Meet Khairah

We were lucky to catch up with Khairah recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Khairah , 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.

I think, overall, my optimism is just apart of my personality. Maybe I was just blessed to be born with it — or at least I take it that way, lol. But I do know the first time I recognized being an optimistic person. Actually, it was something that my daddy pointed out. I was around nine or ten years old and I was talking to my dad on the phone. He had just told me that he lost sight in one of his eyes. I remember thinking, ” well at least he still has one eye where he can see me.” And I told him exactly that! He laughed, “see you always know how to make daddy feel better, I feel better about it. That’s what I love about you, you’re always optimistic.” That was the first time I had heard that word, but when I found out what it meant, I was happy and a little guilty. I was happy that he saw that in me, guilty because I did not say that with the intention of making him feel better, I felt that I was being selfish because I was worried about if he could see me with the other eye. From that moment, because my dad saw optimism in me, I decided that I wanted to make sure that I was always and optimistic person.
Regardless of the reason, I am immensely grateful for optimism because it helps me preserve and achieve every adversity and goal that I had and have. It helps me see the lesson in every experience and allows me the choice to grow from it. Moreover, embracing optimism gives me the personal agency to be happy, truly happy, and I am.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

It’s funny, I kind of do a little bit of everything in the creative field. I am an Author and Book Editor along with being a Model. I can’t say that one is more exciting or important than the other in my heart because they are all me, they show the diversity of my character. The author and editor displays the academic, nerdy side of me. I love, love, LOVE to read. So much so, my books need their own room, lol. I love the freedom of getting lost in words of a story, exploring that world like I’m watching tv— from both writing, editing and reading. It also allows me to use my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and proudly say I am an Alumna of the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor. Go Blue!!

Modeling makes me feel free and creative in a different way, it’s not just my mind, thoughts and words that are free to roam and express themselves—it’s my whole body. It’s almost like I create a whole new person when I’m modeling — a new character. Every time I’m in front of the camera, I can be whoever I want to be, I can be all of the versions of me and let them shine. And it’s not just fun, but refreshing, hard and tiring work, but refreshing and satisfying. And the beautiful thing, even if I’m tired before a shoot, I always get a boost of energy during the shoot and after and I’m ready to do the next one. Even in doing this, much like when I’m writing or editing, I get lost in the world of modeling and I’m free.

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?

There are only two that come to mind at the moment. The first is definitely optimism, which I spoke on before, and the second is being willing to take a chance. Although both go hand in hand, being willing to take a chance would have to be the most important in the journey of my modeling career. For a long time, I wasn’t sure that modeling was for me. I had always been fascinated by it, played dress up in my room and had my own little fashion shows, but I didn’t think I was cut out to be a model. To be completely frank, I just didn’t think that I was pretty enough, I was a nerd. I knew that I was smart, and convinced myself to be content with only that. So even when I had been approached about modeling before, I didn’t take it seriously. Although I styed wistful about it, and continued to play dress up in my room, I wasn’t willing to take that chance on myself. Then Covid happened, and I thought, ‘what do I have to loose?’ I didn’t expect that I would try it and not only love it, but find myself in modeling. It even helped with the writer’s block that I was going through! Being willing to take that chance was the best thing I could have ever done, because I found me. The optimism keeps me going in this field. It is not an easy one to navigate, and you have to have a lot of confidence in yourself that it’s going to work, otherwise it won’t. Now, I’m optimistic in knowing that this is my career and for me and I’m making a name for myself and I’m getting there. Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t happen fast. but optimism reminds me that I don’t need fast, I need right. And what’s meant for me will always find me and be there.
So, any advice that I would give to anyone, take that chance on yourself, and have the optimism to know that it will work out in the best way for you, you’re worth it.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I read. Reading is my first escape and settles my mind so I can think and focus and be rational. If I don’t have a book handy, I listen to music and find a park or garden that I can walk in and take my mind off of things. Honestly, even if I do have a book, I will still find a place outside to read. Being in nature and in the fresh air calms me, I remember to breathe and slow down how fast my mind is thinking. Sometimes I come to the conclusion that I am overthinking the situation that makes me feel overwhelmed. And if I’m not overthinking it, then I’m able to calmly think about it to come up with a solution. Outside in nature is my happy place, and when I’m overwhelmed, the combination of that and a book or music allow me to focus on that happy place and feel the breeze, sun and take in the fresh air. My advice would just be to find your happy place, remember it and use it often, even when you don’t feel overwhelmed— it will help keep those moments down to a minimum.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khairahgofficial?igsh=MzN6djY0NTFlazVx

Image Credits

Photographers:
Hailey Kasper (hrkartist)
Davide Anderson (davifdefoto)
Abby O (portraitsbyabbyo)

Designer:
Brand 1837

Makeup:
FttBeauty