Meet Sarah Asifa Nimalan

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Asifa Nimalan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah Asifa, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.

Burnout is definitely one of those things that every person experiences, because it happens when you continuously push yourself beyond what your body can physically handle. Sometimes when you are so passionate about your dreams, it becomes easy to lose track of time but for the sake of your mental and physical health, it is important to acknowledge when your body needs a break. Our bodies can signal us through many ways that we need to take a break such as experiencing headaches, difficulties sleeping, brain fog and more.

Avoiding burnout can begin with a mindset shift, where you normalize the idea of allowing your body to take a break. The point is to shift yourself away from exhaustion and lean into intentional resting. When you’re able to slow down and take a break, your performance will greatly increase.

I have experienced moments of working so much to the point of being overly tired. It felt like there were not enough hours in the day, and reminded me of that saying, if you don’t master your time then time will be your master. What I learned is that it helps to manage your time to figure out what needs immediate attention and what can be accomplished at a later time.

When you use the time to recognize the signals your body is presenting, it will help you to shift away from experiencing burnout.

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?

I am Sarah Asifa Nimalan and I am a published fashion designer.

I design ready-to-wear collections for people in the office. Becoming a fashion designer has been a lifelong dream and each step along the way has shaped me into the creative business owner that I am today!

The most exciting thing about being a fashion designer is truly the community. I say this because before my career in fashion, I came from the printing industry where our line of work was primarily B2B so there was less interaction within the printing industry. Entering the fashion industry was eye-opening because all of a sudden you have the opportunity to collaborate with talented individuals from around the world. It is such a pleasure to meet and speak with so many creative people, especially hearing their stories and how they came to be in the fashion industry!

With lots of brainstorming, Truly Debonaire was created. Truly Debonaire is a fashion brand for people that is focused on empowering people worldwide to put their best foot forward in fashion. We sell high-quality workwear to evening wear garments that feature sleek blazers, matching suit sets, and cozy duster jackets.

Aside from selling garments, I believe Truly Debonaire carries this special energy of bringing others together. It’s so amazing that through every runway show, and each project we work on, our community grows larger with ease. It goes to show that when we step forward to collaborate with others, opportunities arise!

There are a lot of exciting projects coming up and you will have to stay tuned to find out! One hint I will give is this, Truly Debonaire is expanding in the fashion industry and providing new opportunities for creative individuals to work together!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The fashion industry is fast paced, with new trends arising each week and trends becoming outdated just as fast. Some helpful qualities that have been the most impactful on my journey have been adaptability, having faith, and exercising discipline.

Things are constantly shifting in the fashion industry, and it is important to be able to adapt to quick changes. I’ve learned through my experience at runway shows that no matter how much you plan things, changes can happen up until the very last moment. Having the ability to quickly adapt to changes will greatly benefit you, and chances are things will turn out even better than you expected!

Faith is also an essential quality that deeply impacted my journey. My deep sense of faith comes from following Jesus Christ. Starting out in the fashion industry not knowing anyone, can be intimidating especially because things are so uncertain. However, having that belief that we are all taken care of and that things will work out the way they’re supposed to is reassuring. With His guidance, I have been able to push forward with this amazing dream and also connect with so many talented people along the way. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith, and know that it will turn out okay in the end.

Our journeys are not always one straight path, sometimes it takes a bunch of twists and turns to get you where you need to be. Discipline is a quality that plays a huge role when you have your heart set on a goal. Life requires us to be patient and in times of uncertainty, this is when self discipline comes into play. Things may not always happen at the times we want them to, and because of that, it’s easy to fall into old patterns such as stressing out, rushing to get things fixed at a time we feel comfortable, and overall contributing to the chaotic energy. Exercising self discipline will help you to stay on track with your goals and also leave room for breaks as well as improvement.

For the people starting off their journeys, it truly matters that you keep trying and pushing forward. Our journeys may not always be easy, but know that they are fruitful. The obstacles are meant to help us build character and knowing that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel is definitely something to look towards. With regard to adaptability, remember that life is constant which means things are always changing. In fast paced moments, my advice is to take a step back and breathe. Hold a place for faith and allow yourself to believe in yourself and your dreams. Remember to use discipline to not only allow yourself the space to accomplish your dreams but also to take care of your mental health and wellbeing.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

There are some books that are memorable long after being read. One book in particular that helped me on my journey is called “Be The Miracle: 50 Lessons for Making the Impossible Possible.” It is a thoughtfully written book composed of 50 different stories about life’s miracles and how people among us help to make the world a better place.

One of my favourite lessons is called, “If you want to see a miracle, be the miracle.” This line relates back to the movie Bruce Almighty where Jim Carrey plays a frustrated TV reporter who questions God and His ways. Morgan Freeman who plays the role of God, grants him power over the world and the ability to hear and answer everyone’s prayers.

Jim Carrey was having a hard time seeing the miracle that God is, as well as the miracles being created in his life, such as his child, his partner, and his job. When he was granted the power, he used it to do tricks like parting his bowl of soup and bringing the moon closer to Earth. Eventually he recognized that God’s ways are beyond magic tricks, and that he doesn’t have to go far to find Him, that in appreciating what he has then he has found the miracle in itself.

Here is a snippet from the book that I found inspirational:
“Instead of looking for proof of God’s handiwork in magic tricks, find it in the moment. Instead of looking for miracles from above, find them within. Instead of looking for heaven somewhere else, create a slice of it here. Instead of looking for a sign of God‘s presence in a burning bush, a lightning bolt, or a crying statue, be present, and you’ll experience God everywhere.”

Thank you all for taking the time to read my article!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahasifa_lookbook/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sarah-nimalan