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Whats Holding You Back ?

Whats Holding You Back ?

By Arsalan Merchant and Anusha Merchant

What's holding you back is a podcast that aims to bring inspiration to you in these times of uncertainty and to break past the barriers which are holding you back to achieving your true potential and your goals. It will remind you that the only person who has the power to change the gears of your life is ONLY YOU. We bring guests to you from all walks of life from founders of social startups to mental health coaches to fitness coaches who are doing an extraordinary job in changing the lives around them. Join us on a journey to form a community that's on a mission to inspire and impact lives.
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Fighting against the odds to help the underprivileged in Pakistan!

Whats Holding You Back ?Feb 14, 2021

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Episode 20: With Anusha and Arsalan: Live for today and now, no one is guaranteed a tomorrow! 

Episode 20: With Anusha and Arsalan: Live for today and now, no one is guaranteed a tomorrow! 

Episode 20: With Anusha and Arsalan: Live for today and now, no one is guaranteed a tomorrow! 


This most needed episode is all about something almost everyone struggles with which is living in the now. We are everywhere apart from the NOW. The truth is we can only make our reality by living in the present moment rather than wasting energy on the past which is gone and the future which is not even here.


In this episode podcast hosts Anusha and Arsalan talk about why the present moment is the most important and why everyone struggles with it including themselves. They also talk about some tips that you can implement in your daily life which can boost your mood and increase your productivity.

Jun 18, 202319:25
Finding meaning in life by contributing to others

Finding meaning in life by contributing to others

Nadim Nasser -Episode 19- Finding meaning in life by contributing to others

Back with Season 2 with a BANG ! Bringing to you an insightful episode on how we find true meaning in our lives by giving back to others . A lot of realise later on despite how many goals you achieve in life but ultimately the true inner happiness you achieve is by helping and lifting someoene else up. Thats how you bring light in your life as well.

In today’s episode we are delighted to have Nadim Naseer founder of Apollo which is a learning program for kids aged from 10-13 which helps them to be leaders in a constantly evolving future. The program helps youth cover topics from Mindsets, self-awareness, world issues, personalised coaching and more.

Mar 16, 202347:13
Why is asking for help so important?

Why is asking for help so important?

Khushal Yousafzai Episode 18-  Why is asking for help so important?

This topic is very crucial in this noisy world where we can easily feel lost. Asking for help is so important and if you choose to ask that's a sign of strength, not weakness. In the end we are responsible for our lives we have to make a decision to change our lives. Our guest has gone through a similar journey.

We speak to our guest one of the true inspirations to our youth Khushal Yousafzai about his own struggles and his own A-level struggles, with his determination to keep going despite whatever was going on in his background. Furthermore, we discuss how he broke past the stigma to ask for help and how we can help others to seek help. We also touch on Malalas story and the challenges she faced while fighting for change in education in Pakistan.

Khushal is originally from Swat Valley, Pakistan. he studies Religion, Philosophy, and Ethics at Kings College London. He also is the co-founder of an NFT project called Last Neanderthals and was the vice president and events manager of a student society at King's. Fun fact he is the brother of Malala.

Dec 08, 202201:01:29
Creating a social startup with the mission of making Pakistan more inclusive for the deaf

Creating a social startup with the mission of making Pakistan more inclusive for the deaf

Episode 17 - Creating a social startup with the mission of making Pakistan more inclusive for the deaf

This episode is a very different topic compared to the rest of the podcasts it's all about how to create a social start-up with the mission to make a more inclusive society. We are so proud and excited to bring on Azima’s story about her and her incredible work. Azima’s parents were her WHY to start this fantastic start-up called “Connect Hear” in Pakistan. Connect hear which is focused on providing professional sign language interpretation services. The main mission behind this start-up is to give deaf individuals tools that enable them to communicate effectively.

In the episode, we talk about various things starting from her WHY behind this social start-up and the importance of having a WHY behind starting any new initiative, how deaf individuals were treated before this start-up and how they are treated now. Also, we talk about our role as individuals to make this society more inclusive.

Our amazing guest Azima Dhanjee is the CEO of Connect Hear which started in 2017. She also is a Diana awards recipient and has been mentioned in Forbes, and Pioneers Post, among other publications. Her startup is the winner of the P@SHA ICT Awards and has received a merit position in the 18th APICTA Awards.


Oct 18, 202239:14
You’re not behind you’re exactly where you should be!

You’re not behind you’re exactly where you should be!

Episode 16: You’re not behind you’re exactly where you should be !

Anchor: This episode is very close to our hearts because at so many points in our life we face this issue of being behind in life, we definitely have faced this thought repeatedly. The truth is this concept is man-made as there is no such thing as being behind, life isn’t a race and this journey should only be compared to one person which is YOURS!

If you struggle with this concept then this episode is for you. In this episode with our amazing guest Preeti we discuss key topics such as why we feel we are behind in our own journeys, how to deal with the noise of social media, and how to deal with times when we feel like we are behind, and not hitting our goals.

Preeti is an incredible podcast its Preeti Personal which focuses on sharing south Asian stories. It focuses on a range of topics that many young south Asians face from dating to mental health. Her podcast has also been the finalist in Asian media awards and British podcast awards.

Aug 31, 202250:33
How to turn a problem into your next business venture

How to turn a problem into your next business venture

Episode - 15 - This episode is one of the episodes which is very essential for you all who have an aspiration to start something of their own but don’t know where to begin. Do you have this amazing business idea but have no idea if it will work or how you go ahead with this. Well, this episode is for you!

Our guest Danish talks about the steps he took to launch his own speech coach app called Orai. He also talks about the importance of validating your idea before executing it. Moreover, he talks about the napkin business plan and mistakes you should avoid making as he made those while making his own app.

Our guest Danish Damani was a speaker and presentation skills coach at Ted conferences and he also is a co-founder of the app called Orai which is an Ai speech coach. Also, in 2021 he also got chosen to be on Forbes 30 under 30.

Jul 24, 202236:05
The journey of self-love and self-confidence

The journey of self-love and self-confidence

Episode 14- Nitin Bhatia- The journey of self-love and self-confidence

This episode is one of the episode which is very crucial. If you are struggling with self love and self confidence then this episode is for you. Remember everything  starts within you - you are in control of how you feel. 

Our guest Nitin Bhatia talks about why we struggle so much today to love ourself and to be confident in ourselves with so much noise around us. He also shares some habits to love yourself even more  and to be more confident. Moreover he discusses why we seek validation from external sources rather than within. 

Niti Bhatia is from India with a bachelor's and master's in HR and marketing - he even started his company called Nitsan Pharmaceuticals. He is also co-founder of ombre jewels and he also creates amazing content on Instagram and youtube all about self-confidence and happiness.

Jun 15, 202244:19
Taking risks in your life to fulfil your true purpose in life

Taking risks in your life to fulfil your true purpose in life

Misbaah Sayani Episode 14- Taking risks in your life to fulfill your true purpose in life

We are back yet again with another much needed topic on taking risks. Are you struggling in life with being stuck in life and wanting to take risks but it is too uncomfortable? If yes this episode is for you. 

We have with us Misbah Sayani who is the owner of the bakery brand Guilty in Pakistan. She talks about her journey of taking a leap of faith and opening her brand which makes her more fulfilled every day rather than doing her 9-5  job every day which she hated. She gives valuable advice on taking why risks can change your life and what mindset shifts are needed to be made to make uncomfortable decisions.

May 11, 202247:48
Knowing your true authentic self and living beyond your career

Knowing your true authentic self and living beyond your career

Episode 12-  Knowing your true authentic self and living beyond your career

We are so excited to be back after our break with such an incredible guest Alisha Damani and a topic we all struggle with a lot in today's time. She talks about how we are beyond our career, achievements, and material things which we tend to identify with a lot. She also discusses why we often identify with our careers and how we are human beings before any of the successes that we have achieved till now. Alisha goes on to tell us why we identify with our career and what we can do to find our inner happiness and true purpose in life. Moreover, she also discusses the incredible 5 step system that she uses in her high-performance coaching. 

Alisha is a doctor by profession but also she is a certified high-performance coach who helps career professionals that want something more in life and want to live an abundant life, podcast host of medic today, entrepreneur, and founder of the drip stop. This doesn't stop here she is hosting an incredible event for doctors called ignite 2022 to reignite their passion and live a fulfilled life. She recently even received an award for the inspirational women of Portsmouth. 

Apr 18, 202201:06:44
Surpassing all the obstacles and still being determined towards your dream

Surpassing all the obstacles and still being determined towards your dream

Episode 11 - Ibraheem Nadeem - Surpassing all the obstacles and still being determined towards your dream 

WE ARE BACK WITH ONE OF OUR MOST AWAITING PODCASTS !! If you are a bit lost on finding your true purpose and passion then this episode is for YOU! We are super humbled to have got a chance to this podcast with the founder of ZUDO Ibrahim Nadeem.  He is a true example of someone who went after finding his true purpose and turned it into a meaningful brand. ZUDO is a jewelry range of culturally inspired daily wear accessories.

In this episode, we will be talking about how to find your true purpose on this planet and how do you know it is the right time to quit your job to pursue your passion full-time. Ibrahim will discuss with us the key challenges he faced when he started his brand and how he encountered them fiercely. He also gives some key advice on how to take action towards your dreams and how to stop procrastinating on them.

Nov 30, 202142:57
Using innovation to overcome traditional barriers in medicine

Using innovation to overcome traditional barriers in medicine

Episode 10 - Using innovation to overcome traditional barriers in medicine

Here we are with an exceptional episode this time. We have Maheen Dhanani who's a specialist in public health service delivery and works in telemedicine in Pakistan. In addition, her work in telemedicine has been featured on the WHO website, she has authored a series of children's books focusing on the UN sustainable development goals. 

Moreover, she has published multiple articles in national newspapers and regularly writes for many magazines on topics on healthcare and the health effects of climate change.

Oct 04, 202136:19
How the law of attraction can change your whole life around!

How the law of attraction can change your whole life around!

Episode 9 - How the law of attraction can change your whole life around!

This episode is one of our favorites as it has the effect of changing your whole life around. Our guest today is Ishpreet Kaur who quit her 9/5 office job to become a mindset and manifestation coach. She helps people change their lives by providing mindset, relationships, and manifestation coaching. 

In this incredible episode, we will talk about the basics of the law of attraction and the law of vibration, and the ways you can apply it in your daily life to manifest anything in your life. We will also discuss the importance of our subconscious mind and how we can break past the patterns/beliefs that have been there for so long. 

Sep 05, 202101:02:43
How to discover your inner strength in high discomfort

How to discover your inner strength in high discomfort

Episode 8 - We are back with an exciting episode on How to discover your inner strength in high discomfort with Patricia Alcivar. She lives in New York. Being a mountain climber, she has already reached the summit of Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, Kilimanjaro (Africa) & Elbrus (Europe). She proved that every mountain top is within reach if you keep climbing & became the first-ever female to be voted and win “Athlete of the Year”, by the USA Olympic Boxing Committee. Moreover, She is also been a boxing champion, marathon runner, and Mountainaineer for 4 years. Not only this, but she also highlights that permanence, perseverance & persistence make an unbeatable combination for success!

Aug 01, 202132:54
Losing yourself in service to find your true inner happiness

Losing yourself in service to find your true inner happiness

Episode 7- Today's episode is very close to our hearts as it raises critical awareness of what's happening in India regarding COVID 19 and food hunger. We have with us Nilay Agarwal today- a youngster in India who is the founder of Vishalakshi foundation and is leading Indias biggest youth-run movement project hunger. Nilay’s aim is to serve with the pure intention to do social work and has been working on improving the conditions of slums. He also provides them with free education.

Tune in to listen to Nilay discussing the importance of food hunger in India and how our role can be in today's world. He also talks more about his foundation which has over 2000 volunteers working together even in this time of the pandemic. Nilay also shares his WHY behind starting this foundation and how it makes him feel touching thousands of people's lives. The link to the episode is in the bio and catches us on all platforms: Apple podcast, Spotify, Google podcasts, anchor. We are so grateful to have you as part of our community who is willing to grow with us.

Jun 01, 202143:22
Journey on how to follow your true passion and to go past people's judgments!

Journey on how to follow your true passion and to go past people's judgments!

Episode 6 - We are super thrilled to have with us Lokesh Dharmani who discusses his journey from changing cassettes and CDs to becoming a radio jockey at the number radio station city 1016 in Dubai (Bollywood radio station), holding concerts, and doing TEDx talks. Despite the career route not being traditional he followed his true passion to do what he is best at while impacting millions of lives through his job. 

He talks about how he began his career to where he right now as a very successful radio jockey. Moreover talks about breaking the past societal norms about breaking traditional routes as career pathways. Then he also talks about his experiences with the Bollywood superstars and his favorite on-air experience. He gives very profound advice to the listeners who want to follow their passion but get restricted due to the high risks it has.

May 03, 202140:25
Massive transformation journey from an out-of-shape mom to being a world-class athlete!

Massive transformation journey from an out-of-shape mom to being a world-class athlete!

Episode 5 - Another amazing episode is out about a massive weight loss transformation journey with Angela Mayers. She has gone from being a mother of 3 toddlers who was completely out of shape to become a world-class athlete. She has made this transformation into her passion to help other people reach this stage. She is the founder of emPower training systems, she's a life coach, weight loss coach, fitness expert and she's also the author of living young. She talks about enjoying your whole journey rather than rushing the process to reach the end destination is so critical. Moreover, she discusses how important consistency is to achieve your incremental goals and talks about the importance of self-love in any transformation journey.

Apr 04, 202133:04
Striving towards growth mindset!

Striving towards growth mindset!

Episode 4 - We are back with an incredible episode on having a growth mindset and its importance with Anusha Somani. If you want to change your limiting beliefs you keep telling yourself and strive towards a growth mindset- this episode is for you. Many of you requested having someone on who can talk about how to control our thoughts and how to change our mindset especially at this so we listened to you. Anusha is an  American Board Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming master coach and Life Coach. Not only this she has worked with various educational institutes which range from Clinton global initiative Unicef and many more. 

In this episode, Anusha discusses the difference between fixed and growth mindset. She explains what is the purpose of NLP and how that can be used to change our limiting beliefs we have which makes us stuck in the same position in our life.

Mar 07, 202139:36
How to write your comeback story despite having a disability!

How to write your comeback story despite having a disability!

Episode 3 - This episode is definitely going to be an EPIC ONE! We are so excited to have Niranjan Nergile with us today who will discuss how to make a comeback despite having a disability. He had finished his studies at IIT Mumbai (top college in India) and was offered to work in the US. But soon after he faced a tragedy that changed his life forever when the doctors told him he couldn’t walk forever of his life and has to be in a wheelchair but he didn’t stop fighting against the odds.
He discusses his initial reaction when he was told he was disabled for life and what made him never give up despite the situation seeming so tough. Moreover gives advice on how to approach a major setback in life and how to change your mindset which is often disabled.
Feb 22, 202132:16
Fighting against the odds to help the underprivileged in Pakistan!

Fighting against the odds to help the underprivileged in Pakistan!

Episode 2  - We are back with another inspiring episode! This time we are delighted to have this youngster from Pakistan Arshid Feroz khan as our guest and we discuss the issue of poverty in Pakistan. Arshid discusses his mission behind starting the Street Children Pakistan charity and his recent projects. 

Moreover, he also explains his WHY behind starting this charity and shares with us some real-life stories which inspire him to continue the work he does. He also shares insights behind what was holding him back before starting this charity and gives tips regarding anyone who wants to follow their passion but is reluctant to do so. 

Feb 14, 202126:00
Whats Holding You Back - Launch Episode

Whats Holding You Back - Launch Episode

Episode 1 - On this first episode of what is holding you back the podcast hosts Anusha and Arsalan introduce themselves to their community. They explain what can their community expect from these episodes and dig in deep behind their WHY to starting this new initiative in these unprecedented times. In this launch episode, they also share some of the exciting topics that can be discussed by our guests and go deep behind what was holding them back before starting this initiative.

Feb 03, 202111:40