Known for her impeccable charm, charisma and glowing career as one of the most famous Bollywood actresses who in recent years emerged onto the American scene. Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a highly successful woman with a mindset that is filled with invaluable gems. Read on for a selection of her wisest lessons that you can carry into your own life to get you started on your glow up journey.
Keep your mind open of where life will take you
“I got into the movies by accident. When I got an offer, I thought, ‘Let’s try this, too.’ Everything in my life has happened by trial and error. I didn’t even think I would win the Miss India title, so where’s the question of thinking I’d come this far.”
“I was studying to be an engineer when my mom and my brother sent my pictures for the Miss India contest. I didn’t even know about it. If that isn’t destiny, what is?”
At 18 years old, she was launched into the world’s spotlight unintentionally. Priyanka’s mother actually entered her into the Femina Miss India pageant in 2000. Then, she was crowned as Miss World, representing her country as Miss India in the new millennium at the Millennium Dome in the city of London.
This victory opened doors for her to receive film offers which had her take on her next coveted role as a Bollywood actress starring in popular Hindi films such as Krrish and Don (both 2006), Kaminey (2009), 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), Barfi! (2012), Mary Kom (2014), and Bajirao Mastani (2015).
Despite her initially planning to study aeronautical engineering, she decided to take the opportunity presented at her in the moment and see where life would take her.
It’s not about how qualified you are, it’s about how much work you’re willing to put in
“I don’t come from a film background. I haven’t learned anything about films or film-making. But I have a thirst to know everything about my profession. I want to learn about cinematography, about editing, about music recordings, about post-production. So when people in the know talk, I willingly listen.”
As a young woman at the start of her acting career with limited experience being high school theatre productions as a teenager, she referred to her acting work as her acting school. Her dedication to her craft led her onto starring in many Bollywood film productions and grow further as a producer, launching her own film production company Purple Pebble Pictures that has produced award-winning regional Indian films.
Believe in your own sauce
“I taught myself confidence. When I’d walk into a room and feel scared to death, I’d tell myself, ‘I’m not afraid of anybody.’ And people believed me. You’ve got to teach yourself to take over the world.”
“I wasn’t the prettiest girl in the room, but I learned to carry myself with confidence – that’s how you make the best impression on people.”
She is well known for her effervescent confidence that is evident in her interviews. One key thing we can take note of is how much building your self belief and love towards yourself allows you to have the confidence to go for the opportunities you desire than thinking it is all about how hard you work. The energy you give off to others that stems from how you feel about yourself is what people take notice of before you open your mouth.
Don’t be afraid to explore all that you are
“I don’t want to be called an actor, I don’t want to be called a star. want to have a label, I want to have a legacy. I want to be known as someone who has goals and achieves them. And whatever they might be, and wherever they might be. I want to be limitless. I want to break stereotypes. I want to go where no man or woman has gone before. And it might be a scary path, or it might be a path that no one has taken before… but at least it’ll be mine. ”
Priyanka wears many crowns on her head – a pageant queen, a top Bollywood actress, a UNICEF ambassador, the first lead South Asian actress in an American show on the hit ABC show Quantico and a TV host (to name a few!). She’s the definition of being someone dedicated to creating her own path and not limiting herself to be one thing but to leave a legacy. And this has been proven to true as she landed the cover of TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in 2016.
We can all make an impact on the world
“To be a philanthropist, you don’t have to be Nelson Mandela. You just have to look around you and ask, ‘What little bit can I do? Whose life can I touch?'”
It can be easy to see people in high profile positions as individuals who have the capability to make distinct change in the world when in actuality, each one of us can make a difference in humanity in how we look out for those in our everyday community around us.
Be a girl’s girl
“I feel that women need to have a voice. That’s the basic right of the women, and that’s global. When a woman says something, she shouldn’t be judged or silenced because she’s a woman… For centuries, women have always been told to be a certain way or behave a certain way, and it’s time women decide what they want themselves individually.”
As someone who is passionate about female empowerment, Priyanka focuses on uplifting other women to be the best version of themselves. She’s travelled to India, Jordan and Syria as part of her work as a UN Goodwill Ambassador empowering young girls. She is also an advocate towards improving children’s rights and ending sexual violence against females.
The vision you have of yourself holds the greatest power
“When I think about being the woman I want to be, I just want to be the best version of myself. And I use every opportunity that comes my way in that direction.”
Once you realise how much power you have from controlling the narrative you tell yourself, it will become so much easier. In an interview at the 2018 Forbes Women’s Summit, she recalled an experience working with a rude, misogynistic director which led her to her pulling out of the project. The experience taught her to advocate for her worth and take ownership of her perception of herself and that will be her identity than leaving that in the hands of others and risking having a damaged spirit.
Take charge of your path
“I don’t believe in hope. I believe in taking charge of your life. I don’t think that we should say, ‘My life will change and be better.’ It’s important to work backwards: Identify what your goal is and work backwards and see what route to go from there.
We can definitely take into our own lives and own our power in focusing on what factors we can control and the work we can do to make our goals a possibility. With several big projects lined up (once the world resumes back to normality), it’s exciting to see where her journey will take her next.
Espire21 