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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