you, in the beginning, miss your home so much before you adapted? Or what did you do so that you feel it's a new home? Yeah, it's such an incredible journey for me. It's like opening a door for a whole new world of neighbors and traditions. You know, here in Dubai, there's a lot of different people, different cultures, different languages. So it's very hard to live here with this beautiful mix, you know? But I will not sugarcoat it. There were definitely some challenging moments moving to a new city, new language, understanding local costumes. But these challenges turn into some of the most valuable lessons. Living in a new place has this magical way of expanding your horizons. You start to see the world from a different way. And that's such a gift. It's not just about the adapting to the local way of life. It's about embracing it and make it a part of your own story. And of course, homesickness might keep you from time to time, missing the familiar faces and comfort of routines. But it's all a part of the adventure. It's a journey that keeps unfolding. And I won't trade for anything. Thank you. And that reminds me that a part of you loves adventure. So the journey and the adventure is important for you. And I know that you are in real estate. And real estate is one of the most difficult fields ever, where you need to face rejection. Sometimes a deal is almost closed, but then it doesn't happen. And you're thinking about all the money that you lost and all that. But for you in general, what keeps you motivated when you are going out of your comfort zone to deal with challenges that maybe give some anxiety? And what is your advice for other women who maybe worry about going into those risky or more anxious situations? OK, about the deal is not closing. OK, we are sad for the money, but we learn a new lesson every day. And about the motivations, for me, it comes from focusing on the bigger picture and breaking down the challenges into smaller. And this only makes the task at handless and overwhelming, but also allows for achievement with each step forward. And every setback was an opportunity to learn and grow, not a reason to give up. And my advice to other women facing similar challenges, to believe in your abilities, your skills and knowledge. And you should surround yourself with their support system, friends, mentors, colleagues who uplift you. And stepping outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens. It's where you discover your true patience and the honest opportunities you may never have imagined. I agree 100%. That is a great, great attitude. Thank you for that. Hola. And you live in Dubai. As well as you use Instagram and social media in Dubai, there are many women who are very beautiful in social media. There are many Photoshop women and artificial intelligence. So there are many women and younger generation girls who grew up comparing themselves to other women. And they think, oh, I don't look like them. Or they think, I wish I could be similar to them. And they don't feel beautiful. And they feel sad. And because they compare themselves to those women and girls, did you deal with this? And how did you overcome it? What's your advice to any woman who does not see her unique beauty? Because she looks at some other women and think, wow, she looks different to me in a way that she wishes to be similar to her. Yeah, I like overcoming to compare myself to the seeming perfect lives and images of beautiful women on social media has been an athletic, exhausting journey. It's important to remind that what we see online is often filtered. And it's not a complete picture of someone's life. I had to remind myself that social media is a highlight to you and not the whole story. Now, finding my own unique beauty, it's about understanding that beauty isn't one size fits all. It's diverse and deeply personal. For me, covering my unique beauty has been a process of self-discovery and self-love. It's about recognizing and celebrating the things that make me, will me. And now, as advice to other wonderful women, let me just find social media. If you find the effecting yourself, the team, they might remember you're seeing a permitted version of reality, not the whole story. What makes you different is makes you beautiful. Thank you so much, Ola, for this. And I'm curious, you said when you moved to Dubai, it was a lot of people from different nationalities, different languages, different everything. Well, in this space, when you moved, it's important to make new friends. It's important to connect with people who you feel comfortable with. And at the same time, there is a kind of danger. Maybe there are some girls who grew up and they have friends since they are childhood, or maybe they're often with their family. If they move, what is your advice for them so that they know who are the right friends to have, how to connect with the right people, and who are the wrong people and the wrong friends so that they don't make mistakes when choosing the new companions in a new city or new life? Yeah, it's a very important thing. When it's come to finding the right friends in a new place, my advice is to be open. Put yourself out there, attend local events, join clubs or classes that align with your interests. Don't be afraid to stick up conversations. Look for communities that align with your values and interests, whether it's a book club, fitness group, like a volunteer organization. Shared passions are fantastic foundation for building the communication. How about good friends for me? I have all the friends who are real, who don't put a fake mask and with whom I can be my true self. A good friend is someone you can trust knowing that your thoughts and feelings are safe with them. Supportive friends who celebrate your successes and they stand by you during challenges and offer a listing without judgment. Don't touch the process building a good communication connection outside the game. Don't touch the process building a good connection next time. Be patient, be yourself. Quality relationships are worth the wait. 100% and thank you so much for sharing that. And since you said you are adventurous, usually women who are adventurous have big dreams and big goals and all that. So for you, what are your plans for the future? Do you have some dreams that you are working to create? Or is it for you more that you want a peaceful life and that's what you want to do? Can you share a bit more about how you see your future in a way that makes you very happy? Yeah, sure. I have my set goals, of course, whether they be in my career or a personal development or other sets in my life. First of all, continuous learning, growth and hopefully making a positive impact in the areas that matter to me. But it has this way of throwing unsteady opportunities and challenges our way. So I've learned to be adaptable and take the new opportunity that may not have been part of the original plan. I'm a big believer in gratitude. It takes time each day to appreciate the positives. No matter how small it is, it's like a very important in my view. I'm surrounding myself with a supportive network, whether it's friends or family, having people who believe in my abilities and share my success and challenges and keeps me grounded and motivated. And of course, self-care plays an important role, taking breaks, practicing hobbies and make sure that get a good physical and mental rest. Thank you so much, Ola. That was really, really cool. And just to finish this, do you have any advice or anything that you try to remember that you think if other women will hear, they will be happier, they will have a better life, anything that you can share so that women can be more empowered and feel more positive and adventurous in this world? It's not the questions we finish them, but I think this can add some insight. Just any advice you can give to other women and then we finish. I want to say to every woman now, be yourself and be strong. You will have a lot of challenges with a lot of people who think you cannot do that and they can do it better than you. Don't believe them. Do your work very good. You're very strong. You can do it, of course, better than anyone. Don't give up. And I hope you all have your own type of journey. I had a feeling with dreams, goals and flexibility to face whatever comes your ways. And take care and keep dreaming big. One hundred percent. Again, thank you all so much. It was my privilege and my honor to interview you, to include you in this podcast. I wish you all the success. I wish you a happy life and thank you for sharing your thoughts and keep going. Thank you very much, Aziz. Thank you.
