WEBVTT
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But uh what I have noticed, I might be incorrect, but what I've noticed with a lot of these uh professionals and venials is that they are unhappy with what they do.
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But they stick to it for that stability.
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And uh personally I'd rather be more happy, more free.
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Yes, stability is important, but I'd rather use my creative side as well because I think it gives me much joy.
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What has worked for me is I would uh from if I am given a task, I would look at it from different angles.
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Uh rather than just getting that task done and ticking that box, I would go that extra mile.
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Don't always wait for a degree, don't always wait for somebody to come and teach you things or situation to fall into place.
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You can always push for that creative device or just explore.
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But something that people around me told and I also thought about.
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Now that situation happened and I couldn't have done anything to stop it, right?
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Okay, I wanted to make sure that even if I get fired in the future, I have something else to do.
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Yeah, uh yes, there is hard, but and at that moment, you won't be sometimes you won't be able to see beyond that.
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But walking away from those things and looking back, I have learned so much, and I would rather do that than to pay it.
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I just got done recording two days of my podcast, the Creative Artists Podcast, here at Hatch.lk, one of the leading startup hubs in Sri Lanka.
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Because my goal was to be able to tell stories of unique creatives here who are crazy enough to think that they can actually solve problems.
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To be here at Hatch and be inspired in what I'm doing, and to be able to tell these stories and have this uh studio and opportunity.
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I'm super grateful to Hatch.
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I feel affirmed in my mission to highlight creatives, and when I saw individuals from startups like inviting their own friends to be on here, so I can highlight their stories in their unique way of thinking.
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Every single one of them has so much insight to provide to anybody who's watching this, anybody who's thinking that they're not good enough to do what they're doing.
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Seeing stories from doctors who have changed uh careers in running startups to journalists doing this kind of things, like it gives me so much hope to be able to share this to others to say that like wherever you are at, if you're not active about what you're doing and you're stuck in your own bubble or whatever, find communities like Hatch because it is gonna be the best thing that you do for yourself because the community is absolutely amazing.
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Hatch, thank you so much for the support you provided.
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I can't wait to show you the amazing stories and the insights your own people are going to share with the world.
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I'm super excited to have Abigail, uh a fellow creator, a young creator, I might add, um, who's doing really cool stuff with her creativity.
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So, Abigail, welcome to the King Waters Podcast.
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Thank you for having me.
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It's a pleasure to be here today.
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Absolutely.
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Uh, thanks for saying yes.
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Um, first of all, um who who who are you and and what do you do?
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And how are you here?
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So currently I am a head of projects for an NGO.
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And apart from that, I do a lot of other things.
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I dabble in marketing, I dabble in PR, and I have my own clothing line as well with uh one of my close friends.
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So we are business partners in that, and then I also um help out another one of my friends who's a graphic designer, so with his business as well.
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So doing a bunch of things, but yes.
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So how did you get on get into all of this?
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And and what age did you get started?
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Yes.
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So um so up until A levels, you know, in the Sri Lanka culture you had this after school, you go to your knee and that.
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But for some reason, as soon as I finished school, I got into teaching.
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Oh wow.
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Yeah.
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So while I was waiting for my results, I got into teaching, and teaching is a very creative field.
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From helping the kids understand certain concepts to the art worlds and things that you do.
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It's a very uh dynamic field where you get to explore different things.
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What did you teach by the way?
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I thought special.
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Yes.
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So it is uh it goes the extra mile again to get things to be interesting for the kid.
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So you need to think outside of the box.
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But that is part, so until that point I never thought of myself as somebody creative.
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I played music, I did uh I played the violin and the piano and things.
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But uh it was because yeah, I was passionate about it, but I never saw myself as a creative person.
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Because in my head, creativity is limited to art and you have to draw and you have to paint, uh you know.
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So I can't do anything.
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I can't even draw a stick stick man, right?
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So never thought of myself as such.
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But when I got into teaching, I realized that creativity is much more than that.
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It's about the way you think things, right?
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Down to certain ways that you operate.
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So all of these things actually that kick-started my passion for the entire creative, and more than that, uh, I never saw art, even when it comes to art and things, it was just art.
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But then I started enjoying it because I saw the kids create, I saw the like small things like that, how that age impacts your ability to interpret what you're feeling onto the paper as being so that kind of pushed me into exploding this more.
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And fortunately enough, I was placed at a company um there my boss, the manager there, I was a PhD for him, and he pushed me into triangle things.
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Always forced me into triangle things.
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So again, with event planning and all ideas, something where where when you take an event, I tend to see all the small details more.
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I tend to see, okay, if the lighting is here, then the shadow is gonna be here.
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Sort of things, right?
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Uh that kind of again sparked a lot of interest and curiosity into okay now how come people don't notice this?
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Why is this not?
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You know, because I always saw myself as a dumb kid as a oh wow, okay.
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Uh hi, nice to meet you.
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I am also an ex-dumb person.
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So um that uh sparked that curiosity, and I I think uh other people also saw that.
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So before I saw myself as creator, other people started seeing that.
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And uh I fortunately I had a good team who always encouraged me, and the managing director, he was also pretty amazing.
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So uh that again pushed that curiosity.
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And I think light is beautiful in that way.
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I was blessed to have uh people who encouraged that.
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And uh so in that particular office setting, I bonded with three people.
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So all three of them have their own creative segments that they run.
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One is a marketing agency, one is a graphic designer, and the other was an ex-digital marketer.
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So I was the youngest.
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So I would just hop onto their desk and be like, okay, what are you doing today?
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Like, how do you do this?
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Teach me this and all that, and uh they would sit me down and they would like spoon tweet things and be like, okay, GC, you can do it like this.
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Then I took it from them and I used to do it and go it go to them and be like, Okay, I did it like this.
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What do you think should change?
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Right.
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And all children they never be like, okay, this is wrong, this is right.
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They'd rather be like, okay, you see it like this, that is good.
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So with me, I learned it may on a practical basis rather than a more theoretical basis.
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That's how we'll all this be.
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So uh hands-on experience is something that I was privileged to have to get.
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And I think this kick-started my curiosity to another level.
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Um, I also had uh this thing of uh not sticking to one thing.
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I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.
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I love to explore different verticals and different uh so everywhere I go, even with work, I start off with something like this job, particularly I am a head of projects.
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But along the way, now I manage a jewelry line as well as uh bungo as well.
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So it just a lot of things all the time.
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Um, I like to do that because for me I'm very hungry to learn.
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So I want to be able to optimize my time and also to be able to involve myself in different uh creative environments.
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Um so that's how I do a bunch of things.
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And uh with my clothing line, particularly that how that came into the picture was also because we started noticing certain gaps in the outcome.
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And we thought of coming up with creative ways to cover that.
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So that's basically uh overview of what I've been doing as well.
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Wow.
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We're so excited to share with you all the episodes that we filmed in Sri Lanka.
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We know a lot of you have been waiting, but we wanted to make sure that we did this really meaningfully because it really was an exciting time.
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When Tron first came to me and said he was gonna take the podcast to Sri Lanka, I honestly thought he was crazy.
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And so did I.
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I was like, is any possibility we can get this in?
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I want to try to bring the podcast in and get some more people and interview videos.
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So we expected to have just a few conversations, maybe a little sparks of inspiration here and there, but what happened was so much deeper than that.
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We met so many people that not only you got to interview, but that also like came alongside us to help make these conversations happen.
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The crazy thing was this daring idea of going to a country.
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You went to one country like I hadn't been back for like seven years, and all I knew was some people from school that I went to and some social media that I've been following, but didn't really have a concrete plan to make it happen.
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And some days we had six, seven episodes back-to-back recorded because people were waiting and you were kind of facilitating that.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, so it felt really significant because not only was it that we were having like these raw and authentic conversations, but a lot of their stories resonated with drawn, and so it just was really fascinating to see them speaking the same language and to see like just this commonality of creativity and identity and purpose coming out as the themes of these conversations.
00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.519
You must be wondering when this could happen.
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It happened in September.
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And uh the goal was to get these episodes out by September.
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Well, a lot of things happened, and I didn't want to diminish the work we put in and again the amazing gifts that we had.
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So we decided to do something really cool and within cost how many we can a week.
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So, LinkedIn, every single episode, you'll find a free PDF.
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It's actually a magazine that we developed.
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You can kind of think of it like if you go to a concert and you get like the souvenir of what happened behind the scenes and just about the different artists and all those things.
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We wanted to share with you not only about Tron's journey, but then help you connect with some of the guests that we interview in Sri Lanka, and then invite you on your own creative eye.
00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:16.799
Yes, there's so much more that goes into all that fuels this podcast, which is this this mission to inspire people to create so that they can get to know themselves and connect with ANHA.
00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:23.039
So to see that we could bring that story out of Sri Lanka and creative out.
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I was raised of creatives, it was definitely a habit.
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Our hope is that whether you're living in the States, you're living in Sri Lanka, or somewhere else around the world, you'll connect with someone's story within Sri Lanka and it might inspire you to continue on your own creative process.
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The link to the PDF for the magazine is in the description, and please check it out.
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They're doing really cool things that I really think you should be checking out to see their journeys.
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So without further ado, let's get to the episode.
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What are the the limiting beliefs you used to struggle with?
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Sounds like you don't have any.
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Used to is not I still struggle with a lot of uh things.
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Because I think uh with creativity and in like in general, there's so much to learn, right?
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And it's always uh something new every day, right?
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And uh for some reason I've always felt like I've fallen behind um because in school I was not I I had the brains to study, but I didn't have the patience or the interest in.
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So I used to prefer my extracurricular activities like music, singing, violet, more than the school work.
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So that kind of kept me behind.
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Um my old over the sounds wasn't great, my old season wasn't great.
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So I always felt like it was this race that I was always losing out on.
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I was always falling behind.
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And that mentality hasn't changed.
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So sometimes even though I I know that I'm hungry to learn, sometimes I feel like it's me tr doing a lot of things just so that I can escape the thought of not doing just so that when I look back, I'm like, okay, I've done this, this, so tick tick, tick, okay, I've done like ten things this year.
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Okay, fine.
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Um, so it comes with that gray react on this still.
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I don't know how to overcome that even today.
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Um, which I know is very limiting because I tend to doubt myself a lot.
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I know.
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Even coming here was big, like I was like, no, because uh I don't know, for some reason it's very hard for me to see who I am.
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Uh I usually get a lot of feedback from my close friends on who I am.
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So that self-identity again is something that I struggled with a lot.
00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:52.960
So yeah, I think um for me also, until I actually sat down with myself, with my thoughts, and started journaling or just processing all those things and things and and asking questions about myself.
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Like even all the the narrative society gave me, right?
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Like um, it's so important to kind of sit there and ask questions and ask what is the truth in the situation versus what is the what is not.
00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:15.759
And and and that for me was the most like freeing thing, because uh, first of all, it's cool that you're doing this at at 23 years old.
00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:24.559
Um but yeah, I so my my my encouragement to you is that you're a very busy person, but try to sit with yourself as much as you can.
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:30.720
Um and even the um Michelle I was talking to, she's a journalist and all of these things.
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She also became this at such a late age in life, and now we hang on to this time we can get to spend with ourselves as this sacred thing almost.
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Because every time you do that, you connect with yourself.
00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:49.440
Um so wait, you just jumped into like uh a clothing brand.
00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.399
Uh talk me through that, like what?
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So, as I said about previous uh birth face, I met this lumby deity, and together both of us joined and created this.
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It was actually her passion um which she shared with me and it became my fashion as well.
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So together we could created this journey.
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So uh the idea behind it is to create clothing where people feel comfortable.
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It's not trendy, it's not fast fashion, but rather sustainable.
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And also something where people don't have to think, okay, I had to wear a shape there for this, I have to look a certain way.
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:31.759
But also we wanted to cater to the a large audience where people who like rompers for day two day wear, they had that option.
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Oversized t-shirt, they had the option.
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And uh specifically we wanted to cater to the mums, right?
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Because after pregnancy the body changes a lot.
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And unfortunately the market still hasn't caught up to that, right?
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Um, so they create very restrictive outfits just to fix that, you know, the mold of what beauty looks like.
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And a lot of them what we we actually went and talked to a lot of moms, and a lot of them don't want to fake into anything.
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They just want to be comfortable, they just want to live life and exist.
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So with our pants connection that we made, that was one of our key things.
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Uh it it gives you a comfortable wrap uh while also making sure that you look okay, you don't good, uh, and also keeping that space for you to explore different fashions and styles and all.
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Because I know, for example, my mom she doesn't lean towards ginger because she thinks you know it's too tight and or a bulging holder.
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But these we created the with those things in mind, but we got the feedback that they got, and we made sure to make like keep samples out and test it out, make sure they're comfortable, they love it, and get their feedback.
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So it was a lot of work.
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I know a lot of my friends keep asking me when is the second launch, but we want to make sure that it's perfect, it's not just something you put out because we pour our heart and soul into it, and uh the people that we cater, they unfortunately don't have other places to go to as well.
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:13.119
So we want to make sure that they their needs are met as well as in a in a creative way, how can we work on that target?
00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:15.039
That is the idea behind it.
00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:21.599
So I mean Is it fair to assume you don't know everything?
00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:21.920
Right?
00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:23.039
Okay, cool.
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:27.519
So how do you jump into these ventures and things like that without knowing anything?
00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:29.680
Like what's what's the mindset behind this?
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To be quite honest with you, I'd rather fail than to go on in life and then think technically like okay, I didn't do it.
00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:42.400
I'd rather take that risk.
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:49.680
I'd rather jump into something blind and you know, dump into the leaf and then learn than think it's it.
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I think my parents stand over with it the most.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.680
Okay, let's start with the parents then.
00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:07.039
My parents and actually my friends' parents and my parents tabulated the mosque because every time they asked me what you are doing, what are you doing?
00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:11.039
I'm just like this this this and like you told us this, this, this last month.
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:14.000
Like, yeah, bad things happen.
00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:22.480
So uh yes, and so I think they started with because still that the Sri Lankan mentality is that for stability you need to stick to one.
00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:35.359
But uh what I have noticed, I might be incorrect, but what I've noticed with a lot of these uh professionals and that they are unhappy with what they do, but they stick to it for that stability.
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:53.039
And uh personally I'd rather be more happy, more free than yes, stability is important, but I'd rather use my creative side as well because I think it gives me much joy and it brings out that inner child in me, which I really enjoy.
00:18:53.200 --> 00:19:00.799
Um so take those things into consideration, I think uh isn't that mumbo jumbo connection with your inner child.
00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:11.039
I mean I'm serious, like because I mean you're also living in Sri Lanka, so like there has to be a challenge to explain that to people.
00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:13.839
Yes, a lot of people don't understand that.
00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:21.519
Um so what I have found that works for me and works for my parents' piece is I find a stable job.
00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:28.240
I do my stable job to the best of my ability, and then I do a lot of other things on the side.
00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.680
So I'm not I'm not bothering my parents.
00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:37.359
I'm not going far away from that path, the societal path, the norm.
00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.880
But I'm also not missing out on things that I want to do.
00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.480
If I wanted to do something and I really, really want to do it, then I wouldn't do it.
00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.240
I would find a way to do it.
00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.880
So that is something that I have that way I keep everyone happy at least.
00:19:54.319 --> 00:20:00.079
So I mean, I I've been talking to people who are much older, I guess, in certain times at this point.
00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.240
And I've been asking what do you have to say for the young people or the older people?
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:10.160
Um how does one get in touch with their curiosity, in your opinion?
00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:24.319
What works for me is uh what has worked for me is I would uh from if I I'm given a task, I would look at it from different angles, I would look into the details.
00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:31.279
Uh rather than just getting that task done and taking that box, I would go that extra mile.
00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:41.039
But I think uh for me what works is research and reading about things, looking at things that other people do and uh sitting with them having a chat.
00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.200
You know, I would go up to somebody in an art student and they're like, okay, how do you think of this?
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:51.359
You know, because everybody everybody has that creativity in there, it's different, right?
00:20:51.680 --> 00:21:00.480
So when you get to explore that from each person, your perspective of the world also changes and your creativity also gets enhanced, right?
00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:04.319
Because certain things you wouldn't have thought of being that act before that, right?
00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:11.680
So uh I would say talk to more people, you can read up, watch YouTube videos.
00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.160
Um just uh educate yourself.
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:20.880
Don't always wait for a degree, don't always wait for somebody to come and teach you things or situations to fall into place.
00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:26.559
You can always push for that uh creative release, always explode.
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.400
Even if you're really bad at it, right?
00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.839
What the world that can happen.
00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:30.559
Right.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:37.200
Well you lose money and you can you know really bad risky gamble on something.
00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:38.240
That's true.
00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:51.039
Um so in my taught choices is if uh if I'm a Christian and what I believe is that if it is meant to be my it would always come true, right?
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:55.039
So we what I do also, I try to give it my best.
00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.319
That's all I can do.
00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759
From my capacity, what I am called to do is to give my best.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.440
So I'll give my test.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:02.880
If it works, it works.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.799
If it doesn't, at least I walk away knowing that I give my all you know.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:08.319
There's no recuts.
00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:10.240
So you don't mind failing?
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:11.200
No, I don't.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:16.640
So you're pretty free in that sense.
00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.640
Very cool.
00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:24.240
I think okay, I accept the limitation that you put on yourself.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:34.160
And also for me, I got to that place because I thought of, you know, everybody thinks that resources are limited.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.759
Opportunities are limited.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:41.680
Like, okay, if you have X amount of money in your bank and use it on something, then that you're dying.
00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.599
But it is not.
00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.440
You keep limiting yourself.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.480
Yes, uh, a lot of people have a lot of other commitments and you need to make decisions wisely.
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:52.480
You can't just skip up your needle thick things.
00:22:52.799 --> 00:23:02.160
But if you properly do your research and also give it to all, at least you walk away, even if it doesn't succeed, you walk away learning Satipara.
00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.839
You walk away with a skill.
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.240
Yeah.
00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.359
Which you can try.
00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:07.920
You can use that skill on Kantinas in the future.
00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:10.559
Like so far, I had gotten fired as well.
00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.559
I gotten fired, I got me.
00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:19.359
So, but walking away from those things and looking back, I have learned so much.
00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:20.799
Yes.
00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:21.359
Right.
00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:24.400
And I would rather bullets than face.
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:34.160
So how can we, you know, especially young people, right?
00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.480
And I even hope I gotta stop saying young people only because it's also old people.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:52.319
How can we change like you you mentioned like every failure, instead of looking at as a negative thing, you look at it as what benefits did you get, what skills did you get?
00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:58.000
So then is failing almost like a requirement?
00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.440
Yes, it is.
00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.960
Because I already have learned, but I learned without those.
00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:12.160
At least in my life, it has always been that I learned more through my failures than through my weights.
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.119
So let's be real.
00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.400
Like failure is hard.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.279
It is very hard.
00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.960
Tell me about a time when you really like went low.
00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.079
I mean you had to, right?
00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:20.480
Yes.
00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:26.000
Um, as I mentioned, I got fired from a job that I really loved.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:29.200
I pursed my heart and my soul almost.
00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:33.920
And um I when I take on a job, I put my entire self into it.
00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:39.359
So it was something which I actually didn't have a personal life.
00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:41.359
It was I was fully dedicated to it.
00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:45.039
So when I lost the job, I lost a father myself.
00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:54.960
I shut down Kagditi, I was not happy, and I didn't know what to do because my vision for the future was entirely dependent on it, right?
00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.519
And uh that was very hard.
00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:07.839
But something that people around me told and I also thought about, now that situation happened and I couldn't have done anything to stop it, right?
00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.960
But sitting and being sad about it is not going to.
00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:26.400
So I actually took a lot of work, but from that pain, that uh intense passion to have okay, I wanted to make sure that even if I get fired in the future, I'll have something else to do, right?
00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:32.079
So for thinking ahead, that's how MN Work also came into play.
00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:43.039
That was the same month we launched MN Work, and that was the same month uh I my friend launched his trap studio, and I helped him out with that as well.
00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:51.119
So yeah, uh yes, there is hard, but and at that moment, you won't be sometimes you won't be able to see beyond that.
00:25:52.559 --> 00:26:04.000
But I would say without taking harsh decisions in ADK, reflecting on those things, sitting with yourself, journaling it through and understanding and also trying to see the positive.
00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.240
It doesn't mean that you have to be positive all the time.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:12.240
Yeah, but uh you can choose to see the positives and the learnings and also focus on that more.
00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:20.880
On that note, uh Abigail, you've you've been uh I've been saying this a lot from all the young people that I've been introduced, uh interviewing.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:22.400
You're a breath of fresh air.
00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.839
Uh, you inspire me.
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.240
Uh, I wish I knew you when I was your age.
00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:29.200
I could have been I'm done doing so much more cool things.
00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.559
Uh no, seriously.
00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:45.920
I think people like you, we need to uh um enhance your voice and and and bring it out more because people need to see that um there is good in community, especially good community, um, and then that kind of encouragement.
00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:48.240
So thank you for being on the podcast.
00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.960
Um, I I learned a lot from you actually.
00:26:51.200 --> 00:27:02.079
Um, yeah, um, all I ask you to do in return is to keep dreaming, keep creating, and keep going on your own creative Odyssey.
00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:03.599
Until next time, see you later.
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.480
Bye-bye.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:09.039
But uh what I have noticed, I might be incorrect, but what I've noticed with a lot of these uh professionals and venials is that they are unhappy with what they do.
00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:11.599
But they stick to it for that stability.
00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:16.239
And uh personally I'd rather be more happy, more free.
00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:23.440
Yes, stability is important, but I'd rather use my creative side as well because I think it gives me much joy.
00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:31.839
What has worked for me is I would uh from if I am given a task, I would look at it from different angles.
00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:37.520
Uh rather than just getting that task done and ticking that box, I would go that extra mile.
00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:44.320
Don't always wait for a degree, don't always wait for somebody to come and teach you things or situation to fall into place.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:49.039
You can always push for that creative device or just explore.
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:53.359
But something that people around me told and I also thought about.
00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:58.000
Now that situation happened and I couldn't have done anything to stop it, right?
00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.719
Okay, I wanted to make sure that even if I get fired in the future, I have something else to do.
00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:10.879
Yeah, uh yes, there is hard, but and at that moment, you won't be sometimes you won't be able to see beyond that.
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:19.519
But walking away from those things and looking back, I have learned so much, and I would rather do that than to pay it.
00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:36.640
I just got done recording two days of my podcast, the Creative Artists Podcast, here at Hatch.lk, one of the leading startup hubs in Sri Lanka.
00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:45.200
Because my goal was to be able to tell stories of unique creatives here who are crazy enough to think that they can actually solve problems.
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:53.439
To be here at Hatch and be inspired in what I'm doing, and to be able to tell these stories and have this uh studio and opportunity.
00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:55.040
I'm super grateful to Hatch.
00:01:55.200 --> 00:02:08.000
I feel affirmed in my mission to highlight creatives, and when I saw individuals from startups like inviting their own friends to be on here, so I can highlight their stories in their unique way of thinking.
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:18.240
Every single one of them has so much insight to provide to anybody who's watching this, anybody who's thinking that they're not good enough to do what they're doing.
00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:46.080
Seeing stories from doctors who have changed uh careers in running startups to journalists doing this kind of things, like it gives me so much hope to be able to share this to others to say that like wherever you are at, if you're not active about what you're doing and you're stuck in your own bubble or whatever, find communities like Hatch because it is gonna be the best thing that you do for yourself because the community is absolutely amazing.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:48.719
Hatch, thank you so much for the support you provided.
00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:57.120
I can't wait to show you the amazing stories and the insights your own people are going to share with the world.
00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:05.120
I'm super excited to have Abigail, uh a fellow creator, a young creator, I might add, um, who's doing really cool stuff with her creativity.
00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:07.919
So, Abigail, welcome to the King Waters Podcast.
00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:09.120
Thank you for having me.
00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:10.800
It's a pleasure to be here today.
00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:11.599
Absolutely.
00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:13.120
Uh, thanks for saying yes.
00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:19.520
Um, first of all, um who who who are you and and what do you do?
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.280
And how are you here?
00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:25.520
So currently I am a head of projects for an NGO.
00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.560
And apart from that, I do a lot of other things.
00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:35.520
I dabble in marketing, I dabble in PR, and I have my own clothing line as well with uh one of my close friends.
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:43.680
So we are business partners in that, and then I also um help out another one of my friends who's a graphic designer, so with his business as well.
00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:46.000
So doing a bunch of things, but yes.
00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.039
So how did you get on get into all of this?
00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.280
And and what age did you get started?
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:53.599
Yes.
00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:01.360
So um so up until A levels, you know, in the Sri Lanka culture you had this after school, you go to your knee and that.
00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:06.319
But for some reason, as soon as I finished school, I got into teaching.
00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:07.120
Oh wow.
00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:07.439
Yeah.
00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:12.159
So while I was waiting for my results, I got into teaching, and teaching is a very creative field.
00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:17.519
From helping the kids understand certain concepts to the art worlds and things that you do.
00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:21.600
It's a very uh dynamic field where you get to explore different things.
00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:22.959
What did you teach by the way?
00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:24.160
I thought special.
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:25.839
Yes.
00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:31.600
So it is uh it goes the extra mile again to get things to be interesting for the kid.
00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:33.439
So you need to think outside of the box.
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:38.079
But that is part, so until that point I never thought of myself as somebody creative.
00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:42.240
I played music, I did uh I played the violin and the piano and things.
00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:48.480
But uh it was because yeah, I was passionate about it, but I never saw myself as a creative person.
00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:54.399
Because in my head, creativity is limited to art and you have to draw and you have to paint, uh you know.
00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:55.839
So I can't do anything.
00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:57.920
I can't even draw a stick stick man, right?
00:04:58.079 --> 00:04:59.839
So never thought of myself as such.
00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:04.959
But when I got into teaching, I realized that creativity is much more than that.
00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.920
It's about the way you think things, right?
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:10.879
Down to certain ways that you operate.
00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:21.839
So all of these things actually that kick-started my passion for the entire creative, and more than that, uh, I never saw art, even when it comes to art and things, it was just art.
00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:38.639
But then I started enjoying it because I saw the kids create, I saw the like small things like that, how that age impacts your ability to interpret what you're feeling onto the paper as being so that kind of pushed me into exploding this more.
00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:50.800
And fortunately enough, I was placed at a company um there my boss, the manager there, I was a PhD for him, and he pushed me into triangle things.
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:53.600
Always forced me into triangle things.
00:05:53.680 --> 00:06:02.240
So again, with event planning and all ideas, something where where when you take an event, I tend to see all the small details more.
00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:05.920
I tend to see, okay, if the lighting is here, then the shadow is gonna be here.
00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:07.439
Sort of things, right?
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:14.560
Uh that kind of again sparked a lot of interest and curiosity into okay now how come people don't notice this?
00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:15.839
Why is this not?
00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:20.639
You know, because I always saw myself as a dumb kid as a oh wow, okay.
00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:22.319
Uh hi, nice to meet you.
00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.439
I am also an ex-dumb person.
00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:32.959
So um that uh sparked that curiosity, and I I think uh other people also saw that.
00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.959
So before I saw myself as creator, other people started seeing that.
00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:43.759
And uh I fortunately I had a good team who always encouraged me, and the managing director, he was also pretty amazing.
00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:48.240
So uh that again pushed that curiosity.
00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:51.120
And I think light is beautiful in that way.
00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:55.600
I was blessed to have uh people who encouraged that.
00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:00.720
And uh so in that particular office setting, I bonded with three people.
00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.560
So all three of them have their own creative segments that they run.
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:09.600
One is a marketing agency, one is a graphic designer, and the other was an ex-digital marketer.
00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.680
So I was the youngest.
00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.040
So I would just hop onto their desk and be like, okay, what are you doing today?
00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:16.160
Like, how do you do this?
00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:23.360
Teach me this and all that, and uh they would sit me down and they would like spoon tweet things and be like, okay, GC, you can do it like this.
00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:28.000
Then I took it from them and I used to do it and go it go to them and be like, Okay, I did it like this.
00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:29.120
What do you think should change?
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:30.000
Right.
00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.959
And all children they never be like, okay, this is wrong, this is right.
00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.759
They'd rather be like, okay, you see it like this, that is good.
00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:41.519
So with me, I learned it may on a practical basis rather than a more theoretical basis.
00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:42.959
That's how we'll all this be.
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:47.519
So uh hands-on experience is something that I was privileged to have to get.
00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.920
And I think this kick-started my curiosity to another level.
00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:57.360
Um, I also had uh this thing of uh not sticking to one thing.
00:07:57.439 --> 00:07:59.040
I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.
00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:08.959
I love to explore different verticals and different uh so everywhere I go, even with work, I start off with something like this job, particularly I am a head of projects.
00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:14.079
But along the way, now I manage a jewelry line as well as uh bungo as well.
00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:17.439
So it just a lot of things all the time.
00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:21.759
Um, I like to do that because for me I'm very hungry to learn.
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:30.160
So I want to be able to optimize my time and also to be able to involve myself in different uh creative environments.
00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.360
Um so that's how I do a bunch of things.
00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:44.480
And uh with my clothing line, particularly that how that came into the picture was also because we started noticing certain gaps in the outcome.
00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:48.080
And we thought of coming up with creative ways to cover that.
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.320
So that's basically uh overview of what I've been doing as well.
00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:53.519
Wow.
00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:57.840
We're so excited to share with you all the episodes that we filmed in Sri Lanka.
00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:03.440
We know a lot of you have been waiting, but we wanted to make sure that we did this really meaningfully because it really was an exciting time.
00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:08.799
When Tron first came to me and said he was gonna take the podcast to Sri Lanka, I honestly thought he was crazy.
00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.000
And so did I.
00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:14.159
I was like, is any possibility we can get this in?
00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:19.279
I want to try to bring the podcast in and get some more people and interview videos.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:26.720
So we expected to have just a few conversations, maybe a little sparks of inspiration here and there, but what happened was so much deeper than that.
00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:34.799
We met so many people that not only you got to interview, but that also like came alongside us to help make these conversations happen.
00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:38.320
The crazy thing was this daring idea of going to a country.
00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:51.440
You went to one country like I hadn't been back for like seven years, and all I knew was some people from school that I went to and some social media that I've been following, but didn't really have a concrete plan to make it happen.
00:09:51.600 --> 00:10:00.799
And some days we had six, seven episodes back-to-back recorded because people were waiting and you were kind of facilitating that.
00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:01.200
Yeah.
00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:20.879
Yeah, so it felt really significant because not only was it that we were having like these raw and authentic conversations, but a lot of their stories resonated with drawn, and so it just was really fascinating to see them speaking the same language and to see like just this commonality of creativity and identity and purpose coming out as the themes of these conversations.
00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.519
You must be wondering when this could happen.
00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:25.120
It happened in September.
00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:28.639
And uh the goal was to get these episodes out by September.
00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:37.519
Well, a lot of things happened, and I didn't want to diminish the work we put in and again the amazing gifts that we had.
00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:42.480
So we decided to do something really cool and within cost how many we can a week.
00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.360
So, LinkedIn, every single episode, you'll find a free PDF.
00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:47.120
It's actually a magazine that we developed.
00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:54.320
You can kind of think of it like if you go to a concert and you get like the souvenir of what happened behind the scenes and just about the different artists and all those things.
00:10:54.480 --> 00:11:02.480
We wanted to share with you not only about Tron's journey, but then help you connect with some of the guests that we interview in Sri Lanka, and then invite you on your own creative eye.
00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:16.799
Yes, there's so much more that goes into all that fuels this podcast, which is this this mission to inspire people to create so that they can get to know themselves and connect with ANHA.
00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:23.039
So to see that we could bring that story out of Sri Lanka and creative out.
00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:27.679
I was raised of creatives, it was definitely a habit.
00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:38.240
Our hope is that whether you're living in the States, you're living in Sri Lanka, or somewhere else around the world, you'll connect with someone's story within Sri Lanka and it might inspire you to continue on your own creative process.
00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:43.120
The link to the PDF for the magazine is in the description, and please check it out.
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:48.960
They're doing really cool things that I really think you should be checking out to see their journeys.
00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.240
So without further ado, let's get to the episode.
00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:56.240
What are the the limiting beliefs you used to struggle with?
00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.000
Sounds like you don't have any.
00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.919
Used to is not I still struggle with a lot of uh things.
00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:11.039
Because I think uh with creativity and in like in general, there's so much to learn, right?
00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:15.120
And it's always uh something new every day, right?
00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:28.559
And uh for some reason I've always felt like I've fallen behind um because in school I was not I I had the brains to study, but I didn't have the patience or the interest in.
00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:36.639
So I used to prefer my extracurricular activities like music, singing, violet, more than the school work.
00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.480
So that kind of kept me behind.
00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:41.840
Um my old over the sounds wasn't great, my old season wasn't great.
00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:46.639
So I always felt like it was this race that I was always losing out on.
00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:47.840
I was always falling behind.
00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:49.759
And that mentality hasn't changed.
00:12:50.240 --> 00:13:08.000
So sometimes even though I I know that I'm hungry to learn, sometimes I feel like it's me tr doing a lot of things just so that I can escape the thought of not doing just so that when I look back, I'm like, okay, I've done this, this, so tick tick, tick, okay, I've done like ten things this year.
00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:08.879
Okay, fine.
00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:12.559
Um, so it comes with that gray react on this still.
00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:15.440
I don't know how to overcome that even today.
00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:19.840
Um, which I know is very limiting because I tend to doubt myself a lot.
00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.559
I know.
00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:28.960
Even coming here was big, like I was like, no, because uh I don't know, for some reason it's very hard for me to see who I am.
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:33.200
Uh I usually get a lot of feedback from my close friends on who I am.
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:37.679
So that self-identity again is something that I struggled with a lot.
00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:52.960
So yeah, I think um for me also, until I actually sat down with myself, with my thoughts, and started journaling or just processing all those things and things and and asking questions about myself.
00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:56.559
Like even all the the narrative society gave me, right?
00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:06.879
Like um, it's so important to kind of sit there and ask questions and ask what is the truth in the situation versus what is the what is not.
00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:15.759
And and and that for me was the most like freeing thing, because uh, first of all, it's cool that you're doing this at at 23 years old.
00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:24.559
Um but yeah, I so my my my encouragement to you is that you're a very busy person, but try to sit with yourself as much as you can.
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:30.720
Um and even the um Michelle I was talking to, she's a journalist and all of these things.
00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:40.559
She also became this at such a late age in life, and now we hang on to this time we can get to spend with ourselves as this sacred thing almost.
00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:43.600
Because every time you do that, you connect with yourself.
00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:49.440
Um so wait, you just jumped into like uh a clothing brand.
00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:52.399
Uh talk me through that, like what?
00:14:53.440 --> 00:15:00.639
So, as I said about previous uh birth face, I met this lumby deity, and together both of us joined and created this.
00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:06.240
It was actually her passion um which she shared with me and it became my fashion as well.
00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:08.240
So together we could created this journey.
00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:14.320
So uh the idea behind it is to create clothing where people feel comfortable.
00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:18.320
It's not trendy, it's not fast fashion, but rather sustainable.
00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:24.799
And also something where people don't have to think, okay, I had to wear a shape there for this, I have to look a certain way.
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:31.759
But also we wanted to cater to the a large audience where people who like rompers for day two day wear, they had that option.
00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.000
Oversized t-shirt, they had the option.
00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.960
And uh specifically we wanted to cater to the mums, right?
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.840
Because after pregnancy the body changes a lot.
00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:45.279
And unfortunately the market still hasn't caught up to that, right?
00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:54.559
Um, so they create very restrictive outfits just to fix that, you know, the mold of what beauty looks like.
00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:02.720
And a lot of them what we we actually went and talked to a lot of moms, and a lot of them don't want to fake into anything.
00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.240
They just want to be comfortable, they just want to live life and exist.
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:12.480
So with our pants connection that we made, that was one of our key things.
00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:26.879
Uh it it gives you a comfortable wrap uh while also making sure that you look okay, you don't good, uh, and also keeping that space for you to explore different fashions and styles and all.
00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:35.120
Because I know, for example, my mom she doesn't lean towards ginger because she thinks you know it's too tight and or a bulging holder.
00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:48.320
But these we created the with those things in mind, but we got the feedback that they got, and we made sure to make like keep samples out and test it out, make sure they're comfortable, they love it, and get their feedback.
00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.600
So it was a lot of work.
00:16:49.919 --> 00:17:05.279
I know a lot of my friends keep asking me when is the second launch, but we want to make sure that it's perfect, it's not just something you put out because we pour our heart and soul into it, and uh the people that we cater, they unfortunately don't have other places to go to as well.
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:13.119
So we want to make sure that they their needs are met as well as in a in a creative way, how can we work on that target?
00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:15.039
That is the idea behind it.
00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:21.599
So I mean Is it fair to assume you don't know everything?
00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:21.920
Right?
00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:23.039
Okay, cool.
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:27.519
So how do you jump into these ventures and things like that without knowing anything?
00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:29.680
Like what's what's the mindset behind this?
00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:40.240
To be quite honest with you, I'd rather fail than to go on in life and then think technically like okay, I didn't do it.
00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:42.400
I'd rather take that risk.
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:49.680
I'd rather jump into something blind and you know, dump into the leaf and then learn than think it's it.
00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:57.759
I think my parents stand over with it the most.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.680
Okay, let's start with the parents then.
00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:07.039
My parents and actually my friends' parents and my parents tabulated the mosque because every time they asked me what you are doing, what are you doing?
00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:11.039
I'm just like this this this and like you told us this, this, this last month.
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:14.000
Like, yeah, bad things happen.
00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:22.480
So uh yes, and so I think they started with because still that the Sri Lankan mentality is that for stability you need to stick to one.
00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:35.359
But uh what I have noticed, I might be incorrect, but what I've noticed with a lot of these uh professionals and that they are unhappy with what they do, but they stick to it for that stability.
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:53.039
And uh personally I'd rather be more happy, more free than yes, stability is important, but I'd rather use my creative side as well because I think it gives me much joy and it brings out that inner child in me, which I really enjoy.
00:18:53.200 --> 00:19:00.799
Um so take those things into consideration, I think uh isn't that mumbo jumbo connection with your inner child.
00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:11.039
I mean I'm serious, like because I mean you're also living in Sri Lanka, so like there has to be a challenge to explain that to people.
00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:13.839
Yes, a lot of people don't understand that.
00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:21.519
Um so what I have found that works for me and works for my parents' piece is I find a stable job.
00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:28.240
I do my stable job to the best of my ability, and then I do a lot of other things on the side.
00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.680
So I'm not I'm not bothering my parents.
00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:37.359
I'm not going far away from that path, the societal path, the norm.
00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.880
But I'm also not missing out on things that I want to do.
00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.480
If I wanted to do something and I really, really want to do it, then I wouldn't do it.
00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.240
I would find a way to do it.
00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.880
So that is something that I have that way I keep everyone happy at least.
00:19:54.319 --> 00:20:00.079
So I mean, I I've been talking to people who are much older, I guess, in certain times at this point.
00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.240
And I've been asking what do you have to say for the young people or the older people?
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:10.160
Um how does one get in touch with their curiosity, in your opinion?
00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:24.319
What works for me is uh what has worked for me is I would uh from if I I'm given a task, I would look at it from different angles, I would look into the details.
00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:31.279
Uh rather than just getting that task done and taking that box, I would go that extra mile.
00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:41.039
But I think uh for me what works is research and reading about things, looking at things that other people do and uh sitting with them having a chat.
00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.200
You know, I would go up to somebody in an art student and they're like, okay, how do you think of this?
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:51.359
You know, because everybody everybody has that creativity in there, it's different, right?
00:20:51.680 --> 00:21:00.480
So when you get to explore that from each person, your perspective of the world also changes and your creativity also gets enhanced, right?
00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:04.319
Because certain things you wouldn't have thought of being that act before that, right?
00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:11.680
So uh I would say talk to more people, you can read up, watch YouTube videos.
00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.160
Um just uh educate yourself.
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:20.880
Don't always wait for a degree, don't always wait for somebody to come and teach you things or situations to fall into place.
00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:26.559
You can always push for that uh creative release, always explode.
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.400
Even if you're really bad at it, right?
00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.839
What the world that can happen.
00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:30.559
Right.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:37.200
Well you lose money and you can you know really bad risky gamble on something.
00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:38.240
That's true.
00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:51.039
Um so in my taught choices is if uh if I'm a Christian and what I believe is that if it is meant to be my it would always come true, right?
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:55.039
So we what I do also, I try to give it my best.
00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.319
That's all I can do.
00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759
From my capacity, what I am called to do is to give my best.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.440
So I'll give my test.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:02.880
If it works, it works.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.799
If it doesn't, at least I walk away knowing that I give my all you know.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:08.319
There's no recuts.
00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:10.240
So you don't mind failing?
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:11.200
No, I don't.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:16.640
So you're pretty free in that sense.
00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.640
Very cool.
00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:24.240
I think okay, I accept the limitation that you put on yourself.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:34.160
And also for me, I got to that place because I thought of, you know, everybody thinks that resources are limited.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.759
Opportunities are limited.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:41.680
Like, okay, if you have X amount of money in your bank and use it on something, then that you're dying.
00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.599
But it is not.
00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.440
You keep limiting yourself.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.480
Yes, uh, a lot of people have a lot of other commitments and you need to make decisions wisely.
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:52.480
You can't just skip up your needle thick things.
00:22:52.799 --> 00:23:02.160
But if you properly do your research and also give it to all, at least you walk away, even if it doesn't succeed, you walk away learning Satipara.
00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.839
You walk away with a skill.
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.240
Yeah.
00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:05.359
Which you can try.
00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:07.920
You can use that skill on Kantinas in the future.
00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:10.559
Like so far, I had gotten fired as well.
00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.559
I gotten fired, I got me.
00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:19.359
So, but walking away from those things and looking back, I have learned so much.
00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:20.799
Yes.
00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:21.359
Right.
00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:24.400
And I would rather bullets than face.
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:34.160
So how can we, you know, especially young people, right?
00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.480
And I even hope I gotta stop saying young people only because it's also old people.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:52.319
How can we change like you you mentioned like every failure, instead of looking at as a negative thing, you look at it as what benefits did you get, what skills did you get?
00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:58.000
So then is failing almost like a requirement?
00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.440
Yes, it is.
00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.960
Because I already have learned, but I learned without those.
00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:12.160
At least in my life, it has always been that I learned more through my failures than through my weights.
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.119
So let's be real.
00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:14.400
Like failure is hard.
00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.279
It is very hard.
00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.960
Tell me about a time when you really like went low.
00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.079
I mean you had to, right?
00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:20.480
Yes.
00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:26.000
Um, as I mentioned, I got fired from a job that I really loved.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:29.200
I pursed my heart and my soul almost.
00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:33.920
And um I when I take on a job, I put my entire self into it.
00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:39.359
So it was something which I actually didn't have a personal life.
00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:41.359
It was I was fully dedicated to it.
00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:45.039
So when I lost the job, I lost a father myself.
00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:54.960
I shut down Kagditi, I was not happy, and I didn't know what to do because my vision for the future was entirely dependent on it, right?
00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.519
And uh that was very hard.
00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:07.839
But something that people around me told and I also thought about, now that situation happened and I couldn't have done anything to stop it, right?
00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:10.960
But sitting and being sad about it is not going to.
00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:26.400
So I actually took a lot of work, but from that pain, that uh intense passion to have okay, I wanted to make sure that even if I get fired in the future, I'll have something else to do, right?
00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:32.079
So for thinking ahead, that's how MN Work also came into play.
00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:43.039
That was the same month we launched MN Work, and that was the same month uh I my friend launched his trap studio, and I helped him out with that as well.
00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:51.119
So yeah, uh yes, there is hard, but and at that moment, you won't be sometimes you won't be able to see beyond that.
00:25:52.559 --> 00:26:04.000
But I would say without taking harsh decisions in ADK, reflecting on those things, sitting with yourself, journaling it through and understanding and also trying to see the positive.
00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.240
It doesn't mean that you have to be positive all the time.
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:12.240
Yeah, but uh you can choose to see the positives and the learnings and also focus on that more.
00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:20.880
On that note, uh Abigail, you've you've been uh I've been saying this a lot from all the young people that I've been introduced, uh interviewing.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:22.400
You're a breath of fresh air.
00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.839
Uh, you inspire me.
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.240
Uh, I wish I knew you when I was your age.
00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:29.200
I could have been I'm done doing so much more cool things.
00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.559
Uh no, seriously.
00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:45.920
I think people like you, we need to uh um enhance your voice and and and bring it out more because people need to see that um there is good in community, especially good community, um, and then that kind of encouragement.
00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:48.240
So thank you for being on the podcast.
00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:50.960
Um, I I learned a lot from you actually.
00:26:51.200 --> 00:27:02.079
Um, yeah, um, all I ask you to do in return is to keep dreaming, keep creating, and keep going on your own creative Odyssey.
00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:03.599
Until next time, see you later.
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.480
Bye-bye.
