Mahira Abdel Aziz: ‘I treated exhaustion as proof I was committed’

Mahira Abdel Aziz spoke to Arab News about curiosity, consistency, and challenges. (File/ )Short Urlhttps://arab. news/bu3p9 Updated Arab News September 24, 2026 Follow Here, Emirati architect, actress and broadcaster Mahira Abdel Aziz talks curiosity, consistency, and challenges in her own words. My biggest inspiration has always been curiosity. I’ve never believed we need to define ourselves . Learning, changing, and discovering new sides of yourself are all part of becoming who you are. My parents raised me to be open-minded, ambitious, and unafraid of change. That mindset gave me the courage to explore different opportunities and, most importantly, to remain open to where life might take me. Everyone has something to teach you if you are genuinely willing to listen. That exchange of experiences and perspectives is probably what I value most about what I do. Mahira Abdel Aziz on the red carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. () I increasingly appreciate moments when I can disconnect from my phone and from the noise around us. As life gets busier, you realize that peace is actually a luxury. Character is built through choices made consistently, not through one dramatic moment. I admire people who combine excellence with service, rather than using success only as a personal ornament. Oprah Winfrey, Jacinda Ardern, Malala Yousafzai, Yousra, and women who lead in traditionally male spaces all represent that balance to me. I respect them because they use their visibility to widen the conversation and make room for other people to rise. The biggest misconception about me is that a polished public image means life is effortless and I am confident every minute of the day. People screen, the clothes, and the finished result, but not the preparation, mistakes, pressure, and self-doubt behind them. I think visibility makes people mistake composure for perfection, when in reality composure is something I practice.  I am proud of being a present mother while showing my daughter that ambition and love can exist in the same life.  I’ve learned that ambition without boundaries is not excellence. Early in my career, I sometimes said yes to every opportunity and treated exhaustion as proof that I was committed. The work may have been completed, but I was not always as present, patient, or creative as I wanted to be, so I now protect my health, time, and ability to do work properly.  One of the best lessons my parents gave me was not to build my life around other people's expectations.