International Women's Day: Zainab Al Eqabi on self-love

As someone who lost her leg as a child in a bombing in Baghdad and overcame personal challenges to become a para-athlete and motivational speaker, Zainab Al Eqabi’s message that “life doesn’t stop when you have a disability” is one that rings powerfully true.

Zainab, who grew up in the UAE, is part of a new global campaign by beauty brand The Body Shop called ‘Self-Love Uprising’ which aims to inspire acts of self-love and is working with Zainab to raise awareness of self-love in the Middle East.

The confidence with which she conducts her life comes through in soft-spoken tones over a Zoom audio chat, where she discussed being part of the campaign as well as the importance of self-love, keeping oneself encouraged during trying times like the pandemic, how the UAE has given wings to her goals and dreams and why a woman is a ‘super kind of creature’.

Today is International Women’s Day, and today, more than ever, we women wish to be celebrated, loved, respected and recognised. But before we expect this treatment from others, shouldn’t we do it for ourselves?

Zainab who is also a television presenter on MBC1’s Yalla Banat Show, believes the concept of self-love is one that is important to embrace. “As someone who had lost one leg at the age of (almost) 7, it wasn’t easy to come back to society and to understand how I can fit in and grow up normally. Especially where there is a stigma attached to disability. Self-love was a power for me, to keep on standing on my own, to keep on looking out for myself and taking care of my goals, to not be a breakable person. Sometimes we go through that kind of rollercoaster where we are not happy with who we are, we are not satisfied. That could affect you a lot, even on a daily basis. Look deeper and think twice and give yourself a chance to fall in love with yourself; have a good relationship with who you are.”

In a world inundated with social media images of the ideal body shape and size, the perfect life and so much more ‘perfection’ it can be daunting sometimes to believe in yourself, it can be hard not to compare. How does one navigate this endless barrage of information and images?

Zainab believes “there is too much pressure on society to keep on seeking the kind of perfection that doesn’t exist.”

“Look twice, get outside, see people, this is the reality — I mean there is no real perfection, which is okay! We are the way we are, and we represent a different kind of shape or situation or we’ve been through a certain kind of journey; we can support each other at the end of the day. And whoever is feeling down for any kind of reason they are not alone, and they need to know this. There are other people who might be going through the same. We need to hear each other’s stories to become stronger.”

She has over one million followers on Instagram and radiates positivity with her posts but is very vocal about the pitfalls of social media

promoting an unachievable kind of perfection. We asked her how she keeps herself encouraged especially in light of the Covid pandemic when mental wellbeing has come so much into focus, and when a lot of people are suffering from mental health concerns.

“Social media might promote some kind of perfection including positivity so I always try even through my platform to highlight that no matter how much you guys see me positive, I try to be a ‘realistic positive’. I give myself the chance to feel sad if I’m sad. Or feel the ache when I am going through it.

“And definitely the pandemic affected me but how I kept on being strong is (the thought) that we are all going through it. If that makes it easier for you.. you are not alone. Someone else is going through a similar struggle or maybe even much worse. So you should be thankful — your family is healthy, you still have your work. There are so many blessings that we keep on realising day after day in the pandemic, and these kind of reminders make me stronger.”

She is all praise for the UAE’s handling of the pandemic situation, and shared her thoughts on the country that “enables you to reach your dreams”.

“I have so much respect for this country — all the things that have been done, the leadership, the vision, how they are handling situations whether it’s Covid or anything else. Growing up here gave me the chance to have bigger dreams and to not believe in the presence of the impossible because day after day there are so many messages and realities that you can see, that you can really do so much. So the UAE definitely shaped me and made me stronger, made me a greater believer in my goals and dreams. There is so much support, everywhere you go.”

When asked about who has been the most inspirational personality in her life, Zainab credits her parents with instilling self-confidence in her. “My parents were my backbone throughout my childhood. Of course we had that kind of conflict where you fight with your parents (laughs), that’s kind of normal. But at the end of the day they tried their best to make sure that I had self-love and self-confidence as they were terrified, they knew society could be harsh on me and they wanted to make sure that I really can stand up for myself.”

Being such an inspirational woman herself, did she have a special message for the women of the world on International Women’s Day? “You are a super kind of creature in all aspects, whether you are a daughter, a sister, a mother or a child. Honestly being a woman is amazing, you do a lot of things by multi-tasking, you are so patient, you take care of so many people, you are so giving. So please don’t let anyone ever tell you that you just fit in a certain kind of box and you shouldn’t achieve your goals or dreams. You are truly the base of any society and what enables the society to grow.”

TAKE A BREAK, PAMPER YOURSELF

If you need inspiration to pamper yourself today, here’s what Zainab has to say on the subject. “ I like to take a break from time to time, invite myself for lunch or dinner — only myself — to a nice place. Spoil yourself in a spa when you have achieved something great. Buy yourself a gift because you worked so hard for it. Give yourself the kind of respect you deserve. Don’t only prioritise others, you should celebrate yourself as well. That makes you kind of relaxed and you charge your relationship with yourself at the end of the day.”

EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS

Feeling low? Maybe getting outside will help. Zainab, who enjoys outdoor activities like scuba-diving, jet-skiing, cycling and more believes getting outside can bring about a transformation in one’s mood. “Usually when we’re feeling down we’re at home, but once you are out and you start walking, even in the neighborhood, you feel like things are becoming easier — you’re breathing fresh air, perhaps listening to the birds or cats. I think the outdoors makes us see the bigger picture, so we’re not just thinking about the topic that could be causing us pain. I believe by looking at nature, enjoying it, and meditating over there maybe makes things easier. My favourite practical and accessible outdoor activity would be cycling. Even budget-wise it’s achievable for everyone — you can have a tour, see people, see nature, explore new areas and at the same time you’re working out and taking good care of your health. So it’s really nice; I would encourage everyone to do it.”