I have decided to again write this blog and be active here for sometime. Things are moving smooth for me. After winning silver at BWF Para-Badminton World Championship, I am getting a lot of appreciation for my work. I have been given with more and more opportunities lately and I have started to be more vocal about para-sports and about my disability. I am doing one thing that I was extremely scared of - ie. Public speaking.
I was invited to speak on stage for the first time by my engineering college. This was in Oct 2015 after the worlds to share my tournament experience and about my journey from a regular amputee to a para- sportsperson. To my surprise, I did a good job and there was no looking back. After that I have been invited to address students of various schools and colleges throughout India. Inaugurated various events in Mumbai as well as in various parts of the country. I am right now giving lectures in India's top Management schools and Engineering colleges. I have been invited by top government organisations and corporate companies to talk to their employees about my journey and share my experiences. This makes me believe that we as people are progressing and we are being more and more inclusive towards people with different needs. It makes me happy when people message me saying how their life has changed after knowing my story or meeting me.
I am able to feel all this only because I overcame my fear of public speaking.
I have realised that I still am afraid to do so many things and some because I feel completely safe in my comfort zone. I have now decided to do ten things that I am afraid to do or I am scared of doing. It does not include skydiving, or bungee jumping, or getting a tattoo as they are not what I do regularly and by doing them, my life is not going to change.
I want to do ten things that I need to do right now that I am too scared of doing. I still have not figured them out and I don't want to be bounded by time but yes by the end of 2016, I must be able to strike off those ten items.
Some things that I can think of right now are:
1) Being in the driver's seat and riding my own car. (Right now I lack that confidence too)
2) No activity on social media. (Whom will I talk to if not on whatsapp or facebook or twitter?)
3) Leaving Mumbai and be happy about it. (I'm going to cry like crazy away from the city I love the most)
4) I have fear of heights, need to conquer it.
5) I am too lazy to monitor my bank account but lately I am spending too much on unnecessary things that I don't even require (like unnecessarily spending money on traveling, cabs, food, clothes etc.). I will try to minimize the outflow and travel by public transport whenever convenient.
6) Swimming in deep waters
7) Watching horror movies (sounds lame, but no, it isn't)
8) Wasting too much time, energy, money on wrong people, things, ideas or places.
I cannot think of more things that I am afraid of, I am sure within a few days the list will have 100s of entries and I will choose the best 10 and try to do it.
I will keep you all updated.
Mail me what are those ten things that you are afraid of at joshimanasi11@gmail.com
Waiting to hear from you guys.
