GDC Part 2, Week 3: Interview with a Celeb

Since the deadline for the 1000 words about someone project is on week 4, I need to start writing down questions to ask during the interview. And to come up with questions to ask her to change in personality and vibe is not something I can easily improvise, cause who knows her answers became unrelated to my other questions. And so, I thought of asking her about how she gained her confidence during that period of time before we met again. Which directs me to the topic of self-worth or self-love.

The questions I've planned to ask:

1. If you could go back and talk to your 16-year-old self, what would you say to her?

2. Would you say you’ve changed a lot in terms of expressing yourself?

3. Would you say you are more comfortable with yourself now?

4. Would you undo the past?

5. Do you love yourself more now or then?

6. Do you have a philosophy in life?

7. What advice would you give to someone if they happen to lose their meaning in life?

8. Did you struggle with self-worth?

9. What do you do when you question your self-worth?

10. Do you think that friends or surroundings affect a person’s personality?

11. What is that one thing that you’ll never change about yourself?

The Interview

The interview went smoothly, we had fun talking about the past and also about her, so it's a pleasure interviewing someone with a different view in life.

Interview Findings

To say my guts stirred me in the wrong direction, I would say yes, but not completely off of the track. Amirah did change but not in the sense of personality or confidence cause she's always outgoing and confident, I guess I didn't hang with her that much to see that side of her. So, what changed? Turns out she have a thing with her temper and she usually is more straight-forward which always triggers her to speak her mind whenever her emotions get the best of her. Right now, after she had experience with various people and situations she starts to think before she talk, and be more in-peace with herself.

I would say she did became more calmed and stable after the series of events she been through and understands her point of view in situations. I would say I interviewed the right person just cause her mindset is different from most people in society these days. Her willingness to fail and learn is truly respectable.

Journey to finding your self-worth was never easy, but not impossible. Moving out at the age of 22, to follow what she believes in, Amirah was able to soul search what she truly wants in her life.

Q: If you could go back and talk to your 16-year-old self, what would you say to her?

A: I would tell her not to stress out, cause I thought that was the end of it, I thought Accounting was so stressful, I would not face something more stressful than that, but in reality it’s just a tiny spec amongst all the bigger problem. I wish I could go back in time to tell myself to have fun instead of stressing out. But I contradict myself, I stress out, but I don’t care at the same time, which made me even stressed. And I was vey playful, I don’t think I would’ve study without a study group.

Q: Would you say you’ve changed a lot in-terms of expressing yourself?

A: Uh, yes and no, cause back then I was very impulsive, reckless and temperamental compared to now, back then I was really stressed, like frustrated with my homework, I would just ditch everything and go play and when I get angry I just say what’s on my mind without thinking the consequences, no matter who it is towards to either. But, now I’m just chill, I just go with the vibe, but in the same spectrum I’m still expressing myself through art. Now that I’ve controlled my emotions more, I, most of the time would think before I act and because I’ve started to pick up martial arts, it helped me grow emotionally and mentally cause when engaging a spar with someone I need to think of the consequences of my next move .

Q: Would you say you are more comfortable with yourself now?

A: Yes! Probably back then I was in an emotional turbulence, like one moment I’d be super happy, one moment I’d be super tired, but currently I’ve been more consistent mentally and emotionally, probably due to me learning who I am, not like with a boyfriend or a partner. I’ve understood that being a whole person by myself is enough, and not needing someone else to complete me.

Q: Would you undo the past?

A: Maybe? Wait, probably? HAHA. Just one you know, but it’s quite the opposite, cause most people wished they hadn’t done that thing but for me I wished I had done it, cause I was too scared to have done it, just because I had really bad commitment issue and I realize that was one of my biggest flaw back then. I regretted it a lot, just because I never got the chance to see how it would turned out if I really put my head into it, I should’ve tried and maybe failed instead of not trying at all. The biggest lesson here is regret of not trying something is worse than regret of trying something.

Q: Do you love yourself more now or then?

A: Now, but back then I was ok with myself, because I didn’t really understand the term loving myself, probably it was just ego and narcissism back then. I would tend to put myself in a bad place, I’d drink and stuff just to prove to myself I’m not weak, I’m constantly strong, but that’s not acknowledging the problem. And now I felt more truly at peace with myself, right now to me, what I understand from self-love is to not destroy yourself in a sense where you can’t reverse it, you have to know what’s good and bad for you and to always put yourself first.

Q: Do you have a philosophy in life?

A: YOLO, as cheesy as it sounds I do live by it, I want to live my life by doing things instead of not doing anything, but at the same time I would think of the consequences before I do it cause of the commitment it comes with. The chances are 50/50 in situations sometimes, but if it’s wrong, it’s wrong, you just have to suck it up and commit to your mistake and learn from it.

Q: What advice would you give to someone if they happen to lose their meaning in life?

A: Based on my experience so far in life, I would recommend them to work with nature, I used to work in a horse ranch, and on the first day of the job I’ve completely forgotten about my problems, everything else seems so puny compare to what I’m about to face. When you worked with nature, you’d realize you could give so much more to the world, instead of pleasing other people and the society, you could help the animal, the plants, with that I also realized that when those times I felt so useless, I actually had a purpose.

Q: Did you struggle with self-worth?

A: Yes, but the first time that ever shattered me was when I experience my first heartbreak, I thought that I was never enough, but in the end, I’ve realized that relationship is a two-way thing, and communication is very important. Which also made me realize in order to love, I need to be vulnerable with myself, because people perceive me as someone strong and I don’t want to show that weak side of me, so in a way, I need to acknowledge my feelings and be kinder to myself.

Q: What do you do when you question your self-worth?

A: To be honest, when I have a lot in my mind, I would just keep myself busy, like work, paint, go out on parties, just distracting myself by numbing the thoughts with physical sensory stuff, but that was when I didn’t want to face the problem. But now I focused more in inner peace, cause it’s more effective, I meditate and paint too, probably focusing more on myself, and acknowledging the problem and facing it head-on so it doesn’t happen in the future.