I have always been a tomboy. I grew up in a very free environment where we were free to run around and face our challenges on our own. Fortunately, I was in an environment that was then very safe for girls. There was no gender disparity in my family, we were all equal and the tasks were performed without any disparity. The primary focus of my parents was on balance between work and play every day. My dad pushed me towards public speaking which built my self-confidence. Also, my family was very conscious of our health. Exercise, nutrition, and supplements were a crucial part of our routine and still are. 

I think the key to balancing your work and personal life lies in time management. I have compartmentalized my day in a way that I work till dinner time and then it is family time till bedtime. I even have a slot for checking my emails, it helps me in staying focused on what I am doing at the moment and make the best from it. Also, staying open and honest with our kids is very important. I am a mother of two boys, and we talk about everything right from the environment to all general topics. There is no taboo topic in our family, they know what we are going through at any point in time and so do we. 

On the work front, I’m blessed to have a job that is very much aligned to my need to help others has been the core of my team’s initiatives and efforts. On a personal front, six years back, my friend and I founded a group called ‘100 Women Who Care’ where the members of the group contribute some amount every quarter and the money is used to help people or causes which really need it. We have raised over RM200, 000 in the last six years and helped many. I think helping others is the best way to help oneself. Any difficult situation or challenge can be faced when we have the confidence to solve the problem. That confidence can easily be earned by extending a helping hand to someone who needs it more than us. 

If I ever had a superpower for a day, I would provide every woman with courage and confidence. Each woman is a wonder woman; all she needs is little encouragement and confidence to pursue her dreams. If that can be done, the world would become a much better place. Challenges and setbacks are a part of life, if you have enough confidence in yourself there is hardly anything that cannot be achieved.

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