Cracking Comfort Zones
I’m good with writing, try filming and we’re in new territory. Meeting the crew today to film an anti-bullying documentary cracked comfort zones.
‘Sharing your perspective to a new group of people is often daunting however, now I’m comfortable with myself cracking comfort zones and being myself comes natural.’
Only hours before this photo was taken had I met Kayas.
Today presented its hurdles but they never showed publicly.
I didn’t get tripped up nor felt insecure.
The reasons they existed spans cultural and past insecurities which culminated in this fear.
The fear of being misunderstood.
Let me explain.
I was invited by Gurpreet, featured in a past blog about Hussain Manawer, to be a part of a documentary called ‘Stop the Bullying’:
Immediately, I jumped on the chance, mainly because I was honoured to be asked and secondly it falls in line with capitalising and doubling-down on past opportunities.
I met Gurpreet in February of this year, since then I’ve been in contact with soon-to-be world sensation Hussain Manawer and now this.
Lucky to have met her and for her to introduce me to these awesome people and be a part of something so important.
The issue of bullying is close to my heart.
I wrote about my experience in school in the early days of this blog, notably:
This blog above dug deep into the history of my reasons for why I struggled hard at school.
A struggle with identity and sense of self.
Something that, while I’m still figuring out, doesn’t haunt and torment me to the scale it used to.
So this documentary was an opportunity to share my voice, advice and opinions on an issue that I have personally been affected by.
But.
I filmed with new people who had their own expectations.
I couldn’t apologise for the quality, length or crudeness of my answers because it’s part and parcel of who I am.
Additionally, I knew the crew were predominantly of South Asian heritage.
That’s always been a sore spot to interact with.
Growing up for the last eleven years in a primarily white ethnicity neighbourhood where my friends have been of the same description; my exposure to South Asians has been limited.
Every group have their own way of communicating, sharing ideas and topics that interest them.
I knew I had to spend a day with them but didn’t just want to sit in a corner.
I wanted to interact, learn and grow.
I did just that.
How did I overcome the barrier?
I knew that I could judge the atmosphere when I got there. I was myself. Acted as I do in any other situation and all was fine.
The preoccupations we have about others and their expectations of us are often justified but blown out of proportion.
I knew my advice would be nuanced.
I don’t think the standard advice works for all and I wanted to provide an alternative for those people who had all of it before.
A victim of bullying is someone who is more likely to be stronger, more resilient and more aware.
You don’t get to where you are without some kind of tormenting. Everyone has been bullied and everyone will once in their life assume the bully role.
It’s about being mindful of where you see yourself and your motives in life in general.
I enjoyed filming with the crew today.
I’ve been introduced to a new world.
The creative South Asian class which is trying to break stereotypes, forge their own paths and do good by their community.
For me, a new experience. One that I’d like a taste of again.
The documentary will be out soon and you’ll be the first to know about.
It’s the 1st September today, another three months till I start the countdown to the end of the 365 Blog.
I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I’m learning more about the lives of others every day.
Cracking comfort zones.