08/07/2025
“Either you’re at your desk tomorrow… or you’ll be sued.”
This was the actual phone call I got.
I still remember where I was standing. My heart dropped. My hands shook.
And in that moment—I knew something had to change.
Like most Egyptian girls growing up in the late 1980’s, my life came with a checklist.
✅ A respectable degree
✅ A good corporate job
✅ Stability. Security. Image.
I followed it all.
Worked in corporates for 13 years. I moved across departments—customer service, credit, operations. I learned. I grew. I met incredible people.
But deep down… I was never happy.
There was no spark. No meaning.
I kept asking myself: Is this it?
After having my first baby, I took unpaid leave and launched a small business with my cousin. It was successful—financially. But again… no fulfillment.
So I went back to corporate. Because it felt safe. Because that’s what I was taught to do.
Then I had my second child.
And something in me shifted.
I was constantly torn between being a good mom, doing my job, showing up as a wife, a daughter, a friend… and I felt like I was failing at all of them.
That’s when I said: No more.
I wanted to build something for mothers like me.
For the women who give everything to everyone and still feel it’s not enough.
For those who are trying to raise grounded, emotionally healthy kids—without losing themselves in the process.
That’s how RAYU was born.
Named after the two little souls who changed my life: Ryan and Yunis.
And just as things started to feel real… I got that call.
Return to your desk—or be sued.
I was still reeling from personal loss—months away from losing both of my parents.
They were my safety net. My definition of security.
But I chose to walk away.
Not because I wasn’t scared.
But because I was finally choosing myself.
My values. My purpose. My truth.
And maybe… just maybe… that phone call wasn’t a threat.
It was a gift.
💬 Tell me honestly:
Have you ever had to choose between what’s expected of you and what your soul truly wants?
What did you do?
I would love to hear your story. Let’s talk in the comments. 👇
