EP 260 How to Find Your Voice and Embrace Your Differences with Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad

How can embracing your differences and practicing self-advocacy help you overcome adversity, build confidence, and discover your purpose?

In Episode 260 of the Deal to Heal with E. James Podcast, Earnest James welcomes Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad, a speaker, author, podcaster, photographer, traveler, and disability advocate, for an inspiring conversation about embracing what makes us different and using our experiences to make a difference.

Zaakirah shares how childhood eye cancer resulted in the loss of sight in one eye and how radiation treatment affected her hearing. Living with a prosthetic eye and hearing challenges taught her early lessons about self-advocacy, accessibility, and the importance of helping others understand disabilities that may not be immediately visible.

But her story is about much more than disability.

With the encouragement of her parents, access to supportive professionals, and a growing belief in her own abilities, Zaakirah discovered ways to express herself through photography, writing, public speaking, and travel. She discusses how experiences that once made her feel different eventually helped her discover her voice.

The conversation explores her travels to more than 15 countries, her TEDx speaking experience, and the role creativity played in helping her communicate what she could not always express verbally.

Zaakirah also introduces her book, Seeing Life Through a Different Lens, which she created with her mother, and reflects on her podcasting journey, which began in 2019.

Throughout the conversation, Earnest connects Zaakirah's experiences to the Deal. Heal. Fulfill. mission, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging life's challenges, accepting support, and recognizing how our experiences can point us toward our purpose.

The central message: Our differences do not have to prevent us from living meaningful lives. Sometimes the experiences that make us different also give us a unique perspective, a powerful voice, and opportunities to help others.

7 Key Takeaways

1. Embracing Your Differences Can Help You Discover Your Strengths

Zaakirah explains that living with visual and hearing disabilities has shaped how she navigates the world. Rather than defining herself only by what she cannot do, she has learned to recognize her abilities, communicate her needs, and pursue meaningful experiences.

Her story challenges listeners to ask: Am I allowing my circumstances to define my possibilities?

2. Self-Advocacy Is an Essential Life Skill

One of Zaakirah's most practical lessons is the importance of speaking up for what you need.

Guest Bio — Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad

Zaakirah Nayyar Muhammad is a brand strategist, international traveler, speaker, author, photographer, podcaster, and childhood eye cancer survivor.

Having lived with vision loss in one eye since infancy and hearing challenges resulting from medical treatment, Zaakirah uses her experiences to advocate for disability awareness, accessibility, empathy, and the importance of telling our stories.

Her work combines creativity, personal development, storytelling, and advocacy. She has traveled to more than 15 countries and delivered a TEDx talk titled Seeing Life from a Different Lens, sharing her experiences navigating the world as a Black Muslim woman with disabilities.

Zaakirah is also the co-creator of Seeing Life Through a Different Lens, a book presenting her life through both her perspective and her mother's.

Through her podcast, See Life Different, she shares conversations with women about resilience, entrepreneurship, creativity, and building a meaningful legacy.

Connect with Zaakirah

- Social media handle: @illuminousone (spelled I-L-L-U-M-I-N-O-U-S-O-N-E)

- Podcast: See Life Different

- Book: Seeing Life Through a Different Lens

- TEDx Talk: Seeing Life from a Different Lens

Whether requesting captions, explaining her hearing challenges, or asking for assistance in dark environments, she has learned that people cannot always recognize needs they cannot see.

Self-advocacy is not about demanding special treatment. It is about communicating what makes participation, connection, and independence possible.

3. Support Can Be an Important Part of Healing

Zaakirah describes the role of her parents, speech therapy, and other forms of support in helping her build confidence.

Her experience reinforces an important point: becoming resilient does not require doing everything alone.

Sometimes accepting help gives us the foundation we need to eventually help ourselves and others.