How to be present and productive with your time.

First, 100% experiment in your early 20’s. Your early 20’s should be trialing as much as possible. Whether that is taking a year off from school, challenging yourself to try a new hobby, or even dropping everything to move to a different place in the world. Your early 20’s are a period of discovery a period where you can set yourself up for the life you truly want. To do that you need to try as many things as possible to see what you do and don’t want — and remember: finding out what you DON’T want is just as significant as finding out what you DO want.

A lot of people fear moving around and taking time off of work and school due to what they refer to as “security” and most commonly “job security”. I don’t believe in job security. This is something you create. Who are you to say your job won’t be disrupted by bankruptcy, a market fall, or even a pandemic? I believe that making an active decision to build yourself, being secure in yourself, and taking an unusual route to building your credibility outside of the norm is much more impressive to employers in your future! I would not have made this realization if I was not tested. When COVID-19 hit the world, some would say that I too lost this security, I graduated university, lost my contract internship at the biggest law firm in the world, and moved back home. Contrary to security, I felt immense discomfort. And let me tell you, it was beautiful. In the period of 10 months, I signed to a new modeling agency, got a new job, working from home, moved somewhere I had never been before and met some of the most inspiring people I have come to know(online).

if you experiment with 5 different lives from say 18-25… you will definitely pick up unique, weird, and memorable experiences that you can then use to market yourself and become the best version of yourself. Employers will see this too. Most people taking the traditional realm will not acquire these challenges and moments of self-realization. Once you are in a job, you can climb that ladder then, don’t worry about it now. I can confidently say that my Linkedin is indeed poppin’ and my ability to obtain a job is higher now than ever. It’s just a matter of where I wanna go. Because I CHOOSE, I am the driver here. No one else.

if you are going down the traditional path — you are not wrong, as long as you are content. Just know that there is a whole world out there: painting, music, culture, art. These discoveries can open up your brain in such amazing in unique ways. This is why I highly encourage a year off after high school, during university, or after your undergraduate degree.

Looking back now, I find it bizarre that straight out of high school, I was apparently meant to find what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, yet I did.

“I will get into UBC” - which I did

“I will major in Sociology” - which I did

“I will get into a top law school” and then “I will graduate as soon as possible so that I can start my life”

I said all of this without stopping to think or ponder the rest of my life because I thought, once I did, I will then be, successful. But no one ever tells you what it feels like when you get to the end and feel empty. This emptiness comes from what I believe to be, lack of self-discovery, and needs. You fall into this trap that society puts you in and you forget to live your truth. Whether your truth is traveling the world or listening to a new song, you get so caught up in this nonessential traditional path, that you forget what makes you and will make you truly, happy.

It doesn’t get more simplistic than Aesop’s take on traveling, the ancient Greek storyteller. This classic travel quote continues to inspire me. Traveling on a constant search for things that will make us feel whole sums up the desire to keep learning through experiences… I am privileged to say that I have and will continue to travel this earth humbly.

SO back to high school, how are you to make a decision after such a strenuous amount of time doing something that is just so heavy and repetitive? And high school truly is that… you are learning how to be human and how to fall into society, and to be frank, it is grueling and uncomfortable and exhausting.

Having a year off would have given me clarity

The question of — and now what? —

There was no set path,

I trialed, law, digital marketing, politics, content creation, modeling, acting - and I am still on this weird wild journey that does not make sense. It is still shifting and shaping and my role in society is undecided - I am so grateful for this experiment so that I could land on something that I really resonate with and for now that is modeling, content creation, social advocacy, diversity, and inclusion. I want society to inspire and create while discovering what makes my heart full. The little messages I get every day make my heart beat with joy and fulfillment. I never want this feeling to end. What will come of this? I don’t know. And I don’t care, because I am twenty. Twenty is easy, stop making it so hard…

Hang on to your uniqueness - your weirdness, be a kid, be unusual and be inexplicably you!! workout who you are and f****ing love yourself. You are not going to live an amazing life if you continue to change in society. Humans are beautiful but we forget who we are when we allow society to push us into these tight and boring boxes that strip us of our weirdness and uniqueness. They make us boring. Stick to your guns, sit with a different opinion, don’t be afraid to be judged. Just simply, live. Override society. We have one lifetime to make this amazing, weird, wild, right. Don’t get caught up in being safe. Sing loudly, dance freely, eat your Lil’ heart out. I have learned first hand what restriction can do. Trust me don’t go there…

BE AN OUTCAST IF YOU MAY. YOUR INDIVIDUALITY IS ESSENTIAL.

Travel and figure out how to make money online.

2020 made me realize that travel is far more affordable than people make it out to be- It is actually much more expensive to live in one spot. Especially when you are a 20-year-old with zero attachments. There are many places around the world where you can volunteer and receive compensation and/or have food and accommodation covered. If you have the ability to travel…DO IT. Take a f***ing year off, go. Do it. Find a place in the world, that is different, may scare you a little bit and research, find a job, find a volunteer opportunity, live your spirit. Go on an exchange if you can afford it. It has been incredibly beneficial for me that my parents say “do whatever you want”… I know that doesn’t happen for most but I am entirely grateful and lucky. However, if this is not your situation, it does not mean that you cannot do it. It just means it will be more difficult for you. However, this is your life. If you have a vision for your life, live it. Don’t hold on to regrets. do what is best for you. The world is vast, it is naive to not explore the wonders, the terrors, and the reality that it has to offer.

At the beginning of 2020, I felt that all this time being alone cooped up at home all day was such a waste of my 20’s, especially since I had just moved back into my parent’s house and out of my sorority house. This year, I’ve chosen to inhabit a fresh mindset — to be grateful for what I have and live life to the fullest no matter the circumstance, and I hope that I can share some resolutions that can help you and I do just that.

1. Invest in stocks, mutual funds & my future self.

2. Exercise and move my body regularly for mental clarity.

3. Create valuable content that will inspire others.

4. Read at least 1 book a month or take a course.

5. Manifest future travels and not let money stop me.

6. Documenting my realizations and appreciating all the big/little things I get to experience in my day to day life.

7. Aspire to inspire women to love themselves.

8. Make online connections that are meaningful and lasting.

9. Be more creative with my visions whether it is in the modeling industry or my personal work.

10. Push for diversity and inclusion in my work and day to day life.

2020 was chaotic, to say the least, but let’s make a choice now to make the most of the time we’re given. Whether you are twenty during a pandemic or twenty during the great depression. You are only twenty once. Be patient, be safe, practice social distancing, practice self-love. Find the things that make your heart set on fire and don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember to have fun and enjoy the little things! You only live once.

xoxo,

Imran