Bazaar Belief: HH Sheikha Intisar AlSabah On The Key To Success, Biggest Regrets And Fulfilling Her Legacy
Your guide to life from women who inspire us
A social entrepreneur and philanthropist, HH Sheikha Intisar AlSabah is on a mission to help bring peace to the Arab world. She pursues this goal by founding and running organisations like Alnowair, Bareec and the Intisar Foundation, as well as the Intisars and Ebbarra brands.
THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS?
Believing that one can be successful. Truly believing in it is the key to success, because if one does not truly believe in it, it will be a lot of work but little success.
WHAT PART OF YOUR WORK ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
The best part of my work is that I get to work with the most amazing people. Putting aside all our achievements and success, it is the daily interactions with great people that really energise me. This is what keeps me going.
Describe yourself in three words…
Passionate, kind, efficient.
WHAT DOES FAMILY MEAN TO YOU?
Support system, home, love, connection, caring.
CAN WE HAVE IT ALL?
You can have it all, of course! When it gets better, it just gets better and better and better. Yes, we can have it all. We can have all the pleasures that we want in life, we just have to know how to enjoy them.
THE VALUE YOU MOST ADMIRE IN YOURSELF?
I am very powerful and very kind at the same time, so I love that duality in myself.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WHY?
I realised a few years ago that there is a reason why I have been given so much, so many gifts in life, so I’m passionate about living a life of using those gifts to support others. Some might call it fulfilling my legacy.
PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT?
My daughters, of course, and especially when they appreciate and feel inspired by what I do. One of my proudest moments also happens whenever I attend a graduation ceremony of any of the Intisar Foundation drama therapy programmes in Lebanon or Jordan, because then I get to witness amazing personal transformations among our beneficiaries.
MY GREATEST JOY IS…
Life and everything that happens in life.
HAPPINESS IS…
In the smallest details. If you can find it in the smallest things, happiness is inevitable.
WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO MOST – YOUR HEAD, HEART OR GUT – AND WHY?
I definitely listen to my feelings. I stopped listening to my head, I just acknowledge my thoughts now, but my feelings make yes or no decisions.
BIGGEST REGRET?
Every problem or catastrophe in my life has been the reason for my success, so I don’t have any regrets. I have stopped being ashamed of my shameful moments, and hence I don’t have any regrets but only appreciation for where I am right now.
Who or what feeds your soul?
Smiling, having fun, laughing.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
Have fun, this too shall pass.
FAVOURITE MOTTO YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE BY AND WHO SAID IT?
Khalil Gibran, “I’ve been smiling a lot since this morning, and I am now all smiles deep down in my heart. I smile as if I was born to smile.”
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s December 2021 issue