Get out of your own way!
- Chetna
- in
- Restarter Stories
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- 04 Mar 2017
To start with I’m quoting a few lines from a poem “DAUGHTER OF AN ARMY SOLDIER “ my daughter had written a few months back, which is as follows:
“Whenever he goes back after leave,
A handful of sorrow sinks in my heart.
Mom always says that brave girls don’t cry
And these motivational words lift my spirit high
As we sighed and said goodbye.
Life may not be easy for a daughter of an army soldier,
But I have now understood that,
Life is not a journey,
The journey is life.”
How aptly it has been brought about by my daughter on life of being part of the olive green community and this is not just for daughters, it’s for spouses also and I have been both –a daughter and a wife of an army officer. The Army does not promise you a bed of roses, nor does it assure you of materialistic luxuries, yet the life it offers is unmatched, which I have realized after so many years of staying in this community. And that’s how the story of my life started - a woman who is an Army Officer's daughter and wife; a homemaker and a mother, now recently an owner of a brand label - Pink Paparazzi.
People often say that behind every successful man, there is a woman. But what is behind the success of a woman who has achieved big goals in her life? It is courage, confidence and faith in one's ability.I was a homemaker initially, looking after the house and taking care of my daughter and of course packing and unpacking every two years while moving on postings to new places. But, marrying and looking forward to motherhood and being a homemaker was not my only goal in life. I had always wanted to win both inside and outside the house. And that was something I wanted to prove to me and to everybody that getting wedded into the olive green society is not a bane but a boon.
We all know how socially active our life is and so being always passionate about fashion; I used to take special care of the sarees I used to wear. I used to be appreciated by people for my designs and more importantly how I carried a dress elegantly. Soon they started asking me fashion advice and how I went about the designing process. This gave me the confidence to think about starting my own line, so I started saving as an initial boost to begin my work.
Family support is most important
Here I would be failing in my duty if I don’t mention my husband who became my pillar of strength and my biggest supporter. He played the role of friend, philosopher, guide and a driver too. He used to drive me to places where I could buy the materials I required. He used to patiently wait for me when I used to haggle with the vendors on their pricing. And of course my lovely daughter who didn’t let me bother about her studies and never cribbed once as to where are we going. Pink Paparazzi wouldn’t have been possible without them. There is a myth that says," One needs to settle down in one place to achieve their career goals", but I proved this myth wrong. Being an Army Officer's wife, I had to travel from place to place every two years. However, I still managed to achieve my dream goal.
This gave birth to Pink Paparazzi http://www.pinkpaparazzi.in/ a shopping label dealing with exclusive and ethnic pure chinon chiffon sarees and designer blouses. And so I became the owner, model and designer of Pink Paparazzi. And now recently I have expanded to salwar suits and lehengas and increasing the volume of my business.
Be a fighter not a quitter
Life isn't exactly bed of roses, it offers you challenges and struggles but also gives u perseverance to pursue them with determination to fight odds at any cost. Life taught me how to not become a victim but a survivor. Nearly two years back I collapsed at a social function but attributing it to fatigue I carried on with life but to my shock I discovered that I developed constant headaches, sensitivities to sound, light and any object in motion. I even had hallucinations and after a while I took to depression. My situation worsened when my medical condition was subjected to malicious gossiping and insensitivity. By certain section of women I was subjected to be just a pretty face with nothing else to my credit. I hit rock bottom. Meanwhile doctors concluded that it was Aura Migraine which was getting triggered by nearly everything around me. I was handcuffed with many dos and donts, and my social life took a further dip. I was on medication which was to continue for a long time but just when I thought I was finally cured, the side effects of the medication started to surface. I started gaining weight and I began to think that life was simply getting cruel by the day. I had almost given up.
Get up, and never give up!
One fine day I looked at myself in the mirror and promised myself to fight this depression. I told myself to be a fighter... fight, fight, fight.... and I did. I stopped all the medication, hit the gym, went on walks and most importantly cut all the cords with those bringing negativity in my life and hooked on to those who believed in me and pushed me to pursue my talents.I was slowly but steadily regaining control of my life and resumed my social commitments. During one such social event, a few women came forward and showered a lot of appreciation for my attire that was designed completely by me. Since then there has been no looking back.
Meet Chetna Gandhi!
I don't have an extraordinary story to inspire people but I do have a message for women who constantly fight, depression, self pity- don’t be a victim to these thoughts. The strength to fight these odds lies within you. Pick yourself up, cancel subscription to negative people, hone your talents, cling to your family and cherish moments of happiness with them. Remember, if I can do it, then anyone can. Be a woman who supports other women’s achievements, be a woman who is all set out to prove nobody but to herself.