In this episode, Raha sits down with trailblazing Emirati athlete, speaker and mental health advocate Amna Al Haddad.

From becoming the first Emirati woman to compete internationally in Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit, to helping the UAE qualify for the Rio Olympics, Amna has carved her own path often without support, and in defiance of expectations.

Together they unpack:

• What quality of life means when you're no longer performing for approval
• How Amna found her way in sport without cheerleaders or sponsors
• The weight of cultural expectations and breaking free of them
• Her favourite way to reset and recharge (hint: it involves the ocean)
• Misconceptions about women and lifting and why muscle doesn’t equal masculinity
• Navigating burnout, intuition, and redefining success on your own terms

Amna’s story is a raw and powerful look at what it means to build strength from within and how sometimes the absence of support is the greatest fuel.

Books That Inspired or Reflect Her Journey

• The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
• A book about letting go, tuning into your inner self, and finding peace beyond the mind.
• Grit by Angela Duckworth
• A powerful exploration of passion and perseverance, the science of what keeps people going.
• When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production

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