From a shy girl to a motivational speaker

With a professional career that started off with over two years working at call centres and found firm ground in the field of learning and development for six years, Komal Chopra took a decision that was a long stride- to transition into motivational speaking as a full-time career.

At the mere age of eighteen Komal had to start adapting to her professional environment by honing her usage of the English language working at an international call centre, as most of her school education had not been in English. She says that while it is not something that she looks back at negatively, Komal acknowledges that communicating effectively in English was a skill that helped her immensely in her later career. With her job being marketing to customers over the phone who were naturally not always the most pleasant to deal with, she picked up vital people skills at her early jobs.

Later, while working with a leading training company, she attended some classroom training sessions that pushed her towards becoming a trainer- that subsequently led her to realising that her passions lay in talking to people and inspiring positivity and happiness in their lives. Komal says that she had actually been a rather shy person as a child- something that changed and ultimately turned around over the years.

Coming from a lower-middle class North Indian family, she had to trudge through a rough childhood and with it came a dissatisfaction with the state of affairs of the Indian poor. Being in proximity to pain and alienation of this sort surely inspires one to introspect and learn how to search for happiness. Komal came to value compassion deeply and realise how its importance in people’s lives was disappearing from their conscious awareness.

In January 2016, she started an initiative called “Inspiring Kindness’’ and conducted workshops to inspire people to think, act and behave in a more compassionate manner. This was a venture she started alongside her job, and therefore could not monetize and upscale well. Komal completely took the leap to a new career when she relocated from India to the UK in December 2017. Attending courses in science of happiness, mindfulness, and hypnotherapy made her solidify her motives and start her present project “Komal Speaks”.

This is what Komal has to say about her experience of switching career lanes-

“It takes courage and strong determination to change your career or do something that is not mainstream. Having said that, you don’t need to work on the courage and determination if you are passionate for something because it comes from within. Yes, there are struggles; the biggest one for me was the people around me being in acceptance of my idea. Normally, the idea of leaving a well-established job to start a new career like this sounds too risky and absurd to many people, especially when your goal is not to make money but to help others. While acceptance by others shouldn’t matter, to some extent it did for me in taking a decision towards fulfilling my dreams. It was the biggest challenge for me while taking the first big step. I dealt with it by being patient- yet I was determined to follow my heart. Waiting does not have to mean giving up. And I couldn’t give up even if I wanted to- the fire of passion does that to you. It doesn’t let you stop.

I strongly feel that in order to follow your passion or fulfil your dreams, all you need is that one person who will never give up on you and always say “You can do it! Don’t give up!”

Sometimes, if you can’t find that person, you need to be that person for yourself. The conversation you have within your head is the most important conversation you ever have. Make sure it is positive and something that brings you closer to your life’s most cherished dreams and desires.”

Komal concludes by saying that one’s true passions lie only there where one intends to serve others in the best way they can. When one doesn’t experience this satisfaction, their calling might lie along a different path. Her final message is-

“Close your eyes, dig deeper and you will find your passion- your purpose. My best wishes to you. You can do it! Don’t give up!”