This afternoon, I was part of a very meaningful panel for ‘Be Human, Be Authentic, Be YOU’, organised by Nomura. I had a lot of takeaways, even as a speaker myself. The other speakers are so unabashedly authentic about themselves and I absolutely loved the energy in the room and how we all vibed so well together!
Ultimately we share the same message of encouraging people to insist on being yourself and not conform to societal norms. Sometimes it is very hard to be yourself, because of societal stereotypes or the people around you, hence I only have admiration for those who dare to stand up firmly against what is “expected” of them.
One question that was asked – “How do you define success?” And my answer was, “By how honest you can be with yourself.” Are you really happy with your life? Are you really doing something because you want to or you have to? And why do you have to do what you have to?
Another question was – “If you had a chance to change how you dealt with an incident, what would it be?” I instantly thought of several instances where I could have behaved or reacted differently, but I feel that we are a product of our life’s experiences and the mistakes we made moulded us into who we are now. Some things still weigh a little heavy on my heart, but I hold no regrets because I believe everything happens for a reason.
Never be afraid of being yourself, because who else will you be then?
Thank you for inviting me for this, Nomura! #ProudToBeAnLGBTally
