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he words “lose or fail” can be replaced with “learn, grow and experience”. Remember, “A winner is a failure who just tried another time.”
Well, last year was particularly eventful. Ironically, I was unemployed. I did rejoice the freedom and open-ended choices in life. I went on idyllic trips sporadically but it just didn’t seem like an ideal respite anymore. I felt hollow being unemployed and I was looking for countless chic-new age ways to spend my time; volunteer for programs abroad to work away from home and programs of all the ‘other new age ways’ to negate joblessness.
I was finally determined to work with an NGO in India (yes, there was a lot to learn and it was a fine experience). I thought to myself, “I was trying to break from the monotony (in my career) and now I have shot myself on my foot.” I was mostly apprehensive and peevish. Therefore, when I finished my term at the NGO, I got back attempting to thrive professionally to compromise for my work sabbatical. I was trying to accomplish an unrealistic and impractical feat that would elucidate my ‘reason for being’. I was frantically trying to establish an online space (as an entrepreneur) to create a niche for myself and regain my professional stint.
Only to realise my appetite wasn’t craving for an online e-commerce space. Fortunately, I realised this in the preliminary stage; when I was doing the groundwork for the startup. I was distraught because I was lucid about what I didn’t aspire for but I was in mystery of my “reason for being”. Is it for work-life stability or for sanity that I sought a career?
Then, suddenly things turned around when a loved one passed away. Here, I was at crossroads. Either I could wither away in darkness due to lack of clarity or take charge of duties and responsibilities.
I was fortunate to regain strength and clarity with great support from loved ones. Most importantly I did grasp to Ted Talks, motivation videos, other positive stories and videos that helped me gain my inner strength. I realised these motivational videos laced me with a blaze of hope and positivity.
I attended to the family business with diligence and dedication while learning a lot of things about the business; as good as a beginner or an enthusiastic fresher (wisely-unwise). On the hindsight, I did reconsider my career options at my hometown and decided to take a leap once the personal workload recedes.
And, voila!! I knew what I wanted to do, I loved communication and interacting with people; public speaking. But I’m almost a novice with a fair bit of experience at Toastmasters and moderate experience in the learning space. And, they were haunting memories of all those embarrassing times when I was younger, pronouncing genre as “GEN…RE” Philanthropy as “File and Trophy” And, I was also trying to fill into the BIG shoes of a loved one. But, most importantly I need to find my “reason for being”. As I was more enthused about the job than being apprehensive and driven more than anxious, I decided to invest in the opportunity.
I was conferred with an opportunity as a communication lead and instructional designer that subscribed to my priorities and asks. I joined a start-up; defragmented and unorganized. I relented about my safe and secure job at Big 4 in the suave-sparkling metropolitan city. I missed the buzz and thrills. I didn’t have a choice and I decided to consign to the new opportunity.
Turns out, as days passed, I was inspired and worked effortlessly overtime; without pressure or force but self-motivated to ensure I outshined at what I do. Previously, when I overworked, the result was stress but this time it was gratification. I motivated people at work and consistently endeavoured to sharpen my skills. I genuinely aspired and worked for a shift positive shift in myself and the participants.
The result, although at personal business proposition the stakes were high and there was a lot of pressure, I could handle the situation with the utmost care, focus and patience.
Not that I do exceedingly well, but I look to learn, grow and ‘REPEAT’. Also, carrying out personal duties diligently along with a passion (not with a Big 4 or a Fortune 500) is certainly a win-win or win-learn. The words “lose or fail” can be replaced with “learn, grow and experience”.
Remember, “A winner is a failure who just tried another time.”
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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