As I’m in my twenties, building, learning, trying, and hoping, the right questions can feel like anchors. The kind I come back to when things feel loud or uncertain. For so long, my questions were always: What’s next? What’s the next goal? The next version of myself? But lately, I’ve been trying to ask softer, deeper questions about who I am while I’m becoming.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Every day, I get up for the younger version of me - the one who imagined all of this long before it existed. She dreamed of a tiny downtown apartment, a lively city outside her window, and a little life she could build on her own terms. 

I literally had a physical vision board covered in photos of cozy apartments and urban life. At the time, I didn’t fully understand why I wanted it so deeply; I think I just craved a space that was truly my own, and I’ve always loved the energy of downtown: the tall buildings, the noise, the rhythm. It just lit me up! 

Now, I get to wake up inside that life she hoped for, next to my husband, with our kitten, in a home where I’m free to pursue whatever fills my cup. I get up because I’m grateful to be here, and because I don’t want to miss a second of this chapter.

What drives you?

What drives me is my roots. In 2005, my parents left everything they knew in Pakistan and rebuilt their lives in Canada so their children could have access to opportunities they never had. I feel an immense responsibility, and privilege, to honour that sacrifice. I want to work hard enough to give back even a fraction of what they’ve given me. 

For me, that looks like dedicating myself to both of my careers - corporate marketing and content creation - while also fully enjoying the life I’ve been given: exploring the mountains, nurturing relationships, and soaking up the moments that make life meaningful. 

I’m also driven by the desire to share my life online in a way that makes someone out there feel seen or less alone. If one person connects with something I create, that’s enough. Every time I receive a message from someone who relates to my content or found inspiration in it, it fuels me all over again.

Would you rather create or learn?

Creating comes more naturally to me. I love to make videos, moments, and memories. I create content, playlists, cups of coffee, the occasional meal, and sometimes art! I create to understand myself, to tell my stories, and to capture time before it slips away. 

This year, I would like to challenge myself this year to learn more as well - maybe a new language, more about the world of social media and marketing, and new techniques for content creation. 

Last great question you were asked

At Calgary Folk Fest, powered by ATB, someone asked me “What song reminds you of a beautiful memory?” I said Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and I have loved pondering that question still. 

I’ve always loved collecting songs that I can use to take me back to my favourite memories.  Whenever I make my very specific monthly playlists, it reminds me that nostalgia isn’t something we find later, it’s something we’re creating right now. 

Right now I’m blasting my moody Autumn playlist, knowing these songs will bring me right back to this exact season of my life whenever I hear them again.

A question I wish people asked more

A question I wish people asked more is “What does success look like to you right now?” 

At one point, I thought success meant a certain job after graduation or level of stability. But success evolves and nowadays success looks like being present inside the life I used to hope for while still holding space for the dreams I haven’t reached yet. Sometimes success to me is moving my body or just making someone laugh that day. 

What keeps you up at night?

What keeps me up at night is (sometimes fear) but on good days, it’s hope. The balance between wanting more and loving where I am. Sometimes I’m stuck in deep reflection and my thoughts are too loud to sleep. And sometimes it’s just one more episode of whatever show I'm obsessed with at the moment. 

I don’t have all the answers but I’m learning that life feels fuller when we slow down enough to ask the right questions. These are the questions I’m growing through.