In this quietly inspiring dialogue of The Quiet Warrior podcast, Serena Low chats with Jawaria Mahmood, a dynamic advocate from Perth, Western Australia. Jawaria shares her inspiring journey from being an engineer in Pakistan to becoming a trailblazer for bilingual storytime sessions in Australian libraries, a champion for STEM education for young girls, and a dedicated advocate for cyber safety in diverse communities. Her story is one of resilience, cultural pride, and unwavering commitment to making a difference.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Jawaria’s experience as a migrant woman starting over in Australia
• The spark behind her bilingual storytime initiative and how it grew into a national project
• Her work in promoting STEM careers for young girls, especially from migrant backgrounds
• The challenges and importance of cyber safety education for children and vulnerable communities
• Jawaria’s advice for advocates: Start where you are, stay persistent, and keep your purpose in mind

Memorable Quotes:

“A quiet warrior is someone who doesn’t give up when things aren’t working, but looks inward, adapts, and tries again.” – Jawaria Mahmood

Resources and Links Mentioned:

• Connect with Jawaria Mahmood on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Professional Migrant Women Network and the Undefeated book

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome and introduction
02:15 – Jawaria’s journey from Pakistan to Australia
08:30 – The birth of bilingual storytime sessions
15:50 – Advocating for STEM careers for young girls
22:45 – Cyber safety challenges and education
30:10 – Advice for new migrants and building support networks
38:20 – What makes a good advocate and a quiet warrior

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share The Quiet Warrior podcast so more introverts and quiet achievers can find their path to success. Thank you for being here with us – see you in the next episode!

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

Impostor Syndrome is something most of us struggle with, and people who are conscientious and have high standards of performance and achievement - like introverts and quiet achievers - seem to struggle with it more. Even outwardly successful individuals have admitted to having Impostor Syndrome at some point in their career.

On days when your energy is flat, your mood is low, and you’re unable for whatever reason to believe that you are wise and capable and competent, I want to share a simple tip I learned, that you can put into practice straight off listening to this episode.

It’s called having a Smile File (credit to Thea Orozco for the first time I heard the term).

In short, it’s collating and documenting evidence of your competence every time you receive some kind of external validation e.g. a text message of thanks from someone you helped, a client testimonial, a 5- star Google review of your services or podcast, someone resharing your LinkedIn post.

Any time you are recognized by someone for being yourself or some positive difference you made, take a screenshot and add it to your Smile File.

Listen in to find out what else you must do to solidify and embody this empowered version of you, that was inside you all along.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review The Quiet Warrior Podcast on your listening app. Your support helps inspire more introverts and quiet achievers in our communities.

Connect with Serena:

• Subscribe to The Visible Introvert newsletter for weekly tips and stories of how to amplify your quiet strengths without having to act extroverted.
• Join me on LinkedIn where I actively share empowering ways to show up professionally and socially as my highest introverted self.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

• Foster resilience and mental well-being in their families and communities.
• Learn strategies for breaking cycles of trauma and creating safer environments.
• Understand how introverted strengths can lead to profound societal change.
• Gain practical tools and insights for conscious parenting and advocacy.

• The Role of Quiet Leadership in Advocacy: Why introverts possess unique strengths, such as deep listening and thoughtful action, that make them effective agents of change.
• Breaking Generational Cycles: Deborah’s deeply personal journey of healing from trauma and her commitment to raising her son with empathy and accountability.
• Empowering Boys and Men: Addressing the stigma around male vulnerability and the importance of teaching boys emotional intelligence and respect.
• Creating Safer Families: Practical tips for fostering resilience and positive family dynamics while navigating the challenges of modern parenting.
• The Power of the Village: How collaboration, community, and shared values can transform individual efforts into widespread societal change.

• Deborah’s Book: Raising Resilient Families is available on Amazon, Booktopia, and directly through Deborah on Instagram or Facebook.
• Deborah’s Radio Shows:
  • Mindful Moments – An English-language program addressing mental health and societal change.
  • Vaanisai Tamil Radio – Celebrating Tamil language and culture.
• Connect with Deborah:
  Instagram: @DeborahSugirthakumar
  Facebook: Deborah Sugirthakumar

Stay tuned for the next episode, and remember: quiet strength changes lives.

This episode was edited by Aura House Productions