someone asked me the other day what makes you special I had to say it
makes you special I had to say it
makes you special I had to say it completely took me aback and I was
completely took me aback and I was
completely took me aback and I was really surprised that he asked me this
really surprised that he asked me this
really surprised that he asked me this and I came up with all these stupid
and I came up with all these stupid
and I came up with all these stupid excuses that I didn’t really believe in
excuses that I didn’t really believe in
excuses that I didn’t really believe in myself and then at the end I just said
myself and then at the end I just said
myself and then at the end I just said you know what I don’t know what to tell
you know what I don’t know what to tell
you know what I don’t know what to tell you so if I would ask you to list ten
you so if I would ask you to list ten
you so if I would ask you to list ten things you don’t like about yourself you
things you don’t like about yourself you
things you don’t like about yourself you would probably list 15 and if I would
would probably list 15 and if I would
would probably list 15 and if I would ask you to to list up maybe just five
ask you to to list up maybe just five
ask you to to list up maybe just five nice things I’m pretty sure we all have
nice things I’m pretty sure we all have
nice things I’m pretty sure we all have a hard time acknowledging those so why
a hard time acknowledging those so why
a hard time acknowledging those so why do we hesitate so much acknowledging the
do we hesitate so much acknowledging the
do we hesitate so much acknowledging the fact that were special beings I was
fact that were special beings I was
fact that were special beings I was doing research for this talk and I ended
doing research for this talk and I ended
doing research for this talk and I ended up watching one of Mel Robbins’s talks
up watching one of Mel Robbins’s talks
up watching one of Mel Robbins’s talks that talks and she’s an amazing
that talks and she’s an amazing
that talks and she’s an amazing self-help author and she estimated the
self-help author and she estimated the
self-help author and she estimated the chances of us being born as one in four
chances of us being born as one in four
chances of us being born as one in four hundred trillion and I’m not really good
hundred trillion and I’m not really good
hundred trillion and I’m not really good at math but that number alone feels like
at math but that number alone feels like
at math but that number alone feels like it’s quite astonishing so to me the mere
it’s quite astonishing so to me the mere
it’s quite astonishing so to me the mere fact that we’re here in this room is a
fact that we’re here in this room is a
fact that we’re here in this room is a pretty special fact and so looking back
pretty special fact and so looking back
pretty special fact and so looking back at my own life and thinking of this
at my own life and thinking of this
at my own life and thinking of this theory I think that my specialness may
theory I think that my specialness may
theory I think that my specialness may be started when I was seven years old my
be started when I was seven years old my
be started when I was seven years old my parents fled their country so when I was
parents fled their country so when I was
parents fled their country so when I was seven my roots got ripped from Iran and
seven my roots got ripped from Iran and
seven my roots got ripped from Iran and I got placed in a Western society where
I got placed in a Western society where
I got placed in a Western society where I didn’t know anyone I didn’t have any
I didn’t know anyone I didn’t have any
I didn’t know anyone I didn’t have any connection to the culture and when
connection to the culture and when
connection to the culture and when you’re a refugee you have to live in
you’re a refugee you have to live in
you’re a refugee you have to live in refugee camps I don’t know if anyone
refugee camps I don’t know if anyone
refugee camps I don’t know if anyone knows them or anyone has visited them
knows them or anyone has visited them
knows them or anyone has visited them but it’s quite um not a nice place to be
but it’s quite um not a nice place to be
but it’s quite um not a nice place to be and you have to either share a huge
and you have to either share a huge
and you have to either share a huge space like this with multiple families
space like this with multiple families
space like this with multiple families and you have to live there and sleep
and you have to live there and sleep
and you have to live there and sleep there all in one place or if you’re
there all in one place or if you’re
there all in one place or if you’re lucky you have a bedroom that you have
lucky you have a bedroom that you have
lucky you have a bedroom that you have to share with your family and in my case
to share with your family and in my case
to share with your family and in my case we were four of us and people always ask
we were four of us and people always ask
we were four of us and people always ask me what that moment was like for me how
me what that moment was like for me how
me what that moment was like for me how I experienced those years and I have
I experienced those years and I have
I experienced those years and I have say the beauty of being a child is that
say the beauty of being a child is that
say the beauty of being a child is that you never tend to see any obstacles so I
you never tend to see any obstacles so I
you never tend to see any obstacles so I grew up thinking that my life was very
grew up thinking that my life was very
grew up thinking that my life was very normal I had no idea that I didn’t have
normal I had no idea that I didn’t have
normal I had no idea that I didn’t have a home and I’ll never forget the moment
a home and I’ll never forget the moment
a home and I’ll never forget the moment where I decided that I wanted to be
where I decided that I wanted to be
where I decided that I wanted to be successful in life because when you’re a
successful in life because when you’re a
successful in life because when you’re a refugee you don’t have any money you
refugee you don’t have any money you
refugee you don’t have any money you don’t have a lot of clothing of your own
don’t have a lot of clothing of your own
don’t have a lot of clothing of your own and you have to rely on the kindness of
and you have to rely on the kindness of
and you have to rely on the kindness of others to give you those stuff and I
others to give you those stuff and I
others to give you those stuff and I remember going to school and I have had
remember going to school and I have had
remember going to school and I have had on this beautiful floral dress and I
on this beautiful floral dress and I
on this beautiful floral dress and I felt so pretty and one of the popular
felt so pretty and one of the popular
felt so pretty and one of the popular girls came up to me and she looked at me
girls came up to me and she looked at me
girls came up to me and she looked at me she was like I love your dress it’s so
she was like I love your dress it’s so
she was like I love your dress it’s so cute and I felt so seen and I felt so
cute and I felt so seen and I felt so
cute and I felt so seen and I felt so special
special
special until she took another look as she was
until she took another look as she was
until she took another look as she was like it used to be mine and she walked
like it used to be mine and she walked
like it used to be mine and she walked away I swear to you I’ll never forget
away I swear to you I’ll never forget
away I swear to you I’ll never forget how small I felt at that moment because
how small I felt at that moment because
how small I felt at that moment because I felt like I was unworthy of her
I felt like I was unworthy of her
I felt like I was unworthy of her presence I felt insecure I felt like I
presence I felt insecure I felt like I
presence I felt insecure I felt like I didn’t have anything in life at that
didn’t have anything in life at that
didn’t have anything in life at that point and at that moment I decided that
point and at that moment I decided that
point and at that moment I decided that if I was going to do anything I was
if I was going to do anything I was
if I was going to do anything I was going to be successful and I could buy
going to be successful and I could buy
going to be successful and I could buy all the dresses that I wanted in life
all the dresses that I wanted in life
all the dresses that I wanted in life and so fast forward to 2017 I’ve been
and so fast forward to 2017 I’ve been
and so fast forward to 2017 I’ve been running my own company since I was 24
running my own company since I was 24
running my own company since I was 24 and I’ve been doing that very
and I’ve been doing that very
and I’ve been doing that very successfully and I do what I love the
successfully and I do what I love the
successfully and I do what I love the most I create stories online and I share
most I create stories online and I share
most I create stories online and I share them with millions of people and it got
them with millions of people and it got
them with millions of people and it got me thinking still even after
me thinking still even after
me thinking still even after accomplishing all these goals and
accomplishing all these goals and
accomplishing all these goals and everyone telling me every day how much
everyone telling me every day how much
everyone telling me every day how much they loved it and admire it I still
they loved it and admire it I still
they loved it and admire it I still couldn’t answer this one person why I
couldn’t answer this one person why I
couldn’t answer this one person why I was special and so to regain that
was special and so to regain that
was special and so to regain that ability and to kind of share with you
ability and to kind of share with you
ability and to kind of share with you why I want to be in a more positive
why I want to be in a more positive
why I want to be in a more positive space I’ve added listed up three things
space I’ve added listed up three things
space I’ve added listed up three things that I think have made my life
that I think have made my life
that I think have made my life extraordinary so far and number one is I
extraordinary so far and number one is I
extraordinary so far and number one is I do not let my past define me so I come
do not let my past define me so I come
do not let my past define me so I come from a home where domestic abuse wasn’t
from a home where domestic abuse wasn’t
from a home where domestic abuse wasn’t unheard of I come from a family where we
unheard of I come from a family where we
unheard of I come from a family where we had to deal with a lot of death my
had to deal with a lot of death my
had to deal with a lot of death my mother’s family got killed in an
mother’s family got killed in an
mother’s family got killed in an earthquake and I ran she never got to
earthquake and I ran she never got to
earthquake and I ran she never got to say goodbye and on top of that my
say goodbye and on top of that my
say goodbye and on top of that my stepfather who’s the love of my mother’s
stepfather who’s the love of my mother’s
stepfather who’s the love of my mother’s life is fighting a
life is fighting a
life is fighting a a hard battle with cancer at this point
a hard battle with cancer at this point
a hard battle with cancer at this point which is going to be incurable
which is going to be incurable
which is going to be incurable so listing those things up could sound
so listing those things up could sound
so listing those things up could sound really depressing and they could get me
really depressing and they could get me
really depressing and they could get me emotional but still I wake up every day
emotional but still I wake up every day
emotional but still I wake up every day and I kid you not the first thing that I
and I kid you not the first thing that I
and I kid you not the first thing that I do is thank whatever is out there the
do is thank whatever is out there the
do is thank whatever is out there the universe that I have another day and I
universe that I have another day and I
universe that I have another day and I could ask everyone why me why all this
could ask everyone why me why all this
could ask everyone why me why all this stress why me but the real question I
stress why me but the real question I
stress why me but the real question I think is why not me I think we all have
think is why not me I think we all have
think is why not me I think we all have the chance that this could happen to us
the chance that this could happen to us
the chance that this could happen to us and the fact that all of this happened
and the fact that all of this happened
and the fact that all of this happened makes me really really happy every day
makes me really really happy every day
makes me really really happy every day that I have another day so because I do
that I have another day so because I do
that I have another day so because I do not let my past to find me that makes me
not let my past to find me that makes me
not let my past to find me that makes me special number two is that I am flawed
special number two is that I am flawed
special number two is that I am flawed but that’s okay
but that’s okay
but that’s okay I noticed that I fight a battle with
I noticed that I fight a battle with
I noticed that I fight a battle with myself every day trying to be more
myself every day trying to be more
myself every day trying to be more vulnerable I have a really hard time
vulnerable I have a really hard time
vulnerable I have a really hard time asking people for help I have a really
asking people for help I have a really
asking people for help I have a really hard time to show my softer side and I
hard time to show my softer side and I
hard time to show my softer side and I want to teach myself that it’s okay to
want to teach myself that it’s okay to
want to teach myself that it’s okay to do that I still feel insecure on a daily
do that I still feel insecure on a daily
do that I still feel insecure on a daily basis and it’s because I feel like I
basis and it’s because I feel like I
basis and it’s because I feel like I compare myself to other people on social
compare myself to other people on social
compare myself to other people on social media a lot and I want myself to know
media a lot and I want myself to know
media a lot and I want myself to know that even though I do that it’s okay as
that even though I do that it’s okay as
that even though I do that it’s okay as long as I’m able to admit it I can work
long as I’m able to admit it I can work
long as I’m able to admit it I can work on it and I think that makes me special
on it and I think that makes me special
on it and I think that makes me special and number three I think anything is
and number three I think anything is
and number three I think anything is possible in life I used to hate the word
possible in life I used to hate the word
possible in life I used to hate the word luck because people would tell me oh
luck because people would tell me oh
luck because people would tell me oh you’ve been lucky and I feel like you
you’ve been lucky and I feel like you
you’ve been lucky and I feel like you did such a great job despite your
did such a great job despite your
did such a great job despite your background that you’re here where you
background that you’re here where you
background that you’re here where you are today and it felt like an insult
are today and it felt like an insult
are today and it felt like an insult because I felt like it wasn’t them
because I felt like it wasn’t them
because I felt like it wasn’t them telling me that I did a good job or that
telling me that I did a good job or that
telling me that I did a good job or that my brain was working or that I have a
my brain was working or that I have a
my brain was working or that I have a good sense of business but I felt like
good sense of business but I felt like
good sense of business but I felt like they were wrapping an insult and gifting
they were wrapping an insult and gifting
they were wrapping an insult and gifting paper and nowadays I kind of feel like
paper and nowadays I kind of feel like
paper and nowadays I kind of feel like like is it luck isn’t that much of a bad
like is it luck isn’t that much of a bad
like is it luck isn’t that much of a bad word because I do feel lucky I’ve been
word because I do feel lucky I’ve been
word because I do feel lucky I’ve been very lucky to know what I want in life
very lucky to know what I want in life
very lucky to know what I want in life I’m very lucky to have a dream and I
I’m very lucky to have a dream and I
I’m very lucky to have a dream and I don’t have a plan B and it’s all I know
don’t have a plan B and it’s all I know
don’t have a plan B and it’s all I know how to do it so I feel like that is
how to do it so I feel like that is
how to do it so I feel like that is definitely lucky and my ability to dream
definitely lucky and my ability to dream
definitely lucky and my ability to dream really big and to know that anything is
really big and to know that anything is
really big and to know that anything is possible that’s why I’m special
possible that’s why I’m special
possible that’s why I’m special and so coming here I watched a shitload
and so coming here I watched a shitload
and so coming here I watched a shitload of TED talks I asked if I could curse
of TED talks I asked if I could curse
of TED talks I asked if I could curse and they told me I could and you know
and they told me I could and you know
and they told me I could and you know they firstly made me really really
they firstly made me really really
they firstly made me really really insecure because all of them were very
insecure because all of them were very
insecure because all of them were very scientific or most of them and I stand
scientific or most of them and I stand
scientific or most of them and I stand in front of you I don’t have any fancy
in front of you I don’t have any fancy
in front of you I don’t have any fancy graphics I don’t have any statistics I
graphics I don’t have any statistics I
graphics I don’t have any statistics I don’t have dirty jokes to make you laugh
don’t have dirty jokes to make you laugh
don’t have dirty jokes to make you laugh I don’t really have anything that can be
I don’t really have anything that can be
I don’t really have anything that can be proven but I do feel like for the first
proven but I do feel like for the first
proven but I do feel like for the first time in months I’m very comfortable
time in months I’m very comfortable
time in months I’m very comfortable being in front of you guys without
being in front of you guys without
being in front of you guys without anything to hide behind I don’t have my
anything to hide behind I don’t have my
anything to hide behind I don’t have my camera with me I usually vlog everything
camera with me I usually vlog everything
camera with me I usually vlog everything I don’t have any slides I didn’t want
I don’t have any slides I didn’t want
I don’t have any slides I didn’t want anything to be up here because I just
anything to be up here because I just
anything to be up here because I just wanted to tell you the story that I’ve
wanted to tell you the story that I’ve
wanted to tell you the story that I’ve been through in a nutshell in 10 minutes
been through in a nutshell in 10 minutes
been through in a nutshell in 10 minutes I only have 238 left and so I’m sure we
I only have 238 left and so I’m sure we
I only have 238 left and so I’m sure we all have these moments when someone asks
all have these moments when someone asks
all have these moments when someone asks you something that you wish you could
you something that you wish you could
you something that you wish you could just go back and reclaim an answer so if
just go back and reclaim an answer so if
just go back and reclaim an answer so if you have those moments and if I can
you have those moments and if I can
you have those moments and if I can leave you with any piece of advice it
leave you with any piece of advice it
leave you with any piece of advice it would just be what I’ve learned in the
would just be what I’ve learned in the
would just be what I’ve learned in the past few years and I would want to tell
past few years and I would want to tell
past few years and I would want to tell you that I’ve had the fortune or maybe
you that I’ve had the fortune or maybe
you that I’ve had the fortune or maybe the the dis fortune or unfortunate
the the dis fortune or unfortunate
the the dis fortune or unfortunate whatever you want to call it that I’ve
whatever you want to call it that I’ve
whatever you want to call it that I’ve experienced all these things in life
experienced all these things in life
experienced all these things in life that are very very heavy and a lot of
that are very very heavy and a lot of
that are very very heavy and a lot of death and a lot of things that we don’t
death and a lot of things that we don’t
death and a lot of things that we don’t really want to experience and I’ve also
really want to experience and I’ve also
really want to experience and I’ve also I know what it’s like to have nothing
I know what it’s like to have nothing
I know what it’s like to have nothing and I know what it’s like to have
and I know what it’s like to have
and I know what it’s like to have everything now where I am today and I
everything now where I am today and I
everything now where I am today and I want you to know that if you ever feel
want you to know that if you ever feel
want you to know that if you ever feel insecure like I did when she told me in
insecure like I did when she told me in
insecure like I did when she told me in my dress was hers or if you ever feel
my dress was hers or if you ever feel
my dress was hers or if you ever feel small or if you feel like you’re in this
small or if you feel like you’re in this
small or if you feel like you’re in this space where you don’t really know where
space where you don’t really know where
space where you don’t really know where you belong and why you’re special you’re
you belong and why you’re special you’re
you belong and why you’re special you’re either comparing yourself to other
either comparing yourself to other
either comparing yourself to other people which is a waste of all of our
people which is a waste of all of our
people which is a waste of all of our times because we’re not going to be the
times because we’re not going to be the
times because we’re not going to be the same or you have too many options in
same or you have too many options in
same or you have too many options in life and I believe that both of those
life and I believe that both of those
life and I believe that both of those things can be really really beautiful
things can be really really beautiful
things can be really really beautiful and if I look at my stepdad who’s
and if I look at my stepdad who’s
and if I look at my stepdad who’s fighting at this point I feel like
fighting at this point I feel like
fighting at this point I feel like anyone who is underprivileged or
anyone who is underprivileged or
anyone who is underprivileged or unhealthy would give anything to have a
unhealthy would give anything to have a
unhealthy would give anything to have a slight bit of what we have today and if
slight bit of what we have today and if
slight bit of what we have today and if all of that didn’t help you please
all of that didn’t help you please
all of that didn’t help you please remember that you’re still one in four
remember that you’re still one in four
remember that you’re still one in four hundred trillion
hundred trillion
hundred trillion cute
cute
cute [Applause]
”
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