Having a near death experience would change anyone’s perspective on life, but for Nandita Chakraborty, it only made her push harder to achieve her dreams of financial security and personal success.
In 2011, she fell 40 metres during a horrific rock climbing accident which left her with a traumatic brain injury resulting in a cognitive disability.
She was out on a rock climbing expedition in Mount Cathedral. Situated on the northern face of the Cathedral Mountain Range in Central Victoria, what should have been an exhilarating day of glorious views of nature took a turn for the worst when she fell 40 metres.
“I have always been one to push the boundaries and push myself but on this day, I pushed myself too far. The trail was extremely difficult but I was determined to make it no matter what. The others in the group were very patient with me. I know I shouldn’t have but I detached the rope and removed the harness to move more freely to the other side of the hill. Unfortunately there was a gap and my legs weren’t long enough to make it, so I slipped,” Chakraborty explained.
“I was airlifted to the hospital with multiple head and body injuries. After all the surgeries and months of rehab, I was left with a permanent disability.
“I have cognitive issues and impaired concentration; and I get migraines and experience chronic fatigue. The road to recovery after any major accident is long and comes with twists and turns. It is not just your body that has to recover but it’s your mental wellbeing that needs time to adjust too.”
During her lengthy recovery, Nandita turned to writing as a form of therapy to help her reactivate parts of her brain that were damaged in the accident. Eager to fast track her recovery she immersed herself in the creation of words and stories, resulting in the release of several best-selling novels.
“Brain injuries are not well understood. Cognitive disability causes issues with attention, concentration, speech and language, learning and memory, reasoning, planning and problem-solving,” Chakraborty added.
“When you have a brain injury, you have no sense of how much your brain has been impacted. In 2016 when working for an insurance company in Melbourne, I stepped out to lunch only to find myself standing in the middle of Collins Street not knowing where I was or who I was.
“It was a telephone call that brought me back to reality, but also the realisation that things would never be the same for me. I really had to find my own pathway forward and so I decided to focus on rebuilding my life as a writer and keynote speaker full time to share my journey and empower others to pursue their dreams as well.”
Nandita has pursued a highly successful career as a best-selling author and key note speaker. She has shared her approach to rebuilding her life and achieving success.
Always look at the positive
“This is my core mantra. Be positive and think positive – always, no matter what. Be prepared and be sensible, but be positive,” Chakraborty said.
“Positive thoughts are infectious and they infect others as well. People like being around positive people. It gives you energy that lifts you up and helps you to approach issues with a better mindset.”
Do things you enjoy
“Everyone puts off doing things they enjoy because they think they are too busy, and often they are, but if you really want to, you can find time to do these things,” Chakraborty added.
“Schedule joy into your diary every day. Plan for it. If you like painting, but you have never found time to do it, research painting classes and book yourself in. You can find a way to do these things if you try. There is no doubt that when you indulge in things you enjoy doing you become a much happier person inside. Don’t let it take a near death experience to push you into doing things you should already be making time to do. We are a long time dead.”
Surround yourself with people you like
“It sounds so simple doesn’t it, but how often do we find ourselves spending time with toxic or negative people,” Chakraborty explained.
“Make a decision to spend more time with people who you like; people that you connect with, who are kind decent and thoughtful. Nobody is really who they seem at first, take the time to get to know those around you and spend more time with people you like and less time with people you don’t.”
Be patient with yourself
“Set goals for yourself and ensure you are well organised. As we all know, organisation is the key to success. Nothing happens by accident, it takes time, planning and preparation. In all of this, be patient with yourself,” Chakraborty said.
“Goals must be reasonable and attainable otherwise you lose momentum and enthusiasm fast. There is a saying in the military, slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Do things at the right pace, your pace, and ensure they are done well.”
Reward yourself
“Rewarding yourself sounds silly, but it is an important part of achieving things in life,” Chakraborty said.
“When you achieve milestones in your goal setting or find yourself completing tasks, reward yourself in some way. Involve others in your celebrations. It may be something as simple as indulging in cake and coffee, or buying yourself a new scarf. Make sure you reward you.”
According to Chakraborty, these rules have helped her to regain her confidence, keep her therapy and recovery on track and have given her the motivation to succeed in life.
Her books are fast becoming best-sellers across the world, giving people hope and inspiration and can be purchased from Amazon, Readings, Good Reads and Flipkart in India.
For more visit: www.nanditachakrabortyauthor.com.au
