Sera Naiqama is real gem and we’re proud to bring you her story. She’s someone we admire and appreciate as a young Pacific woman stepping up to make a difference in her workplace, community, church and in her family. We love her and everything she stands for – as a model, rugby player, student and even down to her work ethic. Earlier today, she opened up and gave us a glimpse into her personal life – what’s most important to her, what motivates her and the words of wisdom she has to offer to young people wanting to make their mark in the world. 

We know you’re involved in a few things – which are the most important to you?

Career wise, my Diploma in Human Resource Management. In terms of lifestyle, it’s my youth involvement and leadership at church and rugby. To list them in order of importance it would definitely start with church, rugby then my HR Diploma.

I’m the type of person that tends to say “yes” to everything which leads to over committing to too many things. At the end of last year I sat down and put pen to paper. I asked myself questions like “Who do I want to be in 12 months time? What am I dreaming for this year? What sacrifices am I willing to make? How am I going to get there?”

It was crazy to think of how many considerations I had to make. In the end I narrowed it down to three solid priorities, which I completely committed myself to. Living by those priorities has given me the ability to live life to the absolute max.

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So many young people struggle to find their purpose, or to determine their dream. What enabled you to realise your dream? 

Being around the right people. The saying “show me your friends and I will show you your future” couldn’t be truer for me.

Some of the conversations I’ve had over the dinner table with my closest girlfriends (you know who you are) were in one, or many ways, life changing.

There are two kinds of people I can surround myself with. Makers or Breakers.

There are people who will encourage you, keep you accountable, and will motivate and push you to be the person you are ultimately been called to be. On the other hand you have people who will laugh at, ridicule and doubt your dream.

Being able to voice my craziest aspirations and having people say, “I can see you doing that” or something as simple as “you can do that” have been significant moments where my dreams were brought to life.

Once I realised what my dream was, my family then played the biggest part in actually chasing my dream. My two older brothers are fortunate to play in the NRL (considering how cut-throat and competitive it is), and my older sister is an Accounts Manager for a finance company. The combination of knowing where we came from – our tough and humble beginnings, along with witnessing their journey towards success, has inspired me to dream without any limits.

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My Ma is my queen. Eventually, I’d like to repay her for all the sacrifice she made for us growing up. Being a single mum and working two jobs to give us a decent upbringing wasn’t easy. I’m wholeheartedly thankful for her. If it wasn’t for my Mother, I wouldn’t have been able to realise my own capacity of what I can accomplish when I set my mind to it.

My family and friends are a testament to why surrounding yourself with the “Makers” is more important than you think.

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What have been the biggest barriers to following your dream?

Comparison. It has been the biggest barrier in different seasons of my life, and I could go on all day talking about how. Comparison is a losing game. The reality is, someone is always going to be better at doing what I do. If I had to choose between dwelling on that thought, or focusing on what talents and gifts God has allowed me to make the most of – I’d have the latter thanks.

Self-doubt. It can be continual process when it comes to doubt. As much as I wish we could all just perfect things one time and never have to deal with it again, that’s not the case. In my past, having doubt has mentally crippled me.

From one doubtful thought, I found myself passing through the days to weeks, then into months. My life was simply the same, not making any progress to achieve any goals – simply because I let doubt consume me.

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Any advice for people who are hoping to follow a similar path as you?

Organise and prioritise. It sounds like an old school principle but prioritising and being organised is your key to succeeding.

My A5 diary is something I take everywhere. It’s my bae. Even though I know what my week will typically look like, it keeps me on top of the little details. Things like when my next shoot is, the nights I agreed to have dinner with the girls, when I need to pay my bills by.  You don’t have to have a fabulous life in the fast lane to use a diary. It’s about creating good habits and being disciplined with time.  

Always set aside Me Time. As we go about our daily lives, people always demand our time and energy. That’s how it will always be.

Only recently have I come to understand when I don’t have Me Time, I’m not the best person to be associated with. I can be moody, have a foul attitude and physical and mentally – I’m exhausted.

With what my week looks like at the moment, I can’t spare an entire day – though I can spare a few hours here and there to just break away from the business of life.

All I need is to put my phone away, get my journal out, prepare my cup of coffee with my Lauryn Hill playlist and that’s it, I am in my zone.

Find what you enjoy to do on your own and do more of it. In the end, you’ll be more thankful for it. I know I am.

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 The future is looking bright for Sera. In the meantime we’ll be cheering her on as she continues to work hard to achieve her dreams. If you’d like to follow Sera, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram

Photo credit: Bowtie Affair