Myrna Trad: A Self-Empowering Journey
Can you talk about one woman who has significantly impacted your life? Do you have a role model?
Growing up, my biggest role model was my mother, who – at the time – was a struggling woman who worked day and night to provide for our financially struggling family and made sure that my sister and I led better lives.
After reaching a certain age, my inspiration shifted mainly to any strong woman who made it through in any aspect in life or in any professional field. Consequently, this made me reflect about myself and focus on becoming the person that I have always dreamt of being, disregarding society’s negative thoughts and actions, and pushing myself to recognize my potential and develop it.
How did you discover your passion for writing? And what inspired you to start authoring your newly launched book “After Midnight”?
As an author, I felt it’s my moral mission to reach out to the biggest audience to spread the message of the unjust mistreatment of women at the workplace – especially in the Middle East – and shedding the light on the issues that women are facing within our society.
What challenges did you face along the way?
Addressing such a controversial subject was the most challenging part, noting the negative consequences it could have brought upon my family and me. But, with their support, I was able to forget the consequences and regain the focus needed for me to fulfill my goal to help young women through sharing my story.
If you had the chance to give your younger self an advice, what would it be?
I wouldn’t dream of changing anything about myself. All of my past experiences made me the woman I am today.
How has your 8+ years of experience in Marketing complemented your new journey as an author?
Marketing is a mindset and it will help you reach any goal by finding the best exposure and plan your next move properly. My experience in Marketing definitely added a great value to my life and I will always be grateful for every lesson that I learned and will keep on pushing myself to learn something new every single day.
“After Midnight” sheds the light on a series of social and gender-based issues that are prevalent on a global level, amongst which are sexual abuse, harassment, and exploitation. A survivor yourself, what message would you give to any young lady out there struggling to make it through on her own?
I have only one message: Never be afraid of standing up for yourself. You are not alone! Personally, I struggled for years, until I had a choice to make: either be stuck in the past and be depressed my entire life, or move on and be happy. I chose happiness, and so should you.
In addition to addressing such topics and talking about them, what other steps and initiatives do you believe should be taken to raise more awareness and create safe spaces for young ladies and/or women?
Seminars, lectures, awareness campaigns, etc. are a must for everyone, especially the younger generation.
How has the current pandemic affected your day-to-day life, personally and professionally?
Due to covid19 my days, I am mainly focusing on taking advantage of my time in writing new books and trying to have a positive and real social media platform that would help my followers see the light in these dark times. That really led me to a very personal relationship that is based on trust with many of them. And most importantly, I am taking advantage of this situation through spending time as much as I can with my family.
Growing up, in what ways have the experiences that led you to write this book affected your journey on both personal and professional levels?
From the financial struggles of my family to working as a teenager and all the nightmares that I had to live led me to writing my book and sharing my story, and I keep on pushing myself with my upcoming projects and fight every single day to reach my goals.
Since men are also part of the equation and can very well be victims of all kinds of abuse themselves, in your opinion, what initiatives can or should be taken to raise the awareness of men over the dangers and the lifelong impact of harassment and exploitation?
Through my book, I am mainly addressing the issue of mistreating workers, and my experience as a woman is different from what they might have encountered but at the same time it will help them realize that they need to speak up for the injustice they are living in and therefore push themselves to reach their higher goals in the future.
Where is “After Midnight” available for purchase? Who are you looking to reach out to in particular?
My book is available for purchase on my website: www.myrnatrad.com
The main audience that I am reaching out to are young women who are struggling like myself, and the older generation that had struggled and suffered in silence. Hopefully, my voice would give them the power to get back on their feet, stand tall, and reach for the stars.
“After Midnight” is beautifully written in the Arabic language in a time where Arabic books are published and read in lesser quantities, is there any specific reason why you chose your mother language to put your feelings into words?
The Arabic language can help you express yourself in a far deeper level due to the richness of its vocabulary, and since my main target for this book is the young women in the Arab region, addressing it in Arabic will definitely have a bigger impact, given the fact that all the mistreatment that I encountered is – to this day – a taboo in our societies.
What is your motto?
Don’t be afraid to live up to your dreams and focus only on your goals! The ones who love you will always have your back; and while the toxic people will try to disrupt your plans, they will never succeed as long as you trust yourself.
What’s next for Myrna Trad?
I am currently working on two separate projects. The first is finalizing my second book that will be mainly addressing different subjects related to women’s rights. After that, I am planning on opening an animal shelter. I will be spreading the message through organizing seminars after we – hopefully – overcome the pandemic.
The second one is a more business-oriented project that I am currently establishing, which is an organic and cruelty-free skin care brand inspired by natural beauty, using tropical resources extracted from tropical environments like Thailand and Indonesia.
To know more about Myrna, visit this link.
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