Your Story is a series by WonderfulWomen where you will read inspiring Guest Posts from women around the world. Here they share their experiences, stories and things that matter most to all women.
Today’s Guest Post is by Shruti from indiangirling.com. After graduating from a business school at 22, landing a dream job and building two start-ups for someone else, Shruti realized she needed a break from what everyone else thought she should be doing. She moved from India to Germany to create a life where she knew no one and nothing. She shares her tips on personal development, blogging and career to enable people to live and build their best life.
How I Stopped Letting People Hold Me Back
I believe, we as women not only need to fight harder for the same success, but we also have to make our presence felt no matter in which life phase, industry or country we find ourselves in.
As a woman who grew up in India, I was always told, ‘You’re not a boy so you can’t smoke’. ‘You’re not a boy so you shouldn’t go out to a pub’. Etc. Etc.
These statements can be so challenging and self-limiting especially when women are already considered the weaker sex by huge portions of the world.
I don’t know if my strength came from reading too many novels from bold, female authors from a young age or just from a deep place within myself.
But somehow, even at an early age I decided, I was not going to let being a woman stop me from going after what I want.
Even if it was a conversation with my 50 something-year-old father, I fought with him until he would change his statement. He no longer refers to any differences between what boys and girls should do.
Ever since I was 5 years old, I went everywhere alone, to get groceries, to my tuitions, to buy books or even play with friends. It sounds trivial, but to me it meant everything.
At the age of 10, I started to cycle to school by myself. I clearly remember a few times I was eve teased, even when I was a 10-year-old small girl or when someone would just touch my chest as if it was the most normal thing to do and run away.
This did not make me feel scared. It made me feel angry.
I left home to go to study in Delhi at the age of 17. I started to live alone soon after and did everything by myself.
Now, after having lived in 3 countries, 6 cities and 8 apartments, I’m 26 and proud to be a woman.
I am proud that I fought every day for my freedom, no matter whether it was with my family or with strangers. I did not listen to bullies at school, at the college or at work. I complained when I felt disrespected and even though everyone wanted to tell me ‘I was a woman’, I wanted to show everyone, ‘Yes I am a woman and I am proud of it’.
If I had not grown up in India, I think I would have never realized how precious freedom and empowerment is.
I am so grateful that my family spent so much time and money in educating and empowering me, even if they had to take out a loan to support my dreams. I am so grateful to my friends who always supported me.
As a result of this, I have been able to go to the best universities in India through sheer hard work, luck, and willingness to fight, I have traveled to 15+ countries and love to share my story with others to help them build their best life on my website indiangirling.com
My Message to all Wonderful Women
If I let people tell me and believed them when I was little, I would never be able to share my life and lessons with such a large audience online. I hope more women will continue to challenge, fight and courageously take steps to help each other grow and flourish. The world is a tough place. Let us spread love and help each other build a better life, one day at a time!
Connect With Shruti
Her Blog: indiangirling.com
Instagram: instagram.com/indiangirling
Such an inspiring post. Well done.
I love that you have set the freedom for yourself against other people. I’m on my journey to try and do this as well!