Sonali Bendre: Embracing Discomfort for Growth

Bengaluru, March 8 (NationPress) Bollywood actress and author Sonali Bendre emphasized that every time you experience discomfort, you gain valuable lessons and it has consistently yielded greater rewards. "It’s a lesson from the business world: higher risks lead to greater profits, and this applies to life as well," she stated.

Her remarks were made during the 'Amazon ElevateHER 2025' event, hosted by Amazon India to mark International Women's Day (IWD) 2025 -- an initiative aimed at empowering women through mentorship and career development opportunities.

The event, aligned with this year's global IWD theme, 'Accelerate Action', took place in Bengaluru on Friday.

“Therapy has taught me about self-love. As women, we often prioritize others above ourselves. While we might advocate against this, it’s ingrained in our subconscious. I notice that my husband, son, and father have a different mindset; they don’t feel the same pressures,” she shared.

“When you tell yourself, ‘I need to do this,’ the accompanying 'but' has been a significant challenge in my life, and it took considerable effort to overcome. If you’re in distress, seeking therapy is essential; asking for help is simply part of life. It provides you with necessary tools,” she advised.

Sonali further remarked, “What you project into the universe, what you think, is crucial. Through my illness, I learned that your self is always listening. Your body is attentive to your thoughts and words, which is immensely important.”

Reflecting on a pivotal moment in her life, she said, “The transformative event was the birth of my son. Every woman experiences a shift in perspective through pregnancy and childbirth; that’s just the nature of it. Then, of course, came my illness. These moments were crucial in my personal growth.”

When discussing her journey through cancer, Sonali stated, “I didn’t intend to be so candid about it. I was participating in a reality show and appearing on screen weekly. When I needed to step away, I realized that this was not something I could manage while filming. Initially, I thought I could take a brief hiatus and return soon.”

“However, it dawned on me that my diagnosis was not at an early stage. The realization hit me when I noticed it reflected in the doctors’ expressions. My husband insisted on taking charge, as I had been misdiagnosed for too long despite voicing my concerns,” she recounted, recalling the traumatic experience.

“But, it’s human nature; I understand that sometimes conditions go undetected. Eventually, when I received my diagnosis, my husband was adamant. He didn’t want to leave any room for regrets and felt compelled to take action,” she added.

“I was reluctant to leave so suddenly; just three days post-diagnosis, we were on our way. In today’s digital age, everything becomes public knowledge. I didn’t want rumors circulating, especially since my son was only 12 at the time,” Sonali explained.

“I believed it would be easier to share my story openly. That’s one of the advantages of social media; I could communicate in my own words and express my thoughts, which was a luxury we didn’t have as actors. Media coverage often presented a biased view,” she noted.

“The intention was to state that I was undergoing treatment and to share my experience. The outpouring of support on Facebook and Instagram was overwhelming. I posted it and went to sleep; upon waking, I found an avalanche of messages,” she described.

“Messages poured in from all over the country and the world, from people of all backgrounds and ages sharing their stories. It was astonishing to realize how common this experience was. I felt naive for not knowing,” she emphasized.

“I recognized that no one spoke about this, and I questioned why. I realized there was an unspoken taboo surrounding cancer. It’s not just an external threat; it’s often genetic, existing throughout human history. I understood that this conversation was rarely held,” she remarked.

“I didn’t want to fall into the ‘why me’ mentality. Instead, I aimed to make it a topic of discussion. As a public figure, I felt it was my responsibility to foster dialogue. I avoided graphic details but remained truthful about my experience. Some accused me of seeking publicity,” she shared.

“At times, I felt disheartened when people suggested I shouldn’t have shared my journey. My son’s school even sent me articles highlighting the increased rates of early detection. Let them say what they will, but I am proud of what I have accomplished,” she stated joyfully.

“Even today, whenever I travel, I encounter countless women who credit my openness for their early detection of cancer. Early detection is crucial; when caught in the initial stages, cancer is highly treatable and may not carry severe side effects,” Sonali affirmed.

“The sooner you identify it, the fewer side effects you’ll encounter. It’s all about early detection,” she stressed.

“Every time I meet someone who caught it early, I feel a sense of achievement. I assure you, nothing else I’ve accomplished in life compares to this. This conversation has saved numerous lives, and I doubt I can achieve anything greater,” she declared.

“It’s been six years, and discussing this has become normalized, which is truly amazing. My mantra is to take it one day at a time,” she concluded.

Deepti Varma, Vice-President of HR/People eXperience and Technology at Amazon India, Japan, and Emerging Markets, remarked, “ElevateHER 2025 aims to equip women from diverse backgrounds with the skills and networks necessary to achieve their career aspirations. We are thrilled about the opportunities offered through speed mentoring sessions for these aspiring professionals.”