Conquering the Self to Conquer the World
If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.
Self doubt is a plague. It truly is. Until you realise that your worth is upto you, you will always seek validation from others and not from within. I have been learning this lesson for a few years now – still a bit more to go. It’s been one of those tough things to swallow – I grew up Catholic in the sense that humility was drummed into our heads as acceptance and subservience. It is neither – humility is the opposite of ego. Acceptance of one’s capabilities does not negate humility. Especially in a world full of Dunning-Kruger BS artists, it’s very important to remember that you are worth something more than what others say or feel.
In the space of about 1.5 years I have pushed many boundaries in my life – not by choice but more by fate or chance – and I am assuming it is because I needed it and could handle it. From dealing with a witch hunt in my workplace to get me out because I stood up for what is right, to dealing with my father’s hospitalization and passing away, to leaving the toxic work hole and starting off on my own and to dealing with an old back injury with pain from hell. Yes, it’s been crazy but it has been very revealing too. Particularly when you start seeing karma in action and realise that standing up for what is right would never go to waste and when you realise your own potential. This has been truly mind boggling. I have always wondered what it was to be considered exceptional, brilliant etc. And you realise a lot of people who claim to be so are just self professed mediocrity. The truly brilliant do not have to say they are but they do things that reveal that brilliance. In this light, being experienced and good at something should succeed – but it doesn’t if you are not going to put yourself out there. So that’s what I decided to do – take a chance with something because I know I have the experience and knowledge to do it.
And so I ventured out on my own with my own business. It is not very well known in Sri Lanka but it is required – learning about tea. How to appreciate it, how to brew it right and how to make it relevant to a 21st century consumer when you’re a hospitality professional. It’s what I have been doing for over 16 years and in the last 10 years, with the Shangri-La group globally. Now I am bringing it to others through the Tea Herald. My own contribution to an industry that is besieged with tradition and an inability to move into modern times. Tea’s heritage value must not be undermined – it is what keeps many human engines around the world running. It is an art steeped in history and its relevance today must be celebrated.
Hence, my journey has begun on a trajectory controlled by the fates that brought me here and my own desire for something more. Here’s to conquering our inner selves in order to achieve more than we ever thought we could or would. Floreat.
