SPL: Design Your Dream Life

💬 The Intentional Drop: From me to you

Over the last five years, I’ve gained something I never had before: confidence rooted in action.

I’ve always been a dreamer. A Pinterest-board-maker lost in a million daydreams. But it wasn’t until I actually started doing—posting the thing, pitching myself, taking big bets—that I realized how powerful life feels when you move with intention.

This newsletter is a space to empower you to do the same.

I want to help you build a life you’re proud of—not because you’re some hyper-disciplined girlboss, but because you chose to show up, even when it’s awkward, slow, or scary.

Sometimes I get pushback and people ask, “What makes you so special?”
And honestly, I’m not. I’m just a regular 27-year-old Muslim brown girl trying her best. But I know that if I can carve out a life I genuinely love, so can you.

And if no one’s told you this lately: you’re allowed to be bold. You’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to want more.

🤍 Current Mood Board 🤍

💻 Strategic Scroll: The best things I found online that will move you forward.

• If you don't know who Zaria Parvez is you're missing out. She’s the genius behind the mega-viral Duolingo owl and one of the funniest people on the internet. But recently, she did something even more powerful: she shared a LinkedIn post about her decision to start wearing the hijab. It made me realize I don’t have to keep my culture and career in separate boxes. Her vulnerability gave me permission to show up more fully — faith, identity, and all — even in spaces that weren’t built with us in mind.
• I’ve been thinking a lot about collaboration over competition, and over the past few years, I’ve made a conscious effort to surround myself with friends who are doing amazing things. These are the people who inspire me to level up, who I learn from constantly, and who I genuinely love celebrating. Ascia Sahar's Tiktok post on unlocking the secret to healthy friendships with brown girls is a perfect starting point for anyone trying to build those kinds of intentional, affirming relationships.
• I spent an hour on Sunday cleaning while listening to the Aspire with Emma Grede's podcast and this episode on 10 Principles That Can Change Your Life is so so good. Emma dives into everything from healing childhood wounds, to taking radical accountability, to the idea that yes, you can have it all — just not all at once. It’s a 45-minute listen that had me fully tuned in from start to finish.

💌 From the Clubhouse: What the girlies are saying

“As a corporate hijabi I love talking about Islam and my culture at work, it truly makes me feel powerful! My diversity is my strength and I’ve noticed that I do receive privilege because of the confidence.”
– Ashqmaha on Tiktok

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