Our genetics and societal norms may dictate the path our lives take. These “little dictators”; from our height to societal conventions, may tell us the things we can or cannot achieve. This is especially true in Singapore where much emphasis is placed on the paper chase in order to get a good job that pays well.
As SK-II unveils the first chapter of #ChangeDestiny, its biggest empowerment campaign to date, I was reminded of how I overcame the “little dictators” in my teenage years.
As an individual, I am extremely introverted and ultra-conservative. Occasionally, I find it hard to interact with people and I tend to keep to myself most of the time. I would prefer to communicate via letters and emails rather than face-to-face and given my stern physical look, nobody would dare to approach me. In fact, nobody would ever believe that I can lead an organisation; let alone a group of people. Public-speaking wasn’t my cup of tea and I often have butterflies in my stomach whenever I was asked to give a presentation. Believe it or not, I don’t even know how to do a proper smile.
It was during a leadership training camp that I had some sort of awakening within me and I decided that I had to #ChangeDestiny. I wasn’t going to let my own “little dictators” determine the kind of life that I will have and so, I literally stepped out of my comfort zone and tried to socialise with others. It was kind of awkward at first and people were quite wary of me but eventually over time, I gained the trust of the people around me and forged strong meaningful friendships.
The baby steps that I took to interact with people have not only helped me to build strong and meaningful friendships but it has also landed me with a career in the hospitality industry where I gained a great wealth of experience working in an environment that predominantly requires a great deal of social interaction skills.
Today, apart from running my own personal concierge business where I manage my clients’ requests to do anything and everything that is legal, I also conduct leadership talks and workshops for the youth community; all of which would not have been possible if I have not decided to #ChangeDestiny.
This year, SK-II aims to empower people to go beyond their limitations and #ChangeDestiny. Starring acclaimed Ballet Dancer Misa Kuranaga, the global launch film features her inspiring life story on overcoming the little “dictators” in her life to achieve professional success. Just so you know, Ballet Dancer Misa Kuranaga holds the honour of being the first Asian to become Boston Ballet’s Principle Dancer.
Image Credits to SK-II
Watch the inspiring digital video of Misa’s life story of defying the odds to achieve professional success.
Are you ready to #ChangeDestiny?