We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Farah Walahi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Farah , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
My optimism comes from an intuitive place that I believe every person has access to. In a world of mass consumption and an endless need for validation, people are realizing it will never be enough. True happiness is being at peace. Optimism is what pushed me to start a flower business. Sending flowers to make someone smile is such a pure, kind act. My flowers are giving to charity – you would feel so touched to see how many people want to give to those in need. I see the footage of impoverished orphans and widows receiving food and surgeries. We are given so much while others have so little, that is man made. I am currently donating to Palestine and Afghanistan. Both places have undergone years of unjust collective punishment. It is heartbreaking, but the world has planted a seed of hope for those of us that have long known the truths of these systematic agendas. My optimism is tied to those truths being unveiled. This flower journey is also inspired by both of my grandparents who were businessmen in Afghanistan. I look at the optimism they had, to be in survival and start a business is to be able to envision a better future for you and your family. My grandpa on my fathers side taught tailoring to underprivileged youth in Kabul and had his own shop. My grandpa on my mothers side had his own tailoring business as well, both continued their businesses even after escaping to the U.S. The truth is, I have never felt a sense of belonging in an American identity. I often look to my Afghan culture, the values, hospitality and generosity as a moral compass. I want to do everything to preserve it. If my grandparents can build futures on their optimism, there is no excuse for me not to, here in the States. I also recognized the flower farmers of Afghanistan and their positivity. Afghan men have been made into caricatures of harmful stereotypes, yet here they are, giving a smile and growing rose gardens. My homeland has been reduced to numbers and collateral damage many times before, you would think this would harden Afghan people. On the contrary, Afghans choose optimism and beauty everyday, it inspires me so much.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I created a flower business called The Afghan Florist centered around giving sadaqah, which means charity. It’s a meaningful venture that combines my love for nature with acts of kindness. I currently service Los Angeles by providing custom floral services that complement weddings, events, and special occasions. Through my flower business, I contribute proceeds to support various initiatives through Hand To Hand Sadaqah Group. This is a 501(C)(3) Government Nonprofit Organization. Their initiatives include the building of water wells, medical assistance, and groceries to impoverished people in Afghanistan. The charity provides video footage and photos, allowing donors to see firsthand the impact their contributions are making. When you choose The Afghan Florist for your floral needs, you not only receive custom floristry crafted with attention to detail, but you also give aid and compassion.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
When it comes to different skills and qualities needed to succeed in any highly competitive environment, I would say knowledge is number one. Knowledge in your niche, focusing on your gradual progression, and anchoring in your authenticity. I owe everything to my authenticity. Your authenticity enables your confidence and creativity. Knowing who you are and where you come from will play a large role in your journey. People can see when you have good intentions and something is coming from your soul.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon is a great book, it is post colonial literature. This was a deep thinker at a time when it was not celebrated, a great analysis of assimilation in the West. Frantz was a Caribbean Islander trained in France as a psychologist. This doctor addressed the ethnocentric framework that took over his fellow colleagues and the general public, meaning he saw his fellow residents become the oppressors after once being the oppressed. He was a doctor in a hospital in Algeria a year before their revolution, treating French soldiers that were traumatized by the torture they were committing. Frantz was expelled for his anti-colonial activism. His book inspired Malcolm X and liberation movements from South Africa to Palestine. I admire people who stand up for what is right even if it is not popular. We live in such a wild time in history right now, so many people are waking up and we have these beautiful books that decolonize our minds at hand. Being one with nature is nothing without making the world a more just place. Frantz was able to take a step back from being a privileged doctor to dare to ask why his colleagues were discriminating against their own people as the French colonized land and minds at that time. You are one with the Earth when you can take pain and transform it into love like Frantz did.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheAfghanFlorist.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/theafghanflorist
