Today we’d like to introduce you to Mateen Khan.
Hi Mateen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The first incident that changed my perspective forever was my father losing his 20 years of career working for the Saudi government as a mechanical engineer.
I was not even 18 when these powerful emotions struck me hard. It struck me that this was the time for me to give back to my parents, as they gave us the best of everything. But being the youngest in my household, I faced my fair share of challenges.
I grew up in a society where random people think it’s their utmost responsibility to guide you as their child, where people will give you one million reasons not to have a goal, not have dreams, and not to have a purpose in life.
There is a saying I grew up hearing. Older people use to say in my language, and the translation goes something like, “Extend your legs only within the size of your quilt.” In other words, it tells you to do things only what your current financial situation allows you to do.
Another thing I used to hear often was, “Always look down and don’t look up. Now, telling you to be humble is one thing, but this was an attack to stop and demotivate anyone dreaming of becoming financially better one day.
Fortunately, my self-motivation and drive to achieve goals kept me moving forward. Although my parents never questioned my decisions when I turned 18. But they had constant concerns about my future as a fashion designer.
On the other hand, I had my maternal aunt and uncle who gave me support. Both of them were artists. My aunt was a handicraft teacher, and my uncle was a high-end tailor master with a Tailor & Design Centre London diploma.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Life is a journey of many phases. My biggest and worst challenge was changing myself. I look back at different scenarios I have gone through and what I could have done to avoid all that. All I see is failure to make the right choices.
Let me elaborate. Realization is the key to happiness. One of the most valuable gifts I received in life is my time alone. I had all the time to reevaluate and rethink what I had done wrong and why this happened.
As I look back, I see that my worst enemy of mine was my ego. The second enemy is lack of realization; my third enemy is fear. Your ego blocks your senses of accepting reality. Even if you try to admit it, your ego puts the fear of the consequences in your mind—for example, the fear of turning down a toxic person. Your ego tells you, “You are a nice person; even if that person is not giving you the same feelings back, don’t turn them down because it will make you look bad.”
I have encountered such people and tried to help them become better people. But they already gave themselves up to their demons. I’m saying monsters metaphorically; I’m saying in reality. People who are possessed by their inner demons are the people who are blindsided to accepting facts. You can not make them understand reality.
At one point in life, I was one of those people. I was so blindsided that I would reject all facts and reality. In my mind, I would hear my ego and my demons telling me I was on the right path and doing right. But I was in complete darkness.
Today, it gives me shivers to look back at that time. How could I be so blind?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.makstudiosinc.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/
makstudiosinc - Facebook: Facebook.com/
makstudiosinc - Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@makstudiosinc - Other: https://kavyar.me/m-a-
k-studios-inc
Image Credits
Dr. Tanjie Brewer IG: @stylishandfit, Photographer: Mateen A Khan (M.A.K Studios., Inc) IG: @makstudiosinc, Assistant: Sofi IG: Shaista_Sofi123, Model: Nataly Pasternak IG: @nataly__pasternak, Designer: For The Stars Fashion House By Jacob Meir IG: @forthestarsfashionhouse, Makeup & Hair: Aamadeo Salon IG: @amadeosalon, Makeup Artist: Alma Cedillo IG: @muacedilloalma, Hairstylist: Hasmik IG: @hasmikhair_stylist, Produced by: The Los Angeles Fashion Show IG: @thelafashionshow, Powered by: SAS Movie Studio, CA IG: @sasmoviestudio
