Muslim Women in STEM

You’ll spend over 90,000 hours of your life at work.

That’s one-third of your lifetime.

So if your job feels like it’s slowly draining the life out of you, if it takes everything you’ve got and gives nothing back, it’s time to pause and reflect.

Even the best jobs have tough days.

But if every day feels heavy, unfulfilling, or meaningless, that’s a sign something deeper needs to change.

👉🏽Maybe it’s finding a new role in a healthier environment.

👉🏽 Maybe it’s transforming how you show up in your current job.

👉🏽 Or maybe it’s taking a temporary pay cut for long-term peace and purpose.

Because your work shapes your life. And settling for less than what lights you up is never the answer.

If your life is constantly at the mercy of others, your boss, your parents, your friends, then your direction will always be determined by them too.

Nothing changes until you own everything.

So, stop blaming. Start believing.

You owe it to yourself to take that leap of faith, to choose courage over comfort, and to believe that you can create the career (and life) you actually want.

If you agree, then let me know what’s stopping you from creating it?

Things not working right now is not a signal to lower your standards.

It’s a signal to review and improve your strategy.

The market is hard. Yes.

The industry is shifting. Yes.

Doors have closed. Yes.

And none of that changes what you are worth.

Your worth is not determined by who hasn’t recognised it yet.

Know it. Name it. Negotiate from it.

Walk away from what disrespects it.

And keep walking until you find what matches it

Demand the best! Accept nothing less. 👊

#ᴋɴᴏᴡʏᴏᴜʀᴡᴏʀᴛʜ

Looking back, 2025 was one of the most impactful years of my life.

Professionally, it was a year anchored in purpose, growth, and deep gratitude.

I had the privilege of helping strengthen and enhancing cyber resilience, and contributing to systems that protect people and businesses.

Being recognized with the She Leads Tech and Beyond Award was both humbling and affirming, a reminder that impact-driven leadership truly matters.

I was invited to leading podcasts, engaged in global conversations around cybersecurity and leadership, and grew a LinkedIn community grounded in learning and authenticity.

One of the most fulfilling milestones was coaching 50+ professional offering guidance, clarity, and support as they navigated pivotal moments in their careers.

Giving back to the community has reinforced my belief that true success is measured by the people you help rise.

If I had to define 2025 in one word, it would be people.

People over positions.
Growth over comfort.
Impact over noise.

As I step into 2026, I do so with intention and clarity.

Professionally, my focus is on deepening my impact in cybersecurity and governance, mentoring and coaching more professionals globally.

Personally, 2026 is about sustainable health, presence, and balance, strengthening my body, protecting my energy, nurturing faith and family, and continuing to grow with purpose rather than pressure.

I enter this next chapter hopeful, grounded, and ready to build more, serve more, and inspire with integrity.

What intention are you carrying into 2026?

15 Workplace Truths No One Tells You

Behind the polished job titles and perfect LinkedIn bios are some hard workplace truths we all eventually face 👇

1. It’s not just how hard you work, but who notices and how you position yourself.

2. Your manager can make or break your experience.

3. Saying “yes” to everything burns you out not builds your brand.

4. You can outgrow a job long before your notice period.

5. Being liked ≠ being respected.

6. A toxic workplace will drain you faster than a heavy workload ever will.

7. Loyalty isn’t always rewarded. Be loyal to your growth first.

8. Imposter syndrome hits the best of us. You’re not alone.

9. Titles are temporary. Skills and reputation last.

10. People remember how you made them feel more than what you did.

11. You define your worth not your job description.

12. Your job won’t love you back. Take your PTO.

13. Networking isn’t optional. It’s your career safety net.

14. You don’t get paid what you’re worth you get paid what you negotiate.

15. Your career is your responsibility no one else can build it for you.

Any other truths you would like to add?

How do you combat the tendency to be a people pleaser, and become a better leader at work?

Here are three suggestions.

👥 Prioritize those whom you want to please.

If you can't please everyone, whom should you focus on pleasing?

It depends.

The answer depends on circumstances such as what stage of your Career you are in, your role at the company, and your short-term and long-term career goals.

For example, you could make a career move that might get you noticed by your superiors or senior management but might land you on the wrong foot with your colleagues. So, weigh the pros and cons before taking a decision.

When deciding whom to prioritize, consider the following groups of people:

👉🏽 Your Clients
👉🏽 Your Superiors
👉🏽 Your Colleagues
👉🏽 You and Your family

📈Pursue progress. Not perfection.

It’s easy to get stuck with the daily issues and politics at work.

But then you need to stay focused on your career goal and remember that the goal isn't perfection.

The goal is to move things forward, and to learn from the mistakes you make along the way.

Remember it's the incremental decisions that lead to progress so keep going.

🔍See the big picture.

If you want to get ahead in your career, be prepared to receive feedback that you don't want to hear.

At times, it’s essential that we listen to the inner critic or mentor or coach so that we do what we haven't done before and step outside of our comfort zone.

And if your tendency is still to try and please everyone, ask yourself this question:

If my career fails, or if I am unhappy then, who will be happy?

And you will immediately know how your decision will impact you and others around you.

Most often for any decision we will have at least two good options available with which to move forward.

Both options will have pros and cons, and both will have their share of supporters, hence your job is to keep moving forward and not to please everyone.