Have You Ever Had Anyone Doubt You?
With Yusra Soomro
Introduce yourself! Who are you?
My name is Yusra Soomro. I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Most of my free time is spent fighting the stigma and spreading awareness for mental illness. My passions include photography, painting, drawing, poetry, and writing. I’m currently in University working towards my Accounting degree.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t worry about how successful people are around you, worry about how happy you feel.
What would you say to 16 year old you?
If I were able to go back in time and talk to my sixteen year old self, boy would I have a lot to say! The one piece of advice that stands out to me is to love yourself. While that sounds incredibly basic and overused, it rings true to me on a much deeper level. Throughout my teenage years, I dealt with an incredible amount of neglect and disregard for my own feelings from both others and myself. I have always been such a caring and nurturing person, yet I refuse to offer myself the same attention. After tons of work and therapy, I’ve come to the conclusion that the key to my happiness is: love yourself the same way you love others.
What is your greatest fear?
Believe it or not, my greatest fear is failure. I am terrified of disappointing those around me, especially those I love most. Failure is the root of my anxiety and depression.
Have you ever had anyone doubt you? How did that make you feel?
I deal with doubt from different people on a daily basis. At first, it felt horrible. And by horrible, I mean I almost quit everything. I turned myself around by realizing the most important truth: if you’re met with doubt and resistance, it’s because you’re a trailblazer. Continue to do good in the world and people will follow.
What do you love most about yourself?
I have a talent and a passion for connecting with people. My heart is my greatest asset and I would never trade it for anything.
What motivates you most?
Curiously, my past pushes me to work harder. I have been in some rough situations and my experiences fuel the fire behind my blog posts and community work. I push myself to make a change so that others don’t feel alone
What is your favorite meal?
I love Mexican flavors so burritos are my absolute favorite thing, Oh and burgers.
Where do you find inspiration?
As cliché as it sounds, my inspiration is my mom. She has lived such a hard life, yet has never shown weakness. I work every day to be as strong and lighthearted as her.
More About Yusra
My name is Yusra, also know as thatbrownchic. I work to fight the stigma around mental illness and raise awareness for mental health. I also have a huge passion for art, makeup, photography and writing. One day, I hope to publish my own book!