Defying the Norm Through Self Love

In this episode of the Becoming You podcast, I welcome Vidya Gopalan, part-time fashion and lifestyle blogger and mom of two kids.

Were you born in India?

Vidya: I was born in India and moved to Minnesota when I was six. I’ve lived in America since then.

How did you deal with the dramatic change in your environment when you moved?

Vidya: I was so young that it was relatively easier to adapt. But there were definitely cultural barriers to overcome. I didn’t know any English when I came here. All of that played into my mindset growing up.

What does it mean for you to live authentically and why is it so important?

Vidya: For me, to live authentically is just showing up everyday, being yourself, and not worrying about the outside noise. It’s about feeling confident and powerful in your own voice. That doesn’t come right away. It takes years of time and experience, and I’m still learning to live authentically. It’s not something that just happens. And now that I’m a wife and mother of two, I want my kids to feel like what I’m saying and doing and how I stand up for myself are the right things.

How do not let the noise of social media get to you, especially since you’re in the world of fashion?

Vidya: You can let it get to you or you can use it to your advantage. You don’t have to be like other people; but you can also take tips from their feeds to improve yourself.

What were the early mistakes you made along the way when you were building your business?

Vidya: No one’s checking on you, so you have to motivate yourself. The one big thing I did was set a schedule for myself. But it’s easier all around because I got used to the process, unlike in those first few days when I was finding my groove. When you get comfortable with what you’re doing, you get better at it.

At the beginning, when you got trolled, how did you feel and how did you overcome it?

Vidya: It still happens here and there; not very often. I would say the majority of people are very kind. Every once in a while, you get some fake account that says something that’s not really nice. It hurt a lot in the beginning. But I know myself and I put out forward-thinking content that resonates with a lot of people. That confidence is why I’m not affected as much anymore.

Have you always been so outspoken?

Vidya: I wasn’t always like this. Having this platform helped me use my voice to talk about important topics and issues. That made it hard for me to stay quiet. When it comes to social, racial, and some political issues, I find it hard to hold back and not say how I feel. With everything that’s going on, it’s just not easy.

What are some struggles you have behind-the-scenes that you might not be ready to share on Instagram yet?

Vidya: Just like everybody, I have good and bad days. My Instagram stories are not a representation of my everyday life. They are two-second snippets of me usually sharing an outfit. On bad days, just as it is with any kind of work, you just have to get up and do what needs to be done. You don’t have to share everything in your life, and that’s okay.

What does self-love mean to you?

Vidya: Self-love is just taking care of yourself, whatever that means. If you have to set things aside to take care of yourself, I think that’s so crucial for everything—for your physical health and your mental health.

What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with their own self-love?

Vidya: Take the time to focus on yourself and ignore the outside noise. It’s hard to do; but whether that’s through journaling or talking to somebody, find a way to help yourself understand what it is that you’re struggling with and how you can heal from that.

Learn more about Vidya Gopalan:

Her website: https://queencitytrends.com 

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queencitytrends