From Stage Fright to Stage Bright: My Journey of Crushing Fear | Mansi Gupta

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear." – George Addair

A Flashback to Fear: The 10-Year-Old on Stage

Let me take you back in time…

A 10-year-old girl stood frozen on stage, eyes darting around like a squirrel who just spotted a dog. Her heart was hammering like a heavy metal drum solo, legs wobbling like a newborn deer attempting its first steps. Her throat? Tighter than last year’s jeans. And her mind? A complete blackout, as if someone had pulled the plug on her brain's power supply.

She wanted to vanish—poof! —into thin air. Or better yet, turn into a tiny fly and buzz her way out of that nightmare.

Can you guess who that was? Yep, yours truly!

That day, I made a promise to myself: the stage would not be my scary place. It might remain my “slightly intimidating place,” but definitely not the “run-for-the-hills” kind of scary.

Fast Forward to Today… BOOM!

The same girl (who’s not so tall actually—just 5 feet nothing, but hey, who’s measuring?) now stands radiating confidence, delivering impromptu speeches before 400+ people at ATM and even gracing the TEDx stage in December 2023.

From stage fright to stage bright. From trembling legs to thunderous applause. Life has truly come full circle!

Sunshine, Rainbows, and a Whole Lot of Confusion

But hold up—it hasn’t all been sunshine, rainbows, and standing ovations, trust me!

I was born and raised in Delhi with the coolest parents in town. My mom is the ultimate happy-go-lucky woman with a heart of gold. My dad, well, he was a bit of a Hitler—super strict (sorry, Dad!)—with a firm belief that a good education and independence were non-negotiables. But, to their credit, they gave me the freedom to choose my career.

There was just one tiny problem:I was utterly, hopelessly, and gloriously confused.

As a teenager, my career path looked less like a straight road and more like a tangled pair of earphones—endlessly frustrating and impossible to sort out. So, I experimented.

Career Plot Twists and Life’s Akashvani Moment

I started my career as a content writer with The Times of India. Then, for reasons still unknown, I pivoted to Citibank, handling home loans. Not confusing enough? Well, I then moved to GE Money, managing the internal audit team for SBI credit card operations.

From writing headlines to auditing spreadsheets—because, you know, why not?

Everything was going fine. Except for one thing: that nagging feeling that this was NOT it.

Enter: The Gulliver-Lilliputian Love Story

Meanwhile, in my personal life…I got married to this great guy who is super tall—like Gulliver’s Travels tall. We look like a live-action remake, with him as Gulliver and me as the Lilliputian wife.

We have a 16-year-old son who, thank heavens, inherited his father’s height genes and not my “fun-sized” ones.

After becoming a mom, I took a sabbatical to build a beautiful bond with my son. But that gnawing “something’s missing” feeling was still there, making me question everything. It was a seriously low point—self-doubt was practically my new best friend.

And then, the Akashvani Moment!

You know, like those divine voice-overs in mythological TV shows.I realized I should become an English language coach! I mean, I knew I was good at it and didn’t want to start from scratch. So, I pursued my Cambridge CELTA from the British Council, aced it, loved it, and that was the beginning of Mansi 2.0.

And oh boy, what a ride it’s been since!

Finding My Purpose: Mansi 2.0

I’ve found my purpose: helping people discover their dream careers aligned with their strengths and passions, while smashing their limiting beliefs with the power of effective communication.

Life is beautiful now! It’s simple—not easy—but definitely beautiful. Challenges still pop up like uninvited guests, but now I face them head-on. I truly believe that age is not a number; it’s the energy you radiate.

For me, life really began at 40. My first TEDx talk, being featured in India Today, becoming VP PR, and the list is still a work in progress.

Up Next: A Bucket List That’s Still a WIP

Up next: I’m yet to write a book, run a marathon, start my podcast, and blah blah—basically, all the stuff that makes you sound cooler at parties.

Moral of the Story: Fear is a Myth

Fear whispers that you can’t, but growth screams that you can! The magic happens when you dare to step through the fear and own your moment.

Your Turn!

What’s one fear you’re ready to crush today?Comment below—I’d love to hear from you!

Want to Discover Your Dream Career?

If you’re ready to break free from self-doubt and discover a career aligned with your strengths and passions, join my free webinar:"Discover Your Dream Career: Uncover, Align, and Thrive in Just 60 Minutes!"

With a grateful heart, this is me signing off.

Make it a good day! Make it a great life! ��