We recently connected with Caroline Jurie and have shared our conversation below.
Caroline , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
It is difficult to point out to one single thing. Many factors have played a role in building up my resilience. My early childhood was the starting point. Since we were a large family of 5 children, and because we were from the middle class, and the financial difficulties my parents faced meant that at Christmas we didn’t have merry dinners or big Christmas presents under the tree. Hardly any relatives visited us either. But my parents always told the five of us not to compare our simple presents with that of those with the other kids in our neighbourhood. So, even as children we learned not to feel we lacked anything and get upset over it, just because we didn’t have colorful Christmas gifts or grand dinners at home. So we were happy with what we got.
My teen years were the real testing ground. I was very thin and tall in comparison to the other girls. I was more of a tomboy, and I also had my upper teeth sticking out. It was visible. So the endless bullying and name calling went on.and on. Initially I used to get upset, but, with time, I decided to make my height my advantage and took on Netball. I excelled in the sport, and committed myself to it, until I made it into the junior national club pool at 16. It was like proving a point. Then I got Dengue and nearly died and was advised to give up the sport as I had become too weak. The shattered dream of playing for the National team by 19, and the on and off depression that followed made do the unthinkable, twice. Then I had a realisation that life’s got a lot to offer if I was willing to give it another go,
When I look back now, all that I have gone through from my childhood and through my teens has made me a resilient person. I know that this resilience is what carried me through when I went to Las Vegas in December 2019 to compete for the 2020 Mrs. World crown I had just the cab fare to get to the hotel and back to the airport and the make up artist’s money in hand. I had no sponsors, and I carried with me four pairs of shoes I was using at the time and a dress for the final round that was put together by a design student with material that cost less that USD 40 at the time. It was the dress I was crowned in. To start with, I had had three visa rejections and was fourth time lucky. If not for the resilience that had built up in me from my childhood, the Mrs. World dream would have been over even before it had started.
I believe that being a Sri Lankan, I carry that resilient spirit in me, We are a resilient people. It’s in our blood. As a nation we have endured so much and we still put on a smile and take on each day with hope and energy.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have two Empowerment Brands.
Jataa – which is a head scarf. The name Jataa was inspired by the word ‘Jataawa’, which is the cloth that farmers wrap around their heads to shield their heads from the hot sun, when working in the fields. Jataa is a brand dedicated to women who are bravely fighting cancer. When women go through chemotherapy treatment they experience hair fall and use a scarf to cover their heads when they go out in public. Since a head scarf is rarely worn by women people look at them knowing that she is wearing the head scarf because she has experienced hair fall due to chemotherapy. My goal is to make Jataa a fashion statement, so that when so many women wear Jataa people would not look at a woman wearing a head scarf and wonder if it is because she is going through chemotherapy treatment. The thought would not even occur as it is worn by women as a fashion accessory. This is a not-for-profit project.
Podi Kade – means ‘small shop’. It is a page on social media that encourages home based micro businesses to advertise their produce, arts and crafts to build up awareness and even find buyers. The page was started post-covid as job losses and economic downturn resulted in an explosion of home based enterprises as families struggled to make ends meet. The muscle behind most of these small businesses are women. My goal is to expand the reach of these businesses so that they can find bigger markets and even export markets one day. This too is a not-for-profit project.
Enchantee by Caroline J – is a Lashes, Eyebrows and Waxing salon. Since I have walked the stage and have faced the spotlight I want to pass the message to other women. Enchantee is about helping women make an impression. In today’s world, making a lasting impression counts and when you know you are well groomed you feel elevated and confident. This is my first business venture.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
– Discipline – A never-give-up attitude
– Focusing on your goal
We all have 24 hours a day. It is the same for everyone. We have to make use of our time and make sure we make every minute count. As we face life and we go towards our goals doors can close on us and dreams can get shattered. But if we develop a mindset that takes these rejections and broken dreams as a road map to something new and greater, we will spend less time in self pity and more time in embracing the open road that is ahead of us and focus our energy on the path ahead.
Focus is a very important thing. Although we don’t think about it, the mind is like a search engine and it keeps thinking so many thoughts at every given second on the instructions we give it. So, it is easy to drift from one unproductive thought to another seamlessly. It is also very easy to get distracted by all the negative things that come our way. But if we can discipline our minds to give priority to our goals and focus our energy on them, then that’s more than half the battle won.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Since I am involved in both empowerment and building my own commercial brands, I am open for collaborations in those areas. I am open minded and would like to look at creative ways to build both my empowerment brands as well as my commercial brands. They can connect with me via my IG or FB and even through my LinkedIn page.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: caroline_jurie_official
- Facebook: Caroline Jurie
- Linkedin: Caroline Jurie
- Twitter: Caroline Anne Jurie
Image Credits
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