Firdaus Rahim’s Post

Navigating the myriad of titles we hold in life can indeed be a whirlwind of identity. For me, child of God, wife, mother, aunt, sister, sister in-law, cousin, mentor, mentee, entrepreneur. team member to name a few! Each role comes with its own set of expectations and responsibilities. But who are we, really, beyond these labels? At the core, we are individuals with our own dreams, values, and purpose. We're a complex tapestry woven from experiences and relationships. As a mother or father, we provide love and guidance, shaping the future. As children, we learn and dream, growing into our potential. Siblings share our earliest memories, while aunts and uncles add a fun twist to family dynamics. Grandparents are the revered storytellers and wisdom givers. In the professional realm, whether you're a boss, co-worker, online marketer, waiter, engineer, or truck driver, you bring unique skills and perspectives to the table. Yet, it's essential to remember that we are more than our job titles and familial roles. We are creators of our narrative, champions of our journey, and curators of our legacy. Let's embrace the complexity of our identities and celebrate the richness it brings to our lives and careers. Who are you, really? Share your thoughts on how you balance the many hats you wear! #Identity #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #FamilyRoles #LinkedInCommunity

Dreams or Family? Last year, I was watching Interstellar, and there’s this one scene that really hit me. It’s when Cooper, who is on a mission in space, watches video messages from his daughter Murph after years of being apart. Cooper leaves his family behind on Earth, hoping to secure a better future for them. While his journey is filled with hope, it comes with the heavy cost of missing precious time with his loved ones. Sometimes, I feel like we all face a similar dilemma, especially those of us from small towns or villages. As a software engineer from a small village, I often wonder should I leave the comfort and warmth of home for better job opportunities in a metro city? Or should I stay with my family, enjoying the present moments, even if it means fewer career options? Moving to a big city can bring financial growth and professional success, but it also brings loneliness and the pain of being away from childhood friends langotiyaa yaar and loved ones. On the other hand, staying back means I get to live close to my roots, but sometimes it feels like I might be missing out on bigger opportunities. Just like in Interstellar, there's no easy answer. It's all about finding the right balance, where our dreams can grow, but our relationships also stay strong. How do you balance between pursuing your dreams and staying close to your loved ones? Would love to hear your thoughts. #CareerChoices #WorkLifeBalance #FamilyAndCareer #InterstellarMetaphor #SmallTownLife

Do you secretly dream about quitting your corporate job? If so, you’re not alone. More than 85% of Americans share that feeling with you. Because, Whether you like your job or not, there’s something inherently unnatural about the corporate world. The entire structure itself stifles the human spirit. Consider these three elements alone:  →following orders from a boss you disagree with.   →spending majority of your days indoors, never seeing the light of day. →forcing yourself to fit into a culture that goes against your values. Ugh, even writing this makes my stomach churn. Over time, these compromises chip away at your soul until you’re just an empty shell. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are much better options for you. There is a vocation that aligns with who you are. There is a purpose you’re meant to fulfill. Find it and the light in your eyes will burn bright again. I know this for a fact because I went through this process myself. I wrote about it in a post just last week and dozens of former colleagues reached out. They were inspired and wanted to know how I did it. I was happy to re-connect and share what I know. Here’s what I told them: →The journey is as exciting as the destination. →The magic is in the wonder in what you’ll uncover and discover. →This is the ONLY way I know, to live a life free from regret. →You will be blown away by who you become. →Community is key. →Your kids are watching you. Be their hero. It's been great reconnecting with everyone who has reached out. I love talking about this topic, so if you feel compelled to reach out, please do! I enjoy meeting new people. So, let’s connect. I’m just a DM away... ♻️ Please share this with anyone you think might need to hear this. 

April came this week and I logged onto my socials accounts only to find soo many of my friends, family, collegaues, and peers using the term “Quarter 1” to describe how their first 3 months of the year was going and to track their progress meeting goals. Everything read, “recaping Q1,” “what we learned in Q1,” etc. And I became so confused and disappointed because I couldn’t understand or remember when we started using work jargon to refer to the lives we’re living. Every year we dig deeper graves into capitalism and it's really upsetting a d disheartening. We are more than our jobs and our productivity. Corporate and work (non profit) lingo and behaviors are permiating every aspect of our lives and it’s insufferable. Who are you without your job title or what you do? I really hope more of us begin to interrogate why we as a society are now using terms reserved for corporations and 501c3’s and c4’s to describe the time we are blessed to live getting to know ourselves and our communities. I AM NOT A BUSINESS. I AM NOT A NON PROFIT. I AM A WHOLE PERSON. I AM A HUMAN BEING. I AM A PERSON. And I encourage you all to reject capitalist ways of thinking and it’s attacks on your humanness. #April #NewMonth #Reflection #EndGrindCulture

Are you making a choice between your family and your career? Do you feel like you've put your family on the backburner in order to meet the demands of your job? Do you feel like you're suffering in both arenas because you haven't struck the right INTEGRATION of the two? Maybe you've dedicated the first 15, 20, 25 years of your career to focus on climbing the ladder and then you realize it was the wrong ladder... It's left you feeling empty and you've lost connection with your kids or family. You're looking for a change of priorities; a change of focus. You want more time with family. You want to be fully present and successful at home AND at work. Why can't it be both? You don't have to choose, but you may need to redefine success for yourself and build some boundaries to foster harmony of work and home. When you properly and ruthlessly prioritize the right things at home and at work, you'll find you have more capacity and time. You'll be more available and present with your family, and you'll be better at your job while finding enjoyment in doing the work that you're best at. You'll show up as a beacon of light at home and work; a shining example of success for your coworkers, partner, and kids to see.

Last month I held bi-annual reviews / check ins with all the Upsource team And what a reminder it was of why we do this! (Founder life - sometimes you really need moments like this) It inspired me to write 5 reasons why I love my job: 1. The team loves making a difference - and they find solutions to make sure they always do 💡 2. We all have our own purpose, whether it's the freedom to be flexible, work around the kids, or work and travel. This job can just work ✈️👨👩👧👦 3. We all appreciate community and understand we can learn from each other and build relationships remotely 🌍🤝 4. I intentionally don't have a 'type of VA' we work with - which means a variety of personalities and skills. What is more interesting than that?! 🎨🌟 5. We are almost 4 years in business, and we have team members that have been with us from almost the very start to just a couple of months. Fresh eyes on the business but also people who quite like sticking around with us and our clients 🎉👥 What do you love about your job? Your business? Your team?

Breaking News from the Corporate Wonderland! So, a friend shared this enlightening experience, and I just couldn’t resist sharing it here. Ready for a laugh? Imagine a company where policies are as flexible as rubber bands, but only for a chosen few! They can twist, bend, and manipulate rules like professional contortionists, all based on their whims and biases. In this magical land, top-notch employees are unceremoniously shown the door without any prior notice or justification. Meanwhile, some lucky souls get promoted two or three levels up, not because they’re rock stars, but because they’ve mastered the fine art of buttering up the management. Welcome to the ultimate workplace circus! It’s a place where the environment is so toxic and suffocating, you might need a gas mask just to get through the day. To add more surprises, this organization gets themselves awarded as a "Great Place to Work," which is so fake. But hey, people fall for it all the time, lured in by the promise of money and the so-called “goodwill” of the company. It’s only after joining that you realize it’s more of a haunted house than a dream job. And the regret? Oh, it sets in faster than you can say “Where’s the exit?” And here’s the kicker: When you finally muster the courage to leave this wonderland, they make you sign a declaration promising you won’t say anything bad about the company. Because even they know their culture is as delightful as a three-day-old fish. So here’s to the corporate world, where reality is stranger (and funnier) than fiction. Cheers to those who see through the charade and move on to greener pastures where merit actually matters. #CorporateComedy #WorkplaceWoes #ToxicCulture #EmployeeRights #HumorInTheHustle

As a business owner, there is no bigger compliment than having an employee who's left your company ask to come back 🥰 And there's only one reason employees ask to come back.... In the almost 9 years since I started In Social, we've had a total of 4 employees ask to come back (1 of them has even come back multiple times in different capacities!) We've even had previous employees refer their friends and family to work with us, even though they no longer do! These past employees' reasons for leaving in the first place differed, like tog o back to school, wanting to explore other industries, trying out a different field of work that we don't do. But what I know is that these past employees never left because of the team. In fact, our most recent re-hire keeps telling me how much they missed the team (and, of course, we missed them, too)! Why did they want to come back? Because of how much they enjoyed and cared for the people that make up our agency. So, if you're in a position where you manage people, and are looking to hire and *retain* the best talent possible, I hope you always remember this famous quote by Maya Angelou: "[P]eople will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Your employees will always remember how they felt working at your company, and it's the ones who enjoyed it that will want to come back, and bring their friends along with them when they do ✨

If your Mom calls you and asks you to take two days off, please take it and go home. Your job, promotion, projects, and submissions will all be there when you return. Your career milestones can wait, but precious family moments can't. Prioritize what truly matters before it is too late. #WorkLifeBalance #FamilyFirst #Repost

We never have to see ourselves as insignificant if we are willing to invest in the mission of helping others and if we dare to dream beyond what already exists. In the last year, I've had the incredible privilege to experience wonder. In my former job, I learned to look at spreadsheets and see factories, warehouses, containers on ships, products sitting on shelves and being rung through registers. All of that from a computer, benefitting real lives. I shifted my employment last April. Now, from what some people might see as dry work in fiscal, I see lives saved, a healthier population, children being helped. In all of that, I get to play a small part, not just in its execution, but in dreaming up ways to make that execution even better so we have the money to help more people. So if I may submit this for your consideration: Remember that every position on the team is important. YOUR ROLE is important. And please, never stop dreaming.