I always feel that going through a minor depression and hitting the rock bottom was the best thing that ever happened to me.
In the process of letting go of everything and restarting on a blank page, I discovered the most precious life lesson — I am in charge of my life!
It was an important turning point when I rose above the idea of entrepreneurship, success and money, looked inwards and asked myself:
Why am I here? What matters to me at the end of life?
Everything that caused my depression became the inspiration to make a difference through Own Your Story (OYS) community, a safe space where we embrace all kind of human experiences and celebrate our individual ‘humanness’.
A space to be yourself
‘Own your story’ literally means claiming the right to tell your story. It is about being human and not being perfect. It is about telling your story truthfully and embracing stories of others, be vulnerable from the place of strength.
I used to suffer internally when I strived to be a Type-A personality and hid my insecurities behind my armour, feeling the need to fit into some kind of ‘entrepreneur’ mould.
Why didn’t I feel secure to be in my own skin?
Starting OYS with a co-founder who also fought his battle against mental health, we understand how important it is to be able to talk about our challenges without being judged.
Based on the values ‘authenticity, courage, openness’, we create a space where you can just be yourself with your own sets of challenges, be okay with figuring out and not having the answers for everything.
Hold space
Today, I am able to see my scar as a strength because my family and partner hold space for me when I was lost and feeling unworthy.
Their presence and acceptance allowed me to venture out of my comfort zone, to bear the risk of messing up, to get back up and keep on trying. Every stumble, big or small, builds up my capacity to be more honest and open with myself.
Understanding that the inner process of finding ourselves is universal no matter what lives we live, we want to create a safe space where you can breathe, heal and move on with courage.
The community will hold space for you in your journey of transforming into the bravest, most beautiful version of who you are so that one day, you can look back and marvel at the greatness in yourself.
Playground and experiment
From day one, OYS is an organic playground where the co-founders created any experience or event based on our interest and a set of principle:
· Openness and growth
· Create values for others
· Live a life of purpose
As we go along the way, we found a group of creators who contribute to OYS’s growth and possibilities when they bring in their passion in art, films, technology, finance, wellness, mental health, and more.
Without the compulsion to ‘succeed’, every concept that didn’t work teaches us a lesson, every idea that is incomplete gives us a chance to reiterate.
Having a safe playground that prioritises ‘creation, connection and service’, we are free to experiment with topics such as mental health, quarter-life crisis, life values, poetry and literature.
Transformation in a safe space
In the process of running OYS, I learned the art of saying ‘yes’ without judgement, listen to a person’s story, and work with a team of diverse minds to make things work.
OYS brings out creations that represent the creator’s story, where everyone has a unique way of connecting with people when you share your story authentically and courageously.
We believe that when you exercise your power in trusting your intuition and accepting who you are, the world you see changes, the risk you are willing to take will make a difference in the world.
When more of us choose to act in spite of risk, uncertainties and emotional exposure, we can accomplish more than what each of us can accomplish alone.
This is why a safe space is so important, and why we need more of it.
