We've all found ourselves in situations where we struggle to find our voice, no matter our position, gender or socio-economic status. Perhaps it's being at the table with someone who dominates the conversation or being too nervous to speak up in front of a room full of executives. Even when we have a lot to offer, it can be hard to find our voice and speak up, maybe because we think our opinions aren't valuable enough.

I've dealt with these situations myself, as have my friends and colleagues. Sometimes, we feel like we're the only one struggling with these issues, be it during meetings or even in our personal lives. No matter how old we get, it's crucial to continue working on finding our own voice and confidence. It's even more crucial to learn this at a young age. 

With this in mind, I co-wrote a children’s book – “Myla's Big Day!” – about being fearless, being bold, being you.

My writing journey began over a cup of Chai. After moving to New York in 2019, I quickly realized everyone I met defined themselves by their passions and artistic/intellectual pursuits rather than their daily “9-5” grind when answering the question: “What do you do?”

Inspired, this made me think really hard about what I was passionate about, outside of work and family. Travel has long been a passion of mine, but I quickly realized that even that wasn’t enough, especially during the pandemic. That's when I turned to my creative side. 

Would I call myself a writer? No, not yet at least. Do I aspire to be one? Yes! Writing for me has been challenging and fulfilling at the same time. It gave me something to do at nights and weekends during the pandemic and allowed for my personal growth to meet a level that was stunted due to being grounded by the pandemic.

“Myla's Big Day!” is a children's book that features a shy little girl who strives to find her voice amongst her peers – a challenge we all face even into adulthood. I hope you identify with and fall in love with Myla and her friends as much as I did during this creative journey.

Avanade family, your support would mean the world to me. Please check out my book which is available on Amazon now!