1. Stop thinking about what everyone else is thinking about. – No one actually spends as much time analyzing you, how you dress, how you talk, your hair, your skin, your weight, as yourself. If you’re struggling with your confidence and really trying to find your identity in a new environment, then you’re probably not helping yourself by placing too much value on other people’s opinions. If they are looking you up and down, it’s very likely because they have a lack of self esteem themselves.
2. Don’t focus too much on the future, graduating and getting a job. Try to enjoy the here and now, because you’re only going to get to go to Uni once, and all the experiences you’re having are likely one-offs, so don’t always think about the bigger picture. Sometimes perhaps it’s best to focus on the smaller picture, like today, and whether you took a really great photograph, found a beautiful editorial in a fashion magazine or had a reply from a makeup artist or a hair stylist that you’d like to work with, than always wondering what tomorrow or next week will bring.
3. Tutors opinions are always subjective. – So your tutors think your photography is ‘too commercial’ and ‘too colorful’ and ‘too contrived’, they really don’t like it, that is true. But, you know what you like, and your unique style of photography is what will earn you fashion clients when you leave, so don’t let the tutors opinions knock your confidence. As long as your work is recognizably yours, you are definitely not doing anything wrong, so keep doing you.
4. Do not die your hair red to be ‘cool’ – Just because everyone around you may seem like they’re much more stylish and cool, doesn’t mean you have to die your blonde hair a random shade of cherry red (which will fade to a dull ginger) just so that you are a bit more edgy, think less about what people are thinking of you
5. Work experience is the best experience – Work experience isn’t something most people have the luxury of doing when they graduate, they have to go out and earn money to support themselves like you will, so although it feels really tough to keep up that retail job and the assisting job, and the stylist job, but trust me, learning to multi-task, work with clients, work on branding, work with customers and everyone in between will really benefit you in the long run.
6. Don’t ever be rude or ignorant to people – Even though it feels like everyone you encounter is, remember that’s not you and you don’t want to become one of those people
7. Take everything with a HUGE pinch of salt – Most people and most companies as it turns out, after you’ve been applying for jobs are actually full of shit, yes they promise you the earth and offer you a job then that job never materialises, but that’s not because you’ve done something wrong, you just take people too much at face value because that’s normal.
8. You don’t have to be in ‘The Big City’ to be a success – You can go home, people won’t judge you for it. They’ll be thrilled to have you home and really glad that you think your town is better than Mumbai, they know you’re a Barry girl at heart and really that’s part of who you are and you’re starting to accept that and embrace it. (This point applies to anyone, you really don’t have to stay and try to survive in a ‘big city’ to succeed, so many people work remotely, and with so much business done online.)
9. Going alone isn’t as scary as you think –  Everything happens for a reason, so if you don’t get a media job or a design job, or there aren’t any fashion photography jobs in your small town, then really it’s time to assess the situation and adjust. You’ll find your niche and all the experience you’ve gained while working your ass off in Mumbai comes in very handy. Just don’t undervalue your work.
10. Everything happens for a reason – Just remember if everything seems to be going a bit differently to what you imagined or what you hoped, that everything does happen for a reason Say yes to opportunities that are good, and don’t be afraid to say no to things aren’t. You’ll find your confidence and from there there’s no harm in dreaming big. If your dreams don’t scare you then you’re probably not dreaming big enough. Remember that your own success is only limited by how hard your willing to work for it so when it doesn’t come easy that’s also a good thing, it means it will be worth it in the end. Sometimes its ok to be ok.

Aishwarya Says:

I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.

If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.

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If you would also like to contribute to my website, then do share your articles or poems at adv.aishwaryasandeep@gmail.com

We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.

We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge