DEEPIKA JINDAL
Nominee for what Award/s
Leap of Faith Award
Real and Relatable Voice Award
Empowered Online Award
Leap of Faith Award
Leap of Faith Award
1. What leap did you take that changed your life forever?
I walked away from a comfortable, secure, permanent job, a job that looked “good on paper” and had served me well in the beginning but then started to slow erode my soul. The environment became draining and quietly toxic. I’d been enduring soft workplace bullying for far too long, but the day came when I decided my wellbeing mattered more than a payslip. I chose to take a short-term contract role, without any guarantees, just so I could breathe again. That leap cracked something open in me. It led me down the path of becoming a meditation teacher and coach, not because I had all the answers, but because I knew I had found a way to empower myself through the storm. And I wanted to help other women do the same.
2. What emotions did you battle before taking the leap?
Fear was loud. Fear of losing stability. Fear of regret. Fear of people saying, “Why would you leave that job?”
There was uncertainty—so much of it. Would I find my way? Would I make enough money? Would this all fall apart?
There was also judgement—from others, but especially from myself. I kept asking, “Am I being reckless?” I had family to support afterall.
But underneath all that noise… there was a quiet hum of excitement. A sense that something new was possible. That maybe, just maybe, I was finally choosing what felt true within me.
3. What was the first sign you were on the right path?
The first sign was a deep exhale I hadn’t felt in years.
It was the sense of relief in my body—the release of tension I hadn’t even realised I’d been carrying.
There was this quiet but powerful knowing that I was free. That I wasn’t just surviving anymore—I was returning to myself.
And as I began studying meditation and coaching, I felt a new energy moving through me. I started to feel lit up, grounded, and in service. That’s when I knew—I wasn’t just on the right path. I was on my path.
4. How has this decision inspired others around you?
Since making that leap, I’ve had women say things like, “You gave me the courage to leave what wasn’t serving me” and “Watching you choose yourself made me realise I could too.”
People in my world—clients, followers, even friends—started saying, “You look much happier”, “You are amazing”.
Through my posts and the work I do, I’ve helped women feel less alone in their hard decisions. I’ve shown that you don’t have to wait for rock bottom to choose a better life—you just have to decide that you’re worth it. And that message has rippled far beyond what I ever imagined.
5. If you could go back, what would you tell yourself before you jumped?
I’d hold her face gently, look her in the eyes, and say:
“This is not the end. It’s the beginning. You’re not walking away, you’re walking back to yourself. You don’t need to know what’s next. You just need to trust that your inner voice is wiser than the fear. You’re braver than you think. And this leap? It’s going to lead you home.”
Real and Relatable Voice Award
Real and Relatable Voice Award
1. Share a time when being raw and real changed everything for you.
I was at a meditation retreat and we were asked to share with the person sitting next to us what would we like to let go of, and I found myself being vulnerable with a stranger, sharing something really personal that I didn’t even realise was weighing me down so much. But just the acknowledgement of that feeling gave me so much freedom – I had been almost hiding it from myself that I was feeling that. And once I spoke about it, I paved the way to release it and heal.
Since then, I have been brutally honest with myself about how I am feeling about a situation or a person, and that honesty keeps me true to myself, empowers and gives me agency to make a choice about it.
2. How do you balance vulnerability and leadership?
For me, vulnerability is leadership. I don’t believe in guiding from a pedestal. I lead by walking through the trenches with my people, not around them. I’ve learned that when I share from an honest place, not just the healed version, but the raw, messy, in-between moments, it creates safety. Real leadership means going first in telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. And it’s in those moments I receive messages like “You know exactly what to say” or “This really hit home.” That’s how I know I’m striking that balance, by showing up real, not perfect.
3. How has your authenticity made others feel seen or heard?
Some of the most touching feedback I’ve received are comments like: “This post put into words so much of what I’ve been feeling” or “I look forward to your posts every day.” That kind of response reminds me why I do this. When I share from a place of truth, whether it’s a quiet moment of doubt or a powerful breakthrough, it resonates because it’s real. I don’t try to be a guru. I try to be human. And that humanity creates connection. My authenticity doesn’t just make others feel seen, it gives them permission to see themselves more clearly.
4. What myths about perfection do you wish more people would break?
That you have to “have it all together” before you're worthy. That healing has a deadline. That only the curated version of your life is loveable or shareable. These myths keep so many women trapped in shame and silence. I want more women to know: you don’t need to be perfect to be powerful. Some of my most “imperfect” posts, where I speak straight from the heart, without filters, are the ones that receive messages like, “You are truly amazing” or “Wow, this really hit home”. That’s the evidence. The cracks are where the light actually gets in, as Rumi said.
5. What role does truth-telling play in your work or message?
For me, truth-telling is paramount. It is the heartbeat of everything I share. It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do that. Whether I’m guiding a meditation, coaching a client, or writing a post, it all begins with truth. Not the neat kind, but the kind that shakes you awake. The kind that makes someone pause and say, “This is exactly what I needed today.” I’ve had women tell me my words helped them feel seen for the first time in months. That’s not because I said something clever, it’s because I said something true. I believe when one woman speaks her truth, it unlocks something in others. And that ripple effect? That’s how real change begins.
Empowered Online Award
Empowered Online Award
What inspired you to step into the online space?
When I started my business, Circle of Calm, as a certified Empowerment and Transformation Coach and Meditation Teacher, I knew I would have to become friends with being in the online space, as uncomfortable as I felt stepping into it.
Knowing that my message is way bigger than I’m and that it is not about me but what I want to share with the incredible people out there inspired me to step into the digital space.
I want to inspire and empower women with my message, I want to create a shared (online) space where I can serve women and share with them not only what I have experienced in my life but also what I have learnt, various tools and strategies that have helped me that they can apply to make their life a little bit better.
The reach that the online space provides is phenomenal and we get to meet people who we wouldn’t have met otherwise, and they add so much meaning to our life and we have the opportunity to add meaning to theirs, and this is yet another inspiration for me to be in the online space.
What were your biggest fears or challenges going digital?
I had been a very private person and had never really used social media before, so the fact that I would be putting myself out there felt really uncomfortable. I was fearful of my own judgement and uncomfortable about my friends, family, colleagues, high school mates watching me online.
And because I hadn’t used social media before personally, I was also not confident using it and making sure that I was doing the “right way”.
I was also a bit of a perfectionist so I wanted everything to be “perfect”, which was another challenge I had to overcome.
How has your online presence created impact or change?
First of all, the biggest impact my online presence has created has been in my own self– facing and overcoming my fears to step into the online space so I could serve women I cared about so much has made me proud of myself. It’s a great example that I can share with the clients to empower them and also for my children. My daughter tells me how proud she is of me and my work.
And then of course, so many women have benefitted from the knowledge, learnings, tool, tips and strategies to grow and evolve, that I have had the privilege of sharing, one message at a time. I often get told how well the message has been landing and that it is inspiring, and I have had women reach out to me to work with me because of what they have seen.
The biggest impact I recently felt was when my teen daughter’s friend found me on Instagram, all on her own, and started following me because she loved what I was sharing. And this is really special for me because I want to empower not only women in their 30s and 40s but also our next generation.
What platforms, tools, or strategies helped you own your digital voice?
Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn are the platforms that I use.
Some of the strategies that helped me own my digital voice were:
· seeking help from experts
· having a coach for myself
· constantly learning
· just giving it a go
· knowing it was about the message, not about me
· letting perfectionism go
What lessons would you share with women hesitant to embrace technology?
Some of the lessons I would like to share:
1. The most important thing to ask yourself is WHY – because that will help you overcome all doubts and fears
2. You may have a great message, but if no one can hear it, what good is that
3. There is lot of free and paid help available – seek help
4. Invest in yourself, because you are worth it.