Harman, I am familiar with you, but what words can you share for those who aren't?
My name is Harman and I’m a 24-year-old Indian-Australian who was born in Punjab and grew up in New Zealand. At the moment, I’m building a career in the medical field as a medical information specialist and am a part-time influencer. You could describe me as extroverted and curious by nature, and someone who has a genuine passion for learning and growing. I love meeting and speaking to people but I never know how to answer a question like this!
Tell us about your career. What are your academic roots, and where do you find yourself now?
At the moment, I work in Medical Information within the health field while also engaging as a part-time influencer and content creator. I completed a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences and pursued a Master's in biotechnology at Monash University.
ASZN is all about passion, it's one of our core values. Give us 3 things you are passionate about.
Learning: I am passionate about growing myself - I am a bit of a perfectionist and ambitious about climbing the corporate ladder and shining in things that I’m interested in. I think it’s important to read books, learn from people around you as well and take criticism whenever you can. It's a blessing I promise.
Fashion and Beauty: I grew up watching my mum, who was a very simple but elegant woman be someone who was completely self-assured and strong. So naturally I learnt to value myself before anything else. However, there is something so beautiful about getting ready. Learning to style myself is something that aided my confidence. I don't think it's ever really about how you look, but more so about how you feel. My confidence changed when I started presenting myself in a way that made me feel like the best version of myself. Self-care is an effort, but a necessary one. I genuinely just feel good when I do that.
Health: This is something I recently became extremely conscious of as I began working in the field of oncology. I think a lot of people know I am passionate about working out and I’m aware that it’s cliche but truly, you can’t have a life if you are bedridden or suffering from other health issues that are within your control. It’s important to look after yourself as much as you possibly can by going to the gym, walking, stretching and eating healthy. I emphasise the ‘as much as you can’ part because we are human and sometimes we can accidentally have a whole pizza and binge-watch an entire season of The Office on Netflix - whoops.
Life is truly a blessing. Could you share three pieces of life advice?
If you are passionate about it and it makes you feel good, believe in yourself to pursue it. Believe in yourself - it sounds cliche this phrase has been exhausted, but it could never be more true and more essential. Sometimes people will complicate your situation, which will complicate your passion. Society can be like that but if you feel passionate about something, you are already feeling more and doing more than someone who is directionless. You don't have to be the best, because if you are passionate - you have a drive that already sets you apart from the average person.
Turn any negative that you experience into a positive. Everybody knows life is full of problems, and people can be hurtful and sometimes we start to believe what others say. Self-doubt and adversity are inevitable. I navigate life by turning these hurdles of life into opportunities for growth. I try to learn from them, assess my shortcomings, and develop strategies for improvement. To me, someone who makes life seem easy is just a ridiculously resourceful problem solver, because life demands solutions, and resourcefulness turns adversity into advantage.
If you are in it for the money, you're going the wrong way.
I know that we’ve all noticed that it’s the people who are passionate and committed that can turn anything into gold. Thus naturally, I believe riches don’t entirely come from the craft you pursue but from the person who perseveres, dedicates their hours and brings creativity to the table. I think these are the things that make a difference in how someone’s career plays out. So, maybe it’s time that we stop googling ‘highest-paid jobs’ and work on perfecting the talents we naturally already have, diving into seemingly scary pursuits and stop being afraid of judgment.
What is your take on adulting? How are you taking it all in, how do you cope?
Undoubtedly, adulting poses challenges and can be exhausting. For example, I mentioned earlier that I’m passionate about working out because of all the benefits that come out of it, however, the tasks of going to the gym can feel so incredibly draining - I’m not a fan. It’s like that with many auditing tasks.
However, I cope by recognizing the necessity to push through discomfort. The consistent effort eventually turns challenging actions into second nature and developing self-discipline makes the world of a difference.
Learning to set aside emotions and enduring short-term discomfort for long-term gains is something I’m dedicated to doing. This perspective of focusing on the rewards of perseverance guides me through adulting.
Lastly, any words for our ASZN readers?
I've mentioned this before, but it warrants repeating: Believe in yourself. So many people miss opportunities, carry through generational curses or stay in the same situation they're whole lives because they don’t believe they deserve anything more. Self-belief holds immense power because how you feel about yourself steers your whole life. Every time I believed in myself, I achieved things I never thought I could. I became the Valedictorian of my school by sheer chance, I got hired on the spot for a job, and I got paid for jobs that others had to do for free. I also received an offer for a job in my desired field without an interview while I hadn’t even finished studying. I walked into the room every day believing things would work out for me and became a consistent top performer and consistently received awards for it. The thing is, I don’t think I’m smarter or better in any way, I only believed in myself. So, set goals and work towards them with no excuses. Be positive and allow yourself to believe you deserve it.
A little closing statement from ASZN
I encountered Harman Naru upon my move to Melbourne. Witnessing her growth as she managed her social media presence alongside a medical career was truly inspiring. Her approach to life intrigued me, and I admired her ability to balance diverse pursuits. Intuition often guides me toward authentic individuals, and Harman embodies that authenticity. Her unwavering belief in herself stood out during our conversation—a quality I felt compelled to highlight on ASZN's inaugural cover. Our digital magazine aims to showcase how individuals navigate life's complexities, embracing both joys and challenges. Believing in oneself, though seemingly cliché, holds profound truth. I believed in my mission, and ASZN materialized. Harman and ASZN share a mutual dedication to this principle.