Have you ever asked yourself, What if I just went ahead and did what I wanted?? As the eldest daughter of a South Asian home, doing what I wanted meant first, considering what everyone else wanted! And every decision went through the ever present filter of "What would people think!?" I know every culture has their version of that...but I swear Desis live by it!! Growing up, I  stuck to the script of what was expected of me...I was respectful, reliable, and polite. But truthfully, that was just because  I didn't have the guts to go against the grain...which eventually led to a bit of resentment of having to live to please everyone else!   But when I recognized that God had given me the tools to live in a way that felt fulfilled and truthful, I decided that I couldn't care what anyone else thought! Case in point...I stayed in a marriage way, way longer than I should have only because that was what was expected of me! But I wasn't about to live the next 20 years the way I had lived the last 20! So, I ended that marriage and focused on me!   I grew my "very non-Pakistani" cleaning and organizing business and launched another business that focused on fennel seed mixes that are a staple in South Asian homes!   Hey, not all of us are going to be doctors and IT experts!! I started actually BELIEVING the positive things people have said to me over the years and ignored the voices that were more concerned about what others thought! And it was liberating and empowering and freeing! I created this podcast for-  All of those men and women who have heard “What will people think?” their whole life and have decided that they really don't care! On this podcast  We'll meet some really cool,  interesting men and women who've stepped out of the cultural or familial expectations that were put upon them and are living authentically! We will talk about  what society expected them to be and what they, themselves decided they would be! It's not always easy to step outside the box, but it makes for a great story when you do! I AM your host: Farnaz Dar and this is the "Going Against the Grain” podcast.