Leading The Way Ft. Momina Munir

This conversation is one I have been wanting to share for a long time. I sit down with Momina Munir, someone who has been part of the Happy Chirp story from the very beginning. When I think of women leading the way in the online space here in Pakistan, Momina is one of the first names that comes to mind. We talk about what it really means to start a channel when hardly any girls were doing it, the small moments that shaped her, and how she learned to stand firm in who she is without apologizing for it.

This is not a story about overnight success. It is about showing up, staying grateful, and sometimes forgetting the roti on the stove because a hate comment got to you. It is about the quiet courage it takes to press record when log kya kahenge, what will people say, is still a loud voice in your head.

The early days and the validation trap

Momina started her YouTube channel at a time when the Pakistani creator space looked very different. She remembers being one of the only girls posting content, navigating a world that was not yet ready for women to speak openly online. In the beginning, the validation felt like fuel. “I would post a makeup video and the response made me feel so good. Every like, every comment was a little high. I got addicted to people telling me I was doing well.”

But she soon realized that chasing external approval was a hollow game. The numbers, the notifications, the constant checking: it started to feel less like joy and more like pressure. “I had to ask myself, am I making this because I love it or because I need people to tell me I am good? That shift changed everything.” She talks about how important it is to find satisfaction within yourself before you post, so that the comments, good or bad, do not define your mood for the day.

Stepping out of the comfort zone

We talk about comfort zones and how they can feel like safe little rooms. For years, Momina struggled with putting herself out there. She was shy as a child, the girl who would not speak up in class. “I was the quiet one. My friends would talk for me. But I knew if I wanted to do this, I had to come out of that shell.” Starting YouTube meant doing voiceovers, appearing on camera, and eventually showing her face to a country that is not always kind to women who take up space.

She describes those early steps as terrifying but necessary. “The first time I posted a video with my face, I was so scared I almost deleted it. But I told myself, if you want to do this, you cannot hide forever.” That one decision to be seen changed her trajectory. It was not about becoming fearless overnight. It was about taking one small step out of the shell, then another, until the shell no longer fit.

Forgetting the roti and learning to let go

One story Momina shares made me laugh and also nod in recognition. She got a particularly mean comment once, the kind that lands right in your chest. She was so angry and upset that she stormed around the house, typing replies, fuming. “I forgot to make roti that day. Actually forgot. The dough was sitting there and I just paced. Later I thought, look at what this person made me do. I let someone behind a screen steal my peace and my roti.”

That moment became a turning point. She realized that carrying every negative word only hurt her own life. The people writing them did not lose sleep. She did. So she started practicing a simple rule: feel the sting, then let it go. It is not about being unaffected. It is about not letting the sting control your evening, your cooking, your time with family. “You cannot stop people from saying things. But you can decide that your peace is not up for grabs.”

Finding strength in family and speaking up

For Momina, family support was not just nice, it was everything. She talks about how her brother and parents stood by her when many others would have told a girl to stay quiet. “When my brother’s friends would ask about my channel, he would proudly tell them. He never asked me to tone it down.” That backing gave her a foundation of confidence that she draws on even now.

She also reflects on how she found her voice over time. Public speaking used to terrify her. But she knew that if she wanted to do this work, she had to get comfortable being heard. “I pushed myself to speak at events, to meet new people, to talk about myself. It was so hard at first, but each time it got a little easier.” She reminds us that confidence is not a switch you flip. It is a muscle you build.

Being unapologetically yourself

We spend a long time talking about what it means to be an unapologetic woman online in Pakistan. Momina says it simply: “I don’t want to be politically correct just to make other people comfortable. I want to say what I believe, kindly but firmly.” She notes that there are still so few women who feel free to express their real opinions, and she feels a responsibility to be one of them.

That does not mean she is loud for the sake of it. It means she refuses to shrink. She talks about how girls are often taught to soften their words, to smile more, to avoid rocking the boat. “But the boys get to speak openly. Why not us? If I can show one girl that she can do the same, that is enough.” Her channel became a space where she could be fully herself, and in doing so, she gave permission to others.

Small things, big gratitude

At the heart of our conversation is a belief I share deeply: the small things are the big things. Momina tells me that the practice that keeps her steady is gratitude. “When you stay grateful, you stay happy. Even if it is just for a cup of chai or a good conversation, that shift changes your whole day.” She is careful not to let gratitude turn into toxic positivity. It is not about ignoring the hard parts. It is about not letting the hard parts be the only story.

She used to fall into what she calls the bechari mindset, the feeling that life was unfair and she was a victim of it. “I would think, mere saath bura ho raha hai, why me? But I learned to ask, what if I am actually in a better position than I realize? That switch from bechari to grateful changed everything.” It is a quiet, steady practice. Notice the small goodnesses. Name them. Let them hold you up.

Why this conversation sticks with me

What Momina models is a kind of leadership that does not shout. She leads by being herself, by staying in the game when it would have been easier to quit, and by reminding women that their voices do not need to be polished to be powerful. This episode is for every girl who has ever hesitated to hit record, for every woman who has been told to keep her opinions to herself, and for anyone who needs a reminder that the small, consistent acts of courage are what build a life you are proud of.