Rising From Pain to Providing Support | Priya Gupta’s Journey With Sarvpriye Foundation

I was bullied during my primary schooling, lacked friendship bonds with my classmates, and, unfortunately, didn’t get any support from the teachers. It took some time, but I realized that I had to be my own hero and deal with the chaos in my life without depending on anyone. I started self-learning and taking care of my health, both mentally and physically. For me, my self-worth and respect became a driving force towards the path of success. I began to believe in myself and put in the effort without worrying about the results and consequences. In hindsight, I am grateful for my struggles because they shaped me, making it possible for me to thrive even in challenging situations.

I was a victim of domestic violence during my early years in life. So, after my graduation in 2018, I created Sarvpriye Foundation, an NGO that provides both financial and emotional support to victims and survivors of domestic violence, especially women. Sarvpriye Foundation is determined to remove every obstacle in the way of women entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. I learned that there were many women and girls out there in similar situations as me, and I wanted to contribute in building a better life for them. I believe that my childhood trauma and experience gave me the strength to help others and create an organization to help them grow. The satisfaction that I get after helping women promote their small businesses inspires and motivates me to work towards a better tomorrow.

My mother and the women who come to my NGO are my biggest sources of inspiration. The stories they share and the challenges they’ve faced motivate me to make the world a better place for them and many other women.

I was diagnosed with a tumor in 2016 and dengue in 2021. The challenges that I went through to recover made me appreciate good health and inspired me to take better care of my health. I consider self-care, self-awareness, and discipline necessary elements of success in any facet of life. Through my journey, I have come to see management of both time and emotions as the most important skills I learned and implemented in my life.

As a social entrepreneur, part-time mentor, and a full-time employee, I know that balance is crucial in avoiding unproductivity and burn out. I follow three criterions to balance my professional, personal, and emotional life: organization, discipline, and consistency. These give me motivation to learn and improve on a day-to-day basis. A diamond is only created when the coal is put under pressure. I therefore seek to learn from the challenges and adversities I face, such as managing my emotions, taking up responsibilities, distributing time, facing failure, and striving to grow into the best version of myself.

My life mantra is peace of mind, which, to me, equals happiness. To achieve this, I practice mindfulness every chance I get. There are hundreds of hurdles that we encounter along the way, but we can’t give them the power to run our lives. Every day, I start my day with a 30-minute self-care routine to refresh my mind and get ready to take on the day. Before going to bed, I take 10 minutes to analyze how my day went. Acknowledging what went wrong and how it can be improved next time brings me peace and contentment.

I would advise my younger self and all the young people out there to believe in themselves. You must analyze, plan, and trust in yourself and your abilities before making life decisions. It is important that young people invest in themselves, both personally and professionally, in order to achieve their goals and create a life of their own choosing.