Empowering Speech on Self-Love & Confidence
Speaking on the theme Family at Speaker Slam® in Toronto on Oct 21, 2020, Keka DasGupta took the stage with a five minute story.
Transcript
I pull into my driveway after an exhausting day at work my whole body feels stiff from the long commute and walk up to the front door of my house and I put my keys into the lock to turn it just as I'm opening the door I hear two little squeals coming from the living room then I hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet racing towards me my two young boys a costume just as I'm walking in my older son squeezes his arms tightly around my waist my little guy wraps his whole body against my leg they're screaming Mommy their faces were filled with joy it made
me feel like a rock star I'm hugging and squeezing them right back in that moment somewhere deep inside of me there was a whisper why do they love me so much I don't understand what it is about me why are they so excited to see me these questions have poured into other parts of my life too I've been happily married for 23 years quietly in my head I've always told myself I'm lucky my husband loves me as a youngster I was critiqued for my physical features by Those whom I loved and trusted and I didn't know any better than to take their words to Heart
I was told my forehead is too high I should get bangs to cover it up I was told my lips are too black I should wear lipstick to mask them my tummy's getting too bulgy I should watch my weight my nose is too round it's no easy fixes there when I was 14 years old I overheard my aunt gossiping about me to my cousins she said if only Keiko was taller and more fair-skinned then she would be beautiful my heart just sunk to the pit of my stomach I felt like the bruised fruits and vegetables in the fresh produce section of the supermarket you know
the ones that everybody leaves behind I realized in that moment standing in that hallway hugging my kids that I had lost myself somewhere in this life you see I wear many hats I'm a mom I'm a wife I'm a sister I'm a daughter A Friend a PR and marketing professional a passionate entrepreneur but who am I when those hats come off I had no words I was completely disconnected to myself but if my sons came to me when they were grown up and said I've lost myself mom if they told me that they were feeling the way I was feeling ah it would break my
heart I want my kids to grow up with unshakable confidence I want them to fully accept themselves with unconditional love I want them to know that if they believe in themselves they can do anything they want in life I want them to step into their power I want them to be happy from the inside out I was searching for happiness from the outside in I had burdens myself to do all of the shoulds that Society prescribes nobody wants to be those bruised fruits and vegetables in the supermarket right so I should be the perfect wife I should raise exceptional children I should shine at work
I should keep an Immaculate house I should make it all look effortless I should I should I should living a frozen life for others with no room for error with no room for risks and no room for freedom I was living but I wasn't lifeing I wasn't doing life on purpose and on my own terms the way that I'd hoped my children would one day so that night standing in that hallway hugging my boys I made a life-changing decision based on a lesson that my children taught me I was gonna love me the way my children love me that's right today I am reclaiming me
am I doing this for my kids yes because I know the best way for them to learn about lifeing is to see me doing it but more importantly I am doing this for me I am imperfectly perfect and I deserve to love me for me I've learned happiness is not something that comes from the outside inside job my boys have never cared about my mummy tummy my high forehead or my dark skin in fact they love those parts of me they love all of me so today I'm learning to love me for all of me today I am not merely living I have put my
stake in the ground I am pursuing my big audacious dreams and every day I am stepping into my power to feel like my own rock star start loving me for cheers to your shortness cheers to your pudgy parts and cheers to your dark lips cheers to the art of life
Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.