Kiran Shah didn’t always wear the Hijab. She did always want to write a book. But up until recently, she had no idea the two things could be connected. Kiran grew up in Pakistan in a Muslim family, where she read the Holy Quran but didn’t fully understand the meaning behind the words. Like women in her family, she didn’t wear the hijab either, but a move to the UAE was about to spark a personal journey that would change all of that.
When she arrived in the UAE, she noticed many women wearing the Hijab with style and confidence – a factor that left her intrigued, sparking a personal journey of discovery that took her deep into the pages of the Holy Quran.
What she discovered had her donning the Hijab herself from the year 2010, based on a singular revelation – You can wear a hijab, be an empowered woman and achieve your dreams.
Pink Shoes and Jilbaab
Kiran always wanted to write a book – a decision which led her to attend a Passionpreneur workshop. But soon after the initial inspiration, life got busy and the idea of achieving that dream got filed away. It was only when Kiran attended her friends book launch that she thought, “This should have been me! I should have been here.”
A call to Passionpreneur was all it took for Kiran to begin her author journey; one she reflects on as being “very smooth.” Right from the very beginning, her strategy was to write a book that would help young Muslim women who feel confused and misunderstood. She wanted to help them feel like a more empowered version of themselves.
“The purpose of the book was to explain that the hijab doesn’t stop you from achieving your dreams. It doesn’t stop you from going forward and taking what is yours, from conquering the world, from being you in the true essence. It’s just a piece of cloth. It doesn’t change anything about you,” she says, acknowledging how truly confusing messages to teens and young girls can be when it comes to wearing the Hijab. It’s ironic, given the rewarding and deeply personal sense of empowerment Kiran feels as she dons the cloth.
From a Personal Journey to an Award-Winning and Empowering Book
Shortly after its release, Pink Shoes and Jilbaab became an award-winning book which even won Kiran the coveted Golden Visa that allows its holders to live and work in the UAE without an employer’s sponsorship.
“I always wanted to write something, but never thought I’d write about the hijab,” says Kiran. “Passionpreneur made the journey very easy.”
While Kiran’s journey towards wearing the Hijab was a deeply personal one, Passionpreneur helped her connect with the many young girls (and parents of young girls) who are navigating a sometimes confusing and challenging time in both in terms of adolescent development and of reflection regarding religious observance. The Guided Author System, including Kiran’s coaching experience, helped her create a book filled with wisdom and clarity to support this life stage. (Download your free guide here)
“The Guided Author was my Favourite Part”
Putting such deeply personal content down onto paper can be a daunting task, but Kiran’s attitude was refreshingly different. “The group coaching really helped me narrow my focus, and the Guided Author became my favourite part. I would look forward to the feedback from the editor, to look at how it could become a better version of my writing,” she says.
Despite the benefits of increased focus, writing improvement, coaching and a smooth publishing process, Kiran insists the biggest return on investment is self-growth. “I got to know more about myself than I got to know about other people. I got to know what it takes to be an author, to be out in the market. I also learned that there is no end to growth. You always grow. You always evolve.”
And grow she has. Since she first held her book in her hands, doors have opened for Kiran Shah. She is now a sought-after speaker and has been part of important panel discussions (which she remarks is a dream come true). Reviews of her book have been published in many newspapers, and she received awards included “best new author” from the IUS and the coveted golden visa from the government of the UAE.
While recognition is nice, for Kiran, it comes back to helping young teens and girls through a difficult time in their lives and growing as a person. “I would highly recommend writing a book” she says, “because it opens doors of introspection that you never thought possible. There were nights that I would sit and write, and I would cry because things would come up. It was a very emotional journey. I would recommend it to everyone.”
If you have a story of personal transformation, then it’s time to book your call to Passionpreneur and start your author journey today.
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