At BrilliantRead Media, our aim is to bring to our community some of the unique and compelling stories from the start-up ecosystem. As part of this endeavour, we invited Angela Mathias for an exclusive interview with us. Angela is a Leader, Mentor, Mental Health Enthusiast, Change Enabler and Psychologist. Let’s learn more about her inspirational journey and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Angela:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey, please;
‘Life is a journey filled with unexpected miracles’ a quote so simple but yet holding such deep meaning within it. As I reflected on my life journey from the memories of my younger days cycling in the Sarojini market to now travelling in metros and buses, time seemed to have really gone by fast. I did my schooling from Mater Dei Convent, Delhi.
This is one place where I was a free bird. I may not be able to write all the experiences but definitely, those that have made a mark in my life. From waking early in the morning to catching the bus, and then running back to the bus when the last bell rang had a thrill of its own.
My teachers, helping staff, and friends helped me come out from my cocoon of being a timid person. Yes, indeed, I am still very introverted, but by the time I passed out of school, I was a Captain, state level football player, and an individual who was not afraid to take a stand and help others in need.”
Being an only child and having working parents, instead of being overly pampered as how single children are perceived as I rather became matured and independent from a very young age. As I learnt to stay alone and take care of household chores along with my studies. My mom and dad made sure they made up for all the time lost when they were in office by treating me with sumptuous food and outings on the weekends. Now we are a family of four with the latest addition of my dog Eve who are my major pillars and cheerleaders in my journey.
Now coming from a science background, mind and human behaviour have always fascinated me. So my initial inclination was towards pursuing MBBS and then probably venturing into neurology or psychiatry. But after I finished my board exam and even gave the NEET, there was a shift in 2016 where AIPMT was changed to NEET, due to which there were two sets of exams the same year.
As there was such a long wait for the result I decided to explore a bit into other fields and came across this triple majors course called Music, Psychology & English in CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. Lucky for me I was planning to go visit my grandparents anyways and the interview too happened to be during the same time.
Music has been a constant in my life, though I wasn’t professionally trained but I have always been a part of the school choir. Psychology had always fascinated me though I never got to explore it, and English was definitely a strong subject for me. Without much thought, I just gave my interview as I was free, and later I come to know that I have cleared my interview.”
Obviously, I was very apprehensive, but then after discussing with my parents I thought why not take admission and see how the course is as it was the very first in our country. And later on once the results and admission for MBBS start I can always join there, but as the course started I came to realize this was something which was tailor-made for me. As this felt like a heaven-sent opportunity I made the life-changing decision of committing myself to the social sciences instead of doing MBBS. My focus of interest has always been the neurosciences, the mind, behavioural patterns, human interactions and communication.
Thus the decision that I would rather pursue a career in psychology than in medicine. On a funny note, after the NEET results finally came out in November where I was already in my second semester, did I come to know that I had actually qualified. For any Indian household it is always seen as a big achievement, but at the end of the day if your interest lies in something else I believe we shouldn’t be afraid to take a different route.
College as a whole has been a really enriching experience, and my campus life was filled with activities and events. There wasn’t a dull moment as any free moment I would run away for a one-day adventure trip or probably explore different food places in and around the city of Bengaluru.
Because of Music, I got to travel to Korea, which initiated my love for the country and made me venture into and learn the basics of the Korean Language. Since I was an all-rounder in studies and cultural activities, in my third year I became a committee head of the Student Welfare Officer. This really helped me build on my organizing, networking and PR skills which were really necessary for the university level fests which were held throughout the year.
After learning the basic intricacies during my bachelors I realized I wanted to specialize in clinical psychology. I guess some minuscule love for MBBS was still there, as I wanted to help patients in a hospital setting.”
That being said I applied for Masters in clinical psychology in the Delhi branch of my university as I wanted to be closer to my parents and luckily I got through. Through these two years, I was able to expand my knowledge in this field and build skills as an aspiring Clinical psychologist, by taking part in various workshops, conferences and internships apart from regular studies.
Every little experience and journey has made me see things in such a different perspective and I wouldn’t like to have it any other way.”
What made you passionate about ‘Psychology’?
‘Psyche’, the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious, is so enticing and vast that every concept surrounding it brings in a new perspective to my life.
Yes, definitely helping others heal is truly very liberating but understanding that it is a slow and constant process is also very important as there are always ups and downs with every client and session.”
This subject has helped me work on myself and in turn live a fulfilling and better life to say, every day I learn something new about myself and that’s the power of psychology. I also believe that I got really blessed with brilliant professors as well as supervisors who initially managed to instil the love and passion for psychology and even maintain it till the very end.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
All of us are faced with challenges in our lives, and I am not one to go unscathed but through these years I have come to realize life is not a bed of roses rather there are some thorns which are thrown our way.
There are so many who keep questioning my life choices, so many myths, stereotypes and stigma are surrounding me from every corner. I try to face such challenges head-on, as I remember this one time where someone said without the ups and downs in the ECG the heart is deemed to be dead and that really got me into perspective.
At the end of the day, I wish to sleep with at least a lesser no of regrets than yesterday because aspiring for zero will be too unrealistic for me and that’s what keeps me going.”
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My strongest pillars have been my parents, the constant support who have guided me and also given me the liberty to make my own decisions in life. My dog who came into my life in 2019 has only made my life a lot brighter with her love and affection.
My friends through different stages of my life from school, to undergrad to master, have immensely accepted me with all my flaws and supported me through this journey.
Lastly and most importantly, my professors who literally guided me and showed me this path, they were more than teachers who are very much responsible for making me the person I am today.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
1) Being patient and sensitive
2) Being mindful
3) Being responsible and taking ownership for my actions
4) Ability to take risks & venture into uncharted territories
5) Ready to explore and learn
6) Being vocal and expressing yourself
7) Humor
8) Being resilient
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
My motivation comes from music. This particular band called BTS is pretty famous globally. They started out small, but with their rigorous hard work and the wanting to do good for the world made a Korean band who wasn’t even known in their country now being called equivalent to The Beatles.
If their journey isn’t enough their songs and discography talks about real-life challenges and about mental health issues and how to find peace and bring about a change. This helps me understand how we all are so amazing in our struggles and have such power within us to conquer them too.
I read, paint or at times indulge in watching standup comedy to get by difficult days and stay positive even when things don’t work out my way. For self-care, being a vicarious foodie I love to cook or explore some new restaurants with quirky cuisines.”
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
There are many factors but if you really have to have the key elements then to me these are the ones:
(a) Persistence
(b) Ability to accept failure and learning from our mistake
(c) Ability to accept criticism and work on it
(d) Curiosity
(e) Following your gut and taking difficult decisions
(f) Positive attitude
(g) Believe in myself, accept & love myself
(h) To constantly learn and adapt
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to venture into new arenas. Career decisions require a long view of what comes after and a good understanding of personal skills and ambitions. Make informed choices and build a professional life that empowers your lifestyle.
That being said we all are trying and figuring out things as we go along the way, many times what we liked before may not be the same in the present. Networking and asking questions on the way can help resolve our doubts and apprehensions. It’s okay to make mistakes and fail, but it’s important to learn from it and move forward. So try to not be stagnant, try to learn and be updated to the latest trends and advances, be patient and consistent with your work which will surely make you reach your goal.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
