Getting out of my comfort zone!

"I cant go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then" – Lewis Carroll.

I definitely felt so after the day spent talking about gender parity and climate change to strangers all day as part of the Earth Day celebrations in London. Armed with posters such as ‘Mother Nature needs her daughters’ ‘Make your mark on the planet’ as well as photos and videos of Antarctica and penguins – I made my way to the venue. I was confident about what I wanted to pitch but nervous about who I would meet there. Would it involve talking to kids and getting them excited about penguins? Or would it be adults who live in denial about climate change and could snub me completely? It could also be a group of feminists who may misinterpret my message, or a group of old men who don’t see the value in gender parity. Being a meticulous planner and one who preps for important meetings – this was far out of my comfort zone. Being thrown into mix of people from all walks of life with the aim to engage them with what I had to say!

I felt slightly overwhelmed in that setup, quite opposed my workplace where I confidently lead discussions not only within my team but also with senior clients. I drew inspiration from two thoughts: Firstly, how bad can it be? Worst case scenario, I would make a fool of myself! Secondly, what am I here to achieve. I set myself a target of speaking to atleast 15 people and be focused on the message that I wanted to spread. And, I spoke to many more people once I got into the flow of talking. In retrospect, I am really glad I participated in the event.

Hearing myself aloud that day crystallised my ideas. It affirmed my belief that the world will be a better place with more women in leadership and decision making roles. By pushing myself to the deep end, my internal compass guided me in articulating my beliefs and values. It allowed to reflect on my experiences and my vision of the future. So, here I am, trying to my bit for to improve gender parity and build a more sustainable planet. Belated happy Earth Day 2017!!