Mindy has this quirky and humorous way of speaking her mind and an attitude that we crave. In real life, Mindy is not too different from all the characters she has played, whether it is Kelly Kapoor from the Office or Dr. Mindy Lahiri from The Mindy Project. She is an accomplished writer, actress, director and producer, with many a claim to fame under her belt – and by the way she is just 36! Mindy Kaling’s attitude has been a significant reason for her progress in life. And we can adopt a similar attitude to achieve our own goals.
Killer Confidence, the Mindy Way:
Mindy’s confidence stands out. She wasn’t born with all the self-confidence that she now possesses and displays. She struggled through doubting herself and her abilities, much like most of us. But it all changed for her when she realized that confidence is a matter of entitlement – a belief that you deserve something. Once she adopted the mindset that she deserved something, it was easy to see the confidence arise naturally in any situation or place. The title of her most recent book sums it all – “Why Not Me?“. Lesson to Learn: Adopt a sense of entitlement, minus the arrogance! Feeling entitled to deserve something because you rightfully earned it or because you are no different than someone is the key.
It is All About How Hard You Are Willing to Work:
There is no substitute for hard work, according to Mindy. And that gives her the confidence she possesses as well. And when we say Mindy works hard, she really does slog it off! Whatever is required to get the job done the way she wants, Mindy will do. 18 hour workdays are the norm for her. In addition, whatever she wants to get, she finds a way to get it. This quote from Mindy summarizes it well – “Write your own part. It is the only way I have gotten anywhere. It is much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny in your own hands.” Lesson to Learn: If you want something, don’t wait around for the perfect opportunity. Don’t wait for someone else to get it for you or give it to you. Get started and get it yourself!
‘Beyonce Pad Thai’ to Your Rescue:
In a difficult moment on The Mindy Project, Mindy finds her inner warrior and names the warrior, ‘Beyonce Pad Thai’. Creating that warrior alter-ego helped Mindy tackle some emotional fires. Similarly, we all need to create a warrior alter-ego from our strengths. Lesson to Learn: We need to trust and believe that we possess inner strength beyond what is visible on the surface. Dig deeper to find that source of inner strength. Take it a step further and like Mindy, give it a name! And call upon that warrior to help you get through those difficult times. On a side note: inspired by Mindy, I’ve decided to name my inner warrior – GForce Milky Way!
Don’t Let Your Body Image Get In The Way:
Let’s accept it. We live in an unforgiving society, filled with sizes 0s, 2s and 4s. For many people that are size 4 onwards, they question themselves, feel self conscious and aspire to be below size 4. For most people their size affects their self-esteem and other aspects of their lives as well. Mindy does not let body image get in the way of her life. She acknowledges where she falls on the size spectrum and although she aspires to weigh a few pounds less, she does not obsess over it. She prioritizes other aspects of her life over losing those few pounds. Lesson to Learn: Let us strive to lead healthy lives irrespective of our sizes. Aspire to be in our ideal weight, but lead healthy lives and not obsess over sizes and weights. There is much more things that life has to offer, and it is unfair to be stuck on size and lose out on other aspects of our lives. This quote from Mindy captures the essence of this obsession we have with body image. Mindy summarizes her attitude perfectly with this closing quote. “Work hard, know your shit, show your shit, and then feel entitled. Listen to no one except the two smartest and kindest adults you know, and that doesn’t always mean your parents. If you do that, you will be fine. Now, excuse me, I need to lie down and watch Sheldon.” Featured photo credit: missalaneyus via flickr.com
