Humna Raza

maker of the Inspire Me planners

Compiled from 5 recorded interviews. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Humna Raza is the maker of yearly positivity planners under the Inspire Me brand. She has worked at both a hospital and a clinic, and she has a business and a blog. Raza is a mother and has spoken about the expectations placed on working women and mothers.

Early life and background

Raza has said that her father is not around and that her mother wanted her to settle as quickly as possible. She has also said she spent a long part of her life in all-girls education. [4][5]

Career

Raza was in dental school at one stage of her early adult life. She has worked at both a hospital and a clinic. According to Raza, most of the clinic's patients had cosmetic problems. She has said she preferred working at the hospital, and that the clinic paid better over time. [1][4]

Before motherhood, Raza has said, she was an ambitious businesswoman who worked all the time. She has a business and a blog, and says she was supported in both. She has said her husband helped her for two years and put his own dreams and goals in the back seat. In her account, she would never have reached where she did in her business without him taking the back seat at that time. She has also said she could hold the fort because he had helped her build it first. [1][4]

Inspire Me

Raza makes yearly positivity planners under the Inspire Me brand. The planner has a concept of self-awareness at its core, because there is so much outside noise today. It includes an exercise that helps a person sit down, think about themselves and be more mindful about what they do with their life. The planner also includes weekly reflections and helps the reader set an intention for each week. [2]

Motherhood and work

Raza has said she had no help for the first six months after the birth. She started working again in the third month after the birth. She has said she came down to work and brought the baby with her, and that it was an advantage that the workplace was her own. Her family came back in the sixth month, and she hired a nanny. [1]

Views on motherhood and work

Raza has said life after having a baby is nothing like life before, and that new mothers have to work out who they are now and accept it. She says working mothers face many expectations, both from themselves and from their relationships at home. In her view, working women are still expected to have everything sorted at home, and a working woman carries constant pressure about what is waiting for her there. She has said families are not willing to accept that women are not superwomen. [1]

She has said a nanny can only be hired when someone at home can supervise her, and that a daycare is better than a home nanny, because daycares have SOPs and supervisors. She has said a working woman should be free to choose how and when she is available. In her view, if women are given the freedom to work, men have to share the housework. [1]

Raza has said society in general is not conducive to a mother thriving, whether she works or not, and that motherhood can be very isolating because of the way society is organised. She has said post-partum depression is more common among mothers with less support, and that it can make a mother feel her life is over. She has said that after childbirth a mother is robbed of her freedom. Her proposals include rooms in malls and workplaces where mothers can feed their babies, and day cares in corporate offices. She has also said parks and footpaths in Pakistan are not conducive to women being outside with children, and that mothers need to be made to feel like a very normal part of society. [1]

Raza has said many people want a doctor daughter-in-law but do not want her to work, and that people are hypocritical about wanting doctor brides who then do not practise. She compares the doctor bahu label to a trophy kept at home. She has said nobody enters medicine in Pakistan for the money, that doctors in Pakistan earn little money in their early years, and that a person should become a doctor only if they truly want to. [1]

Views on gender and marriage

Raza has said she used to react aggressively to women's empowerment and feminist topics. She has also said she understands that aggression hurts a cause rather than improving it, and that it is not the only way to deal with the issue. She has said she does not defend shouting, because the world cannot understand unless women explain. At the same time, she has said making noise is also necessary to get attention. [3]

Raza has said frank speech was not appreciated in her home, and that she was told a husband is owed a certain respect. She has said society has made so many rules for women that their voices are silenced. She has said she experienced that girls who tried to set boundaries were never taken seriously. She has also said that in lonely situations she would rather be alone than have men around her. [3]

Raza has said she wants to take time off to spend with her children, but feels it would leave her behind in her career. She has said her husband suggested they take time off in turn, which surprised her, and that she could never have imagined a man taking time off from his career. In her view, a man should also have the freedom to take time off from his career. She has said she can run the household while her partner looks after the children. [4]

Raza has said she has seen that where women earn more, they start to feel more powerful. She has said parents enforce things on their children because of society, though they do not believe in them, which she feels is not fair. [4]

Personal life

Raza is a mother and has a son. She has said she enjoyed motherhood. She has said motherhood came naturally to her, but fitting it into everyday life did not, and that her biggest struggle was with identity, because motherhood came naturally to her. She has said she has partly recovered and now understands how to balance her time. [1][4]

Raza had a nikah in 2014 and married in May 2017. She has said she was 24 when her marriage took place. She has said that when she and her husband married, he was working at Teradata. She has described the couple as a team whose two members are equal. She has also said that instead of telling her partner that he, as a man, had to bring in the money, she said she would do it herself. [4]

Timeline

2014
Had a nikah.[4]
2017
Married in May.[4]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2022-03-30 Why Pakistan's society keeps mothers stuck at home Thought Behind Things
2021-09-22 One year of TBT: Muzamil on hope, slow growth, and the fear of going bitter Thought Behind Things
2020-11-23 Women's anger is valid, but aggression is bad marketing Thought Behind Things
2020-11-04 It's two against the world Thought Behind Things
2020-09-21 How a shy schoolboy became Islamabad's digital voice Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Humna Raza?

Humna Raza makes yearly positivity planners under the Inspire Me brand. She has worked at both a hospital and a clinic, and she has a business and a blog. She is also a mother.[1][2][4]

What does Humna Raza do?

Humna Raza makes yearly positivity planners under the Inspire Me brand. She has a business and a blog. She has also worked at both a hospital and a clinic.[1][2][4]

What is the Inspire Me planner?

The Inspire Me planner is a yearly positivity planner made by Humna Raza. It has a concept of self-awareness at its core and includes weekly reflections. It helps the reader set an intention for each week.[2]

Where did Humna Raza study?

Humna Raza was in dental school at one stage of her early adult life. She has also said she spent a long part of her life in all-girls education.[4][5]

When did Humna Raza get married?

Humna Raza had a nikah in 2014 and married in May 2017. She has said she was 24 when her marriage took place.[4]

Does Humna Raza have children?

Humna Raza is a mother and has a son. She has said she enjoyed motherhood, and that she started working again in the third month after the birth.[1][4]

Where has Humna Raza worked?

Humna Raza has worked at both a hospital and a clinic. She has said she preferred working at the hospital, and that the clinic paid better over time.[1]

What does Humna Raza think about working mothers?

Humna Raza says working mothers face many expectations, both from themselves and from their relationships at home. She has said working women are still expected to have everything sorted at home. In her view, if women are given the freedom to work, men have to share the housework.[1]

References

  1. Why Pakistan's society keeps mothers stuck at home . Thought Behind Things , 2022-03-30.
  2. One year of TBT: Muzamil on hope, slow growth, and the fear of going bitter . Thought Behind Things , 2021-09-22.
  3. Women's anger is valid, but aggression is bad marketing . Thought Behind Things , 2020-11-23.
  4. It's two against the world . Thought Behind Things , 2020-11-04.
  5. How a shy schoolboy became Islamabad's digital voice . Thought Behind Things , 2020-09-21.
Show the source passages (85 statements)
  1. Humna Raza was the guest on episode 217 of Thought Behind Things. Finding Balance In A Double Income Household Ft. Humna Raza | 217 | TBT
  2. Humna has a son. Ji. Ji ji. Hamara beta.
  3. Humna says she has enjoyed motherhood. Maine motherhood ko bahut enjoy kiya hai.
  4. Humna says life after having a baby is nothing like life before. pre-baby, phir aapki ek zindagi hoti hai post-baby. It's nothing like it ever was.
  5. Humna says new mothers have to work out who they are now and accept it. So you have to learn to figure out ke who you are now and what your life looks like now and accept it and embrace it.
  6. Humna says motherhood came naturally to her, but fitting it into everyday life did not. it came very naturally to me. Lekin everything else suddenly felt like unnatural
  7. Humna says she had no help for the first six months after the birth. first six months I had no help.
  8. Humna says she started working again in the third month after the birth. But I think third month mein I had started working.
  9. Humna says she came down to work and brought the baby with her. Neeche aati thi kaam karti thi. Bache ko saath le aati thi
  10. Humna says it was an advantage that the workplace was her own. mujhe yeh fayda tha ki this was my own workplace
  11. Humna says her family came back in the sixth month. Phir sixth month mein ek toh aapki family bhi wapas aa gayi
  12. Humna hired a nanny. Maine nanny bhi hire kar li
  13. Humna says a nanny can only be hired when someone at home can supervise her. nanny tabhi aap hire kar sakte ho jab aapko pata ho ke ghar mein koi hai to provide to supervise as well.
  14. Humna says a daycare is better than a home nanny, because daycares have SOPs and supervisors. Usse behtar I think daycare hota hai because bahut saare log hote hain and daycare mein SOPs hote hain and supervisors hote hain supervising each nanny.
  15. Humna says working mothers face many expectations, both from themselves and from their relationships at home. aapke aap se bahut expectations hoti hain. Ek toh aap khud apni responsibility realize karte ho as a mother ke aapne yeh cheezein karni hain. But aur relationship se aapki bahut zyada expectations hoti hain
  16. Humna says that before motherhood she was an ambitious businesswoman who worked all the time. aggressively very overly ambitious uh business woman thi who just did work all the time
  17. Humna says her biggest struggle was with identity, because motherhood came naturally to her. meri sabse badi struggle ye thi wo with identity thi ke where motherhood came naturally to me
  18. Humna says she has partly recovered and now understands how to balance her time. So usse maine thoda recover kiya hai aur ab mujhe thode time balance ki samajh aati hai.
  19. Humna says working women are still expected to have everything sorted at home. she is still expected to have it together at home
  20. Humna says a working woman carries constant pressure about what is waiting for her at home. when she goes to work she has a tick tick tick tick tick going in her head
  21. Humna says families are not willing to accept that women are not superwomen. woh they are not open to accepting that women are not superwomen
  22. Humna says many people want a doctor daughter-in-law but do not want her to work. Hum doctor bahus aur doctor biviyon ko kaam karne dena nahi chahte.
  23. Humna says people are hypocritical about wanting doctor brides who then do not practise. hum log bahut hypocritical hain is what I want to say
  24. Humna compares the doctor bahu label to a trophy kept at home. Ke trophy rakh diya hai ghar mein ke doctor bahu toh hai hamari.
  25. Humna says nobody enters medicine in Pakistan for the money. Koi bhi insaan doctori mein paison ke liye at least Pakistan mein nahi ghusega.
  26. Humna says doctors in Pakistan earn little money in their early years. in your early years as a doctor you don't make any money
  27. Humna says a person should become a doctor only if they truly want to. agar kisi ne doctor banna hai na woh sirf tab ban sakta hai jab woh waqai dil se banna chahe.
  28. Humna has worked at both a hospital and a clinic. maine hospital mein bhi kaam kiya aur maine clinic mein bhi kaam kiya
  29. Humna says most of the clinic's patients had cosmetic problems. unke zyada tar problems jo hain woh cosmetic hote the
  30. Humna says she preferred working at the hospital over the clinic. mujhe jo acha lagta tha kaam karna woh hospital mein lagta tha
  31. Humna says the clinic paid better over time. it pays you better in eventuality
  32. Humna says a working woman should be free to choose how and when she is available. Aap unko freedom dein to choose you know to be available in the capacity that they find best.
  33. Humna says if women are given the freedom to work, men have to share the housework. agar freedom di gayi hai kaam karne ki that means ke ghar pe hath batana hoga
  34. Humna says society in general is not conducive to a mother thriving, whether she works or not. society jo hamari bani hui hai na it's not conducive to a mother thriving whether she is working whether she is not working
  35. Humna says motherhood can be very isolating because of the way society is organised. motherhood kitni isolating hoti hai because of the way that society is
  36. Humna says post-partum depression is more common among mothers with less support. post-partum depression un logon ko zyada hoti hai jinke paas support kam ho
  37. Humna says post-partum depression can make a mother feel her life is over. it can make you feel like your life is over you want to give up
  38. Humna says after childbirth a mother is robbed of her freedom. You are robbed of your freedom.
  39. Humna says malls and workplaces should have rooms where mothers can feed their babies. in malls and in workplaces you need to make rooms. Jahan pe ya woh chah ke bacche ko feed kar sakti hain
  40. Humna says corporate offices should have day cares. ke they have to have day cares at office
  41. Humna says parks and footpaths in Pakistan are not conducive to women being outside with children. they're not conducive to women being outside with kids
  42. Humna says mothers need to be made to feel like a very normal part of society. hum Turkey mein the basically you need to make mothers feel like a very normal part of society
  43. Humna has appeared on Thought Behind Things before, in an earlier episode. Maine apni pehli episode mein yeh bola tha.
  44. Humna says she would like to come on the show again. thank you so much for having me. I'd like to come again.
  45. Humna Raza was the guest on Thought Behind Things episode 146, titled Candid With Humna Raza. Candid With Humna Raza | 146 | TBT
  46. Humna Raza makes yearly positivity planners under the Inspire Me brand. planner brand, it's called Inspire Me. So uske andar she makes these yearly planners, basically positivity planners they're called.
  47. The Inspire Me planner has a concept of self-awareness at its core, because there is so much outside noise today. there's a huge concept of self-awareness jo ke is planner mein hai aur uski wajah yeh hai ke in this day and age we have so much noise bahar se
  48. The Inspire Me planner includes an exercise that helps a person sit down, think about themselves and be more mindful about what they do with their life. So this exercise sort of helps you sit down, think about yourself and and be more mindful about what you are doing with your life.
  49. The Inspire Me planner includes weekly reflections and helps the reader set an intention for each week. planner mein toh consistently woh hai hi with the weekly reflections and all that and help you you set intention for every week.
  50. Humna Raza was a guest on Thought Behind Things episode 025. Why Are Women So Angry? Ft. Humna Raza | 025 | TBT
  51. Humna Raza has said she used to react aggressively to women's empowerment and feminist topics. Main bhi bahut aggressive views aap keh lein, views nahi but reaction rakhti thi women empowerment aur feminist topics ke upar.
  52. Humna Raza has said aggression hurts a cause rather than improving it. Lekin mujhe samajh aaya ke usse cause hurt hoti hai, usse cause improve nahi hoti.
  53. Humna Raza has said she does not defend shouting, because the world cannot understand unless women explain. Lekin main is baat ko bilkul us tarah defend nahi karungi kyunke jab tak aurtein nahi samjhayein gi to duniya wale samajh bhi nahi sakte.
  54. Humna Raza has said making noise is also necessary to get attention. Lekin main yeh bhi understand karti hoon ke attention lene ke liye shor machana bhi zaroori hai.
  55. Humna Raza has said aggression is not the only way to deal with the issue. So so I understand ke aggression is not the only way to deal with it.
  56. Humna Raza has said frank speech was not appreciated in her home. Matlab humare ghar mein bhi agar main koi frank word aapke saath use kar loon jaise yaar, toh woh nahi appreciate kiya jata tha.
  57. Humna Raza has said she was told that a husband is owed a certain respect. Aur uski mujhe wajah bhi ye di gayi ke um husband ki ek respect hoti hai.
  58. Humna Raza has said society has made so many rules for women that their voices are silenced. Society ne ek aurat ke liye itne rules banaye hain ke usko suffocate kiya gaya hai jahan main kehti hoon ke uski awaaz band ki gayi hai
  59. Humna Raza has said her own podcast is coming. Isliye toh mera apna podcast aa raha hai.
  60. Humna Raza has said she experienced that girls who tried to set boundaries were never taken seriously. maine ye khud experience kiya ke humne koshish ki ladkiyon ne apni boundaries batane ki bhi koshish ki lekin unko kabhi seriously nahi liya gaya
  61. Humna Raza has said that in lonely situations she would rather be alone than have men around her. Agar main akeli hu kahin akeli walk kar rahi hu kisi akeli situation mein hu I'd rather be alone than have men around me.
  62. Humna Raza is the guest in this episode of Thought Behind Things, in conversation with the host. In conversation with Humna Raza, this episode explore relationships, marriages and its expectation vs realities.
  63. Humna says that when she and her husband married, he was working at Teradata. Ke jab humari shaadi hui toh aap Teradata mein kaam kar rahe the
  64. Humna Raza has said she had a nikah in 2014. Us se pehle mera nikah hua, main bata rahi thi 2014 mein.
  65. Humna Raza has said she married in May 2017. Meri shadi hui 2017 mein, uh May.
  66. Humna Raza has said she was 24 when her marriage took place. jab meri shadi hui finally tab main 24 saal ki thi
  67. Humna was in dental school at one stage of her early adult life. kyunke us waqt main dental school mein thi
  68. Humna Raza has said her father is not around, and her mother wanted her to settle quickly. mere abbu nahi hain toh ammi chahti thi ke main jald se jald settle ho jaun
  69. Humna Raza has said she is a mother. Samajhti hun main maa hun.
  70. Humna Raza has said she wants to take time off to spend with her children, but feels it would leave her behind in her career. Main time off lena chahti hun aur main wo pura time bachon ko dena chahti hun. Lekin ye fair nahi hai kyunki main to peeche reh jaungi apne kaam mein, apne career mein.
  71. Humna Raza has said her husband suggested they take time off in turn, which surprised her. which you suggested yourself and I was very surprised ke to shuru ke kuch saal tum off lo aur phir main le lunga
  72. Humna Raza has said she could never have imagined a man taking time off from his career. main kabhi soch bhi nahi sakti thi ke ek mard time off le sakta hai apne career se
  73. Humna says a man should also have the freedom to take time off from his career. Uske paas bhi ye freedom honi chahiye.
  74. Humna says she can run the household while her partner looks after the children. Ghar chala sakti hun aap bhi bachon ko dekh sakte hain
  75. Humna Raza has said she has seen that where women earn more, they start to feel more powerful. maine ye bhi dekha hai ke in couples jahan aurtein kamati hain, zyada kamati hain wahan pe aurton ko ye hona shuru ho jata hai ke wo zyada powerful hain.
  76. Humna Raza has said parents enforce things on their children because of society, though they do not believe in them, which she feels is not fair. But you don't actually believe in those things but because of society you enforce those things on your children. Which is not fair. I feel.
  77. Humna has a business and a blog, and says she was supported in both. supported me in my business and my blog
  78. Humna Raza has said her husband helped her for two years and put his own dreams and goals in the back seat. You've helped me for two years. You've put your dreams and goals in the back seat.
  79. Humna Raza has said the couple is a team whose two members are equal. It was more like ke yaar ek hum team hain, uske dono members equal hain
  80. Humna Raza has said that without her husband taking the back seat at that time, she would never have reached where she got in her business. agar us time pe aapne back seat na li hoti toh kabhi main apne business aur usme wahan na pahunchi hoti jahan main pahunch saki
  81. Humna says that instead of telling her partner that he, as a man, had to bring in the money, she said she would do it herself. ke nahi tum toh mard ho aur tumhe toh paise laane hi hain. Instead I said you know I'll do it, it's fine. You do this. It makes all the difference.
  82. Humna Raza has said she could hold the fort because her husband had helped her build it first. The reason that I was able to hold the fort was because you helped me build it in the first place.
  83. Humna Raza is featured in the Thought Behind Things episode titled "Why I Am The Way I Am". Why I Am The Way I Am Ft. Humna Raza | 001 | TBT
  84. Humna Raza was in conversation with Muzamil Hasan in this episode. In conversation with Humna Raza, Muzamil Hasan dives into the stories of his journey to 30.
  85. Humna Raza has said she spent a period of her life in all-girls education. because I went to all girls for a while um a lot of my life.