TURN OVER A NEW LEAF

Four Bazaar India contributors pen exclusive essays about taking a leap of faith, inviting and embracing change, and the power of manifestation.

- DIYAJ VERMA

“At 17, I had to take a call—did I want to pursue competitive tennis or resume higher education? Since the age of nine, my sister and I trained daily to chase this ridiculous dream of representing India on an international platform. We aspired to assume the world’s no.1 spot in the sport. Compelled to take risks, we pulled out of the formal education system and joined a tennis academy. But when I found myself laid up with injuries, unable to play, and with the threat of board examinations looming large, I had to decide whether I could— emotionally, physically, and financially—afford to partake in the sport. Leaving tennis to pursue academics was hard, given that I had been out of the system for nearly a decade. The discipline and grit I had cultivated over the years became my aid in my pursuit of a new path. In hindsight, I appreciate having gone through the reality of making life-altering choices at such a young age...even though, back then, I would have loved for my mother or coach to have lifted the burden off my shoulders. Even today, when I am faced with obstacles, I reinstate the belief that whichever path I may choose to tread, I shall manage to pave my way and thrive. This sense of self-belief has been fundamental in my journey.