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Jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down

I often say this to younger people whom I advise, especially to my students in theatre, particularly to those who are more than a little afraid and do not trust themselves while I can clearly see their potential. I tell them that it is possible because they are more capable than they think you are. It is also my way of telling them that I trust them and that they should too; and if they can’t trust themselves, they should at least trust me because they have come to me for advice :)

The truth is, many times I have to repeatedly tell this to myself too. There’s a funny thing I’ve observed about myself. I am quite the risk-taker in theatre. I am an actress and I am always willing to put myself in a vulnerable spot to explore my character or play deeper. Yet, when it comes to all other areas of my life, my risk perception is quite high. I have to push myself. Or give myself pep talks or sit down and rationalise my fears and plan for the worst-case scenarios so that I feel secure enough to go ahead with many things. Or, somebody who believes in me has to do all of this and at the same time battle my belief that I’m incapable !

Having said that, I must put on record that I have, on numerous occasions, albeit after such pep talks, ‘jumped off the cliff’ and found that I have, indeed, as I advise others, been able to ‘build my wings on the way down’.

It is thus that I can truthfully and empathetically speak to people about fears and ways to overcome them and also about trusting your ‘gut’ feeling.

Everything is possible. The key is Faith.

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