For the Month of April we are sharing stories of hope and inspiration for National Month of Hope. Sometimes hope is the deciding factor on if we will continue our journey or stop in our tracks. As we share the stories of this amazing individual we hope that you are filled with hope and are inspired to keep on your path of greatness.

Founding and Managing Director for The Hatch Project PR, Sonali Priy Kapoor shares with us her story.

An avid thinker. Sonali has a flair for identifying and adopting emerging trends and addressing industry requirements to achieve sizeable objectives and measurable business profitability for her clients. With almost 2 decades of experience in Brand Solutions and Communications, Sonali has showcased excellent skills in leadership. interpersonal communication analytical ability and team management while working for Corporate, Sports, Lifestyle, FMCG, Fashion, Hospitality, Tech, Education and Travel & Tourism. She comes as an indispensable support for her clients and has been instrumental in creating effective strategy by leveraging her relationships with the media to achieve clients’ Objectives besides helping them create thought leadership. Prior to founding The Hatch Project, Sonali was leading Marketing Communications for several global brands and has played a pivotal role in establishing their brand recall value. Some Of the prestigious brands’ that she has been associated With on include Franchise India, Bradford License India, Indian Premiere League, Master Chef India, Ambuja Cements, Ryan Schools, Lakme Fashion Week, India Today, Sunburn, Massive Restaurants to name a few. Sonali is an alumnus Of Indian School Of Business Management Administration.

Do you have a story of hope or inspiration? Please share with me.

What inspired me was that being an entrepreneur was a way for me to feel fully self-expressed in what I am doing. I strongly believe that if you do what you love, the rest (money, fame, success) takes care of itself. I am inspired by people who feel enthusiastic about their job, their life, or their family, and who convey their enthusiasm and good energy to me. Being with people who are passionate about what they do makes me feel good, and they are an example to me. The biggest inspiration in my life is every challenge that comes my way. Challenges, much more than anything else, keeps me up no matter how hard they can get sometimes. I always believe that while challenges were meant to sometimes distract us, they can also give us hope and inspire us to be better.

What is the name of your business? What type of business is it?

The Hatch Project is a new-gen integrated communications PR agency in India that offers an array of services in the communications sector, for clients in India and abroad. As a full-service PR agency, we provide creative and strategic solutions to brands and corporates in terms of Media Strategies, Brand Consulting, Image Building, Reputation Management, Crisis Communication, Stakeholder engagement, all under one roof to ensure a strong foothold of the client in their respective sectors. With 40+ years of cumulative experience, The Hatch Project has the right mix of strongly networked professionals which includes media relations experts, researchers, digital and social media experts who have proven success in delivering top-notch PR and Digital Media services to clients. At the Hatch Project, we understand that each brand is unique and has its own story to tell. We tailor-make strategies with careful customization to create a distinct brand identity and communicate it to the right audience. What sets us apart is the perfect blend that we bring to the table – the nimbleness and agility of an independent agency and the experience and expertise of a global PR firm.

What does hope mean to you?

Hope to me means, believing good things can still happen. It’s about seeing all your best qualities and looking forwards. To have hope is to want an outcome that makes your life better in some way. It not only can help make a tough present situation more bearable but also can eventually improve our lives because envisioning a better future motivates you to take the steps to make it happen. Whether we think about it or not, hope is a part of everyone’s life. Everyone hopes for something. It’s an inherent part of being a human being. Hope helps us define what we want in our futures and is part of the self-narrative about our lives we all have running inside our minds.

What are some tips would you like to share about remaining hopeful or becoming inspired?

Well, my mantra has always been the below: Pause and Reflect – When you feel yourself getting caught up with the rollercoaster of life it is easy to feel like things are spinning out of control. Every negative scenario fills your mind and you end up losing all sense of perspective. In these moments, just pause for a minute, take a breath and reflect on what your next steps will be. Taking time to press pause is sometimes the best action you can take to find that spirit of hope again. Gratitude, make it a practice – Remember what you are thankful for in life. No matter how hard things get there is always something to be grateful for. It is possible to catch a glimmer of hope from unexpected places. What can you see around you that you are thankful for? Who are you most appreciative to have in your life? Practising gratitude makes you better equipped to handle what comes your way with a hopeful spirit. Limit your Bad News intake – Every day is full of both good and bad reports, but it is the bad news that seems to travel faster. Be careful not to excessively watch, listen to or engage with media that makes you feel hopeless and fearful. Create a challenge today to deliberately look for hope in the news and see what difference it makes. Focus on what you have to look forward to – We can still acknowledge the difficulty of our situation in the world around us while still living with hope. One way to do this is to actively think of what you can look forward to beyond your present situation. What does a positive future look like for you when you find your breakthrough? Where could you travel to as an exciting destination? What kind of book could you write? What about getting that dream job or even starting a business? Thinking about a future vision always inspires hope and reminds you there is another chapter still to come. “It seems to me, we have a lot of story left to tell.” – Walt Disney Talk to hopeful people – Most of us know at least one person who can persistently see the bright side of life. And it is also true to say we know some people who leave us feeling drained too! Making a video or phone call to someone you care about might just be the thing you need to bring a dose of much-needed encouragement. Even when we can’t meet others face to face, we can still choose who we spend our time with. When you engage in any community, on or offline, you need to ask yourself questions like “Does this person or group make me feel more or less hopeful?”

What is your favorite inspirational or motivational podcast? Why should readers listen to them?

Podcasts are a great way to help pass the time, letting you immerse yourself in an enlightening conversation over the airwaves even though in real life you’re scrubbing toilets or washing sinks. For Inspiration, I listen to The GaryVee Audio Experience – Kickstarting your motivation to grind, hustle, and succeed. The GaryVee Audio Experience is a high-energy, hard-hitting motivational podcast featuring a variety of content from entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. He is very active on social media and publishes tons of content every day. The podcast is bursting with business and marketing tips, tactics, and advice. Vaynerchuk also shares his views on creating a life and mindset geared towards success. Entrepreneurs On Fire – Learning how top entrepreneurs think and act to achieve success. Entrepreneurs On Fire is one of the best motivational podcasts covering business, marketing, and entrepreneurial mindset. In each episode, host John Lee Dumas interviews highly successful entrepreneurs. These guests share actionable tactics and strategies to help you build the business and life of your dreams. The show has more than 2,500 episodes, so you’ll never run out of motivational material. Motivational Podcasts for Personal Growth for me is more important than anything else. Working to become a better person takes time, dedication, and perseverance. If you’re working to become your best self, here are three of the best motivational podcasts to help. The School of Greatness is hosted by Lewis Howes, a New York Times best-selling author, All-American athlete, and entrepreneur. Howes interviews some of the most successful people on the planet in business, sports, entertainment, science, and more. Past guests include author Dan Harris, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, and actor and comedian Kevin Hart. Each episode features stories, techniques, and tips that will motivate and inspire you to grow and lead a better life. Topics include overcoming fear, managing relationships, love, success, business, and more. The Mindvalley Podcast is all about the nitty-gritty aspects of personal growth. This top motivational podcast can help you to break free of limiting beliefs and step into your power. It’s packed full of actionable strategies and tactics to improve your mindset, beliefs, and performance. The founder of personal growth education company Mindvalley, Vishen Lakhiani, hosts the podcast. Episodes feature experts and teachers in various fields, such as psychology, science, business, and spirituality. Optimal Living Daily is a free motivational podcast that features some of the best articles online. Every day, a handpicked article will be read by the hosts. Many of these articles are written by notable experts and authors. The episodes feature a range of topics, such as business, mindfulness, personal growth, and minimalism.

Share your top 2 inspirational or motivational books and why?

These 2 books were key to helping me change my life. I rediscovered my purpose and my strength. I hope that by reading these books, you will find the same inspiration and motivation to your challenges in life. Awaken The Giant Within, by Anthony Robbins – The inspirational message from this book is how you have the power right now to control how you think, how you feel, and what you do. Anything you want or desire in your life, you already have the power to achieve it. The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz – “The Four Agreements” provide an inspirational code for life, for the way you handle your relationships, how you behave, and how you communicate with others. If you want to change your life, read “The Four Agreements”. This book will show you how to attain a happy fulfilled life.

Who keeps you inspired or hopeful?

I would like to enjoy this credit to all by myself because if I am not inspired by my life with what I am living then I can never look up to achievements. I truly feel like self-inspiration is the greatest motivator.

How do you remain hopeful?

I follow my mantra of GRATITUDE. It keeps me going.

How important is it to remain hopeful or to spread joy to others around you?

Watch your thoughts, what we think remains inside us in our subconsciousness. If we need to move on from that situation or thought then we need to watch our thoughts. “Your thoughts are a consequence of what you consume.” If social media or the news makes you feel angry or anxious, switch to a more uplifting input. Don’t let other people’s emotions infect you. This one is tough for me. When someone you care about is having a strong emotional reaction, it can be hard to let it be theirs, especially if you are highly sensitive or empathetic. Don’t own the feelings of others. Let them feel their feelings fully without taking them on yourself. As one friend recently said, she is taking everything “with a grain of salt and a dash of humour.” Smiling boosts your mood and your health, as does laughter. They are often contagious. And they send the message, “We’re in this together.” We need that nowadays. In some situations, it’s not appropriate to smile or laugh. Most of the time, though, some lightheartedness helps everyone stay calm and take a breath. Stress can lead to tunnel vision, where you only notice problems and mistakes. Remember to still encourage, praise, and thank others. Those small acts mean even more in times of trouble. Sharing information and keeping others in the loop also sends a positive message. The information itself may be neutral, or even negative, but the act of keeping others informed lets them know that they are important and you’re not only thinking of yourself. Find other ways to connect. Wave, smile, talk on the phone, schedule a video conference. Typically, communities come together when facing a disaster. In the current scenario, people are turning away from each other. While you may need to do so physically, do the opposite socially. As Brené Brown recently wrote, “We just can’t give up on people. We’re all we have. Stay awkward, brave, and kind. Love each other. Spread calm.” As David Steindl-Rast says in his TED talk on gratitude, we cannot be thankful FOR everything (a pandemic is a great example), but we can be grateful IN every moment—and, he says, it’s those people who face terrible obstacles with a grace that we hold in the highest esteem. There is always something you can be grateful for. Acknowledging those things brings you peace and assurance. And when you share what you’re thankful for with others, you pass on the benefits of gratitude to them.

What keeps you inspired?

It’s believing in something and someone and seeing the good. This is more of a life-inspiring thing but can also be seen with creativity in the fact that, try to see the good in your work. Don’t always be down on yourself. And give back – you don’t know how many people it might impact. Stay Happy Keep a check Keep Learning Stay Healthy.

What does community mean to you?

Community to me is a sense of support around you from a big group of people who are just welcoming and supportive and loving of you.

What do you feel a community needs to be inspired?

Community is everything. To keep the Tribe growing and thriving, one must follow these to stay motivated: Express happiness when you see your people Let everyone share stories and participate Forget the small talk Give credit as often as you can Instil confidence -it’s free Challenge your people to push themselves Connect people!

What’s next for you in your business/brand? What can readers look forward to from you?

Hatch Project will be soon empowering women in Tier II in India and would thrive for their place for making their own mark and better visibility amongst the right people. I am not completely comfortable describing myself as an “inspiring” woman. Maybe it’s the fact that self-praise, or praise in general, makes me feel slightly uneasy. But, more than anything, inspiring is something that I surely want to be — to my daughters, to my friends, other moms, and really to all people. You know who else I want to inspire? Myself. Yep, I truly feel like self-inspiration is the greatest motivator, and we all know that exhausted mommas can surely use any motivation they can get. I don’t think that being an inspiring woman equates to being overly successful in a traditional sense. You don’t need a high-paying job or an admirable career to be an inspiring woman. You don’t have to be a best-selling author or an expert on something to be an inspiring woman. And, you most definitely do not need to be perfect to be an inspiring woman. I would even go so far as to say that the most inspiring women that I know and admire are completely, utterly, and beautifully imperfect.

How can you be an inspiring woman?

I’ll tell you how.

** Radiate humble confidence. This is not as easy as it sounds. Confidence without reason and humility is not confidence at all — it is cockiness, and there is nothing inspiring about that. But someone who works hard enough (yes, being humbly confident is hard work), has self-awareness, and is conscious of and connected to those around them, is exuding true modest assurance, and that’s inspiring.

** Ooze kindness and compassion. Yep, those whose benevolence drips off of them constantly —they are inspiring. To be an inspiring woman, you must make a conscious effort each and every day, with each and every interaction, to approach people, topics, and situations with altruism in your heart — this will be both for yourself and for those observing you.

** Handle negative situations, people, and words with grace. This can be really hard. Who wants to be nice to someone who is being mean? We all know that most of us would rather take the lemon life handed us and chuck it before we would take it and make it into lemonade (or maybe a lemon Bellini). But, possessing that rare quality to consistently speak and act from a place of honest gratitude of the heart, and to regularly emit grace toward other human beings, across all situations, is truly heartwarming and yes, inspiring.

** Embrace your imperfections. We all have flaws. We all have numerous flaws. However, every single inspiring woman I know does not let her “perceived flaws” debilitate her. Inspiring women recognize their short-comings as opportunities for improvement. Inspiring women, they love their imperfections because pinpointing them offers them a chance for further self-improvement.

** Be authentic. Just be you. It’s really that simple. The most inspiring women are those that are honest — in their thoughts and in their actions. Interactions with an inspiring woman always feels genuine.

** Be intrinsically self-motivated. Extrinsic motivations will waver, and so will the pleasure you receive from them. But nothing, nothing at all, can be taken away if it’s intrinsic. Inspiring women know this, and therefore they live this. They live to make themselves happy. They live to impress themselves and what an attractive quality that is.

** Always be learning. A “know-it-all” is not the least bit inspiring. But alternatively, someone who is eager to learn from anyone and any situation is so respectable, and worth being admired.

** Be flexible. Yes. Inspiring women “don’t sweat the small stuff;” they don’t let obstacles derail them. They also make the conscious decision to go with the flow no matter it’s direction — they ride it out and they make the best of the journey — which is pretty amazing.

** Exude strength in times of adversity. It is so easy to let life knock you down and steal your joy, but, those strong, inspirational women, they don’t let it. They stand up to life, stare it in the face, show it their muscles, and they win. Don’t you want to be on a winning team? Yep, you and your strength — you make a formidable opponent.

** Embrace your inner creative being. Inspiring women are unique and funny and one-of-a-kind. You don’t have to be serious all of the time to be successful, and you sure don’t have to stay inside the lines. Let your inner creative out, and embrace the freedom you feel in doing so — your spirit will enjoy this and so will your observers. You know what you might find surprising? The fact that you are probably already inspiring others and you aren’t even aware of it. What women inspire me? My mother, my mother-in-law, my sister, my sister-in-law, my daughters, the women in my extended family, my friends, my kid’s teachers, their pediatrician, and so many women that I encounter throughout a normal day.

You may be a real-life woman, but you are also an inspiring one.

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