It was the year 2003, I had still not recovered from the Manic episode that had landed me in Hospital a few months earlier. The drugs and the initial inability to cope with Bipolar had bamboozled my mind. Extremely high irritability, irrational decisions and stubbornness is a great way to describe the condition of my mind. The same muddled thinking had made me switch my Psychiatrists a few months into my treatment. A costly mistake with the benefit of hindsight.
There I was in the Doc’s cabin (the new Doc). As such he rarely answered any of my questions, all pertinent, of course. He did have time for this gem of an advice, though: ‘You have poor communication skills. You need to improve on them.’
My benumbed mind was hardly in a state to fathom such pearls of wisdom but the statement infuriated my sister.
Indian Cinema’s acting legend was once turned down by All India Radio because his voice was not upto the mark!!
The same baritone voice with fantastic voice modulation skills has powered Amitabh Bachchan‘s acting career and are a part of his daunting persona. After an acting career nudging fifty years and stardom few enjoy, guess who is having the last laugh?
‘Great people never make others feel small, they encourage them on the way up.’
Why was I being affected and demotivated by a doctor who knew (and cared even lesser) about my true qualities?
‘What is he talking about? You have excellent skills in communication and are very creative. In the condition that you are, how does he expect you to behave?’ fumed my sister, who used to accompany me at the Doctor’s.
Her reaction might have arisen from sisterly love but it did reassure me at that time. Ironically, my firm’s name was Frontline Communications! Clients sought my help for slogan ideas and punchlines at their Corporate in-house meets. (Our firm was into rentals of Multi-Media Projection equipment).
One of the magazines I subscribed for a number of years was ‘Advertising and Marketing’, purely because I was fascinated by the learning.
I still recall the tagline on it: ‘Business is Marketing’.
When I switched to Financial Advisory and Life Insurance services, my skills came to the fore. Direct Selling any product or service is essentially selling yourself. People bought me, my integrity, the trust I evoked, my acumen more than the service/product itself.
Coming to the present occupation: Writing. This has encompassed activity on multiple Social Media platforms and Blogs, including this one. The Blogs between them have had 25,000 visits! This site generated appreciation and encouragement beyond my wildest expectations. I am indebted to all the Mentors, friends, people who have inspired by their invaluable Posts. There are too many people I need to thank and I’d be doing injustice to the ones I omit. While the contribution of some has been instrumental, others might be at the periphery. You ALL made a difference, not to forget my Readers!!
Creativity, Communicative skills were always there in me. Am looking at at all setbacks as a blessing in disguise. Bipolar, the challenges the darkest phases have thrown at me have honed my talent and brought it to the fore like never before. Now focusing on my pet project: authoring my first Book.
Maybe that is why it is said, whatever happens, happens for the best.
Have to mention the Bhagvad Gita and Lord Shri Krishna here. In my darkest times, when I was literally bereft of hope, You have shown me the way. On the momentous day of Janmashtami I dedicate this initial success to You.
Meanwhile, ending on a note of naughtiness, that mischievous little Shri Krishna would have approved:
Doc, do you need a crash course in Communication Skills? You can count on me to help you out!
