“You must have the courage to come out of your comfort zone to live life to the fullest,” says Priyanka Singh Desai, a poetic doctor. A young poet, a doctor, an author, and a blogger; that’s Priyanka Singh Desai for you. Be it doing an open mic for the first time or creating a food blogging platform her journey was loaded with roadblocks and she managed to overcome them all. She has co-authored five books and has penned down many beautiful pieces of poetry that one shouldn’t miss reading. In conversation with Storiyaan, Priyanka shares her experiences, challenges, and secret tips to help others manage their passions and profession. Please continue reading to learn more about her as well as some fantastic tips to achieve your dreams.
Interview
Questions and answers
What gravitated you towards your calling for media, arts, and poetry?
I was an extroverted person from a very young age who always used to take part in stage performances at school. After entering medical school, I faced a vast gap in show-casing my speaking and writing skills. I went to an open mic at that time, and it ignited my desire to be eloquent. And that’s how I gravitated toward media, art, and poetry. I can say it is the rebirth of my passion and will not let anyone come in between.
As a poet and author, what are the tips you follow to stay relevant with your content and overcome creative blocks?
As a writer, the audience always expects something new from us. I ensure that my work attracts the audience and lives up to their expectations. I plan stepwise, conduct extensive research, and then sleep on it. It takes a lot of time and effort to reach my satisfaction, and it is all worth it. There are indeed times where my brain isn’t creative. To overcome this, you must first understand yourself and notice when your brain is cultivating creative thoughts.
Can you take us through the motive and ideations that went behind writing and launching your first book as a Co-Author?
When the compiler approached me, I doubted whether I could do it, but I didn’t cave in. I completed my write-up and wanted people to get inspired by it. The one thing that has driven me from not giving up is inspiring people and spreading positivity to the world. This was a baby step towards fulfilling my dream to become a writer, and since then I co-authored four to five books.
Can you talk to us about your first open mic experience? Did you have cold feet? If yes, how did you manage to overcome that Quagmire?
I had cold feet. Usually, I was excited in school, but the gap sparked my self-doubts. The open mic was where I came up with my content, and I was very critical of myself at the moment, which made me anxious and shaky, as well as excited. I had to sprint away and hop towards the stage at the same time. But then one of my friends calmed me down and reminded me that I had always wanted this, and my subject was sensitive; it was mental health, and I was finally getting the chance to speak about it, so I shouldn’t be anxious. I believed I could do it after that pep talk.
According to you, what are the 3 essential qualities that an excellent public speaker should possess?
You should have the Junoon, that confidence, in my opinion when engaging with your audience. If you don’t have it, you’ll start to feel bad for yourself. Second, you’ll need diligence and a sharp mind. As an artist, you must be careful and maintain a sense of equilibrium. You must be cool when confronted with concerns as not everyone would agree with you. Finally, it would be ideal if you have ready wit and presence of mind.
What was the inspiration and motive that went behind launching your food blog ‘Vogue Travel Eat’?
When an idea got into my mind, I had discussions with my blogger friends about what we needed on our page, and we decided to blog about food, clothes, travel, and everything else. This was our idea, and after several brainstorming sessions, we decided to launch it as a food, fashion, and travel blogging page– @voguetraveleat.
What is a message that you want to give out to our readers?
There are two messages for all the readers from my side: if you want anything, you can have it; but, you must take risks and test your boundaries. You must have the courage to come out of your comfort zone to live life practically. Then there’s the fact that it’s never too late to start anything new. Age is nothing more than a figure. Everyone’s life is unique, so go at your own pace.